Don’t be discouraged job searching

Don’t lie, you’ve been here before. Hopefully never again because self harm is bad. Speaking generally, of course the process of looking for a job is discouraging. You put in 50 applications to hear back from one. When you finally schedule an interview, you’re competing against a more qualified candidate; you can’t make a mistake and when you don’t, it still doesn’t matter. When you don’t get the offer, you’re “ghosted”. You had high hopes for that one, and suddenly all the new job listings sound boring.

Discouragement is felt or or not felt based on your reactionary perspective of the situation. The picture painted above is a bit negative. Next time you get rejected, find an immediate distraction. We’re reactionary people that tend to feel differently outside of “the moment” than we do while in it. Watch a quick tutorial or a short film to distract yourself, and become inspired again. Look for and apply to a few new jobs right away. In 20 minutes, the bad news is already old news. Reflect on the things you can improve upon in your next interview. Have faith that you’re one step closer to the perfect fit. It doesn’t matter if you’ve already applied to 1,000 jobs, it only takes one application to change everything, and the job market is changing every day with or without you.

It’s also important to think outside the box when on the hunt. Look for jobs in places you don’t think of right away. Ask your network if they know anyone hiring. Search for people on LinkedIn that have the job you want, and research their path. Be open minded with your applications, you’ll never really know if you like a job until you start it, so don’t rule anything out too early. If you’re interested in additional resources and guidance in your job search or career transition, check out some affordable and impactful services I offer at YourStartIn.com. Don’t be a stranger.