Job Hunt Rant

[Zane]

I've been hunting for a job all summer long from June 2017 to August 2017 and I've had several interviews but nine rejections. I'm focusing on a purpose-driven and authentic approach to my job hunt where I focus on literacy tutoring programs and developmental disabilities programs through AmeriCorps. I feel deeply frustrated by this constant stream of rejections. However, I'm persisting with my applications. It feels deeply frustrating to get rejected but I always feel like I'm on the edge of a breakthrough. 

[TJ Reeves]

I can completely relate. It's fucking hard man. I've gone through many, many rejections this year as well.

Stay focused on what you can control. I know this might sound difficult, but see each rejection as a positive:

• They rejected you because you two wouldn't have been a good fit. 
• You know a little bit more about your strengths and weaknesses

During applications make sure to emphasize a how you will help the boss in as direct a manner as you can. Literally aim to eliminate the word "I" from any and all applications and maximize the usage of the word "you" as in "Help you obtain as much money/learning/value as possible"

Next, stop sending applications through the usual route. Go through a route of nepotism whenever you can. That is, use friends and family to your advantage to find a job or help. 

Keep pounding at it. In know it hurts. But Keep pounding.

Keep the same type of schedule you would when actually working. That means don't sleep in. Work 9-5 as if your job is to find a job. Then again, that also means take weekends off and take the occasional vacation like usual.

Take this time to explore alternative routes as well. This is a great chance to explore weirder aspects of your interests. The longer you rest in Not Knowing, the better. 

I have an entire post about the topic of Not Knowing written here: 

Finally, I hope you know that you will suffer greatly if you continue to take the route of looking to get hired. Our economy is geared to totally fuck almost everyone that is an employee in basically any field. As much as possible you want to find a niche where you have:

• Autonomy – some sense of control over your time
• Competence – the feeling that you’re good at your work
• Relatedness – connecting with other people in the process

Sadly, this is missing from more and more career fields. The best thing is to see how you can go off-roading to generate these three values in your career.

The way to do this is to get better at what you do.  If you find the career field is not accepting you, you have to take it upon yourself to get better at a certain field and make them come to you.

In general,  get to a point where you are so good, people cannot ignore you as quickly yet steadily as possible. From this point of advantage you can create the life you want. 

There's this saying we used to have in football: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Take your craft slowly and smoothly so that you can progress upwards fast and smooth. See? 

Edited August 21, 2017 by TJ Reeves

[Epiphany_Inspired]

@Zane are you back in school soon, or done? Perhaps... either finding a smaller niche, or opening up your potential options to a broader spectrum or related work might help? @TJ Reeves gave you an awesome roadmap! From my antiquated experience, my persistence and uniqueness are usually the only ways I succeed when there is competition for work/ housing/ etc.....for example, is there a way you can stand out (not in a scary way, but a remarkable way)? .... Sending best wishes for your success!

[Visitor]

@Zane Try these two tips:

Employers will be more interested in you if you already know something about the employer (business history and where it is going). Do the research before the interview.

Be prepared to answer most likely interview questions, and have it related to the above.

Job interview questions

[Zane]

Update

I'm feeling MUCH more optimistic about my job hunt prospects!! I realized that I applied for 58 jobs and I had an interview today and have two upcoming interviews. I took a day off to recharge from my rejection pain last Tuesday and i resumed my job hunt on Wednesday and had more successes. 

[Revolutionary Think]

@Zane what kind of jobs are you searching for?

[Michael569]

Make sure your CV is achievement oriented with real examples. Most CVs floating on the market are written in bulletpoints. This is boring, vanilla and hard to distinguish from others.

Instead focus on:

• What have you achieved? 
• What obstacles did you have to overcome? 
• What was the status quo and how did you challenge it? 

If you don't have any work experience, focus on achievements from your personal life. For example i've always added my competitive sport titles that i achieved as a teenager and most interviewers want to talk about it.  

Avoid cliche nonsense such as: I am a good communicator or I am a good multi-tasker. Everybody sees through that. Instead give some examples, show how you are what you say you are. 

Put yourself into the eyes of the reader who has at that same day seen 300 CVs. Would you hire you? If not, start over. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Michael569

[Zane]

Update

I had a phone interview with Fusion Academy, a private school for students with learning differences, and this is EXACTLY my master plan! The interviewer noticed my passion and in my follow up email, I offered to make a contribution aligned with my purpose and that focuses on giving people with learning differences a creative outlet for self-expression. My deepest goal on the job hunt is to discover an authentic job