Looking for a new job can be a very tiring process. The good old days of submitting a resume and walking to an interview are gone. Companies need specific talent pool for different positions and accordingly their hiring process has become lengthy and time-consuming. While for companies, they can easily spare the cost, time as well as the human resource to get in the right talent, the case might not be the same for the candidates.
Most companies today have 3-5 tier hiring process that tests various skills of the candidates at different levels. From analytical and verbal skills to people and crisis management, a series of tests, interviews and activities are designed to map the candidates on these crucial factors. Many companies have personalised tests designed to suit the needs of their firm. The conclusion is that most companies have a lengthy recruitment process laid out that needs detailed research on the part of the candidate, taking assessments and providing sample projects.
Most candidates start applying for different positions while still working at their current jobs. The additional burden of having to prepare for interviews and assessments for different companies along with the current job responsibilities, makes it a very strenuous time. Most people have reported exhaustion, burn-out and feeling demoralised during their job-hunt. If things do not work out for long, multiple rejections can affect a person’s overall confidence and even lead to the feeling of worthlessness and depression.
However, be it right at the beginning of your career or a mid-life career change, job hunt can be made easy and less stressful if you keep these few things in mind before you start off:
Know the reasons: The first step towards doing anything is knowing the reason why you want to do it and what is it that you are trying to achieve? Make sure that your reasons are positive and compelling ones and not born merely out of need or temporary life situations. Knowing what you want will also make you look in the right places instead of running through random job listings. It will bring meaning to your quest!
Visualisation helps: Humans are social animals and their surroundings affect them and their job satisfaction to a great degree. Visualise the times when you felt happy and content at your job, current or in the past. What were the elements that were contributing to it? What were the aspects of your job that made you quit? What are the factors that you don’t want to witness at your new job role? Visualisation will help narrow down your options and choose the right places to work at.
Strategize your job hunt: It is very easy to meander paths and get lost while job-hunting. Different profiles begin to interest you and you might end up wasting a lot of crucial time and energy. Plan your job hunt. Figure out the amount of time you can spare daily or weekly to looking through job listings and applying. Do a bit of it every day. It is always advised to keep a track of all your applications and responses to prevent repetition of application as well as for future reference.
Keep things in your control: When it comes to job hunting, not much is in your control. At most times you are on the backfoot. However, taking control and ownership of everything you can, gives you some power and confidence. Your resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile, references, and preparedness for an interview are a few things in your hand and make sure that you leave no stone unturned to make them flawless.
While it might not be easy to job hunt, it will turn out to be one of the most learning experiences of your life. Give it time, and try to enjoy the process. You are probably going to learn a lot about the job industry and the psychology of hiring and getting hired.