Frustrated with the job hunt? You’re not alone. Today we’ll go over five tips for getting through the process when it seems like nothing is going your way.
1 | Believe in yourself and your abilities
This can be hard when experiencing frequent rejection or being ignored altogether, but it’s important to remember that you have a valuable skill set that some company out there wants and needs! Job hunting could really be called “candidate selling” because it’s where you need to convince an employer you are right for the job. Pretend that you are a salesperson selling bricks of gold. If someone walks away without buying, then move on to the next prospect. You still have your bricks of gold. Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.
2 | Be thankful for closed doors
Focus on what you can change. If they didn’t pick you, then they didn’t see your value. Somebody else will, and wouldn’t you rather work for them anyway? Sometimes there are hidden factors at play. Maybe the company just implemented a hiring freeze due to an unexpected turn in their business (e.g. losing a client) or went through department restructuring due to a new hire in leadership. If it didn’t happen, it was never meant to be. Keep learning. Keep growing.
3 | Network, network, network
Don’t just send out resumes, connect with decision makers. If you’re not having any luck with applications and interviews, try taking a break and focusing only on networking for a week. Ask new connections for coffee meetings or even quick (15 minute) phone calls. Attend local networking or industry events. Even if this doesn’t lead to a job right now, you’ll learn from the experiences and sharpen your interpersonal skills.
4 | Volunteer
Not only will it help others, it will help fill in any employment gap. This gives you something to talk about in your interviews that will surely impress. If possible, show how the experience relates to the type of work in which you are trying to do. For example, working at a soup kitchen requires a friendly disposition and providing great service—two traits that are highly valuable in a customer service-centric industry like hospitality or tourism management.
5 | Stay Positive
Above all else, it’s important to stay positive! Visualize yourself in that position. Don’t take rejection personally—shake it off and keep going. It may not seem like it right now, but your time will come! In the meantime, surround yourself with positive people and consider taking up a hobby to keep your mind active and engaged. Don’t let your job hunt define you.
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