
You knew I was going to write about this, didn’t you? It’s inherent in most job searches: the time between sending out applications and getting a response, especially the one you want. And it can feel endless.
Some organizations send an auto-reply, letting you know your application has been received, and on very rare occasions I’ve received a “Thanks” email from a real live person. But there’s always the moment of Now what? after hitting “Send” or “Submit” on the application, knowing it could very well be weeks before I hear back, if I hear back at all.
There’s plenty to do while I wait, of course: researching and applying for other jobs, writing blog posts, doing freelance work, running, yoga, washing dishes. But some part of me is always waiting – not just for any job, but for the right job – to call me back and prove to me that the effort I spent crafting a cover letter and polishing my resume is worth it.
Waiting can be difficult at the best of times, even when you’re waiting for an outcome that’s likely to be good. With the job hunt, of course, there’s no way of knowing what will happen, or when. This additional lack of information (and control) can make the waiting even harder.
Job hunting often exposes deeper fears and frustrations about my life, and it’s especially true in this case. While I wait for my next job, it can feel like I’m waiting for my life to resume: to come out of that strange in-between limbo that sets in between jobs, especially as the pandemic drags on. It can feel like my worth is primarily tied up in the work someone will (eventually) pay me to do; more on that in a future post. It can feel like an exercise in futility, putting in energy and effort and creativity with no guaranteed return. And it can feel like this strange, in-between life will continue indefinitely.
As I keep sending out applications, I’m trying to acknowledge the waiting: it’s just part of the process, as in so many parts of life. I’m also trying to fill my days with things other than job hunting (morning runs, afternoon walks with friends, freelance gigs and enjoying the springtime are good for this). Some days the waiting is a steady background hum; other days it’s louder, more insistent. But I know I have to keep waiting, and working, until I find the next right thing.
How do you deal with job-hunt waiting, especially when it feels endless?