American inventor Thomas Edison was one of the hardest working, most persistent people the world has ever known, with a record 1,093 patents to his credit. With all his successes came plenty of failures, too–but he didn’t see them as failures. He said, ‘I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that will not work.‘ That ‘try one more time’ attitude made him incredibly successful. It’s a fantastic attitude to borrow for your job search.
The job search is a numbers game. You may send out your resume 10 times and get no interviews…but the 11th time may be what gets you your dream job. Your task is to keep going, and keep trying one more time until that job shows up.
At the same time, it’s important to work smart. Don’t keep doing things that aren’t getting results (like applying online). Instead, do the things that are proven to work.
- Get some free training on how to be a better job seeker and a stronger interviewer–sign up for one of Career Confidential’s Free Training Webinars.
- Consider getting some personal coaching to get you past a unique problem–see what coaching with Zanetta Siciliano or coaching with Peggy McKee can do for you.
- If your resume isn’t getting interviews, make sure it’s marketing you to employers–read Write a Resume That POPS.
- Stop applying online and start contacting hiring managers directly.
Don’t give up. Expect to be successful.
Best of luck!