Career Transitions as Perseverance

Research. Apply. Repeat.
Network. Follow up. Repeat.
Apply. Deny. Repeat.

They say that doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting a different result each time, is the mark of insanity. Using this rhetoric, the process of finding a new job and/or career is insane. You search for openings, research job titles and responsibilities, and research the companies to see if they’d be a good fit. You rework the résumé, then the cover letter. You send them off into the abyss of the World Wide Interwebz.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Insanity.

You wait with bated breath, hoping to hear something, knowing that you probably won’t. The reality is that the competition is steep. We know this; we all know this. So what is there left to do? Well, we can start with networking. You can scan through Eventbrite, scroll through Meetup, maybe even troll Facebook a bit. You find those events that’ll get your business card into someone’s hands. You connect with them via LinkedIn and send a “Howdy!” email, full of pleasant niceties. Then you do it all over again, Tuesday through Thursday.

Smile. Shake. Repeat.

In this digital age, networking also occurs online via the LinkedIns and the Twitters of the world. You find the job postings, research the positions, research the companies, say hello to the recruiter or the job poster—or to the mutual connection at the company who might be able to give you a referral. Then you do it again. And again. And again.

Click. Connect. Repeat.

Repetition: it’s the name of this game we play, this game also known as a job search. We repeat the same behaviors again and again, over and over, go ’round and ’round. We lather, we rinse, we repeat. Each time expecting a different result—perhaps it’s an interview, or it could be an actual response saying they’ve chosen someone more qualified, or maybe, just maybe, it’ll be that golden ticket: that coveted job offer. Often, however, the response is the same: nothing. Yet you go on expecting that the next result will be different. It is, quite literally, insanity.

Or is it?

No, it isn’t. Job hunting in the modern age is an exercise in patience and a lesson in perseverance. For those who are unemployed or underemployed, this is a particularly tough game to play. But we go on because our lives—or rather, our livelihoods—depend on it. And so we go on, persevering until the bitter end.

Perseverance is steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. It’s the drive that pushes us through a job hunt, builds character, better defines our personalities, and contributes to our wealth of spirit and tenacity. The repetition of the job hunt can be a renewal of hope. With each click of the “submit” button, hope springs anew within us. We go on, doing the same thing over and over again because one fine day the best thing will happen: we’ll finally nail that golden opportunity. We will persevere. Despite the illusion of insanity, we are not deterred.

We will go on. We will find that dream job. We are not insane; we are survivors. And folks like us will make the best employees, as we just don’t give up. We persevere.

Live. Succeed. Repeat.