A real LinkedIn update

This morning I woke up to an email. It was a rejection email. I felt my stomach drop as I read the words ‘the application process was very competitive’ (my stomach seems to know when something bad has happened much before my brain works it out). Feeling rejected is a terrible feeling. For me, it amplified all of my insecurities, all of the self-doubt that simmers beneath the surface. A lot of people make mention of my LinkedIn activity, how it looks like I am doing such cool things. So, I think it is important to share moments like these too, to capture what it is truly like. And I can assure you, I am not writing this from the comforts of a nice office, looking back on how grateful I am to have experienced the struggle of finding a job and how it has made me a better person. I am very much in the eye of the storm. 

Through this process, I have realised that a lot of my self-worth is tied up in what I do, which makes being told that you aren’t good enough quite deflating. I believe that I have so much to offer beyond what I do for a job but I have certainly been challenged on that fact over the past month and a half. Each day is up and down, with each new job description seeming to confirm that I either don’t have enough experience, or that the experiences I do have are not the right ones. Having every single career highlight of every single person I have ever met on display at all times on LinkedIn makes it that much more difficult. You might be asking yourself at this stage why I am broadcasting this? Well, I don’t think this experience is unique to me. And I don’t want to read another perfect LinkedIn update. I would far prefer to be honest and potentially make someone also on the job hunt feel just a touch less alone. Maybe I am not the only one who feels really drained at the end of a long day of looking for work? Maybe I am not the only one whose stomach drops when someone asks ‘what are you up to at the moment’? I don’t believe many people go through life without experiencing what I am feeling now. 

That is probably why every time I have shared my experience with someone in my network, their first question is ‘how can I help? I feel very lucky whenever I hear that response. It reminds me that I have an incredible group of people in my corner who all want me to succeed. If you are one of these people, a big thanks. Whilst the job hunt might be brutal, your support makes finding the right job feel achievable. I plan to repay that faith the only way I know how: doing everything in my power to find that job. That means spending time scouring the web looking at job openings, or putting myself out there even when I don’t feel like it. Most importantly, it means being humble enough to ask for help and accept it from people who can help me along the way. 

So, if you are looking for work and finding it difficult like me, here’s what I would say: lean on your connections, they will see you through. The chances are that they have gone through a similar period and would love to help. If you are reading this and think that I can assist in any way, then please reach out. I would be thrilled to help.  Oh and one last thing, don’t believe everything you see on LinkedIn. It’s never all sunshine and roses.