We all know that sooner or later, we’ll all have to dive into the job market to find a job. Whether it’s your first time looking for a job or not, whether you’re in high school, college or beyond, whether it’s to gain experience or to start your career; it’s a learning process. No matter what stage you’re in, it takes an immense amount of effort.
As a recent transfer student in the Richmond area, I’ve been trying to find a job since the beginning of the semester. More than twenty applications, three interviews and a meeting with a career counselor later, I am still unemployed. Cliche or not, this is why people say that finding a job is a job all on its own. Through this lengthy process, I have found myself questioning a lot of things a lot of the time. “Am I unqualified?” “Should I just give up?” “What am I doing wrong?” More times than not I find myself doubting my abilities and blaming myself. But, after a lot of ups and downs, I’ve realized that I’m not the problem. It’s easy to get burned out in the process, but losing yourself won’t help anything. By going through this process, I’ve learned some tips along the way to keep myself motivated.
Be optimisticÂ
One of the first things I’ve learned to do is to be optimistic. To keep a positive attitude no matter what the circumstances are. Of course, it’s disheartening to hear that I haven’t been selected for a position or that it’s been given to a candidate who is more qualified than me, that goes without saying. But that doesn’t mean I have to beat myself up over it and let that hinder who I am. There are many ways to recover from failure. I can either let it take control of me and let it be the reason I give up or I can take it as a challenge to keep going and learn from it to prove that I’m capable and will get to where I need to be. Without failure, there is no success. VirginiaV implements that practicing acceptance is a key part of dealing with failure, and even though at times there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, you have to always trust yourself and keep doing what you can and realize that there’s only so much you can control in this situation. Keep your head up and always know that the glass is half full, not half empty.
Don’t sell yourself short
Another important thing to remember is to not sell yourself short. Oftentimes throughout this process, I’ve found myself being very doubtful of my capabilities and thinking “Am I the problem?” It’s easy to flood your thoughts with self-doubt, which only makes the situation worse than any better. Doubting yourself over and over again leads to lower self esteem, and that’s something that is very important to keep high during a process like this. I’ve learned that just because there is rejection, there doesn’t have to be doubt. I have skills. I have experience. And I’m more than capable of finding a job. I have been doing everything right and have to continue to do what I’m doing. I’m a great candidate for the positions I have applied to and, honestly, if they reject me that’s their loss. It’s easier said than done, but it’s very important to remind yourself of these factors before going into a spiral of frustration and being in a bad mental headspace.
Take breaks and pace yourself
Even though each of these tips is crucial, if I were to emphasize one of them it’d be this point right here. Take. Breaks. and Pace. Yourself. There’s nothing more important than remembering that you deserve to pace yourself and give yourself mental health breaks. This entire process can be very exhausting and it’s very easy to get burnt out by it. Even though it seems like you have to always go go go, and keep pushing yourself even when you can feel yourself beginning to burn out, that’s not how it has to be. Your health comes first; before anything else, and this journey can be one that takes a toll on both your mental and physical well-being. So I can’t stress enough how important it is to just breathe sometimes. When I’m feeling overwhelmed and feel my brain fogging up from the constant strain of applying at times, I close my laptop, close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I then either go for a walk to get some fresh air or take a brain break by doing something else to take my mind off of it. The Wellbeing Thesis says that “taking a break can be very beneficial for you and your work.” It’s important to find what works best for you and know that it is never selfish to think about yourself and put your health first.
Keep applying
The last but not the least thing I’ve learned throughout this process is to keep going; to keep applying no matter what. Until and unless there’s acceptance and I can move on to the final stages of being hired for a position, I have to keep trying. There’s no limit to how many applications one can submit, so I have to take that as a sign to keep going no matter what. It’s important to always stay active in the job market so your resume and profiles keep coming up to employers so they can see that you are still looking for a job. If I get discouraged and stop applying, it’s going to do me more harm than good. As student engagement at University of Arizona advises, one has to let go of what they can’t control, applications don’t hurt and it shows that you are determined and will not stop until you get what you want.