Job Market - Words of Encouragement
Unemployment is near 9% and has been for the last couple years. "real" unemployment (unemployment applications plus those no longer eligible) is potentially something closer to 20%. It is *hard* to find a job these days. The facts are against you. The statistics are against you. But there is one thing that should always be on your side, fighting in your corner: YOU.
At risk of coming off as some over-the-top inspirational speaker, there are a few things I want every job seeker out there to keep in mind as part of their job search: as long as there is ONE job available in your field, you still have a chance.
Take this example: The Tour de France allows a certain number of teams to compete and qualify every year. Let's say that last year 500 applicants qualified. News comes out that now, only 300 individuals will be allowed to qualify for next year's tryouts. If you're someone who is struggling to make the cut in the first place, it is a pretty depressing concept. If you are Lance Armstrong, on the other hand, you have nothing to fear.
What does the number one contender have to fear if the bottom 40% of applicants will now be without jobs? Instead of having something to make him nervous, he can rejoice: now he only has 299 people to compete against, versus 499.
The same applies to the job field. If you are the best at what you do, and are the most relevant, hard-working, and determined individual you know, then you have nothing to fear. As long as there is a single job opening, you have a good chance at getting it. Why? Because when there are hundreds of applicants and only a handful of jobs, employers are going to go for the best of the best. There is less competition for employers, so they have the chance to select the right applicant for the position. If you are that right applicant, you have a lot less to worry about than those who just want "any job" and who would not work as hard as you.
Remember that many applicants out there are unmotivated, uninspired and unwilling to go above and beyond. Your job, then, is not to find some random opening that no other person has found. It isn't to find a person to help you "get your foot in the door." It is instead to make sure you are as good as you can be, so that a potential employer will see your application glittering among the piles of less-qualified applicants.
And what if you aren't good at what you do? What if you aren't motivated, aren't inspired, and just want a job that you can slack off on and collect a paycheck for doing nothing? Then you don't deserve that job. But if you are motivated, inspired, and willing to work hard, then don't despair at the bleak job market--instead rejoice, because you are the best of the best--and that job will likely be just around the corner.
At risk of coming off as some over-the-top inspirational speaker, there are a few things I want every job seeker out there to keep in mind as part of their job search: as long as there is ONE job available in your field, you still have a chance.
Take this example: The Tour de France allows a certain number of teams to compete and qualify every year. Let's say that last year 500 applicants qualified. News comes out that now, only 300 individuals will be allowed to qualify for next year's tryouts. If you're someone who is struggling to make the cut in the first place, it is a pretty depressing concept. If you are Lance Armstrong, on the other hand, you have nothing to fear.
What does the number one contender have to fear if the bottom 40% of applicants will now be without jobs? Instead of having something to make him nervous, he can rejoice: now he only has 299 people to compete against, versus 499.
The same applies to the job field. If you are the best at what you do, and are the most relevant, hard-working, and determined individual you know, then you have nothing to fear. As long as there is a single job opening, you have a good chance at getting it. Why? Because when there are hundreds of applicants and only a handful of jobs, employers are going to go for the best of the best. There is less competition for employers, so they have the chance to select the right applicant for the position. If you are that right applicant, you have a lot less to worry about than those who just want "any job" and who would not work as hard as you.
Remember that many applicants out there are unmotivated, uninspired and unwilling to go above and beyond. Your job, then, is not to find some random opening that no other person has found. It isn't to find a person to help you "get your foot in the door." It is instead to make sure you are as good as you can be, so that a potential employer will see your application glittering among the piles of less-qualified applicants.
And what if you aren't good at what you do? What if you aren't motivated, aren't inspired, and just want a job that you can slack off on and collect a paycheck for doing nothing? Then you don't deserve that job. But if you are motivated, inspired, and willing to work hard, then don't despair at the bleak job market--instead rejoice, because you are the best of the best--and that job will likely be just around the corner.
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