The roller coaster ride of job searching and interviews
Looking for and applying to jobs can bring out our insecurities. I’ve worked with plenty of clients who just weren’t sure what they wanted to do or what they could even do in where their skill sets lie. Some clients didn’t even want to apply to certain jobs because they didn’t think they were qualified enough. And when they did apply, often when going on interviews they were left feeling unsure of how they did OR thinking they did pretty good only come to find out the job was given to someone else or the job was reposted again.
It feels so defeating. It’s a rejection that wasn’t even explained to you. Where did you possibly go wrong? Was it what you said? Did you have enough experience? Was it personal? It’s also hit or miss on whether you will receive a response. It can be discouraging honestly. Many have felt they needed a break for a week just to recover.
Just keep this perspective in mind; The person interviewing you is also human too. I know our nerves can make us forget this. They aren’t allowed to ask certain questions (things related to age, religion, sexuality, etc.). They make mistakes too. It’s usually not personal if they did not offer you the job, sometimes they are a new HR person or the one that previously interviewed had left in the mean time and they started with new candidates. It can be bad timing. Managers being slow to hire, or something changing on the job site that no longer requires the position to be filled. There are SO many reasons things don’t work out.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t find a job or figure things out. It’s just going to require time that you invest in yourself. It’s not an easy process. It requires patience and being able to learn to connect with people more. Although this job process is very digital, I have found that the face to face meetings and building that connection/communication or rapport was a very important factor. But again, not a guarantee. It just raises your chances of getting the job that much more. It is good to learn this skill.
So how do I know all of these things you’re probably wondering? Well I’ve been through it myself and I also worked with many many clients who experienced the same. These responses were across the board in all industries. I’m sure you’re either currently going through this or you know someone who is or has. The workforce has changed drastically since the days of baby boomers and many people are figuring their way around how to navigate improving their lives and finding the job that is for them. When we are happy, we live longer lives and it improves the quality of our health.