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Feeling worn out from waiting to hear back from companies or experiencing the stress of being overlooked? Here's some insight for those seeking new roles or dealing with recent layoffs. It's tough out here—Hunger Games tough—and finding your inner Katniss can be a challenge, so I hope to offer a helping hand. The notion that the ratio of layoffs to hiring is balanced is false; there are numerous great job opportunities and candidates posted daily.
Global companies are capitalizing on the remote work trend, attracting top American talent.
The Illusion of Wealth: Balancing Priorities
Money isn't the sole motivator; freedom, mobility, and work-life balance play pivotal roles. The ability to work in pajamas, watching Lambchop reruns with a face mask on, can be surprisingly productive and calming. Trust smart hires and measure them on the quality of work rather than enforcing rigid schedules. But that's a topic for another article.
Despite some companies playing hardball with remote-first or location-independent policies, many are beginning to realize the need to adapt their outlook on hybrid work and 100% remote positions.
The Frustrating Wait: Understanding Delays
Now, let's dive into the frustrating part that has many people upset. Why does it take 30 to 60+ days to hear back from some companies? Well, it's a mix of factors. First, many companies with strong HR teams and talented recruiters carefully review resumes and adjust their Applicant Tracking System (ATS) settings to ensure they don't miss out on great candidates. Sorting through hundreds, sometimes thousands, of resumes takes time.
So, when you apply, it might take a while to hear anything; please be patient. But what about after you've already interviewed? What's the excuse for that? Well, first off, some recruiters are better than others—it's just the way it is. Some diligently follow up, provide valuable feedback, and even hotlist your resume for upcoming roles.
The best ones might pass your information along to other recruiters in their organization or recommend you to recruiter friends at different companies.
Dealing with Recruiting Challenges: Emotional Resilience
On the flip side, some recruiters leave you hanging for a bit but at least send an email or make a call to say, "Hey, it's not a good fit, but good luck." Kudos to these amazing individuals for their transparency. And then, unfortunately, there are those who just go silent. Even after completing 7 out of 8 interview rounds, they vanish into the void. This level of "EMOTIONAL DAMAGE" is wild, considering the anxiety, amount of preparation, and emotional rollercoaster you've been through.
These folks are the (WORST) of recruiting, right up there with people who secure a job and never show up or inform anyone that they've found another role. But for now, let's focus on the recruiting side of things. To the recruiters who engage in this frustrating silence, it's time to do better or explain your rationale. This behavior is equivalent to finally meeting the perfect person, checking all the boxes, hearing all the right things, and giving people hope in a tough world, only to be ghosted. It's akin to being recruited by Narcissists or Gaslighters.
Frankly, I don't have anything nice to say to them, except "I hope you never feel the stress your actions cause others when a simple call or email could provide clarity." Help us understand what we can do to be successful or any feedback is helpful, we are people who have families to feed, and it feels like you're playing with our emotions. Silently killing peoples self esteem and diminish any hope we have left in this dismal marketplace.
Advocating for Financial Self-Reliance
One of the many reasons why I advocate for financial self-reliance is explored in another article—finding ways to make work optional and establishing side income and investments. But until you get there or create monetizable value on your own, the next best thing is a job or career. So, how do we navigate the current state of finding a job and recruiting? We detach our emotions, crunch the numbers, and become data-driven in the application process. Discover trends that work, utilize resume templates that grab attention, and double down, even with interviews being booked, to strike while the iron is hot. Reflecting on Lion King, as we leave the recruiting graveyard and head back toward the light of Pride Rock, I want to introduce the idea of optimistic sizing. In some situations, take the higher road, trusting that people are doing the right things, and sometimes it's honestly out of their control. Recruiters have one of the toughest jobs, being gatekeepers to people's careers.
In some situations, after three professional attempts to reach for updates or next steps, just step away and move to the next job. In all situations, it's important to remain professional. Even if you knew or felt you could be the best candidate for a role, be graceful. You never know when another opportunity could pop up or who they know that could help you later. Don't be unprofessional and risk getting blacklisted.
Navigating the Job Search: Data-Driven Approaches
With that, I also want to highlight being your best self and being a person of values and character. Sometimes, we have to turn the other cheek and put our pride aside. I know it sucks, and finding a job is hard, but I always operate from a place of integrity. A few people have asked me, "Isaac, are you still looking?" My response is, I'm in a "slow applying" term I will explain in another article. I took a few months' vacation and just traveled, and now, 45 days into really applying, I can see how hard it is out here.
The techniques, approaches, resume frameworks, and every tool I use to get ahead and get noticed will be shared in a follow-up article to this one. So subscribe or become a member to get 1-on-1 support with finding jobs, starting your own business, or leveraging the creator economy.
Most recruiters I know are really trying their best. There's so much talent out here, and even with ATS systems filtering through resumes, it's a tough process to decide at times who to move forward to hiring managers and even tougher who to hire.
Recruiters have deadlines, jobs to fill, and reputations to uphold, and finding the right people is difficult. MOST OF THE TIME it's not them; honestly, HIRING MANAGERS and those above them affect things the most. Recruiters do a ton of work—I worked as a recruiter, built CRM’s & ATS software for recruiting agencies. So, I know from first-hand experience how many things are out of your control when submitting candidates.
Imagine this: you find all these great candidates and set up all these interviews at different stages, and the hiring manager says the position has been closed. Or they are looking for these skills now or the person above them kills the whole thing because of budgets or organizational restructuring.
Conclusion: Embracing Challenges and Moving Forward
My best advice: Be patient and understanding with recruiters, give them the patience they need, and even if you've dealt with crappy hiring situations, that does not mean be rude or become jaded or cold. Just approach this the way I train new salespeople. Get used to hearing NO and getting 98% to a deal being closed, and it just goes cold. This is just the way it is sometimes in sales. Develop tough skin, reset and try again! It's a numbers game, and the best salespeople know this, and you should too because essentially, that's what you’re doing—you’re selling yourself and your value in the marketplace. BUT also make time to step away, relax and reset. This entire process can be draining and re-charing is a must.
Sometimes things happen, but don't lose that sparkle in your eyes, confidence in your abilities, and understand that sometimes things happen, and in the moment, they suck but often lead to better opportunities. Don't question the process; instead, master it and double down on your hustle and come back stronger every time. I'll share more on the topic soon. I hope the humor, candid truth, and inspiration in this article were helpful.
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