The cycle of interviews and presentations and cover letters and rejection emails continues this week. It all has me a little frazzled. Obviously, the rejection is the hardest part of all this. So, with a hat tip to the Pizza and Affirmations session I joined last week (thank you Jane Ruffino and Shannon Leahy), I want to share a few thoughts if you are facing any of the job-searching self-doubt similar to mine. Essentially, these are reminders to myself about the many reasons why I didn’t land a role I wanted, combating the voice in my head screaming, “you’re not good enough!”
They lost funding for the position. This is definitely happening. As companies go through their own layoffs, the projects that were funded and the hiring they expected could be cut due to a refocused roadmap which no longer includes the project you might have been hired to help bring to life.
You have too much experience. This idea has come up a couple of times for me this month. And it sucks. And it’s short-sighted. I get to decide how senior a role I’m willing to take. But what people hear, sometimes, is, “He's trying to take my job.” I can appreciate that senior people can be more costly to hire, and that can hamper some hiring decisions, but threatening the job security of the hiring manager is also an unfortunate possible outcome of being a “seasoned” professional. And there’s nothing you can change to make someone else more secure in their role. Move on, and be glad for the reprieve.
You were a great candidate, but — believe it or not — they found someone even better. This can be hard to take, but there’s just so much fabulous talent available right now that employers are able to find people who check all the boxes. Which is fine, because you are that person for some company, you just haven’t found them yet. Keep looking, refine that presentation one more time, and remember no one else has your unique combination of skills, experience, and perspective. There’s nobody more you than you.
One constant that has kept me going is that I know what I know, and I’m not afraid to point out the areas where I’m still learning. The companies I want to work for aren’t ones who want me as I am today, but are looking forward to, and encouraging, my growth with them. Those are the places I want to exert my effort. Those are the products I want to help build. Those are the companies I’m willing to take a chance on. To repeat an idea I shared last week, I want to be hired for my potential, not my accomplishments. I’m so much more than what I’ve already done, and we need to get better at appreciating people’s potential, not just their portfolio. So, for myself and to you: You’re going to find exactly what you need. You may just have to be a little more patient than you had hoped.
Applebite
07 March 2023
The cycle of interviews and presentations and cover letters and rejection emails continues this week. It all has me a little frazzled. Obviously, the rejection is the hardest part of all this. So, with a hat tip to the Pizza and Affirmations session I joined last week (thank you Jane Ruffino and Shannon Leahy), I want to share a few thoughts if you are facing any of the job-searching self-doubt similar to mine. Essentially, these are reminders to myself about the many reasons why I didn’t land a role I wanted, combating the voice in my head screaming, “you’re not good enough!”
They lost funding for the position.
This is definitely happening. As companies go through their own layoffs, the projects that were funded and the hiring they expected could be cut due to a refocused roadmap which no longer includes the project you might have been hired to help bring to life.
You have too much experience.
This idea has come up a couple of times for me this month. And it sucks. And it’s short-sighted. I get to decide how senior a role I’m willing to take. But what people hear, sometimes, is, “He's trying to take my job.” I can appreciate that senior people can be more costly to hire, and that can hamper some hiring decisions, but threatening the job security of the hiring manager is also an unfortunate possible outcome of being a “seasoned” professional. And there’s nothing you can change to make someone else more secure in their role. Move on, and be glad for the reprieve.
You were a great candidate, but — believe it or not — they found someone even better.
This can be hard to take, but there’s just so much fabulous talent available right now that employers are able to find people who check all the boxes. Which is fine, because you are that person for some company, you just haven’t found them yet. Keep looking, refine that presentation one more time, and remember no one else has your unique combination of skills, experience, and perspective. There’s nobody more you than you.
One constant that has kept me going is that I know what I know, and I’m not afraid to point out the areas where I’m still learning. The companies I want to work for aren’t ones who want me as I am today, but are looking forward to, and encouraging, my growth with them. Those are the places I want to exert my effort. Those are the products I want to help build. Those are the companies I’m willing to take a chance on. To repeat an idea I shared last week, I want to be hired for my potential, not my accomplishments. I’m so much more than what I’ve already done, and we need to get better at appreciating people’s potential, not just their portfolio. So, for myself and to you: You’re going to find exactly what you need. You may just have to be a little more patient than you had hoped.
See you tomorrow?