Three Unfortunate Job Searching Truths (And How To Manage Each)

by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

The Adventure of Career Transition

Since forever, I have worked in the field of learning and development. I have been laid off a great many times due to economic downturns, companies being bought or sold, new company leadership, or good old fashion reorganizations. 

​While each period of unplanned job transition is rough in its own way, here are three core truths that help me weather the storm each time I search for a new work home.

​Truth 1: Working Time Passes More Quickly Than Non-Working Time.

When you're a hiring manager, you have a ton going on, and only one of those things is hiring a new person. You're still trying to manage your team, meet deadlines, troubleshoot customer problems, and juggle all the people you're considering for your open position. In an interview, when one candidate asks about the hiring process, you tell them you should know who will move on to the next steps in the process "by the end of this week"--and at the time, you believe that is a reasonable deadline. Then there is a software release with a bug that causes three meetings to be scheduled with big clients, or someone quits suddenly, leaving a lot of arrangements to be made, or your child has to be picked up from daycare with the flu. Friday comes and goes, and getting in touch with a candidate falls off your radar until next week. 

Meanwhile, as a job seeker, you put a note on your calendar that you'll know one way or another by Friday. Then you analyze every syllable you uttered in the interview, hoping you didn't say anything awful. You rethink a facial expression you interpreted as approving and wonder if it really was that at all. You suffer through Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, secretly worrying that you will never work again. Ever.  

Instead of spiraling, take action to get you closer to your job of being happily,  gainfully employed. 

After the interview, email the hiring manager a thank you message and send them a personalized connection request on LinkedIn. Put a note on your calendar for a few days after the hiring manager said they would contact you. Reach out to them at that time, including a few pleasantries, reiterating your interest in the role, and asking for an update. Will you get the job? Who knows. You did your part, identified what you can work on, and will continue to learn and grow as you go through the process for more roles. 

In addition, network with three more people and apply for three more jobs.

Truth 2: It's Not "Your Job" Until You Receive A Paycheck.

Inevitably as a job searcher, you run across it. THE job. It's the one you know is meant to be yours. It's perfect--easy commute, a great title, the go-to company, exactly what you are qualified (and want) to do. In your head you know it--this is MY job. You picture your new business cards, where you'll park, and how you'll introduce yourself as the "Director of Awesomeness" for this perfect company. You think--why should I even bother applying for anything else because this is SO my job!

Except, well, it's not actually your job yet. You're looking at it and seeing yourself in it, but it's not real. You don't work there. No one is sending you a paycheck for it. They don't even know your name yet. This MAY be the job you eventually get, but nothing is done yet. You know what else? It may not end up being your job. You need to remind yourself that it's not a done deal. Apply for that job--even work hard to get it. Know, though, that you may end up not even getting called in for an interview. This doesn't mean you're not still awesome. There's just a lot going on. There may be an internal candidate, or a previous coworker of the hiring manager, or someone who has a referral from a college friend, or someone who has even slightly more of a qualification that didn't make that job posting. 

Instead of spiraling, take action to get you closer to your job of being happily,  gainfully employed. 

Whenever you fall in love with a job or think of something as "your job,” make an extra effort to apply for additional jobs. If the job you see yourself in works out, great. If not, you're still working towards your ultimate goal of finding a new role (complete with a paycheck), whichever one that might be. 

In addition, network with three more people and apply for three more jobs.

Truth 3: You Only Need One Job.

Applying for jobs is a process. Looking back at my records, I have typically applied for between 40 and 100 jobs when I've been in career transition. It's easy to get discouraged. Sometimes you apply and hear back a fat lot of nothing. Sometimes my stomach sinks when I see a job that I've applied for (and was quickly rejected), and it's reposted, and realizing that they will hire "not me" for that role.  It's hard when the job where you interviewed a ton of times tells you they really liked you, but went with an internal candidate. It's rough to hear that you were great, but that you came in second. There is so much rejection in the job search process that you’ll inevitably feel down, like a loser, and like there is no hope. 

At the end of the day, though, you only need one job. You need one organization to tell you "yes.” You need one place where you and the employer agree to work together. When I remind myself that I only need an ultimate success rate of 1 in 100 to be happily, gainfully employed, it makes it all seem much more manageable. All those no answers get you to the one yes you need. The trick is that you don't know which one will be that yes. 

Instead of spiraling, take action to get you closer to your job of being happily,  gainfully employed. 

In addition, network with three more people and apply for three more jobs. 

Learn More

• Avoid These 7 Job Search Traps and Land Your Dream Job
• The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​