Week Five: Supporting Peers in the Job Search Process
After taking a break last week to successfully submit my master’s dissertation and move out of my university accommodation, I am sharing a reflection I had after a much-needed dinner with a friend from my master’s program. During this dinner it was lovely to celebrate the major milestone we both achieved of completing our dissertation and our entire program, which in this new virtual learning reality meant we finished our work and had no real closure other than seeing the word ‘submitted’ on the assignment page. Congratulating one another and providing each other with some level of closure, however unofficial it was, felt much needed and energizing. As we are both looking for jobs here in England, in similar industries, we began talking about what we were looking for and what our experiences have been so far in finding those opportunities.
While our focuses are different, we do have some similarities in what positions we are applying, and I found myself immediately telling my friend about opportunities I had found and applied for which they might find interesting. The idea of competition or hiding opportunities for myself did not enter my mind. I think I surprised them I was sharing so much about positions which I had applied to as the job search is posed as such a competitive process, but I would rather support my friend and help them find the best job for them. I feel that the process itself will conclude the best applicant and whether that is myself or my friend, I would hope no one would hide such an opportunity from me. As I have been working towards finding a position for three months now, I want to help my friend find the best opportunity for them as soon as possible.
I have struggled throughout this process with feeling doubts of my own skills and ability as the multiple rejections, no responses to applications, and an overall struggle to find a position has impacted my overall mental health. You can keep reminding yourself of the circumstances and situations of why you may not be the right fit for a position, but the resilience of continuing to apply every day, multiple times a day, does start to faulter. That is why speaking with my friend also going through the process felt so energizing, and I was so quick to offer help and support because it is what I have been so desperate for myself. The simple encouragement of ‘you are incredible’ or ‘anyplace would be lucky to have you’ while they may seem like trivial statements, when you are writing cover letters and reading rejection emails all day it can feel quite isolating. These simple encouragements and reminders that you have something to offer, and someone will recognize the value you will bring to their organization is incredibly important during this process.
Week Four: Working alone does not mean you are alone
This week’s blog post is a bit shorter as I am currently finishing my master’s dissertation, but I did have a great realization this week around reaching out for support. As someone who is currently working independently both as a full-time student and someone looking for a job. Although my master’s program has a supportive cohort structure and incredible professors, this pandemic world has caused changes which has led to mostly independent and isolated learning. This week I was reminded of the importance of reaching out for support even in the emotional sense.
At times independent work can be isolating. Especially in these pandemic times, and in my current situation of living and working alone this feeling has been multiplied. The ability to self-motivate, setting deadlines, and not needing anyone else to hold yourself accountable are skills and abilities which I am proud to hold. However, such skills hold a downside as just because you have that ability does not mean you have to close yourself off from asking for help or either advice from others. This week I was reminded of the immense help of simply talking through the work I was doing. After spending months on my dissertation simply with myself and my own thoughts, the act of sharing my work and talking through my thinking helped to solidify my work and added to my motivation to receive targeted encouragement. I needed the reminder that just because I am working alone does not mean I have to work in isolation.
Working on the final steps of my dissertation, I was reminded of the huge advantage of simply having someone to speak with. But at times taking that first step to reach out for help when you have settled into a routine of being your sounding board and motivator can be a skill you need refreshed. Rejecting the idea that reaching out for help is a weakness is one that I feel not only must be learned but relearned. There is also a need to remember the difference in relaxing and self-care and getting outside your thoughts on a project you are working on individually. Reaching out to friends to relax and take a break is essential, but there is also a need to reach out for support in your own achievements and goals even if you are perfectly capable of achieving them on your own. Just because you work on your own it does not mean you are on your own.
Week Three: Balancing Time and Adjusting
This week has been an important lesson of balance and priority. As my master’s dissertation is due in less than two weeks it is essential for me to focus most of my time on completing that assignment in a way representative of my journey this year. While the past month or so I have split my time between writing my dissertation and applying for jobs, that balance needs to swing almost fully towards the project with the pressing deadline. However, I still feel the constant pressure of the need to have a position before I finish my master’s program. I am unsure where I learned and accepted the ideal of having the ‘next’ lined up before your current situation, but it is the cause of a great deal of the pressure. Although a level amount of pressure for motivation is good, too much pressure can be immobilizing.
Finding the healthy amount of pressure is something that comes with acceptance of the situation and making assurances so you can take more time. I think what has been causing more stress during the process is the time frame I placed on myself, which in turn created more pressure. While I do not think it is a bad goal to have put for myself, it is once which I must now adjust. With less than two weeks left before my dissertation deadline my focus needs to be primarily on the project itself rather than split between both. Although I was still able to continue making network connections this week and save interesting job postings, I am not able to dedicate the hours to create applications and send follow-up emails like before. So, the new adjustment is to continue to make network connections and look at opportunities but return to the job search focus after I submit my dissertation.
Adjusting previously set plans and timelines is something I am very used to after the independent work and research studies I have completed through my undergraduate and graduate careers. Through my Lumen Project I learned and developed the essential skilled of flexibility and resiliency after having to delay my initial timelines. Multiple times my research timeline was changed due to approval delays. And in the world of COVID such skills were tested as my final data collection trip was canceled twenty-four hours before getting on the plane as the country’s borders were closed. However, working with partners I was still able to work remotely and collect the data. Such experiences and development of essential skills will carry me through this process and allowing myself to relieve some of the pressure will help to keep my focus on the most opportune positions. I am proud of the connections I have made and the applications I have submitted so far, and I know that what is best at this time is for me to focus on my dissertation. It is ok to adjust your own schedule and release yourself if you may have put too much pressure on yourself.
Week Two: How to find mutual ‘fit’ during a pressed timeline.
This week has delivered another lesson in this process of job search around the necessity to judge the company for which you are applying as much as they are assessing your application. In the beginning of this week, I made it to a final interview for an opportunity which would have generated freelance work to help provide some security and cushion during this transition time. However, during research about the company, I found that due to some of the services they provide I was not able to take the position for ethical reasons. While it was encouraging to reach the final stage of a hiring process, the fact I could not accept the position for moral reasons did color that achievement a bit. Googling the company you are applying to is probably a step to take before you submit your application, but I think my delayed background check is a reflection on the pressure of timing. While I am glad to have learned about the conflict before I accepted the position rather than after, it does plant seeds of doubt into my mind at my ability to judge an opportunity. I am grateful for this lesson but still am unsure of how well it can be applied given the remaining pressure of the need to find a position.
During this journey there have been many points of pressure both internal and external. One of the most pressing has been the matter of timing. As my master’s program is concluding at the end of this month, and there is the need to have the next opportunity lined up once the current one ends. Beyond the stress of the time constraints, I have found it has caused a bit of difficulty in fully assessing the appropriateness of opportunities. While I am not under the false assumption that your first job must be the ‘perfect fit,’ I do believe there needs to be some level of fit and interest. I wonder if like most things it is a balancing act between managing the practical aspect of timing and the proponents of fit. And after this week, and almost joining an opportunity which would have been a mistake in the long run, I feel I have leaned too far to one side. However how are such ‘fit’ checks supposed to happen over virtual postings and emails? Again, the question of connections arises and if that is what is needed to fully understand the employment process. It is difficult to accurately assess an opportunity or culture through a one-page job description and a couple Google searches. While the process is about convincing an organization that you are a fit for their company, how are applicants to assess their fit? Is such consideration important for such entry level positions or is it about trial and error? There is a lot of discussion about the projections that the younger generations will transition between jobs more than any time before, so do we just accept this and worry less about this concept of ‘fit’ or is there still any worth in taking time to find a company you could see yourself working for long-term. This is where the balance enters again. It sounds like a new way to approach the process to find that ‘fit’, but in a way that is a privileged position of someone who has time and money to take the time to find that position when in reality, the first viable position may be the most responsible action to take. While the experience I had this week is not an example of this because of the ethical component, the concept of ‘fit’ is one which may need to be sacrificed for the sake of practicality and realistic constraints.
It is continuously a balancing act where I doubt there is a true equilibrium possible. Decisions must be made as to what priority or focus must be sacrificed in favor of another. Though on this journey, and this week especially, I am learning that if you allow yourself to be pulled too far in one direction, you will soon be pulled back. I was also reminded this week that while applying in large numbers is important, it is just as important to ensure the applications are relevant and contribute to my larger goals. So, I push forward to another week a little bit wiser but with even more questions.
Week One
Welcome to my journey.
My name is Caroline Enright, and I am looking for my first job after school. You always hear about the job application process as this Olympic event with the hundreds of applications sent out and endless hours spent writing cover letters. As a two-time graduate of the COVID pandemic I have also heard the horror stories of the economy I am transitioning into as a job seeker. Part of me was hoping much of this was overplayed or closer to fibs your parents tell you to keep you safe. However, I am starting to see more reality than fiction. While there are plenty of success sorties, which I hold onto like a flashlight in the dark, I have experienced more of the hordes of applications and countless cover letters than front page success story. Especially during these pandemic times, I have become more aware of events in my life which have an isolating effect, and this job hunt journey is one I would add to the list. So, this blogging experiment is my attempt to fight back at that feeling of isolation and becoming overwhelmed with the countless unanswered applications. The incredible Rusty Goodsell gifted me the idea and encouraged me to add my own research twist to place it a bit within my comfort zone.
One of the most difficult components of the employment journey thus far has been the impersonal nature of the process. This may sound paradoxical as what is more personal then writing fifteen hundred words about yourself, but I do not feel I connect well over paper. How can I accurately explain to a hiring manager my potential through three pages? While I have the opportunity to submit a CV, or resume, and a cover letter, I find it so difficult to express my entire self and wealth of knowledge in this form. Maybe it is due to the bias as a young woman being taught to downplay my accomplishments, or maybe it is simply because I am painfully and unfortunately humble. It is the barrier to speak to a human which I find most isolating and impersonal about the whole process. Over the last three weeks I have applied to over twenty positions and have only passed the paper phase three times. I completely understand corporations must have a process to shortlist and may not have time to speak to every candidate, but it does beg the question; can you still get a job through paper?
I am wondering as I work to find my first position if the employment process is still about networking and who you know, or if it is possible to find an opportunity simply based on how you present on paper. Over the next two months, or as long as this journey lasts, I will be posting weekly updates here in the blog reflections about my progress. While my questions around the different avenues to a position may only be of interest to me, I hope my vulnerability may help others who are also looking for work during this unique time and feel the isolation of the process.
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Connecting to My Next: Documenting My Employment Journey 