Are you stuck in the job search burnout cycle?

April 15, 2023

[Read Time: 4 Minutes]


Happy Saturday friends!

I’m not sure where you’re reading this from, but here in Toronto, we’ve been struck by a week of SUMMER!

I had to put my laptop down yesterday, bust out my shorts, and go on a little summer adventure around town with my 7-month old.

I hope you get a chance this weekend to take a moment and appreciate yourself for everything you’ve done, and all the progress you’ve made.

Thank yourself for all your hard work, and go get some ice cream!

Happy weekend!

Izzy

📢 Quick Announcement: My next group coaching program, the “Job Search Ignition System” begins in May! If you’re looking to get unstuck, and transform your job search, read more at the end of this email.

Where in the vicious cycle are you?

Browse Job Boards → Avoid Applying → Apply for the Perfect Job → Radio Silence → Get Discouraged → Repeat ♻️

That’s what it used to be like for me:

On a good day, when I had energy, I’d sift through job boards for hours. I read job posting after job posting trying to find the perfect job for myself.

Something I actually wanted.

- Save job ✅
- Save job ✅
- Save job ✅
- Save job ✅
- Save job ✅

Applying felt pointless. Nothing really felt right. (And I never heard back anyway, so why even bother?)

Every once in a while, I’d find a unicorn!

“WOW! This job is PERFECT for me!”

  • I met most of the qualifications

  • The company seemed amazing

  • The job description was a perfect fit

I got excited. I pulled out all the stops. I spent HOURS fixing up my resume. And then at 11:39pm I’d finally hit the submit button.

Whew! Exhausting!

Then, I’d wait. A few days would go by. (I’d read the company website every day while I waited). Then a few weeks would go by…

Slowly, and my enthusiasm would start to dwindle.

I’d start to feel discouraged.

Until finally, I lost hope.

…

“God damnit!”

How I felt 1000% of the time

It just didn’t make sense to me.
It seemed so perfect!
And not even an interview?

I started questioning myself.
I questioned my value.
I started asking myself "What's wrong with me?"

Have you ever felt this way?

Do you feel this way right now?

Where in the cycle are you?

Here’s the problem: It’s a broken process

It's not about you. It's the process.

  • It's hard.

  • It's demoralizing.

  • It’s designed to take forever.

Out of the 654 people that apply for the job you’re interested in,:

→ 640 will never hear anything back
→ 14 will called in for an interview
→ And only 1 will get hired

What a waste of everyone’s damn time!

This panda is my spirit animal.

The 6 Most Common Challenges

A few years ago, I built a community of 900 job-seekers.

Here are the top 6 most common problems I found:

  1. Lack of Clarity: Not sure what you want, or what the next step is.

  2. No Job Feels Right: Can't find a job posting that feels like a good fit

  3. Feeling Unqualified: Belief of not being qualified for desired jobs

  4. Fear of Wasting Time: Tired of applying and scared of wasting time

  5. Networking Confusion: Networking = awkward/intimidating/confusing

  6. Difficulty Marketing Yourself: Struggle to describe achievements

I’m guessing you likely fall into one or more of these categories too.

The Solution: Community

One of my favourite examples of successful
job search communities is the #100DaysOfCode

Hop on Twitter and look up that hashtag.

You'll find hundreds of people:

  • Posting every single day.

  • Giving each other feedback, support and advice.

  • Keeping each other accountable.

It's a beautiful beautiful thing.

As a community-builder and career coach, the most incredible thing I see is the effect of a community getting together to help one-another.

Whenever someone in the group has a win, the whole group wins!

The community effect is so powerful.

Your Actionable Tip for Today:
→ Find or create a job search support group

How? Here are 3 easy steps:


➤ Step 1: Reach Out to a Few Friends

  • It can be a small group of friends/colleagues

  • Ask if they are currently part of a group, or would like to create one

➤ Step 2: Create a Group Chat

  • Create a group chat, or a Slack, with your accountability partner/group

  • Establish a regular time and day each week to check in.

➤ Step 3: Set Accountability Goals

  • Set weekly goals and report your progress to each other.

  • Having clearly-defined goals and accountability will increase your chances of success.

Take 10 minutes right now and message 2-3 people! Take the smallest possible first step! You won’t regret it.

Feeling stuck in your job search?

Check out the Job Search Ignition System

It’s an invite-only 8-Week Group Career Coaching program that has delivered transformative results for my clients in as little as 3 weeks.

What you get:

  • A 5-module self-paced video course

  • 8 weekly group coaching calls

  • Access to a private support community

  • Systems to change, track and review your progress

  • Tools to help you save up to 20 hours per week

  • Templates, strategies, and playbooks galore

  • And much more

Apply today, and I’ll invite you to an upcoming info session about it with more information!

👋 I’m Izzy. Career Coach & Job Search Strategist | AKA "The Wizard of Iz" 🧙‍♂️

Here are 3 ways I can help you break out of the cycle:

  1. Follow me on LinkedIn (and hit the 🔔) for daily motivation

  2. Apply for my Program for accountability, support, and advice

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We have a ~50% open rate every email.

Reach out and let’s make some magic happen!