The Secret To Getting Off The Job Hunt Roller Coaster
The job market roller coaster has taken a toll on many of us these last few years. When it comes to our work, work/life balance, career growth, and job stability, we've gone from:
"Let’s find more meaningful work! Quit this unhappy job! Let's work remotely and enjoy the autonomy of our schedules! Hurry, hire anyone! Pay them more than ever!"
To:
"Back in the office, or else! Fire everyone! Oh no, more layoffs! Thousands of applicants for every job! We'll never work again!"
The Great Resignation drove purpose-seeking professionals to reflect on their confining work schedules and in-office culture. They shunned their rat-race lifestyles in record numbers and took action toward finding meaning in their work and more control of their time. The speed at which so many left their jobs forced employers to quickly adjust hiring practices. Companies scrambled to retain workers, hires were made faster than ever before, and salaries skyrocketed.
Maybe you were one of the lucky ones who benefitted from this wave of increased employee power. After joyfully sending out just a few resumes, you quickly received multiple offers (some with a huge sign-on bonus) and negotiated an exceptional compensation jump or greater autonomy over your schedule at your shiny new job. Congrats!
(In an effort to maintain focus here, I’m leaving out the fact that this change doesn’t necessarily mean you’re happier or more satisfied in your new role.)
But, now it’s 2023 and the pendulum has shifted. Anyone who’s considering a job change in this economy is thinking, “If I quit my job now, will I be able to find another one? How long would that take?”
The job search market is shockingly different. Wage growth has slowed, layoffs are announced daily, and the job change process has lengthened considerably.
If you’re out there looking for a job right now, you’re likely experiencing the effects of these market changes. The old spray and pray method of applying online is resulting in a minimal response. LinkedIn says 2,500 people have already applied for the role, but you go ahead and sacrifice your resume to the great black abyss of the “apply now” button anyway. After sending out a hundred resumes, you might get a few automated “thanks, but no thanks” emails, but most likely you hear nothing at all.
If you’re interviewing, the process is probably unreasonably arduous and unnecessarily lengthy. If you’re negotiating, offers are only marginally better than your current role, and you’re told flexibility is restricted or nonexistent. You get the point.
So, it looks like you have two choices here. You can:
Succumb to fear and worry, allowing overwhelming doubt to consume your days, and accept that you’re powerless in the process thus treating the job hunt like a miserable full-time job.
Take control of the only thing you can control at this point, your perspective. Shift into optimism mode, try new approaches, and ratchet your activity into high gear.
Which one sounds better?
No, I didn’t ask which one sounds easier. Optimism mode is not a default setting for most of us, and it will take effort to move in that direction. But even if you’re not naturally a glass-half-full kind of person, or you’ve been on the job hunt for a while, you too can turn a challenge into an opportunity and begin to own the direction of your career, just by choosing to be more optimistic.
Why?
Because when you’re optimistic, you’re more active. When you’re more active, you’re more confident. The more confident you are, the more attractive you are. And the more attractive you are, the luckier you get. This applies to all types of social situations, but let’s focus on your job search.
Here are just a few things you can do today, in tandem with your existing efforts, to introduce variety into your search and improve your optimism, confidence, and control:
Recognize it’s a marathon not a sprint and adjust your approach accordingly
Read a book, a blog, or just one article about your career of choice
Take a course, learn a new skill
Reconnect with people in your network authentically
Reach out to new contacts who inspire you and learn from them
Seek out new job opportunities intentionally, with a plan
Express your optimism and attract opportunities
Just by choosing to be intentionally positive in your perspective, you’re taking a critical action toward empowerment.
Here’s how that looks in real life:
Give yourself permission to fantasize about work that’s fulfilling, enriching and meaningful. Think of the exciting new things you’ll learn in your new role. Envision your contributions to the big picture, and imagine the difference you can make at the company. Then, take action.
Allow optimism to trick you into enjoying the process of connecting with more people, being more curious, and offering more help to others.
Then, after a couple of weeks, circle back on those new or renewed contacts. Send them an article you read or a link to an event they might like. Keep in touch, learn more about your craft, help others network with each other.
When people offer help to you, let them know you’re considering your options in the market and ask for advice or introductions to others who can help you learn more (about a company, a job type, an industry).
Create a virtuous cycle that allows you to feel proud of your efforts, and stay focused on forward momentum.
Yes, you need a job because you have bills to pay. That’s not going to change until you land an offer that you are willing to accept, then start the role, work for a couple of weeks and receive your first paycheck.
But, before you can get to the elation of that crisp new paycheck, you’re going to have to exert effort on the search. Why not choose to enjoy the journey?
Optimism is like a secret door. Opening that secret door will motivate you to take action in your job search, thus creating more control over your desired future. Guess what? You have the only key.
Need help finding your key? Reach out to The Resume Rehab today to schedule a free discovery session!
