It’s a Jungle Out There

You may have recently found yourself, like so many others, thrust into the job market as a result of the unwelcomed, dreaded phone call that due to everything going on in the world, you have been laid off. This can be a devastating time, especially if you are the primary breadwinner for your family. It is a jungle out there, but here are a few things to help you master your job hunt before, during, and after the interview process.

Be encouraged.

Although many people are losing jobs, many other companies are hiring, so keep the faith. It is important to remember that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He will walk with you through this valley. One of the things I have learned is success in life comes from flexibility. This may be time for a career or industry change. We never know the path that God is leading us down, so it is imperative to remain open to possibilities.

The first thing to remember is this; it is called a job HUNT for a reason. For a hunt to be successful, it takes skill, precision, timing, remarkable patience, and, most of all, unwavering faith.

Here are tips to think about as you enter the hunt for before, during, and after the interview.

Before the Interview

1. Tell People: Now is not the time to feel embarrassed about losing a job. People will be more understanding than they ever have in the history of the world. Tell anyone and everyone who will listen. Reaching out to friends and family who support you is the best thing you can do as they may know of companies who may be hiring and can guide you to them.

2. Update your resume: Make sure your resume is up-to-date with the accomplishments and duties from your most recent job. Be sure that your resume is not a to-do list, but tells the story of what you have done for the company.

3. Update Your Linkedin Account: Many employers search Linkedin when looking for new candidates. When your account is up-to-date, it will appear in their listing when they do a job search for your field.

4. Apply for no less than 15 jobs per week: The job hunt is a numbers game. The more you apply, the more opportunities you will be exposed to for possible interviews.

5. Connect with a staffing agency: Staffing agencies are a great way to find jobs off the beaten path. Companies reach out to them directly to find precisely what you are looking for. Make sure at least one agency has your resume to send to potential employers.

6. Practice Interviewing: Practice makes perfect. Review the 20 most asked interview questions and their answers (many of which I have asked potential candidates in interviews) and practice them. Familiarize yourself with how you would answer the questions so you can be confident walking into the next interview.

During the Interview:

After weeks of applying and not hearing anything back, you finally land an interview, so now what? Be sure to do the following:

1. Research the company: This is huge. Find out as much about the company as you can. Even take down notes to help you remember during the interview. There is nothing worse when a potential employer asks a candidate what they know about the company, and the candidate hasn’t even, at the very least, looked up the website.

2. Show up EARLY, not on time.

1. • If the interview is in person, double the travel-time it takes to arrive. For instance, if the normal driving distance for the interview is 30 minutes away, leave an hour early. It is better to be an hour early than a minute late. Also, if you can, do a practice run to the company, so you know exactly what to expect on the day of the interview (possible detours, where to park, etc.).

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1. • If the interview is virtual, sign-in to the link at least 15 minutes early. Reason being, the software may have to be downloaded onto your computer. You don’t want to log in right on time and then discover that it is different software that needs to be downloaded. That can sometimes take up to five minutes and cause you to be late on the call. Also, this will give you time to make sure your computer camera is set up properly. Make sure there are no distractions in your background and make sure everyone in your household is aware of your interview so they can be respectful of the time (as best as possible).

3. Be 10000% authentically yourself: Employers can tell when you are trying to tell us what you think we want to hear. Be yourself. It is the only way we will know if you really are a great fit for the opening. And if you aren’t, we may have another opening that may better suit you, but we won’t know if you are pretending to be someone else.

4. Always have questions for the interviewer: A candidate without questions is similar to going on a date, and the person asks you if there is anything that you would like to know about them, and they say no. They would feel like you weren’t very interested. The same thing applies to employers. Even if at the end of the interview, the employer had answered your questions before you had a chance to ask them, you can say, “you answered all the questions that I had.”

5. Send a thank you card or e-mail follow up. You would be surprised how many people don’t do this. Your follow up thank you will make you stand out to employers and could literally be what lands you the job.

After the Interview

We hope that it is good news and that you get the job, but in the event that you don’t:

1. Acknowledge the Hurt and/or Disappointment. It is important to acknowledge your disappointment. Acting like it didn’t matter, and blowing it off can build up and end in an untimely emotional eruption. Acknowledge that the rejection hurts or is disappointing. Allow yourself to feel it, wallow in it even, but give it a time limit, whatever you think is right for you. However, you must set a time limit and stick to it. For example, you can give yourself a day to wallow in the disappointment, but once that time is up, it is crucial that you let it go and move on. You could be missing out on tremendous opportunities if you don’t.

2. Talk It Out. Talk to someone about it: God, a good friend, a parent, your adult child, or even a therapist. Be honest with our Lord about how you feel. Ask Him for guidance and insight. Also, try to find a mentor or career coach to walk with you through the process each step of the way. Whoever you speak to, speak to someone who will encourage you, and not beat you down or say, “I told you so.” It is healthy to speak to someone who cares; to release the feelings of hurt and disappointment and not keep it bottled up.  It can also be helpful as it may help you gain a different (positive) perspective on the situation.

3. Do Not Take It Personal. First of all, you have to know, trust, and believe in your heart of hearts that God is directing your steps. Additionally, you have to understand that a business is a business, and they are looking for the best fit that will help the company thrive in many areas. You may be a great fit on paper, but perhaps you aren’t the best overall fit for the team you will be working with. There is nothing wrong with that. Think about it. Sometimes you have to try on many pairs of shoes until you find the one that fits you best. It doesn’t mean you didn’t like the other shoes, they just weren’t the right fit or comfort level for what you were looking for. Especially those shoes that are simply fabulous and your heart sank when you tried them on, but there was no way you could walk in them without wincing, or they didn’t provide the proper support (think on that one). The same philosophy applies in the workplace, it isn’t always about the work, sometimes it’s about the fit.

4. Remember What You Did RIGHT! As you replay the whole experience in your mind, remember what you did right. You showed up on time, you nailed the questions, you dressed appropriately. You were 1000% prepared. Sometimes you can do everything right, it is just not where you are supposed to be. And that is ok. A closed door is simply guiding you to where you are supposed to be. You have heard it before, where one door closes, another one opens.

5. Assess/Ask Where You Can Do Better. As you are reflecting and replaying the interview over and over in your head and you really have no idea what the issue may have been, ask the interviewer. The worst that can happen is they don’t respond, but many people will be happy to help. Ask if there was something that you could have done to improve your chances or if they have any advice or feedback for you based on how you interviewed.

6. Don’t Give Up. Be encouraged. Every “no” is navigating you closer to your “yes.” Be patient, and stay positive. It will work out, but you have to stand strong, be resilient, and remain pleasantly persistent. Remember, what is for you is for you. Even if you feel as though you messed up in an interview, you never know what they may have seen in you that will make you a great fit for their company.

Nicole Smith is a Panamanian-American, single mother, dancer, published author, workforce development manager and motivational speaker. After graduating, she founded her own non-profit dance organization. Her experience in Sports and Entertainment, Radio, TV and the Performing Arts has spanned nearly 20 years. She has danced and cheered for four Professional and Semi-Professional sports teams, and her heart’s desire is to provide others with tools to overcome life’s challenges while pursuing their dreams. She is the founder of Game Day Prep 365 designed to aid people along their journey to seeing their dreams come to fruition. Connect at www.nicoleRsmith.net.

The Life of a Single Mom is a national, faith-based, nonprofit that exists to see that no single mom walks alone. To date, the organization has worked with hundreds of churches to start a single mom’s support group in cities throughout the U.S. and beyond, as well as having served hundreds of thousands of single mothers with a variety of programs.  Offering a large array of books, curriculum, training materials, online instructional videos, podcasts, newsletters, life skills education, and more, TLSM is one of the largest single mom organizations in the U.S.  The robust selection of single mom programs focus on empowering single moms to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially, and parentally through Single Mom University, Single Moms Across America, the National TLSM Single Moms Conference, boot camps, and a variety of other programs. For more information,  visit  www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.