Are you on the market now? I’m sorry. It can be a very difficult time of year. Here are some things you can do to help you cope with the stress of uncertainty and near-certain rejection. Doing these things helps me, and I suspect the list will be more a reminder of things you already know than a list of things you never thought of before!
On Tuesday evening I spoke at an event on imposter syndrome organized by Grad Minds, a student group at the University of Toronto. One audience member asked about how to keep her spirits up at this time of year, when academic hiring is in full swing. Or, should I say, academic rejection is in full swing! The vast majority of applicants for any job won’t be asked for an interview. Rejection is the norm, and it can be very hard to take for so many reasons.
Here are some ideas to help you cope:
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Assume you didn’t get the job. This advice come from Alison Green, the woman behind the wonderful Ask a Manager website. If you do get contacted for an interview, it’ll come as a nice surprise. Easier said than done, but it’s a helpful attitude to cultivate in any job application situation.
For the other 9 tips, head over the University Affairs to read the full post! Let me know if there’s anything that works especially well for you.