Stop this habit of yours if you want to get your field job
“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.”
Ninja, do you know what it takes to land a job in 2024?
Well... here's the list:
Figuring out what skills you're missing.
Pursuing certifications to fill those gaps.
Volunteering/building projects if you don’t have work ex.
Crafting an impactful resume.
Reaching out to recruiters the right way.
Standing out and highlighting your x-factor.
Getting rejected 100s of times.
Preparing for interviews like it's the final exam of your life.
You have to do ALL of these and just can’t pick and choose the ones that you like.
I know it’s pretty overwhelming.
But you add fuel to fire when you combine overwhelm with negative self talk:
"I’m falling behind."
"Everyone else is figuring it out. Why can't I?"
"Maybe I’m just not cut out for this."
You need to STOP these self-sabotaging thoughts right away!
I remember getting rejected left, right, and centre when i started my job hunt during COVID.
But I did one good thing…
I never negative-talked to myself.
I've seen several people fall into this loop though.
It's so easy to blame yourself.
But here's the thing: This process and the rejections are definitely not a reflection of your worth.
It took me 300+ applications (guilty of LinkedIn Easy Apply as well) to get my 1st job!
So, if you're not seeing progress, don't punish yourself.
I'm all for being disciplined, but sometimes, we can be too hard on ourselves.
You blame yourself, which creates self-doubt.
Your confidence goes down.
Your motivation takes a hit.
And then you don't do anything for the next two weeks.
See where I'm going with this?
Nothing good comes out of being too hard on yourself.
Instead, here's what I recommend you to do...
Take a deep breath.
Instead of punishing yourself for what you haven't achieved yet, celebrate the small wins.
Did you apply to ten jobs today? You're ten steps closer to that YES!
Did you reach out to five hiring managers today? That's a win.
Did you do one new certification this week? That's progress.
Every single action you take is moving you forward, even if it doesn't feel like it right now.
This journey is tough, but you're tougher.
You've already overcome so much just to be here in Canada, chasing your dreams.
Keep pushing, keep learning, and most importantly, be kind to yourself.
The right opportunity is out there, waiting for you.
And when you find it, all this struggle will be worth it :-)
Keep Blooming,
Bani Singh