You’ve submitted over a hundred job applications in the past month but the results are the same. You’re getting so used to rejection that it’s becoming an expectation. Frankly, you’re getting tired of this shit. You knew it was going to be hard but this is borderline emotional abuse. You can’t quit though because you’re depending on this first job. You need the money. You need the experience. You need it for your pride, damnit. You go back to the computer, find another open role, and hit submit. Again. Now what?

Getting rejected is part of the job search process. Sure, it’s painful and tiring, but it’s also what makes success eventually feel so good. You can defy the odds. You can be the hero of your job hunting saga. Rejection alone isn’t what’s burning you out though. It’s the feeling of helplessness. It’s not knowing how to improve and why you’re getting rejected in the first place. Is it possible to make progress even if you’re getting rejected by everyone? How do I know if I’m making progress? How should I define success right now? If you’re looking for an answer I’ll give it to you now.

Now, you redefine success

If you’re starting your search for your first UX job, you need to redefine what success means. Success is not getting an offer from the first company you apply for. Success is not getting a 100% response rate from your networking outreach efforts. Success is not getting a job in the first week after you graduate from your UX bootcamp. Success is making progress and progress is defined by seeing incremental improvement every time you complete a job search task (submit an application, talk to a recruiter, complete a design challenge, etc,). If you fail, take the time to learn what happened and why it happened. Make an improvement and try again. That is success. If you continue to do that then you’ll see more results. Guaranteed.

Now, you re-evaluate your first impressions

If you’re not getting results that you need to then do something different. If you sent over a hundred applications and you’re not getting any responses whatsoever then it’s time to look at your own work. At this point, the problem could likely be stemming from one of your first impressions (LinkedIn, resume, portfolio, etc). If a recruiter glanced at any of your first impressions, what conclusions would they make? What do your first impressions communicate without you being there to talk about them? When you talk to a recruiter, how do you answer the question: “Tell me about yourself.” This is a basic question which sounds like there’s nothing to prep for but think again. There is a strategy here and this response should be designed.

There are so many variables that influence hiring decisions. Often times, there are things candidates can’t control regardless of how much experience you have. But there are also things you as a candidate can control. You can control how you market yourself. You can control how you communicate your projects. You can control your first impressions. You can control how you think about success and growth. This isn’t easy to learn but with the right guidance you can gain a huge competitive advantage. If you connected with this article then let’s talk. Let me know how I can support you.