How to turn lemons into lemonade in a competitive job market.

In the 2023 lay-off economy, every day feels like you’re up against more competition for available jobs. You’re likely throwing out applications with hundreds of other applications in the hopes of getting a call back.

If you’ve read my previous post on Why Job Eliminations Happen, hopefully you’re doing your best not to let your termination get the best of you. That said, if you’re like me, you’re motivated by new challenges, and have probably been applying to every new relevant opening you can find. You’re also probably seeing some of the rejection emails roll in.

Nobody likes rejection!

It’s a real blow to your professional confidence when you feel like a perfect fit for a job, only to be old they’re “not moving forward with you” or “considering other applicants at this time”. It sucks. All I can really say is this.

1. Use each rejection as a learning opportunity and a refining exercise!

Go back into the JD (if it’s still posted) and look at the required skills of that job and really make sure your resume reflects those skills somewhere. Think about “SEO” for your self, and be sure that the job postings you’re applying for include the right key word skills and experience that will tag back to your resume.

With hundreds of resumes to comb through, recruiters don’t have time to read your resume thoroughly (it is what it is). They’re using Boolean, X-Ray searches and even AI to pull the best matched resumes so they can quickly identify a slate of qualified candidates using a set of key words. Even though you might be fully qualified, your resume may be holding you back from the best jobs out there if your verbiage is not properly linking to the key skills and requirements of that job.

If you want to get more tips on resume search optimization, templates and job searching, subscribe to my updates below. I’ll be sharing more content on how to get noticed.

2. Don’t Dwell. Be a Class Act.

There is really no benefit to pestering a company that has already notified you they’re not hiring you. Just move on. No matter how badly you disagree with their decision or how much you wanted that job – just move on. If you’re working with someone directly in the organization or a third party recruiter, bow out professionally with a nice thank you note, and show appreciation for the opportunity that you’ve had thus far, but steer clear from desperation or bitterness whether you’ve moved forward in any capacity or not. Seriously, this will benefit your reputation and mental health in the long run.

3. Change your strategy.

I totally get the mindless ease of the Linkedin “EASY APPLY” button, or the quick applications that allow you to drop a resume file from your phone in a matter of seconds while you’re watching TV at night. There is power in numbers, so this is ok, but if you’re noticing the rejections pouring in and you’re not switching up your strategy, you can expect more of the same.

Try saving the jobs that you like and taking an hour or so each day to mindfully apply to that job as well as sending the job poster a short introduction. Let them know that you’ve applied, are interested in a potential discussion, and minimally would like to network for future opportunities. This is a nice, no pressure message that any recruiter would be happy to receive. Now – not all job boards give you visibility to the poster. Another strategy you might be able to use is more grassroots. Attending networking events or career fairs is a great way to build connections that potentially can lead to job opportunities. If you basic computer job search isn’t going anywhere – this is a good tactic to stay productive. Plus it just gets you out of the house!

Lastly – think about partnering with a head hunting agency. Look up some third party recruiting firms and try to network with them. Often times they have access to confidential opportunities that you won’t see on job boards. It helps to be in the massive databases of agency candidates when you’re on the job hunt.

4. Take a Break

There is a panic that comes with unemployment. It’s part of the emotional rollercoaster and usually leads to applying to every job right away. There is nothing wrong with that, but after a week or so, you’ll probably notice that there are no new jobs left to apply to, AND, those rejections start pouring in. This leads to a double whammy of rejection depression AND more panic that there is nothing left. It’s a helpless feeling and nobody likes to be helpless when it comes to their livelihood.

The best advice in this case is to allow yourself a break. If you’ve hit the job boards hard in a day, take a break the next day or two, and focus on one of the other strategies above or- better yet – enjoy a hobby or try to learn something new with that free time. Unemployment can be an amazing gift of time that people rarely cherish due to the negative emotions that come with the lack of income and benefits.

The bottom line is that if you’re diligent in refining your tools, your strategy, and you’re maintaining a healthy balance of life and job search, it WILL work out for you in the end. This too shall pass, and when it does, the last thing you want to remember is a depressed and desperate version of yourself. Go into this market with some confidence and positivity. You got this!

• WordPress
• Link
• Mail