Success in job search doesn’t happen overnight. You know it’s not like sending your resume now and getting to the interview door within the same day. It really doesn’t go that way. Therefore, you might go through different stages during your job hunting process. Sometimes you’re fine. But there are times you feel like being lost in your endeavor. Also, there are other states in between these stages. Knowing what you’re going through or what you are about to experience allows you to become aware of your current situation or possible events. That would help you make adjustments to your perspective which will dictate your actions.
5 Stages of Job Search Grief: Where Are You At Right Now?
Stage 1: Thrill
Whether you are a fresh graduate or someone who is currently employed and looking for something new, you experience the thrill of finding a new job. Your eyes get attracted to job posts that resonate with your qualifications. Therefore, you keep on sending your applications to your target employers. But there is a probability that this will lead to stage 2.
Stage 2: Displeasure
After some weeks of rejected applications or silence from your prospective companies, you become impatient with the situation. Despite having strong qualifications and different resumes tailored to each job post you applied to, you’re thinking why you’re still not getting your desired response from them? If this continues for months, you will be pushed to stage 3.
Stage 3: Desperation
If you are unemployed or stuck in a job you don’t like, not finding a new job for a long time will discourage you from sticking to your standards. That said, you’re planning to accept any job offer even if it’s not in line with your goals. But how if rejections are constantly coming your way? That’s when you lose yourself in the process because you are transitioning to stage 4.
Stage 4: Apathy
You start to feel as if you are not interested anymore in getting a job. You stay away from despair without having to establish a positive outlook at this moment. But being at this stage also allows you to gather your thoughts and ponder over things. These actions can result in a clear and fresh perspective. That way, you learn how to reach stage 5.
Stage 5: Acceptance
Learning to accept reality helps you focus on important things which you can do something about. For you to succeed in your job search, acceptance should go with something else — being proactive. Thus, develop the necessary skills so you’ll qualify the next time you apply for the same role again. That’s one of the ways for you to achieve your career goals.
So, where do you see yourself now at these stages? If you’re not presently in any of these phases, it’s still better to know about these states so you have the insights on how to jump from stage 1 to 5. Yes, that’s possible, if you have the right mindset. You will definitely land your target job in the future. You just have to work on it by being proactive.
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