Getting Past Discouragement

Fearless job seeker I want to talk to you today about persevering through discouragement. I hear it all the time and see it in my client’s eyes – the fatigue and frustration from searching for a job with lack of progress. The truth is, there is a lot of discouragement when looking for a new job. There will be many “No’s” before there is the “Yes!”

I once interviewed with one organization and went through five different interviews. By the fifth interview, answering nearly the same questions, I felt exhausted and unsure if I would get any job offer. In the same week I received three different rejections from companies that didn’t even want to interview me. A cloud of discouragement hung over me. If you are anything like me, you will relate to staring at the endless job postings on Indeed.com, thinking this is all just some big black hole.

The good news is, as a mentor once told me, “Jeremy, there is a job with your name on it, if you want it.” Fearless job seeker, the same is true for you too. Go ahead and put your name in the blank. “_____________, there is a job with your name on it, if you want it.’” So, let’s talk about what you do when you are discouraged:

Be strong. Apply to one more job. Network with one more person. Keep doing the work of job searching. You say, “I applied and no one answered.” What do you do? Be strong and apply to one more job. I don’t know who said this first, but it’s true, “Successful people do daily what normal people do occasionally.” You want the job? Be strong. Keep going. Keep searching until you hear a “Yes!” Consistently do it every day. No one said it was going to be easy. You are not trying to get invited to a party; you are trying to get a job. Be strong.

Stay focused. Look, I get feeling frustrated when you don’t get any response back after sending out twenty resumes, or the discouragement of being rejected after your fifth interview. You feel like you’re taking two steps forward and three steps back. I would like to tell you I have six pack abs and work out everyday, but there is a reason this blog is not about exercise. I don’t do it everyday. Actually, right now, I don’t do it at all. I like cookies and cake a whole lot more. There is no progress where there is no focus. Don’t get distracted about your what your job is right now – finding a job. Stay focused.

You may be sitting in your chair right now thinking, “I’m just not there. I wish I were, but I’m discouraged. I’m not making any progress.” Listen, fearless job seeker, be strong. Wake up everyday and make something happen in your job search, not just occasionally. Apply for another job. Network with another person. Stay focused on your goal to find your next job. And eventually, that job with your name on it will be yours.

Have you ever considered a professional career coach to help you stay motivated? How do you fight off discouragement in the job search? Leave a comment!