Navigating your Job Search in Challenging Times

Since I graduated High School in 2016, this Spring has meant many of my peers and good friends just recently graduated college. Speaking with many of them and having been inundated by the news over the past couple of months, it has been hard to ignore what a volatile job market we currently find ourselves in. To use the words of Gary Burtless, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, "people graduating this spring are going to face the worst job market in the entire post-depression history." (interview with CNBC published May 22nd, 2020)

Burtless explains further, "Over the entire Great Recession I think maybe 8.5, 9 million jobs were lost over the course of a 5-year period. Between February and April, the United States lost 21.5 million payroll jobs," This is not the news you or I like to hear at any point of our careers, let alone as a college student or recent graduate.

Since traveling to Europe became too high-risk, my own original internship plans I had for this summer fell through. I received final notification of this news April 2nd. Many others I know have also had internships and jobs moved remote, put on hold, or cancelled. The following clip from CBS Morning News highlights a couple stories common throughout the country –

Wanting to help and provide some level of support and encouragement, I decided to compile some of my thoughts in an article to share along with a few resources. The intent of this article isn't to bemoan the current situation, but rather share some tips, spread an ounce or two of optimism, and reiterate what Katie Abby said so well in the video, by emphasizing the importance of "needing to continue to try and find opportunities" despite the challenges we face.

Being positive, proactive, and attentive will help you land the job you love.

To be upfront and honest, seeking and finding a job, particularly one you love and which you will thrive in, is not supposed to be "easy". Although it may not be "easy", there are plenty of things that you can do proactively throughout the process to make it "easier".

It all begins with intentional planning, consistent effort, and taking deliberate action. As students studying at various colleges, we are hopefully preparing and training for future employment in a fulfilling career. We focus a lot on classes and the educational track we’re on, but sometimes the “track” towards finding that job we want is not as clearly defined and tricky to follow. It can be hard to navigate, and we might not even know where to start.

The current climate as outlined above and depicted in the graph below sure doesn't make navigating things any easier, but it does increase the value and relevance of understanding how to approach your job search. Knowing certain nuances and small tips may improve your chances by helping you standout, or at the least–boost your morale.

So you may be wondering to yourself, "I'm seeing unemployment rise to nearly 15%, what’s the silver lining on all of this?" Well, there are still companies out there hiring! Yes, companies out there looking for talent, and who need YOU. Despite being in a bad place right now, the future outlook of the job market and probability that the national economy rebounds is very high. How quickly that happens may be for another discussion, but in order to achieve anything, you first need to believe it.

It's necessary to realize that unemployment happens, oftentimes to no fault of your own. It's also okay to job search for reasons other than unemployment.

Companies need to make tough decisions, and unexpected circumstances arise (e.g. the coronavirus pandemic) that limit the number of available jobs out there. In down markets the effects ripple across multiple industries (travel→hospitality→restaurant etc.). Sometimes it's not even unemployment that puts you back on the job search though. Family situations change, health complications arise, and you may just be in search of something new. You might be seeking better compensation, something more challenging, or even less demanding.

It's okay as well to realize if you simply aren't as happy as you’d like to be in your current job, and want to pursue something different. Most (if not all) employers actually want you to be happy at work. It's a no brainer, because you'll perform better!

So how do you stay happy and positive when you are on the job search? I would say to remember this quote, "don't let what you do not have, interfere with what you can do." That is, focus your efforts and attention on what you can do to improve your situation and begin to make small steps in that direction. That might look like taking the initiative to learn new skills, or being okay with taking a job that isn't your first choice so you can gain the experiences and develop the relationships necessary to take your next steps forward.

It may turn out to be the perfect time to volunteer and get involved at a service organization or non-profit, go back to school and enroll in classes, or participate in e-Learning courses and certifications. (Did you know LinkedIn learning offers courses ranging from Excel: Advanced Functions and Formulas, to Chair Work: Yoga Fitness and Stretching at Your Desk? If you clicked on the links, now you do:)

I'm not quite sure how proficiency in desk yoga might help you get your next job, but becoming confident and familiar with using Excel may come in handy during a future technical interview. It sure would have for me. Within about a month after my internship had been cancelled, I was in final rounds of interviews for a finance and strategy position at an exciting startup I would have loved to work for. The interview was being conducted virtually and they had sent me an Excel document with a few broken formulas, lots of data, and some instructions of what they'd like me to do.

I took extra time, and still didn't solve the problems correctly. Needless to say, it was embarrassing in the moment and I didn't end up getting the job offer. Instead of letting my head down that day, I became excited that I had learned what I didn't know very well. Right after the interview, I made a couple of Google searches, spent some time on YouTube, and didn't leave my desk until I got to the correct solutions utilizing the proper formulas. That was satisfying. Rather than leaving my interview with damaged confidence, I came away from it even more motivated than before.

Interestingly enough, my interviewer had actually started at the company 3 years ago as an unpaid intern and worked his way up into a management role. He came to the company because he saw an opportunity to advance his career, learn new skills, and make a greater impact. He had been earning a living at his previous work, but wasn't entirely satisfied. Would making that change have been easy to do? No. In fact it must have been quite humbling, but turned out to be very rewarding in his case. Most often when we want the fruit that's just out of reach, it requires us to venture out on a limb to get there.

Gear your mindset towards finding employment as an encouraging and enjoyable experience rather than something that can often be overwhelming.

Where do we start then? Let me illustrate by painting a picture of two people. For the purpose of this article, consider job seeker 1 as Cathy, and job seeker 2 as Kate.

Kate and Cathy have both recently graduated college and are searching for jobs. Despite doing the best they can to save and work part-time while in school, each of their savings are drying up and both are in desperate need of full-time employment. Cathy knows she needs to find a job, and reminds herself often that if she doesn’t then she’ll no longer be able to afford rent and will have to move back home with her parents. In her mind she’s constantly worried about what her friends will think of her if this happens, and she doesn’t want to reach out to any of them for help because fear of embarrassment. Although Kate is in a very similar situation, her attitude and approach to her search is very different.

 Rather than focusing on the consequences and pressure if she doesn’t find a job, Kate chooses to be excited about the opportunity to explore her interests, learn new skills, and showcase her abilities… oh, and did I mention earn a living at the same time!? She knows she’s not the only person out there looking for a job, and that there are a lot of people in her circles that would be willing to help her when she asks. She decides to focus on what she can control (e.g. number of applications she submits) rather than focusing on what she cannot control (e.g. number of offers she receives).

Framing your mindset during your job search to think of things in terms of opportunities and rewards, away from self-doubts and fears can go a long way. I like to think of the job search experience as a fun and exciting ride I get to go on, rather than a scorching desert I have to wander through alone. The better parallel might even be a mountain climb that does take some effort and a map to get to the top, but one you know will be worth it upon reaching the summit and being met by a beautiful view. 

So, as a review—what type of job search mindset do you want to have?

When we embrace a positive job search mindset, the odds of succeeding grows tremendously. But all of us will still face doubt, disappointment, and discouragement.

How do we meet those disappointments, and eventually overcome the doubt?

Well—I’ll let you in on a little secret that might surprise you. That is, the #1 reason people don’t get hired for a job. (And nope, it’s not because the formatting of their resume was off, or because their cover letter needed a few changes.)

It’s actually because they don’t end up applying for it!

You’ve probably heard the phrase that goes, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”, but this principle is so true when it comes to seeking employment. Even if you don’t feel like you’re the “perfect” candidate, or even if you feel “underqualified”—if it’s a position that interests you, go for it! You may even come to find that those positions you feel the least qualified for is where you’ll learn and grow the most.

A couple of questions and answers:

Q: Should I apply for multiple jobs at a time?

A: The simple answer is, “yes”. But there’s a trick to it. Don’t overburden yourself by applying to every single job listing that exists. There’s a balance to quality over quantity, and you want to make sure that you’re applying to the jobs you’re serious about. That way you are more likely to be willing to put in the extra effort to produce an exceptional application.

Tips from balancecareers.com say,

“The most likely outcome is that you'll get a lot of rejections before you land a job. Instead of getting discouraged, learn from your mistakes and keep applying until you get the right offer. Waiting to hear the results from your application or interviews will only extend the length of time your job search takes. Worst-case scenario, you’ll be juggling multiple job offers. That’s a good thing.”

Q: How should I leverage my resume and LinkedIn profile to improve my chances of getting a job?

 A: This is a good question, but it’s important to note that your resume and your LinkedIn profile are mostly meant to get you in the door and help you land an initial interview. It’s not your resume or your LinkedIn that will get you the job, rather how you present yourself and how you highlight what you can bring to the position at the company or organization for which you are applying.

Tips from the muse.com points out,

“Your resume (and LinkedIn Profile) are not tattoos. Yes, your new resume is lovely. Your LinkedIn profile, breathtaking. However, if they don’t position you as a direct match for a particular role that you’re gunning for, don’t be afraid to modify wording, switch around key terms, and swap bullet points in and out. Treat them as living, breathing documents throughout your job search (and career).”

Want to improve your LinkedIn profile? Click below.

Rock Your LinkedIn Profile! Tips from Luke Mocke, CEO of Mentorli and former LinkedIn employee

Want to improve your resume? Click below.

Resume Tips from Dennis Wood, VP of Human Capital at Mercato Partners

Q: What are some helpful things to know about interviewing?

A: I will answer this with a short list of succinct bullet points that I have been made aware of, but I can’t stress one thing enough… practice, practice, practice. Might sound weird? Yes. Will it feel even stranger doing it? Probably. But is it worth it? Absolutely.

Practice or “mock” interviews can take many forms, but becoming familiar with potential questions and getting in the repetition is key. You can practice on your own, with a friend or family member, a career coach, and best yet identifying someone in the role you are applying for and sitting down with them to discuss the details of the job and practicing a few questions with them.

Other tips include,

• Be yourself; I list this first because although practice is important—you don’t want to have rehearsed answers, fake smiles, or try to give answers that you think your interviewer wants to hear. (see above link to balancecareers.com)
• Share a thank-you; following an interview it’s always appropriate to send a thank-you note. Don’t overcomplicate it, and don’t ask for the job, but express sincere appreciation. It will help you stand out, and will be appreciated on their end.
• Don’t say anything bad about previous employers; this is one of the most common interview mistakes, and can sometimes be hard to avoid especially when there may have been plenty of bad things about your previous employer. Instead, focus on expressing the things you learned from hard experiences, what you overcame, how you developed, and especially why you provide value to the position they’re seeking to fill.
• Be on PAR; No, this doesn’t mean to bring your golf clubs, nor does it mean to be on-time and look your best (those should be a given). This is an acronym and a good rule of thumb to follow when answering interview questions.

Problem

Action

Result

A mentor of mine shared this advice with me years ago and I can attest to its effectiveness. He said,

“Describe the problem, the action you took and the result. All your answers should be less than 1.5 minutes. If it’s getting longer than that, then you haven’t practiced enough. Most my answers are less than 1 minute.”

Going back to my first point of practice, if you don’t know what to practice—here’s something for you! It helps you stay focused on what’s important, keeps yourself from rambling on, and highlights what you’re capable of and how you’ve made an impact at where you’ve worked before.

Keeping in mind there are also several different types of interviews; behavioral interviews, group interviews, case interviews, virtual interviews, technical interviews, etc. you'll want to tweak and fine-tune your approach to whichever one you have coming up. Below are a number of resources where you can actually practice live interviews with people working in roles across various industries and at different companies.

General: Interview Buddy, Find Newton

Tech related: PrePlaced, Interview Bit/Scaler, Gainlo, Pramp, and Interviewing.io

Also note, that most of the above resources are paid and each have different pricing along with unique perks and benefits. Do your own diligence before moving ahead with any one of them.

I strongly encourage taking advantage of free opportunities, and if you're a student like me I recommend utilizing all the resources you have available. This includes your career services, engaging in conversations with faculty, attending on-campus events, and networking with your peers.

U of U Business Career Services – Career Preparation - Interviewing

I actually used the above resource this Spring when interviewing at the Big 4 accounting firms, and can vouch to how much it helped me. The coach I met with knew a lot of things that I was previously unaware of, and practicing questions with her in a real interview setting gave me the confidence that I needed going forward. It paid off at the end of the day (or more accurately in my case, "at the end of several weeks") as I got the offer I was looking for!

Job searching can be intimidating and confusing, but it doesn’t need to be.

I've explained a lot, but what I want to emphasize is that there are so many people willing and ready to help. More often than not people actually love sharing their experiences and what they've learned. The biggest favor you can do yourself, is not trying to do it all yourself. Seek out others advice, let people help you, and actually take the time to meet with those working in your desired field and then decide if going that route is what you really want to do. Those simple steps can save you a significant amount of time and money. Look around and figure out what resources are available, and then use them to your full advantage.

Did you know there’s a website that reports live updates as to which companies are hiring and which ones aren’t right now? Well, here it is! Don’t spend unnecessary effort and energy applying to a companies that have set in place hiring restrictions or freezes. Candor - Hiring Freezes

Everything I've shared are just some tips and guidelines, and some of my personal experiences and opinions. There is no "one right way" to find a job, and unfortunately most of us think the only way about it is filling out online applications, submitting our resumes, and waiting. Tired of doing that? You can check out more unconventional job searching techniques at places like, Cultivated Culture.

Ask yourself the question, "Instead of waiting and wishing, what else can I do?" and I guarantee you'll begin to get creative ideas, and if you follow them then new doors will open. Do you know that there are actually a lot of other people out there that want to help you find your next job? I found out about Cultivated Culture, and so many other resources through the first #GetHired Summit sponsored by Mentorli. Want some good news? The #GetHired Summit is coming back even bigger and better later this summer! Mark your calendars for August 12-13, because you won't want to miss this event. Register and read more about it here.

As a mobile app, Mentorli connects you with professionals and mentors you can relate to who can then refer you to a job you'll love. You can get the inside scoop of what it's like to work where, and kickstart your career path in the right direction.

I would add my two cents to constantly find ways to add value and give more than you get. I hope something I've shared inspires, encourages, and helps someone in some way down the road. Good luck to everyone out there!

Enjoyed what you read today? Please like, share, or leave a comment. Have an idea, question, or topic you want me to write about next? Send an e-mail to [email protected].

Additional content: If you or someone you care about lost a job during COVID-19, I recommend reading this article from Savology.

Seth Berlin is a strategy and marketing intern at Rehabilitation Health, a community created to improve health, turn ideas into ventures, and help create a repeatable framework for success, accountability, and motivation. Discover more here.