Job Applications: the cycle that never ends until it finally does
- Mikaela Graf
- Sep 23, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 2, 2023
Open browser. Check e-mail. Find nothing new. Open job site. Search for jobs in my area and level of expertise. Scroll. Click on posting with a job title I'm excited about. Read requirements. Realize I'm not qualified. Scroll some more. Get disappointed. Check e-mail again. See that I've been passed over by another employer. Go back to job site. Compromise my search terms. Finally find a job I might be suited for. Open application. Submit resume. Answer seven pages of questions that could all be found in my resume. Look at the clock. It's already been two hours, and I just want to cry and be done with this.
Ok, so, maybe the job-hunting process doesn't look exactly like this every day, but it feels like it does most days. No one said that finding a job would be easy, but man, if I have to manually list all my experience, education, and skills one more time even though they already asked for my resume, I might lose my mind.
The one positive thing I can say, though, is that they really do get easier with time. You get faster at identifying worthwhile postings, answering short-response questions, and writing cover letters. After applying to countless jobs over the last few months, I am far from an expert but have picked up a few helpful tactics that I want to share with you today.
1. APPLY, EVEN IF...
When I first started looking for a job, I was extremely selective about the positions I applied for. If I didn't meet all the requirements or was unsure about some of the details in the post, I would just skip it and not look back. My pickiness soon caught up to me, though, as I would hop between job sites and scroll through page after page without applying to a single job. Then, a rather simple question came to mind: why not? If you think about it, is there any harm in just applying? The worst that is going to happen is you get ghosted, which happens often enough as it is.
So, I encourage you to apply, even if you don't measure up to all the qualifications. Some employers may be paying more attention to the person themself and the potential they bring to the team than whether or not they meet every single requirement. Apply, even if the job doesn't meet all your own criteria either. Everyone has to start somewhere, and one job that you don't love could easily open the door to one you do. You also have the right to say no to a job, if you do make it farther in the hiring process and decide you are no longer interested. No one can force you into a job you don't want to take.
The bottom line is this: in the face of whatever is holding you back from applying, consider what could happen if you do.
2. SAVE YOUR RESPONSES
Some applications only require a quick run-through of your typical information, which sometimes includes that frustrating process of repeating the exact details from your resume that I mentioned earlier. Occasionally, however, you will have to answer some interview-style questions in the initial application. This is where my tip comes to play: save your responses. I am not saying that you should just copy and paste the same answers to similar questions every time, but it can helpful to refresh your memory with the ways you have responded before.
Think of it more as journaling your thoughts. When you have been applying to jobs all day, every day, it can easily feel like you've fried your brain and encounter writer's block. Whenever you feel stuck like this, it might be helpful to jog your memory with old answers. When an employer asks you to "describe your greatest accomplishment", you can look back to how you answered that last time and reflect. You might even be able to refine your answer the second time around, as you put more thought into it.
My preferred method for this is having one master document that lists every question with their answer, but you can go to whatever length of organization you desire. As long you can easily find what you need when you need it, you're on the track to simplified applying.
3. DON'T OBSESS
Listen carefully. This is not an excuse to be lazy or to quit early on; there is a difference between diligence and obsession. Diligence is putting in consistent time and effort to search for and apply to jobs, whereas is becoming so preoccupied with your pursuit of an occupation that you neglect what you should value. While it is important to work hard in your job search, it should not be the only thing you prioritize in life.
When I first started looking for a job, I got easily wrapped up in thoughts of what needs to be done and unrealistic measurements for success. If I wasn't actively applying for a job, I was worrying about wasting my time on other things. If I didn't reach a pre-determined number of applications in a day, I felt like I was slacking off. Because I was so obsessed with finding a job as quick as possible, I burnt myself out early and my efforts became counterproductive.
So, while finding a job may be your top priority, I encourage you to leave room for other priorities in your life. Take care of each facet of your well-being. Engage in hobbies and relationships. If it helps, think of applying as a job, and make sure to clock out every day.
The job hunt is stressful, but I am glad to know that I am not in it alone and neither are you. Let's keep moving forward with a refreshed mindset and strategy for getting through to the other side.
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