How Should Job Seekers Deal with Job Search Frustration?

Posted on: 15th September 2021

IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights

A popular topic of conversation at this moment seems to be around job search  frustration across the industry. Applying to multiple jobs and getting nowhere, as an unemployed individual or for someone looking for a change, can be terribly frustrating.   It can get so demoralising and mentally draining that some people tend to give up and just accept their fate. It gets worse when you hardly get feedback from a rejection and it’s understable that not everyone is strong enough to keep going in such situations. 

As stressful as it might be, the only option is to keep trying till you land the job. Doing things differently or finding alternative methods can help as well.

Here are a few tips on how to deal with job search frustration

1. Face your feelings
   
   It is generally known that you can only get past your feelings once you acknowledge them. If you can know how you feel about the situation you have, you will have a clearer thought process on how to tackle it.
   
   Sometimes, facing your feelings can also imply taking time off to do what makes you happy, it could be movies, music or even travelling. This will help you to challenge your negative thoughts and improve your mental wellbeing to keep going.
   
    
2. Strategize  
   
   Once you have been able to understand and manage your emotions, you will need to strategize to understand what you are doing wrong and try to make it right. This process will help you to know what hard and soft skills you already possess and the jobs that they most relate with. Knowing this will help you to stop applying for the wrong jobs that do not match your skills and experience.
   
   For instance: I know I like to help people, I am a great storyteller and I love meeting with and relating to people. This automatically means that I am a great salesperson. This sales knowledge then helps me tailor it down to, “what exactly would I like to sell?” I know that I like selling opportunities, in my case, jobs. This means that I like working as a Recruiter or Business Development specialist.
   
   While tailoring your preferences, work around your job hunting like the regular 9 – 5 jobs, where you set up certain times to do certain tasks like searching for vacancies, tailoring CVs, etc. Also restrict yourself from attending to emails and LinkedIn after regular working hours. This gives you time to do other things you love instead of brooding.
    

3. Restructure/ Tailor your CV
   
   Once you have made a choice of the career path you want to follow, start researching for jobs that you can apply for. Make sure you understand the Job Description and tailor your CV to match your experience with the job needs.  

   One mistake so many candidates make is to apply for any kind of job they find online without reviewing first. This reduces your chances a lot at being called for an interview. 

   For instance, when I post a job vacancy for “Data Centre Operative”, some candidates looking for “Data Analyst” qualifications apply for them. Their CVs are generic and tailored to the Data Analyst roles. This is quite clear that the candidate did not do much research for the role but just randomly applied for the job since it had “Data” in it. 

   This should totally be avoided. When you do proper research of the job description and see that it closely aligns with your chosen career path, you will be able to describe your experience properly without having to tell a lie.
    

4. Find a good critic

   Getting helpful criticism can help set us on the right paths and they can be very helpful to avoid failure. A critic could be a former colleague or professor who understands your passion and knows what career path you wish to attain. They could also be your friends who are more experienced in your preferred industry. 

   For example, they would be able to help you identify what is wrong with your CV. Even organise a mock interview so that they can correct you in certain things that you are not saying right and help you improve your interviewing skills. 
    

5. Learn new skills or volunteer

   While waiting to land that dream role you have been looking for, you can keep yourself busy by learning a new skill or volunteering to do something for an NGO that is related to your career prospect. 

   This will help keep your mind off the situation you are in and could be a good process in helping you discover other aspects of your life and capabilities. The process of a job search helps to shape people and helps them understand who they are.  Learning new things or volunteering will be a great process to do that as well.
    

6. Network more

   One of the best things to do while searching for a job is to increase your online network, especially on LinkedIn, which is the known professional online platform . Growing  your network is important for your career and even more so during the job-hunting period. This will help you meet more people and might also connect you with  open roles that fit your career path.

   Connecting with people and being active on some posts will also help you to get more visibility from Recruiters. It is important to do this in a strategic way and not be overly pushy.

Finding a job can be daunting and demanding, which takes a toll on us as humans. It is important to remember to keep your mind and body healthy by relaxing and taking needed breaks as much as possible. It is also important to not quit, and working with the above tips, you are well on your way to landing your DREAM ROLE. 

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