Support thread for job hunters...anyone else losing their mind?!

[Wiggle975]

As the title says, is anyone else worn out, and starting to lose their mind through job applications and interviews?

I am exhausted and starting to get very fed up with it all. The wasting of time.

I actually think the only way to switch roles is in the same company. My role evolved twice over years and I'm in a much better position. But they don't offer enough challenges to me.

Hi all, glad to come across this excellent thread although sorry to hear so many others are navigating this horrible jobs market…

I’m miserable in my current role and was off with stress earlier in the year. When I started back at work, I promised myself I’d get out for good so that’s what I’m trying to do! Didn’t think it would be so tricky though… when I was last job hunting (2014-2018) I just walked into interviews and walked out with a job. This time I’ve had one unsuccessful interview and so many automated rejections…

It’s hard to stay positive, I’m hoping this thread will help though. I realise I’m in a lucky position to be working at the moment but it does mean the motivation/energy to do tedious application forms (I’m applying for public sector roles) is easily sapped from surviving my current role…

Would love to hear any tips/experience on:

Quantity vs quality: I’ve been going for quality, partly because public sector application forms are so time consuming (all those criteria!) but it means I’m only managing to do 2-4 applications per month. What’s everyone’s quality/quantity tactic?

People who are currently working full-time or otherwise time-poor: How do you protect the time & motivation to search for jobs & complete applications? Do you have set time in the week or something else?

Career changers/more generalist job-hunters: how do you address if your most recent roles don’t obviously fit with the target roles? I’m not sure whether to be explicit “I’m looking to move into X…” or just show how I have the right skills?

I’ll stop there but really glad to have some company on this journey and wishing you all the best for your job hunts

It does make it easier to look for another job when you have a permanent one but I appreciate and have experienced horrible job places in the past.

I’ve got an interview for this Thursday, not in the best frame of mind for it but it’s a permanent job which I want so maybe things will go ok.

Another recruiter last week tried to go get me to apply in Dubai which is madness, no way would I want to go there for various reasons.

Got the 'thanks but no thanks 'email from last week's interview. I was expecting it but it's still a blow. I could do the job with my eyes closed, but it was perhaps a tad more junior than my most recent role. God knows what goes through their minds deciding on a candidate
Seems it's hard for everyone out there, with the exception of min wage high turnover roles like hospitality . Weirdly, this helps me process as it's much harder to take things personally

I too look back at past years when I could just walk into a new job within a few weeks. I enjoyed doing interim/ contracts then but now the landscape has totally changed.

Decided not to stress it. What will be will be. I'm taking time our now until the end of August, then hopefully the market will improve and I can hit it.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain best of luck for Thursday, permanent role sounds promising
Less so unprompted Dubai suggestions from your recruiter 😂 I haven't tried any agencies yet...

@IDontHateRainbows ugh really sorry to hear that. Rejection always stings, but I agree it's easier not to take it personally when so many people are struggling...
Enjoy your time out and hope you have some fun/relaxing plans to take your mind off job stuff

Supposed to have heard back from the recruiter for the 1st round last week.But no news which indicates it's not good news. Sigh...

Can't expect finding something easily. It's actually a nearly ideal job for my switching sector. Oh, well. It is how it is. Just have to move on and continue looking.

Rejection email received for a job I spent half a day filling out the application for.
Typical! The usual high calibre of applicants apparently.
I bet it’s readvertised in a couple of months like every other job I’ve applied for !

'@Ragdollmother
Rejection email received for a job I spent half a day filling out the application for.
Typical! The usual high calibre of applicants apparently.
I bet it’s readvertised in a couple of months like every other job I’ve applied for !'

Indeed!

This is why I prioritise jobs where the application process is a CV and supporting statement.

Having recruited quite a few people as a manager this is really all you need to make a shortlist.

I no longer waste my time of cumbersome application forms that include endless questions that should really be asked at interview stage.

Or indulge employers who ask you to submit various things like draft strategies and/or budgets (when they do not even supply financial info to base them on).

The above just tells me from the start the organisation and I are not a right fit.

Congrats to those who have been offered positions, good luck to those still on the hunt.

I've been in role a week now and currently suffering with major imposter syndrome. Pretty typical for me with new roles but can't wait to actually feel useful.

With contractor roles, companies are less bothered about culture fit etc so I've been able to move about various sectors (utility/public sector/engineering) with relative ease.

I’ve just been informed by the recruiter that I’m the only person they’re interviewing for the job, she likes my CV and I think our personalities align too from what the recruiter says.

So, as I’m prone to overthinking I are the above issues a good/bad/indifferent thing?

As I’m at a psychiatric unit til end of this week I’ve got two dressers, one smarter and one better fitting but still smart. Plus a navy blazer, that should look smart. I only have ASOS cherry 🍒 earrings as no time to go home and get eg my diamond or pearl studs. Plus with security here it can be lax so don’t want them going missing.

I don't usually ask for feedback but as I thought my last interview had gone well, I thought I would if only to see if the reasons I thought I hadn't got it aligned with those of the interviewers. As suspected, it wasn't due to lack of experience but the successful candidate had a better 'fit' and my examples were a bit too senior for the role as I've managed teams, this role would not have been managerial. Also culture fit ie the successful person had worked in more similar environments previously.

So if I want a similar role next time I need to dumb down! (not that I want my career to go backwards but I would take a temp role, which this was, at a slightly lower level rather than be out of work completely) Not sure what if anything I can do about 'culture fit' if I haven't worked in the exact same environment before - any ideas?

If nothing else, the feedback was useful in showing me how tough a market it is out there and at the end of the day if everyone at final stage can do the job they will likely choose on whether you have worked in a similar environment and at a similar level previously. So I need to try and demonstrate a 'fit' for the role - difficult if I don't have previous knowledge of the company but I guess I'll do my best.

Most unsolicited feedback seems to be bullshit I've found but if the company seem nice and willing to actually think about why you didn't get the role it's worth asking for now and then.

So I had my interview which we couldn’t do for some reason. So I’m meeting the recruiter and my potential boss on Monday. Means I have to do without drugs (anti depressants etc) for this and I also have a 6 month interview for the same day but in the morning.

I also had a boutique recruitment agency ring me yesterday with a law firm job, mostly document work and all wfh apart from meeting in person 3-4 times a year.

The first recruiter just contacted me, maybe sometimes is it serendipity that the right opportunities pop up when you least expect it?

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain good luck for tomorrow.

But please think carefully about not taking your meds.

Job hunting can be really draining, especially when you're not getting clear feedback. I remember feeling the same way, and it just made me want to look for something different. That’s when I started checking out security consulting. It’s got a lot of potential and can be pretty rewarding. If you’re thinking about trying something new, one of the best resources is the International Association of Professional Security Consultants. I think it can be a good place to learn more and see if it might be a fit for you.

Just got another rejection email after the 1st round interview. I can't say I was really confident (not a like to like match), but I thought the value I conveyed was enough to put me through to the 2nd round. But the feedback really knocked down my confidence, wordings like "not enough experience" "too much of a generalist". I think the skill there needs to be sharpened as I haven't so far organised my "standard sets of answers" to "cover all". But still, just feel disheartened and low.

I became restless at work, more and more critical on the failures and attitudes around - seeing no hope as the management allows all happen and carry on.

Don't know when I will be able to move on and to where. Just feel demotivated and trapped.

Another agent said to refer me last week, but nothing was heard since. I guess it's another dead end.

DH yesterday also said the hiring people really want the candidates absolutely from their industry. Not very likely to get picked based on common transferable skill that are implicit and need a lot stronger sales skills which I'm lack of.

Spotted this in job board, not sure if it's real. Need to check, but looks interesting and maybe worth giving it a try:

Career returner program

https://www.totaljobs.com/job/103216905?JBE=1&entryUrl=&DCMP=REMJaJobTJST30082024jobTitle

https://www.totaljobs.com/job/103216905?JBE=1&entryUrl=&DCMP=R_EM_JaJob_TJ_ST_30082024_jobTitle

Well first initial stage interview this morning and it went so badly - I'm so out of practice at interviews that I panicked and forgot half my key points 😔

Any tips for ways to improve if I can't actually get many opportunities to practice my interview skills in? I did tons of prep and the job is a great match for my skills, but I just fell apart when it came to actually conveying that.

I wish interviews came in a variety of formats - the system is so skewed towards people with 'the gift of the gab'.

I am really getting despondent about my jobs search...

I have a job but hate the organisation and the team I am in. I have applied for many jobs over the past six months but only had three interviews.

I am in a tricky place because I am in my early 50s and can only work part-time due to a disability so that makes things even harder.

Out of curiosity which websites do people use to try to source roles?

I have been looking at the Civil Service Job site, my local Council's, the Guardian and things like CharityJobs.

I spoke to a recruiter today that I've known for a while and she basically said it's horrible out there and it's not you! Whilst this doesn't bring me any closer to finding a job it helps with my state of mind as it's just a matter of riding out a rough market. She said she'd spoken to many similar candidates in my position, and that employers were being super fussy. Also that most of the jobs that were available on the market right now are at a junior level and that employers were wary of offering these to mid-senior candidates - this has been my exact experience and that of many other candidates she's worked with.

She said it was really important to have a good linked in profile, post regularly etc and lots of people were marketing themselves this way so I'm off to up my game on linked in.

She also said the market was predicted to get busier over the coming months but i've heard that so many times before when it hasn't happened that I'm reluctant to belive it.

I've gone past the despondent stage to the 'ah oh well it will work itself out in time' stage. - I suppose I am lucky in that we can still pay the mortgage and bills and I have a side-hustle for pocket money. No doubt I'd be stressing a lot more if not.

Winter, have you heard of John Lees? He's an interview coach who has written a lot of books on interview technique - I really rate him (as an author -I can't afford actual coaching) . He also has a good website that's worth a look at.

@Winterjoy sorry to hear the interview didn’t go well.
I was recommended “Why you?” By James Reed (possibly on this thread?), and am finding it really helpful.

Would you take a notebook in with your key points in case you need a reminder? Just having them with you might help you feel more relaxed

I’m also finding the pressure on each interview hard to manage because they are like gold dust…

@Startingagainandagain sounds like you’re also looking at public sector-ish roles. I also look at jobs.ac.uk , NHS jobs , if you’re in an area with a metro-mayor then the combined authority as well as your local council. What sort of roles are you looking for?

I've had two interviews but not heard back yet. Sent off a few applications, mostly with the civil service, so I'm sure it'll take a while to hear back. My main issue is that there isn't anything to apply for! I live in the suburbs of a large city yet there are only very few jobs in data. And most are either far too senior for me or very entry level.

@Winterjoy Are they online or in-person? I'm not going to lie, I always have a document open with notes when it's online. My brain is constantly fried (little kids...), so I easily forget even the biggest projects I've worked on.

Online so it should be easier! Even with notes today my mind just blanked on how to make my examples fit the questions. I could hear myself waffling but just couldn't stop. Which is of course then playing into a negative cycle as I'm now further dreading any future interviews.

I felt like I actually had too many notes today and it was detrimental, but potential interview questions seem so much wider ranging now? I used to be able to predict them pretty soundly, even across different types of employers, and had a mental bank of succinct answers that clearly linked into my experience.

I don't know what has happened to me as I actually enjoyed interviews when I was younger and used to sail through them!

Me too. The job hunting landscape had totally changed from when I was younger. I used to walk into jobs. I wasn't great at keeping them but it didn't matter I just got another one.