3 Mindset Shifts to Beat Job Application Procrastination

Summary

The article "Post-College Chronicles" outlines three mindset shifts to overcome job application procrastination, emphasizing the importance of viewing job hunting as information gathering, match-finding, and maintaining excitement without attachment.

Abstract

The "Post-College Chronicles" provides insights into combating job application procrastination for recent graduates. It suggests that applying for jobs should be seen as an exploratory step rather than a commitment, thereby reducing the pressure associated with the process. The author emphasizes that job hunting is a two-way street, involving both the employer and the potential employee assessing mutual compatibility. Additionally, the article advises job seekers to allow themselves to dream and be excited about potential opportunities, while also cautioning against becoming too attached to specific outcomes to avoid disappointment. The author acknowledges the challenges of the job search and offers encouragement for resilience and support from loved ones.

Opinions

Applying for jobs is a way to gather more information and should not be viewed as an immediate acceptance of an offer.
The job search is as much about finding a compatible work environment as it is about employers finding the right candidate.
Rejections during job searches are usually not personal and should be viewed as part of the process of finding the right match.
It's important to be excited about job opportunities, but also to remain detached from specific outcomes to avoid disappointment.
The job search process can be emotionally taxing, and support from friends and family is crucial for maintaining morale.
Dreaming about future possibilities can be a source of motivation during the job search.

Use your psychology to your advantage

I write this as I procrastinate on applying for jobs* Being a 2020 college graduate is the lot I was given. So believe me, I can tell you what I’ve learned after months of being a recent college graduate thrust into the job economy in the middle of a crisis.

These are the most important lessons I’ve learned.

You need to be excited — but sans the attachment

Let yourself DREAM a little. You need this to keep fueled during the search, and you need this to show at your interviews as an enthusiastic bundle of potential.

At the same time, job rejections can break your heart if you’re not careful with your projections: where you would live, how you romanticize your lifestyle to be, the fabulous friends you’ll surely meet. After all, in any job in any location, it’s all speculation until the rubber meets the road. You’ll always be surprised.

I am not going to wish you a happy job search, because that is an oxymoron. Instead, I wish you endurance and lovely pit stops along the way where you feel supported by the people you love in the hardest job: finding one.

*Author is no longer searching for jobs — she’s found one. Yay!🎉

Post-College Chronicles

3 Mindset Shifts to Beat Job Application Procrastination

Use your psychology to your advantage

Applying for a job does not mean you’re accepting that job

It’s even more about finding a match than competing

You need to be excited — but sans the attachment