Bad News for My Resume: The Job Search Ends
It’s over. After months and months of resumes and cover letters and LinkedIn requests and self-doubt, I have connected with the right job. I am…employed.
My poor resume is now useless. Ah well.
This blog post isn’t a pat on my own back. Far from it. Anyone looking for a job right now knows that this is like a marathoner at mile 14 seeing runners with medals celebrating on the sidelines (FYI, a marathon has 26.2 miles!). Sure, there is an end in sight, but getting there is still going to be rough. Seeing a finisher gloat is hardly helpful.
As I settle into a new role, one that ticks all of my boxes, one that satisfies nearly everything I was searching for—though I sacrificed the $2.5 million annual salary—I can only share my reflections from the finish line in hopes of motivating others. Stay hydrated, put one foot in front of another, and keep going.
But remember this:
1. It’s all about timing
Finding the perfect job and preparing the perfect application is only part of the equation. Timing, in all of its beautiful, annoying varieties also plays a huge role. I was a perfect candidate for many roles that simply were ill-timed.
Waiting on HR. Waiting on budget approvals. Waiting for feedback. Waiting for people to come back from vacation. It can be a lot. The timing of these things rarely makes the job search easy, but if you’re available—excessively so—it helps your chances. Never say no to anything.
2. It’s spaghetti on the wall
That role looks “too senior,” “too entry level,” “too hybrid,” “too underpaid,” “too WHATEVER.” We all tell ourselves this, but the truth is, you don’t know until you apply.
The role I ended up getting was not a role I would have targeted initially because of the job description. It was “too” something for me, but I went for it anyway since it interested me. And hey, look! It worked! In the end, that something I feared actually wasn’t a valid concern at all.
Reach out to people on LinkedIn. Post about your job search. Play with new search terms on LinkedIn. Unless you’re working in an entirely specified field like, say, feline renal surgery, chances are you can experiment more.
Throw that spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks, because you never know until you try.
3. It was never guaranteed
Being humble at the end of the race is still important. Friends tell me now, “We knew you’d find something,” sure, but I wasn’t looking for something. There are plenty of jobs out there but if you’re browsing LinkedIn, you’re looking for something that suits your interests and skills, not just any old job.
But more than that, much like running a marathon (of which I am familiar), reaching the finish line is not actually guaranteed. There is no cosmic force distributing careers that will bestow one upon me at some point. I could, theoretically, have been a freelancer or contractor forever, never finding the right full-time role for myself. Legally, no one is required to give me a job with benefits and all that jazz, no matter how many qualifications I boast.
The good thing about theories is that they can be proven wrong, thankfully, and I was fortunate enough to do that.
As I start my new role, I will do a few mental and emotional stretches to shake out the proverbial lactic acid that built up over the last 26.2 miles of my job hunting marathon. Hopefully, if you’re seeking a job, you see my medal as a glimmer of hope, even if you’re only at the halfway mark.
And remember, if nothing else, stay hydrated!