Looking For A Job

Don’t let being in between jobs mess with your confidence.

We’ve all been there. Job hunting: Stressful as always, but in these times certainly very demotivating as well.

Either it’s the application after the application, unfulfilled wishes, or the self-doubting, here are some of the reasons why looking for a job sucks:

1. Applying to multiple postings

Obviously, you can’t apply to only one posting and expect to get hired. If you do, you’re either very lucky or very persuasive. For the rest of us, ordinary mortals, we have to send out multiple applications. And each application is different, so our CVs and motivational letters have to be *slightly* altered, making the process seem like a time wasted.

2. Each application seems like an endless obstacle course

You apply, get selected for a second round, great. Get to the third round, even better. After the third one, comes the fourth. But it’s not over yet. It keeps on going and going, with no end in sight.

Is it even worth going through all this trouble?

Well, the trick is to tackle each round as an individual task, instead of them being as parts of one whole task. Then you will feel like you’re doing a great job (which you are!) and will less likely be discouraged to keep going — if you would like to read more on this topic:

3. Getting negative responses

Or not even getting one. Which is worse?

4. Wanting it so bad, knowing you’d be good at it, but…

So, you’ve finally found your dream job, and somehow you’ve managed to gather enough courage to apply. You can already see yourself working there, waking up every day with a certain spring in your step, you’re already planning what to wear on your first day.

Until… someone with slightly more experience gets it.

5. Questioning your self-worth

This one hits the hardest. Isn’t it the most annoying answer:

“You don’t have enough experience”?

It makes it seem like any of your previous experiences aren’t worth enough. Maybe you were traveling, maybe you were volunteering, maybe you were working on yourself. It doesn’t mean you’re any less. But still, it does make you wonder, doesn’t it:

“Am I good enough?”

And this is the worst feeling — allowing outside circumstances to question your self-worth.

BUT…

Even though it seems like a very disheartening journey, and you would much rather just crawl under your blanket, there are some things you need to keep in mind:

1. You have to remember: recruiters are people, too

It’s usually 1, 2, or 3 people deciding upon whom to hire. Not choosing you is NOT a reflection of your worth, it just means there wasn’t a proper connection between you and that person. Or someone impressed them slightly more than you; either way, try not to take it too personally.

2. Don’t be discouraged

Work on your goals, work hard on your self-improvement, but at the same time know that your job doesn’t define you. Maybe your dream job isn’t accessible now, but that doesn’t mean it’s not waiting for you out there somewhere in the future.

3. Everything will be OK

Cliché, but it’s true, isn’t it? As long as you put in the work, keep your head up high, keep your spirits up, things in the end somehow always turn out OK.

Don’t give up, you will get the job!