✖ putting myself out there: job application madness

✖ putting myself out there: job application madness

• Friday, 15 February 2019

It's not a secret that I've spent the whole month looking for a new job. I feel like my time at the current one has come to its end after almost five years and it's time to find some new challenges to deal with. And by new, I really truly from my heart mean NEW. Feels like we've been dealing with same issues at my current workplace, and since there isn't a change coming towards anytime soon and based on the atmosphere they really want all those good employees to leave, it's time to jump off from a sinking boat.

I know it's roughly said about the place I currently work at, but to be honest - they already know how I feel about being there. They also know that I would be somewhere else if I had the chance.
This month, I've been on a mission. I've been on a mission to put myself out there and I've applied for over 50 jobs in my area, in and out my field. And oh boy, let me tell you, applying for jobs should be counted as an Olympic sport of some sort.

You need to know why you're applying, you cannot write "I hate my job, please take me there" and you most certainly need to know how to sell yourself without sounding too braggy. And amongst all that, most places want you to have a 10-year education with 20 years of experience and if you're a woman, you should be over the age of 40 so there's a good chance you will not ever reproduce again. Oh, and you should also know where you see yourself in 20 years of time.

For one job application question, where they asked where I see myself in 5 years, I answered:

It's a tricky question. I'm aiming to graduate in 2022 with bachelors of digital communication/media, I've already reproduced once so a baby is out of the question, I hope to build a career in my of field. But who will know where the life is going to take me, I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and next time anyone will see me is at my own funeral. It's a tough decision between my dream career and a grave, but I sure hope it's not the latter.

I didn't get that job, but at that point, I felt like it's one of the most pointless things to ask. Here's what I should've answered instead:

In five years I see myself working at your company, with my own office corner perhaps and hoping to land on a promotion of some sort.

Here's a bunch of other things I've learned, to ease up your job application madness:
✖ show genuine interest towards the company you're applying to
✖ be yourself
✖ don't fill in the application if you've just spent your day at your miserable job and you're feeling like you hate the whole world
✖ create an excel chart to keep on top of the things and places you've applied to
✖ rebuild your CV to be suitable for the job you're applying for, every single time
✖ keep your LinkedIn profile up to date
✖ you can still apply if you don't fit in all their requirements
✖ don't be afraid to put yourself out there
✖ recommendations are the key

It's a tough world, but we got this, eh? Do you have anything to add on my list?