The job hunt can feel close to a sport; filled with wins and losses, peaks and valleys. However, there is nothing that is more draining or upsetting than constant rejection and/or non-responsiveness during a job search.
In life, there will always be challenges and problems but there are two ways to deal with them: the effective and ineffective way. The effective way starts with personal assessment. Where do you want to be in your career? Where are you now? After identifying and implementing solutions you can tackle how to deal with the slump in your job search.
Gain the perspective that setbacks are temporary and strive to increase your confidence:
People that are confident will succeed longer in the face of adversity and will ultimately achieve their goals. Unfortunately, inadequate job search performances can flood a job seekers confidence with self-doubt and lack of trust in their ability to successfully maneuver the job market. The easiest way to boost confidence is to reflect on past successful experiences and recall some of the goals you have achieved and obstacles that were thrown in your way to do it.
Understand the hiring managers perspective:
This is hard for most people but provides the ability to understand at a better level. If you put yourself in the hiring managers shoes, would you be interested in your resume and cover letter? Are you tailoring your documents for each application or are you submitting the same resume and hoping that something will come through? Are you connecting with the correct people who will be involved in the hiring process or are you relying on others to find you your next job?
Since it is so easy to apply for positions online and utilize tools like “Quick Apply” on LinkedIn, companies receive hundreds if not thousands of applications per open position. If you were the hiring manager going through the resumes, wouldn’t you be more interested in someone who took the time to research the company and put a little extra effort into the application process?
Keep your goal in mind and don’t stop until you reach it:
Hold yourself accountable. Without tangible goals, job seekers are more likely to wonder aimlessly through their job hunt and end up wasting valuable time applying to the wrong type of job with the wrong resume.
Take time to figure out exactly what you want in your next role. What type of company do you want to work for? What is your desired start date? After you have internalized your wants and needs, then begin to tweak your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile. Only when you hone in on the specifics of your goals will you start making the proper steps towards a successful search.
Spread your job search:
The average person seeking a job applies for positions through LinkedIn and on the other major job boards, while the successful job seekers diversify their job search avenues. This means that they are utilizing numerous resources, for example, niche job boards, company website postings, industry publications and social media.
Just like most life events, setbacks are likely to happen. It is important to keep in mind that before success, defeat will most likely make an appearance. You might meet temporary losses or even failure but only you can take control of your job search and set yourself up for a successful career.
Kristen Shryock serves as a Director at RETS Associates, a national real estate executive search firm. She can be reached at: [email protected]
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