Navigating Job Search Darkness

In my mid-2020 Pandemic job search I faced difficulties and darkness on my path like many do.  Organizations were laying off millions of people, worldwide and sales, which was my role, seemed to be the last thing people were hiring for.

I blew a couple of jobs, got ghosted after investing weeks in some jobs, and was a finalist several times without winning.

I eventually pictured my job search much like this picture I generated with AI - I was walking forward on a path into darkness and clouds.

But as dark as those clouds were, I had no choice but to walk forward. But what I learned, that helped me, was the clouds and darkness ahead didn’t mean it was something bad up ahead, it was just dark because it was unknown.

The mindset that helped me is really two things:

1. On a job search, don’t interpret what seems like a lack of solid progress, and what seems like a dark path ahead as a sign of the future or a predictor of lasting failure.  We have no idea what is ahead or what may be right around the next corner. So, believing bad about the future is believing a lie and it is very counterproductive.
2. The way through this is forced behavior, from experience. I would make myself apply to jobs and make myself do special projects to get the attention of hiring managers or executives. I acknowledged I felt horrible and I was afraid, but then I worked in spite of that. And then some successes usually would come from that forced hard work.. and eventually I got the job. 

I hope that helps you stay focused and driving forward.