When you’re unemployed, it can feel like the world is conspiring against you. You know you’re a great candidate, but no one seems to want to hire you. The job search can be a painful process, and even more so when there are no results in sight.
This is why it’s important to find ways of coping with this potentially torturous experience if at all possible. One way to do that is by making sure that your job search strategy isn’t causing unnecessary suffering for yourself or others involved with finding employment!
Tap Into Your Network
The only thing better than a job is a job that comes from your network. If you’re doing something out of the ordinary and want to use your network to find work, there are several ways that it can be helpful.
You can talk to people you already know about jobs and opportunities in their company or other companies that might be hiring.
This will give you valuable insight into what kind of positions are available and what they look for in candidates, as well as help put your own experience in perspective when applying for them.
It also helps with networking: if someone else knows someone who knows someone who’s hiring, they may be willing to pass along their name when asked which could mean an edge over other applicants!
If no one has connections at the companies where they would like work, it’s still possible for them get their foot in door through referrals from people within their network (for example: “I think my brother would be perfect for this position”).
In addition to giving these references personal recommendations, asking others directly about their experiences working at certain places or interviewing elsewhere helps show employers why applicants should choose them over others vying for similar opportunities.”
Use Job Boards Wisely
Job boards are a good place to start when looking for a job. They can help you get a feel for the market, as well as the type of job you are looking for.
Make sure to pay attention to what kind of jobs each site has listed, and how they match up with your own skills and experience.
Many job seekers make the mistake of applying blindly on every board they can find but this will only waste time, since not every employer uses all of them or even wants to hear from people who lack basic qualifications.
By being smart about where and how you apply, you’ll save yourself both time and money in the long run!
Share Your Dreams
The most important thing to remember when sharing your dreams is that it’s a two-way street. You’re not just talking about what you want, but also asking others what they want.
This will help you find the right job faster, because it’s easier to work toward a mutual goal than it is to try and force a person into something that doesn’t fit their needs.
Here are some specific ways you can share your dreams:
Share them with job boards like Slack and LinkedIn these sites attract people from all over the world with all kinds of professional backgrounds and interests; sharing your dreams could be exactly what someone needs in order to find the right opportunity for themselves!
Share them with strangers at networking events or even just walking down the street (if this feels comfortable). Open up by saying something like “I’m looking for something new,” then ask them if they have any ideas about where you might find what you’re looking for.
Talk about them with friends who are also searching for jobs, especially if they’ve been through similar situations as yours recently; share experiences so that everyone feels supported in their journey through finding meaningful work opportunities.
Speak To Strangers
A few weeks ago, I was talking to a stranger at Starbucks. She was reading “The Little Black Book of Innovation” and mentioned how much she was enjoying it.
When we got around to discussing the book, I told her the reason why I bought it in the first place: because of my interest in innovation.
We talked about innovation for some time before moving on to other topics like our careers and jobs.
The conversation went so well that we ended up having a second meeting two days later at Panera Bread!
In that meeting, our main topic was mentorship a very specific area where both of us were looking for advice from someone who could provide support during our job searches (we found each other through LinkedIn).
I didn’t ask this woman out just because she looked pretty or had an interesting name; I asked her out because of an interest we shared in common: innovation!
We talked about what kinds of innovations we liked most (product innovation vs business model innovation) and which companies have done a great job at implementing new ideas into their products or services (Apple Inc., Tesla Motors Inc.).
We also discussed some current trends like reverse mentoring or reverse innovation where large corporations hire young entrepreneurs instead of going through traditional recruiting agencies when hiring new employees with fresh ideas.”
Write In ‘I’ Statements
Use ‘I’ statements: Don’t use ‘you,’ ‘we,’ or any other pronoun in your sentences. Instead, make direct statements that address the hiring manager as a person and not as an entity.
Don’t write anything with the word “one”: It’s a lazy way to include yourself in the group of people who will be affected by whatever action you’re asking for. Plus, it’s kind of ridiculous as though you’re super important!
Don’t say “them”: This often refers to people who are not included in your message. If there’s something you want them (or us) to do, write it directly instead of using this impersonal pronoun.
Avoid “it”: It is an object, which means it doesn’t have feelings or opinions and can’t act on its own accord so why would anyone want to work with something like that?
Turn A Rejection Into An Opportunity
There are times when you may feel like giving up on your job search. That’s normal, but don’t let it get the best of you. Instead, turn a rejection into an opportunity:
- Take some time and think about what went wrong in your interview process.
- Think about why you weren’t chosen for the position; then ask yourself if it was something that could have been prevented with better preparation.
- If so, try to avoid making the same mistake again and make sure that you are prepared when going into another interview with a prospective employer.
Keep The Conversation Going
There is no one-size-fits-all job search strategy. But one thing that can be beneficial for you to keep in mind is the importance of keeping the conversation going.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Keep your attitude positive and friendly, especially if you want people to see you as someone they want on their team.
The best way to do this is by being open to feedback, criticism, and constructive criticism. In other words: don’t take anything personally!
When dealing with others during your job search process, remember that most people have good intentions and may just have different perspectives than yours that could help improve your approach or knowledge base.
Be open to their ideas and suggestions too they may lead somewhere unexpected but can also be valuable opportunities!
Ask The Right Questions
If you’re asking the interviewer questions that are relevant to the job, your answers will be more focused and effective. The best way to know what questions will be relevant is by understanding what skills and abilities match up with each job description. Here’s an example:
You’re applying for a position as an assistant manager at a coffee shop but there’s nothing in your resume or cover letter about being able to manage people.
If you ask “Can I work part-time?” or “What kind of hours do you expect me to work?” during an interview, it makes sense that those questions would seem out of place (and could even hurt you).
But if instead, you ask something like “What tasks would fall under my authority as assistant manager?” the answer should help clarify some things about this role and how closely related it is or isn’t to other positions within the same company.
Take The Personal Out of It
When you’re job hunting, it’s easy to take rejections personally. After all, you’re applying for a job that you think you’d excel at and would appreciate having in your life it’s natural to feel hurt when someone turns down your application.
But two things help: one is taking the personal out of it (which I’ll go into more detail about below) and the second is remembering that rejection isn’t always a reflection on who you are as an individual.
Or even how qualified or experienced you might be for that position; instead, sometimes companies just see other applicants as better fits for their needs at the moment.
Don’t Be A Pain In The Neck
You should never be a pain in the neck. I know what you’re thinking: “But I have to be pushy! If they don’t like me, they won’t hire me! They might even fire me if I don’t prove myself worthy of their time and attention!”
Well, unfortunately for you and everyone else who thinks this way, it doesn’t work that way. Instead of being an annoying pest and possibly losing your job opportunity because of it, you should focus on building relationships with contacts at companies where you’d like to work.
Here are some ways not to act like a pain in the neck:
Conclusion
While the above tips are helpful, they’re not always going to get you what you want. Ultimately, it all comes down to how willing you are to get uncomfortable in your job search.
After all, if you don’t have the guts to put yourself out there and try something new with no guarantee of success (because let’s face it most job searches don’t work out), then how do you expect anyone else to take notice?
