You’re Not Alone if Applying for Jobs in the Pandemic Fills You With Dread
The emotional toll of job hunting accelerated by ‘unprecedented’ times …
You will get there, you are not alone, you are doing great.
Words: Hannah Franklin
“Job hunting is an often dreaded task. When I left university, I took a job in retail after a long summer of searching, stepping into a development path in visual merchandising. Though it wasn’t exactly what I had imagined after studying, I was happy earning and progressing in something creative (along with the perk of clothing discount too!). A few years later, the pandemic and subsequent economic fallout left me dangling over and finally falling into the precipice of job uncertainty. After so long, I’d forgotten what the full-time job hunt felt like, and I was far from alone in my search either. The rising numbers of job losses and redundancies soon filled the headlines.
While no one enjoys trawling through pages of vacancies, I find that job hunting is usually done with a kind of optimistic reluctance. We quietly hope that the next click will reveal the golden, glittering, (and hopefully well paid) opportunity that we’ve been searching for. Of course, the reality is often more like scrolling past tens of openings that are either nowhere near what your interests or tantalisingly too far above your professional skill set. Cue the unwelcome knockback period of aligning idealistic daydreams with the reality of what’s available and achievable.
At school and university, I was a dedicated student who studied with ordered practicality; when it comes to job hunting, you need a similar level of organisation. For the eager, student-minded searcher, there’s no limit to the resources and advice available online. Reading through all of that could become another job in itself. For the most part, I know it’s simply a case of trying, trying, and then trying some more. It sounds simple enough, but it doesn’t always feel it.
“Job hunting is as much a test of our resilience as anything else, and like any test, it can make you question what you’re capable of.”
Job hunting is as much a test of our resilience as anything else, and like any test, it can make you question what you’re capable of. Friends of mine have lamented the many rejections and corporate world ghosting’s that searching comes with. A close friend started a new job about two years ago. In the months before that job offer, she shared how dispiriting the search was. Just before she was invited to her final interview, she was about ready to give up. That’s a common enough story and, although it provides a little hope, the longer your search goes on, the less motivated you feel.
Any kind of career struggle can carve a big dent in your confidence. Rightly or wrongly, we tend to define ourselves by the jobs we do, the things we believe those roles make us capable of. When you're unemployed or stuck with something that isn't the right fit, it can make you feel useless, and it can be difficult to challenge those thoughts.
Despite that, I think we’re more resilient than we tend to give ourselves credit for, but it's easy to forget that. So, I've been trying to keep some reminders to hand.
When looking through job descriptions, it’s easy to start doom-focusing on the skills or experience you don’t yet have. That often leads to overlooking the things that you can do. I’ve been reliably told by several managers and friends that it’s rare for any applicant to have all of the requirements in a vacancy. So don’t count yourself out before you’ve even started. Instead, list the things that you can do. If you’re struggling, search for the roles you’ve worked in before and the skills those positions develop.
Job hunting needs some kind of regimen; it’s helpful to have a routine to follow, especially if you’re searching full time. When I think about job searching in the abstract, it seems an enormously insurmountable task but breaking it down into manageable chunks helps size down that fear. Have a fixed start time each day, map out when you’ll take breaks, and draw up goals for each week.
“A laser focus is admirable, but excessively worrying about applications or what’s going to happen next isn’t.”
Remember that even with that good schedule, even the most resilient and strong-minded individual will still struggle at some point. It is difficult. Struggling is not a sign of failure. What’s important is to keep plodding on regardless, even if it means temporarily dialling down for a day or so before picking up the pace again.
And once you have got through your day, having some downtime is just as important. A laser focus is admirable, but excessively worrying about applications or what’s going to happen next isn’t - especially if it starts overpowering your time. It might feel like fun plans should be postponed until your search is over, but that will only lead to being stressed and potentially burnout.
It’s also helpful to try and see the benefits of the search. If you’re applying for something you’re not convinced you’ll get, or you’re upset after a tough day, remember that those moments are still learning points. Granted, it might not feel like it at the time, but each application provides a little more skill. When things do feel too hard to put a rosy tint on, there’s no shame in needing a shoulder to lean on - or cry on! Letting worries fester in silence only lets them grow out of control. Ask a friend to read over your cover letters, consider joining an agency, or ask friends and family for their advice.
Now that we’re beginning to see some of the light at the end of the long, and often dark, tunnel of Covid19 restrictions, ‘normal’ life is starting to return. With that comes new opportunities. Since working from home became necessary for so many roles, there is a burgeoning flexibility around work styles. Remote and flexible working are likely to remain popular, opening up companies and locations that might otherwise not have been such practical choices. So, keep an open mind!
No matter what else, remember that job hunting is always a challenging task. You aren't alone in feeling like you just can’t manage it sometimes; nearly everyone has gone through the same thing at some point. To anyone currently searching, I wish you luck and resilience - you can do it!”
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Check out Hannah’s other posts on The Insecure Girl’s Club including The Power of Platonic Love, I’m an Instagram Addict, Here’s What I Thought of ‘The Social Dilemma’ Documentary and On Not Being Where You’d Hoped.