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Business & Tech

The Waiting is the Hardest Part in Job Search

Tom Petty's hit song says it all in the wonderful world of job search, doesn't it? You wait for calls from recruiters, you wait for interviews to be set up, you wait for the offer.

So how do stay sane as you wait during job search?  Here are some ideas. 

Keep up the search. I worked with a woman who early in her job search decided to kick back and relax while she negotiated an offer from a former employer. She reasoned that she deserved a break and was very confident the offer would come. As the weeks turned into months, she became increasingly nervous and stressed out as she waited. She was so miserable each day that she couldn’t even enjoy her break. She should have continued to network and apply to jobs to stay focused and generate options in case the offer fell through – which, of course, it did.  

Keep up the follow-up. I know you might be hesitant to “bother” or “bug” the employer, but making follow-up calls is important. HR managers have a lot on their plates these days and keeping up with a large number of applicants is a challenge. Once you know you’re being considered for a job, make a cheerful follow-up call once a week to express your continued interest and desire to do anything to move the process forward. You just might be surprised to hear words of appreciation for your follow-up call. 

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Keep up your spirits. When you’re waiting and you don’t hear anything from the company promptly, it’s easy to get down on yourself and think the worst. An attitude of pessimism will definitely affect your job search results negatively. Challenge yourself to think positively. 

Remember, your perception of time is quite different as a job seeker than the hiring manager’s perception of time. In my experience, no matter what they promise, the timeframe is almost always longer than they say. They may intend to get back to you in a week, but the pace of work life makes it difficult to actually do so. 

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Keep up your heart rate. I always recommend starting or renewing a disciplined exercise regimen during job search to reduce stress and increase energy. As the exercise-induced endorphins improve your mood, you’ll be able to better handle the waiting psychologically. 

As the song says, I know the waiting is the hardest part. I hope these ideas are helpful to you as you wait. If you have other ideas, please share them. 

Your Neighbor and Career Coach

Christy Suerth

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