The Insanity of a Job Search

The article I wrote last week was challenging to write, yet it proved to be immensely helpful in many ways. I want to express my immense gratitude to everyone who reached out. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but receiving messages from people felt really good. So, I've decided to continue the process and post again. This time, I want to discuss how incredibly insane the current job market feels, both from the perspective of job seekers (which is quite obvious) and from the vantage point of those responsible for hiring (which might not be as apparent).

The sheer craziness of the job search today is often exemplified by scrutinizing job postings. It's common to see 8-10 "must-haves" and another 3-5 items listed as "preferred." In most cases, I'll apply if I meet around 60-75% of these requirements, secure a referral, and maybe that leads to a recruiter screening. This is where the craziness can begin. It actually happened to me this week. I was referred for a position at a company I would absolutely love to work for. My experience and one of my passions were closely aligned with the role. However, during the screening, I received a notice that the position was about to be filled, but they proposed considering another role. It was an amazing opportunity, and I was all for it. Although my skillset wasn't a perfect match, it resonated even more with my passion. I adjusted the narrative I needed to present, aligned with the recruiter, and that's when the cycle of insanity began. Despite being aware that my skills might not be a perfect match and that my chances were slim, I couldn't help but get my hopes up. I envisioned myself in interviews, showcasing my potential contributions with a mix of confidence and skepticism.

As expected, I received the all-too-familiar cold rejection email today. Even though I knew it was the likely outcome, it still stings. Every rejection where i had the opportunity to speak to a human in the process someone triggers my personal fear of becoming irrelevant with each passing day. Yet I willingly hop on that pain train everyday! Apply, get a reply, get high on hope, be confident yet trepid, anxiety, then feeling irrelevant. It's a continuous process of experiencing the same roller coaster of emotions day after day, week after week, month after month. Unlike other aspects of our lives, quitting a career is nearly impossible, and starting over is equally daunting. Thus, we persist in this process because we desperately want to secure a job. Speaking for myself, I know that whoever hires me will get someone who is truly motivated and driven by the emotional challenges of these last few months.

As someone who is a career Product Manager(save the 18 months spent traveling across the US to hire TSA agents), I can't help but consider the perspective of the hiring side and empathize with them. Today, I asked myself what problem the long list of "must-have" and "preferred" requirements is solving (my personal favorite being the demand for "5+ years of experience in an industry we're trying to disrupt"). My hypothesis is that it addresses a deep-seated need to stay employed. Hiring managers are aware that the job market is ????, and thus a desire to stay employed. As a result, they seek the "perfect" candidate, the unicorn, and in this market, there are plenty of unicorns! That said, with a vast pool of potential candidates and a strong desire to make an immediate impact, there's often less room for questioning whether a perfect candidate is genuinely required. While there are instances when the perfect candidate is essential, if you aren't challenging the needs of the role like we all did when talent was scarce, you might make a poor hire due to fear.

So, what can we do? As a job seeker, I'm tired of the insanity, so during a recruiter screening, I plan to be more forward and transparent while maintaining confidence. I encourage hiring managers, especially those recruiting Product Managers, to treat hiring as if it were a product. Ask yourselves why you need that "perfect" candidate and challenge your assumptions. If you find yourself following this path, consider analyzing the data. Take a few minutes to review the candidates you rejected after they spoke to a recruiter or made it through to a conversation with you and ask yourself if it were two years ago, would I have wanted to speak with them or would I have said yes? If the answer is no, try to identify the reasons and maybe reach out to the candidate. If the answer is yes, that you would have wanted to talk to them two years ago, I advocate reaching out to that person and seeing if they're open to a conversation or feedback. I'm sure there is a way to provide feedback without violating corporate policies and I know it would go a long way in making the job search slightly less painful for job seekers.