Oftentimes you hear “a job search is a full-time job.” I used to scoff at that phrase and think to myself there was no way you could possibly spend that much time searching for a job. Well, in my case, it certainly has been at least a solid part-time job. I’ve dedicated around 4-5 hours a day, totaling about 25 hours per week Monday-Friday, to searching for jobs. Sometimes, I’ve even tried to sneak a peek on the job boards on the weekends. If you add up the mental energy spent on wondering whether I’ll hear back from a company/trying to follow up or thinking when the next opportunity will come, it may very well total up to be full-time hours.
The job search is not only just scanning job boards and filling out applications. In my case, I have also tapped into speaking with the UNH career center and used my personal network to try to gain job leads. I’ve reached out to an old recruiter I had not spoken with in a long time too.
It really isn’t brought up enough in my opinion just how exhausting and difficult a job search can be. I’ve heard “we will not be proceeding with your application” more times over the last few months than I thought I would. I’ve been “ghosted” by companies and recruiters alike. I’ve had an interview canceled on me 5 minutes before it was to start just yesterday.
As you can see, the job search can feel impersonal sometimes. Spending the time to apply, research the company, and interview, only to hear the generic “we found someone better” or “we are no longer proceeding” can feel very frustrating.
I’ve learned though to not take all these unfortunate happenings personally. The companies or recruiters who do “ghost” or just simply send out a generic rejection are not out to get me. The sad reality is, it is easier to not send any response at all or stop contact with a candidate once they are no longer being considered than it is to reach out and deliver the bad news.
Personally, I would rather hear bad news from a company than nothing at all. At least I would know for sure that I was no longer in the running and could shift more of my attention to something else.
To me, this blog post is a little bit of a break on the search. It gives me the necessary time to reflect and think about what I am doing, the toll it takes on me as far as mental energy. I may simply choose to take tomorrow off and at least not search for jobs. I feel I have earned it. If a company reaches out to me on a previous application, I would be happy to speak with them, but it may be best to not actively seek anything.
In my opinion, this job search has been the most exhaustive (and exhausting) I’ve had to date. In the process, I’ve learned more about my own resilience and perseverance. I’ve learned to not take rejections personally. In past times of being unemployed, it felt like there was nothing to do and I was sitting around moping a lot of days. This time, there is a different energy and I can sense a change.
The job search has given me purpose in a time when I really needed it. Coming off leaving a job that was not good for me emotionally, I didn’t know what the road ahead would bring. I could have sunk back into old habits of lounging around all day and not really doing anything productive for the most part. Previously, I would scan a job board for a bit, get frustrated, and quit for the day. This time, my mind is constantly thinking of different avenues, different people to contact, and different ways to stay motivated.
I may not have found the job yet, but most importantly, I have not given up hope that the next one could be right around the corner.
Writing Through It 