Why Isn't Your Job Search Working for You?

When a job search just isn't working out, even after exhaustively applying for anything you think you might be remotely qualified for, it's time to take a step back and really evaluate what you're looking for. The fact is, everyone needs a job.  Unless you were lucky enough to be born into money.  But if that's you, you're probably not reading this anyway.  So let's just go with how most of us were born, with a need to be gainfully employed.

Related:  Present Yourself as the Ideal Candidate

When you keep hitting a dead end and get little or no response to the jobs you've applied for, you have to take a look at the real reason why.  It probably has more to do with you and what you really want than it does with the tough job market. When you're pursuing a career without any real direction, ie; applying for anything you might be qualified for, you aren't taking into consideration what your heart and soul want and need.  And if you ignore them, they can be real jerks about preventing you from moving forward.  I'll use myself as an example...


I've had several careers.  I've worked in law enforcement, fashion design, as a research chemist and now an entrepreneur.  But it wasn't until I went to study Chemistry and do research that I was really doing what my heart wanted me to do.  And it wasn't until then that I found the type of success I was looking for.  The winding career path had to do more with well meaning people in my life giving me advice to follow the path they were most comfortable with.  Having fundamental christian parents, becoming a scientist was out of the question.  It wasn't something they understood and felt that it endangered my immortal soul.  So they meant well.  But it was still misguided.  As a result, I pursued things I wasn't really interested in and never really grew in those careers. It wasn't until I started listening to my inner voice telling me what I wanted that I found the success I was looking for.  My career progressed, I was published and promoted.  It was the career I had wanted.  But, even after getting a couple of degrees in Chemistry and doing research for a while I found that my career seemed stuck.  I realized it wasn't the work that had changed, or my love of science (quantum mechanics, hooray! I understand I have issues).  It was that I had changed.  I had accomplished what I set out to do but needed something more. So, after learning not to listen to well meaning but misguided advice, I started my own business.  And again, I'm enjoying myself and finding success in a way that I wasn't while doing research.  I'm moving forward again, all because I listened to my inner voice.

Related:  Turn Your Interview Into a Conversation

If you're not finding the enjoyment, fulfillment or success you want in what you're currently doing, it's time to make a change.  Stop listening to the advice of the people who care about you.  They mean well but want for you what makes them comfortable.  It's rare that someone close to you can give you objective advice.  Take a look at what you want to do, rather than what you feel you have to do.  Once you identify what you're really passionate about, start thinking on what jobs would allow you to work in that industry and what skills you have to offer.  I helped a recent client go through this.  He's a talented musician but success in the music industry is notoriously difficult.  Turns out, he has a talent for marketing.  He was the one to design artwork, advertise, book and promote the bands he was in.  He was finding no success in applying to office jobs but once we started talking about marketing within the music industry he lit up.  His passion is obvious and makes all the difference.  He's now able to move forward and is excited about the possibilities for his career. 

If things aren't moving for you, it's time to evaluate.  Do a little soul searching and really think about the direction you want to take.  It may be a simple matter of applying to the wrong kinds of jobs, the ones you really don't want, anyway.  Be honest with yourself, stop listening to everyone else and go after what you want. You'll start to see progress, you'll get unstuck.  And it will be due to the passion and interest you have pursuing what you really want.  Go for it.  The time will pass anyway, you may as well be doing what you want.