I think the hardest part about job hunting is the roller coaster emotional toll. Initially I was rolling uphill--I was leaving old firm, but I had several interviews lined up and I convinced myself that my unemployment would be short lived. I eventually hit the peak and plummeted downward when none of those interviews transformed into jobs.
Every time I find a job to apply for, I feel a tiny glimmer of hope and start climbing uphill. When I receive no response, I roll downhill again--but at least I haven't ascended as far before the fall.
But when I receive an interview, my hope climbs quickly and steeply and the fall is much faster and scarier when I am rejected.
Or nothing at all happens, and I just circle over an over with the tiny bumps like the kiddie-coaster at the county fair.
I'm not sure which is worse--the constant up and down or the boring endless circle. But I am tired of being unemployed. I like working. And I am a better mom when I don't spend 24/7 with my kids. My temper and patience are both running short these days.
I have an interview on Wednesday. It is still litigation, but an area that I don't have much experience in. I guess we'll see what happens, but I don't look forward to the emotional downfall following another rejection.
3 comments:
My comment falls in the "misery loves company" category, and as such, is intended to make you feel a little better, knowing that others are going through it too.
My husband (non-lawyer) applies to jobs every week, often competing with 20 to 200 other applicants. He often gets either an interview or a letter saying "we've decided not to fill this position at this time". He averages about one to two interviews a week. He is still unemployed. It has got to be taxing on him. He's focusing on other things too, such as volunteering and our daughter and exercising (going on 50 mile bike rides). My coworker's husband couldn't find anything locally and ended up looking in another part of the country in a major metropolitan area and found something there. Now my coworker is trying to find something there as well, and she'll be leaving us soon. So, all I'm saying is, I personally have a sense of what's going on for you and, you may want to look at jobs in other markets. Neither of these things helps much, I suspect. Here's a parting thought (that I tell myself almost daily): Adapt or die.
Sounds harsh, but sometimes that is the only way to get my attention, so I've found that phrase to be helpful to me at certain points in my career.
I will be thinking good thoughts for you Wednesday! I know all too well what that rollercoaster feels like, and I hope you get off of it soon.
It is so hard, and I've been there. I went through it during the last recession. Just keep reminding yourself that this is just a summer vacation, you will find a new job soon, and then you'll be wishing you could take afternoon naps! :) You're doing great to be getting so many interviews, and one of them is bound to turn into a job soon.
Post a Comment