We are living in a time of high unemployment and a pandemic. There have been wildfires on two continents. Our world has been fractured and divided in ways that have no historical precedent. With all of this stuff going on in the world, not only are there many people looking for work, but the way we job hunt has change a lot in the last year. Something that hasn't changed is the variables in the act of job hunting that are completely out of our control.
A universal part of job searching is the rejection component. I don't know of anyone who has received a job offer from every business that they applied to. There are more people looking for work than there are open positions. Even with these commonly known factors, being rejected for a job is hard. It is hard because you may be desperate to find work to support the family. It is hard because that job may represent a big move in your career. When you applied for the job, and when you were interviewed for the position, you may have thought that you are perfect for the role and that you could make a big impact on the business. When that rejection notice comes, it feels like the people you met with didn't see how perfect you are for the role. The rejection with no explanation and closure feels empty and presents a real opportunity for someone to feel down about themselves. The questions start to pile up with no answers to relieve them. While the chance to become disappointed and depressed about the situation has a lot of gravity to it, it is important to remember some helpful bits of reality.
1) All job searches are competitions. It is easy to forget that there are more people, besides you, applying for the same jobs that you are. Unlike other competitions, like sports or debate, you have no information about who you are competing with. Even though having that information would be completely useless, remembering that simple fact makes a big difference. The company that you applied to and interviewed with is looking for the best person that they think will fill the role. It is about making their business better, not about you feeling worse. There is nothing personal to it.
2) It is important to also remember that while you may apply to 5-10 jobs per week, the companies you are submitting to are hearing from a lot of other people going for a lot of positions. Reading and sorting through the resumes and cover letters takes along time. Stuff gets missed. A hiring manager may only spend a few seconds looking at a resume. Most of the time, reviewing resumes and job applications are not anyone's full time, all of the time job. Clearly, they are hiring because they recognize that they need help.
3) Just because you didn't get this job, does not mean that you are not unemployable. It is easy to fall into that hole of self-doubt. This disappointment is temporary. Keep looking and applying for the job that you want.
4) The inverse situation is just as important. You don't need to accept every job offer that comes. If you feel like that culture at the company may be toxic, or the commute is farther than you can stand, or you don't want to move to a new state, you don't have to accept the role. With all of that said, you may need to be careful how you do that. Sometimes, when a person is receiving unemployment, that may be required to accept any offer that comes. If that is the situation that you are in, it would be wise and proactive to withdraw from the position before that get to the offer phase. Remember you are evaluating the prospective employer as much as they are interviewing you. Otherwise, you might just be exchanging the misery of unemployment for the frustration of being in a job that you don't like.
I have been writing this from my own recent experiences. I have been writing this for myself as well as for anyone who could be helped by reading this. I am telling me and telling you to keep pushing. We are in a bad job market. There is a lot of competition out there and you have no idea if the people who got the jobs you didn't are better suited for the jobs than you are. It is a waste of time and resources to dwell on it. Focus on your strengths and talents. You are selling yourself in the act of job hunting. Put forward the best product that you can.
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