#034 - Jobseeking. It's Hard, Isn't It?

I remember when I was looking for my first ‘proper’ job and at one point I felt so defeated after rejection upon rejection upon rejection that I turned to my mum and said:

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get a job.”

I remember the time I got caught in the rain on the way to an interview - we used to do those in person, believe it or not - and had to spend 15 minutes drying myself and my slightly-too-big suit, making me late.

I was all flustered. Completely bombed.

I remember the time I was in an interview and got asked the following:

“I look for class and hunger, Matt. Do you have the hunger? Maybe you have the class but do you have the hunger, Matt?”

Worse, I tried to answer it. I actually tried to convince this obviously lovely person that I did indeed have the hunger.

I remember the time I wasn’t the slightest bit interested in working for a company but I was desperately trying to get a job so I memorised their ridiculously-long-and-convoluted mission statement, repeated it in an interview verbatim, and was then asked follow-up questions and became like Elsa (frozen) because I had no idea what on earth it meant.

I’ve also:

• put off job searching because I just couldn’t face it (even when I’ve been unemployed)

• been on jobseeker’s allowance (more than once)

• had to juggle my seemingly all-compassing job search with a day job, some semblance of a social life, a bit of sleep, and hey, maybe even some relaxing

• been ghosted (even by companies created specifically to help people’s mental health)

• not been given any interview feedback

• had my very-qualified CV rejected

• put my heart into cover letters and had them go unread

• been lowballed with an offer despite reassurances that I wouldn’t be

• had my job search impact every conversation I had with everyone for a while and feel drained (and embarrassed) because of it

Yes, I’m a recruiter now, and I’m on ‘this side’ of the fence.

But I’ve been a jobseeker too. More than a few times.

I know how difficult it can be. I know how difficult it can feel.

I know how easy it is to start to doubt yourself, no matter how accomplished you are. How easy it is to listen to your mind when it says, “What if you never get another job?” How easy it is to give into those feelings of doubt and anxiety and just hide away and pretend it’s all just going to resolve itself.

That’s why I started posting on LinkedIn. That’s why I started this newsletter.

Because I want to help.

And yes, of course I want to help practically and give you job search strategies that actually work.

But I also want to help even if that help is simply this:

I hear you.

I get it.

I understand.

And I’m rooting for you.

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