So your job search has hit a wall. Every job you’ve applied to hasn’t panned out (or they flat-out ghosted you), and every time you go looking for new opportunities it seems like there’s nothing out there for you.
It’s easy to lose hope and motivation in moments like this. I wouldn’t fault you if you just wanted to check out for a bit. However, if you’re still up for it, there are plenty of things you can do during this slow period to stay in the game, find under-the-radar roles you might be perfect for, and set yourself up for success when the market picks up again.
Job Search Slump
First, is it you or the job market? The job search slump can be caused by two factors: the job market and the job seeker.
While it’s hard to predict exactly when companies hire heavily and when they hold off on expanding their teams, Ricklyn Woods, a Muse career coach with 20 years of experience working in HR and recruiting, says the latter half of the year tends to be a slower period for growth.
Also, fewer job opportunities tend to pop up, and the hiring process often takes longer, over the summer and during holidays when HR or certain departments go on vacation. If you’re job searching during these periods, it could be the job market that’s leading you to come up empty-handed.
If you’ve only just started your job search, you’re likely not in a slump—yet. “Clients that I work with take on average three months to land a job offer,” Woods says. Past that amount of time, however, she’s inclined to believe it’s something the job seeker is doing that’s affecting their prospects, rather than seasonal trends.
For candidates who are making it to the job interview but not getting past the first few rounds, she adds that it’s possible their technique needs work. Maybe you’re coming across as overly anxious, or lack preparedness. Running your application or interview answers by a friend or trusted colleague can give you a sense of whether it’s you that’s holding you back.
Let’s say you’ve done everything right—your resume and cover letter are highly personalized and well written, you go into interviews with concise and confident responses, and overall it feels like you have a good handle on your job search, except for the amount of jobs available to you.
Here are six additional productive things you can do to weed out opportunities and impress hiring managers now and in the future.
1. Circle back with recruiters from old job applications
Think back to roles you applied to months or even a year ago—the ones you felt you were perfect for and even made it to the final round before getting rejected. Did the hiring manager and other members of the team seem to like you? Was it clear you were rejected not because of your skill set or fit, but because someone else was a slightly better candidate, they hired internally, or the role was put on pause or changed course? Chances are there’s an opportunity waiting for you at that company or on that team that hasn’t been considered yet, or will pop up when there’s more budget.
Following up with recruiters you’ve met with in the past is a great way to stay on a company’s radar when hiring picks up again, as well as build valuable connections that could be useful down the road. Guess what? This strategy has worked for me and others in landing jobs after being rejected.
Read More = https://www.themuse.com/advice/slow-job-search-help