Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
During the recession of 2008, I obsessively applied to every design job posting I saw, whether or not they were a good fit for my skills and experience at the time. I was anxious, desperate, and I assumed that more job applications meant more callbacks.
Boy, was I dead wrong.
Many creatives assume that applying for as many jobs as they can will equal a higher potential success rate, but it’s actually just the opposite. Getting rejection after rejection is just going to reinforce any fear-based narratives that are already in your head.
So, here are 4 things to consider before spending your precious time, energy, and creativity on a job application:
- Is your portfolio a solid match to the job you’re applying for? (ex. if it’s a UX design role, and you’ve only got print work in your portfolio, this one may not be your jam 🎨)
- Is it easy to tailor your resume to match the job description? (ex. are the responsibilities broad enough where you can speak their language vs. rewriting every single miserable bullet on your resume? 💻)
- Is your work experience a match? (ex. if it requires 5 yrs exp, and you’re just starting out, it’s likely that they will pass on you––for now 😉)
- Do you actually feel GOOD about this job? (ex. is it a role that actually makes you feel excited and alive as a creative individual? 🥰)
Applying for creative jobs takes a lot of creative energy!
And all those unnecessary rejections for jobs I clearly wasn’t a match for revved up my imposter-syndrome, and slowly destroyed my confidence as a designer. But once I started being more selective, and actually matching myself to the roles more carefully and strategically, I got callbacks for almost every position I applied to.
So, reserve your energy for the right situations. And when a job comes up that is truly a great match, you’ll want to make the best impression possible. Because when you focus your creative energy in the right place, things will definitely begin to happen. 🌟🎉💖
Guest Author:
Jamie Roberts – CEO/Creative Director/Designer
Rock That Creative Jobâ„¢
Website:Â rockthatcreativejob.com
👉 If you would like to post a guest blog on our page, please email info@ternheads.com and use the subject line ‘Guest Blog’
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