A Job Hunt Mindset

Introduction

For the last 5 months, I’ve been actively applying for Web Development roles I deem myself to be a good fit. I do that by thoroughly analyzing the job description and requirements at hand, and if I meet roughly 60% of the criteria, I apply.

However, over 90% of the times, I either get sent a template rejection letter or worse, get ghosted by recruiters/companies, not even managing an interview.

As you can imagine, this experience starts to get frustrating very quickly, as almost every company asks for a customized cover letter, employment recommendations, tailored CVs, and information about yourself. Not to speak of coding challenges, solving algorithmic problems that have little to no connection to the actual job they’re advertising.

After some time, you inevitably start to wonder what is wrong with you. If you should update your CV, if your cover letter didn’t stand out enough, if your skills are just not that great or if you’re doing something wrong, which is highly demotivating and often feeds a dormant imposter syndrome.

But what if we frame things a little different?

The enlightenment phase

What if you actually are a great fit for the position you’re applying? What if it’s a companies/market problem, and not a you problem? Alright, before you call me crazy, hear me out. 😆

It is true that for many, I have an unconventional background, so before I expand on that previous idea, let me sum it up real quick:

• I graduated in Dietetics and Nutrition in 2018, having worked in sport centers as well as clinical and community settings.
• I studied music for more than 5 years, having performed as a professional musician and integrated multiple orchestras and ensembles.
• I enrolled in a Full Stack Web Development bootcamp in 2020 (amidst a pandemic!) and lived to tell the tale.
• Worked as a Full Stack Web Developer, in a fully remote environment, making sure that apps were delivered as smoothly as possible to over 50,000 users, whilst developing features and tackling code debt.
• Worked as an Assistant Teacher in a Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp, having taught and mentored over 50 students in their web development journey.

And now for the kicker, what if I told you that most of those things happened in the span of 4 years? Having imposter syndrome take over is starting to sound pretty foolish, right? So I invite you to do the same exercise! Write down all your accomplishments and how you have contributed to the world around you, and let that sink in. Don’t downplay it!

The harsh reality

Companies usually want highly specialized individuals to execute certain tasks, and I get that. However, failing to recognize that a person is more than their past professional experience is, at the very least, negligent.

You can learn a new language, framework or library in a short amount of time assuming you know the fundamentals, but the resilience to not quit when things get hard, the courage to pivot whenever necessary, the drive to improve on yourself day by day and the work ethic that comes from a diverse professional experience should not be overlooked.

Of course, things are not black and white, companies are not 100% at fault here. After all, a lot of talented individuals were laid off just this year, saturating the market, so a job opportunity can have over 1,000 applications, which poses a challenge for employers and especially startups who don’t have much time to spare on recruiting. To elegantly handle such volume of applications is no menial task.

So what now?

I’ll end this post on a few notes:

• Don’t let the job search get the best out of you, and actively remind yourself how far you’ve come.
• Remember that it’s a numbers game, so in an ocean of rejections, you’ll eventually fish a “yes”.
• Make sure you seek feedback on your résumé and how you present yourself!
• And last but not least, learn to not take rejections personally. It happens to the best of us.

As for me, I decided to do things differently and give an honest attempt at creating my own product, employing myself! 80% of my week will be spent on building my own product, and 20% on applying for jobs, while previously I did the opposite. Worst case scenario, it’s a learning experience and I end up with a product that solves a real world problem! Take that, job market! 😌

I might write more about what that project is in the future, so stay tuned if you’re curious!

Until then, take it easy and allow yourself time to rest!

Best of luck out there! 👋