How to Survive the Rollercoaster of Applying For Jobs

If it’s been a while since you applied for a job, you might forget how much energy it takes. Much like dating, applying for jobs in any field is really putting yourself out there. It can be exhausting, exciting, and many other feelings in between.

Here’s some tips to help:

1. Budget your energy

Remember that you might have to take time to imagine yourself in a role, craft a cover letter and customized resume, and go through interviews. This can cause us to feel quite exposed, as though we’re holding ourselves up for examination and validation. Whether you get the job or not, set aside energy to dedicate to this process. Remembering this before you begin is so important!

2. Rally your circle of support

You may contact your mentors etc for references, and this is a great time to rally your supporters. They know you well, and can be your cheering squad and team of reflection coaches as you prep for each stage of the job seeking process, asking you great questions that get your brain thinking. If you don’t have a circle of support, reach out to our communities or a coach as either an anonymous support or for one-on-one support from our coaches.

3. Set aside time for reflection

It’s important to reflect on what went well and what didn’t at each stage of the job search. What went well? What were you most proud of? What would you do differently next time? Answering these questions, and considering them independently of the outcome or feedback of others first can be helpful. Seeking feedback from successful and unsuccessful job attempts can also be incredibly helpful to help with personal growth.

4. Avoid over-rumination

Sometimes, getting or not getting the job has less to do with us, and more to do with the specific job. If you go down the road of self-depreciation and examining your self worth, you know you’ve overdone the reflection. My fabulous husband always says to me, “Your worth is not measured by other people’s opinions of you,” which I will share with you as well. Even if you get 0 jobs you applied for, you are still an amazing professional and there is still a need for your unique talents.

5. Manage your expectations

A lovely wise person told me, “It isn’t worth keeping track of how many attempts it took to get you over the high jump pole.” Ah right! We always remember the failed attempts and take them hard, but in reality, it can take a few tries before we land an amazing position. Know that despite how people tell their career stories, there’s a lot of failed applications and attempts before appearing to leap to apparent success.

Let us know if we can help you on your career journey. You don’t have to go it alone.