Frustrated because not much is happening in your job search? Let’s look at what might be hampering you. First, it’s important for you to be clear about what you are looking for. That does not necessarily mean that you have a specific job title in mind. Titles often vary from place to place, so focusing on a title might even limit you and your options. However, it is important for you to be aware of your interests, skills and values and recognize how they translate to the marketplace.
Next, you will need a great resume that captures the best of your experience. Given the fact that a resume has about 30 seconds to make an impression, it’s best to keep it to one page. Avoid the most common mistakes people make in writing resumes and be prepared with a list specific names to which to send or deliver it. Unsolicited resumes have much less of a chance of being read than ones that are sent via a company contact, so it pays to develop your contact list and use it.
If you’ve made it to the interview stage, that’s a good sign. But are you receiving second interviews or job offers? If not, your interviewing skills may need refining. When I worked at Bowdoin College, we offered videotaped mock interviews to seniors and encouraged them to have in mind at least three examples or vignettes of experiences that illustrated their skills. Most applicants think all they need to be successful in an interview is to state that they have a certain skill, but anyone can claim a talent for something. To identify when and where you have demonstrated a skill sets you apart from other candidates and may just land you the job.
Have you checked off everything I’ve mentioned so far and still wonder about your lack of success in the job search? Here is where the more philosophical aspect of the job search comes in: trusting the timing of it all. It may not be that your job search strategy is flawed, but that the right option is just not available at the exact time you are ready for it.
People often have a difficult time with this concept, which is not supported by our instant gratification mindset. I know people who seem ready to make a job change and dutifully conduct a job search process only to wait in frustration. Waiting for the right opportunity does not mean that you put your life on hold. Consider what you are doing as a result of your waiting that is adding something positive to your life. An example might be a person who rekindles an old friendship through networking for a new job, or someone who takes up exercise to deal with the stress caused by the uncertainty of it all. Shifting your focus to the positive aspects of your experience and appreciating more than just the end result could change your attitude and help you develop patience and trust until that dream job appears.
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