Has this ever happened to you? You’ve sent numerous job applications to different companies. One by one, you either get rejected or you haven’t received any feedback from them, even after follow-ups. You feel frustrated, your confidence is shaken, you’ve lost interest in trying to find a new job, but you are also anxious about your chances of employment.

You’re not alone with what you’re going through. According to a US survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 53% of the respondents feel as if they’ve lost a part of who they are while job hunting. For job seekers who are unemployed, 56% noted that their search for work has made them experience more mental and emotional health issues. Job search depression is all too real, where feelings of inadequacy, hopelessness, and pessimism are brought to the fore.

Whilst some aspects of job hunting are beyond your control – particularly on the employer’s side – there are ways where you can make improvements from your end. Here are some recommendations that could help improve your job application process.

Be more efficient with your time

You’ve allotted an hour or two per day to look for work. But how exactly do you use that time? Do you end up responding to every job offer that winds up in your inbox? Remember, you certainly don’t want to respond to each one with just a generic reply. So you end up crafting a different response for each one and that can be time-consuming.

You can spend your time more productively by focussing on companies and job openings that you’re really interested in. Do your research about the company and see if their working environment and culture are aligned with your values and career goals. Go through the qualifications that they require. Assess if you see yourself working comfortably in that position. You can also use the time to prepare yourself for future interviews so you’ll make a better impression. Or fine-tune your resume and LinkedIn profile to get better results.

Keep your chin up

As mentioned earlier, when your application gets rejected, it can trigger negative emotions. Your feelings are valid and it’s understandable if you need time to recover. But don’t allow yourself to wallow. Try not to take these rejections personally. Make an effort to shift your perspective to help you regain your confidence.

Reassess the rejection and reflect on the experience. Learning something new is a great confidence booster. Perhaps there’s a lacking skill that you can learn so you’ll have greater chances of getting hired. Or you can enhance your current skillset to improve your qualifications. This will help restore your enthusiasm when you’re applying for a job.

Focus on what you really want

If you apply for a variety of jobs, you might give an unfavourable impression to recruitment agencies. It might imply that you’re not serious in building your career. They might even take it as a reflection of having a lack of commitment. Given the global talent shortage, employers are looking for candidates who can work with them on a long-term basis. They want to avoid a bad hire experience as this will cost them dearly. According to CareerBuilder, 74% of companies lost an average of US$14,900 due to a bad hire.

Be more diligent in your application by revisiting your career goals and objectives. This will help you focus on the kind of work that you really want to do. This will also guide you when you choose the company you want to work with. Based on your research about the organisation and assessment of your own career journey, you can make more informed decisions when you apply for work.

Get connected

Professional network platforms like LinkedIn give you the opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues, business leaders, and companies that you’d like to work for. Check their posts as they might be in need of someone with your skills. Engage with their content so you can stay on their radar. This may even give you an edge to stay ahead of your competition in your job search.

You can also follow social media platforms of recruitment companies who will regularly post available job openings. Don’t forget to maintain your focus, so be picky with who you want to follow. You don’t want to inundate your timeline with posts that are irrelevant to your career development.

Expert talent sourcing company in Vietnam

At The Talent Consultants, we understand the challenges that come with job hunting. As a recruitment consultant company based in Ho Chi Minh City, we invite job seekers to explore career opportunities with our clients who are among the industry-leading multinational businesses in the country. Our workforce management consultants apply a finely tuned recruitment process to attract the best talent across Southeast Asia.

For job seekers, visit our job vacancies page and select from our available openings. We provide a detailed description of every job offer and the required qualifications to help you decide if you want to pursue your application. You can also send your resume at our candidates page and we’ll inform you right away if there’s a job opening that perfectly matches your skillset.

For enquiries regarding our recruitment services, call us on +84 28 7309 7991, visit our clients page, or book your free consultation here.