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Back in November, Lorien explained how you know it’s time to start job hunting. Now, in 2022, the job market continues to boom, as a third of employees in sectors such as sales and technology look to leave their current company. With many candidates regularly applying to roles on as much as a daily basis, many applicants are facing job search exhaustion. The question is: how do you stay motivated?
Switch it up
Searching for a new role can get repetitive, particularly if you’re browsing the same recruitment websites every day. Although it is much easier said than done, remember to remain optimistic each time you apply for a role. Every application you complete has the potential to be your dream job and could present an opportunity for you to try a different industry or hone your skills.
Celebrate all your wins
It is key to remember and celebrate all victories regardless of their size. If a recruiter or employer reviews your application, that is a success. Your name is currently in the pool of applicants they are considering, and you are in their minds. It’s important to remember that employers make their decisions about who they see on quite a small amount of information – your CV, a cover letter if you provide one, or specific questions you are required to answer as part of your application. Based upon this summary, an employer or recruiter wished to learn more about you, and this is a small win that deserves to be celebrated.
Additionally, being invited for an interview or a brief call is a huge win for clear reasons as the employer wishes to learn more about you and is considering you for the role. With many candidates having been through the application – interview – rejection process multiple times, it is easy to forget what a success it is to be contacted about an opportunity.
Review and refresh your CV
It’s a good idea to review your CV regularly in order to provide employers and recruiters with the most relevant and up-to-date information of yourself and your employment history. Many recruiters advise having a selection of CVs available to send when applying for new roles, with you choosing a CV that is most appropriate for the role you are applying for.
If you have been searching for a new role for a long period of time, it is also best practice to alter the format of your CV. This may include condensing the information included or a complete re-design of the document with a more unique approach. By regularly returning to your CV, you will be more mindful of the specific details and key skills you specified, allowing you to easily answer a recruiter’s questions when they contact you about a role.
A key point of CV refreshing is to keep the document to a maximum of two pages, with the most recent details of your employment and education available. Also, don’t shy away from including non-employment or education details on the document, a small ‘About Me’ section helps an employer learn more about you as an individual.
Job hunter’s guilt
Many candidates searching for a role ask the question “should I be applying every day?” or “how often should I be looking for new roles?”. As with everything in job hunting, it is completely subjective and depends on the candidate. With many roles available, it is almost guaranteed that at some point you will miss out on an opportunity due to an advertisement being taken down quickly, application closing dates or other reasons out of your control.
All candidates take a different approach to job hunting; some prefer to slowly apply for roles that catch their eye due to currently being in employment or choosing to focus on a few applications at one time. However, other candidates are at the other end of the spectrum and favour applying in bulk or daily, whether through personal choice or circumstance. The frequency of applications completely depends on the candidate and their preference – you do not need to feel any guilt for the pace of your job search, the duration of it or allowing yourself a break.
Dealing with rejections
In a similar vein, candidates express difficulty in dealing with the volume of rejections they receive. With the job market continuing to expand, not every role is a perfect fit for you. Rejection from any role – regardless of how far you were into the process; an application, a phone call or an interview – can be difficult to handle.
If you begin to feel worn down by rejections, remember to take regular breaks from job hunting. It might also be helpful to shift from your regular search hubs – if you’re using LinkedIn or Indeed often, try getting in contact with a recruiter or finding alternative job boards. With each rejection, it is important to keep in mind that your new role may be just around the corner and you’re now one step closer.
Lorien is a specialist recruiter in the tech and digital market, with roles available in a variety of industries. Click here to check out our current vacancies or to discover more job hunting tips, click here.