What To Do When You Cannot Land A Job

It’s easier said than done—this is the perfect catchphrase to sum up the entire job application process. It eats away your patience, especially when you have been told that they will get back to your application, and finally find out that the two months of no contact means that you did not get the job. To make matters worse, it’s not just about being a good applicant. It’s about being the best among all the applicants.

If you don’t know what to do after failing to land a job with your numerous attempts, retreat and follow these tips:

Reassess. Check if your credentials fit the different job positions you wish to apply for. No matter how determined you are to get the job, if your skill set and experience do not fit the qualifications, you will always get rejected. Think about your past interviews. Did you find a few question hard? Were you wearing the proper attire? Did you observe proper manners when you dealt with the human resource officer?

Research. Have you applied in enough companies to say that you just can’t land a job? Or have you just tried a handful that came from referrals by your college friends and parents? The Internet is a gold mine for those hunting for jobs. There are reliable websites where companies post their want ads. Check them out. The best thing about these websites is that you can filter or search a specific industry, or a specific position in every industry.

If it’s not about finding the right job openings, maybe it’s in the application process. Were you always nervous during the interviews? Have you always found yourself praying for words to come to your head when asked what you know about the company? Know that general statements such as “your company provides seminars” or “you give insurance to people” are not proper, good answers. Prepare your answers by researching the company thoroughly—its audience, product, how its products or services differ from its competitors, years of operation, and current events regarding the company. By doing this, not only are you able to compose an impressive answer, but also know whether you fit the standards of the company.

Reconnect. Sometimes, the key in landing a job is right next door from your room. Have you tried asking your parents, friends, even professors if they can refer you a job, or better yet, refer you to someone in authority in a company that can give you a shot in your application? If you see yourself stumbling in every failed job application, maybe it’s time to reconnect and use your personal advantage of having persons who are willing to help you.

Recreate. Are you feeling down for having graduated with your college degree because of the number of competition, or limited career options? You may be a graduate of a popular course, but since the overwhelming number of graduates hampers your ability to land a job, you may enroll in short courses to enable you to apply for other jobs.

There are also some people I know who have their hobbies help them land a job. You may be good in photography, graphic designing, and drawing. Check if you may use your hobbies to get your dream job.

If you find yourself wanting to get a job in a different field where your diploma is not compatible in any way, try enrolling yourself in short course workshops. There are schools that offer programs that will last for a few months. Graphic designing is one of the courses you can take. If you want to get into the productions field, try looking for schools that offer production management training.

Rectify and Recover. After all of these tips, the best and the most important of all is to learn to rectify—that is, to improve in areas where you are weak and recover. Do not think that you might just be too unlucky unlike the rest because in a job interview, there might be hundreds like you who got rejected, and only one, and sometimes even none are chosen for the job. Strategize your applications. Be keen on details and be ready for the challenges. Learn how to improve yourself and become the offer that hiring managers just cannot refuse.

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-4, Sunday, September 27, 2015. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.