Nauseated at the thought of trying to wedge yet another beautiful creative job application masterpiece into some terrible recruiting software, just to get another rejection email?
Yeah, I know that feeling.
Because I've been there.
I called it my "Summer of Sadness."
For 6 exhausting months I obsessively applied to every design job I saw, whether or not they were a good fit for my skills and experience at the time. I was anxious, desperate, and I assumed that more job applications meant more callbacks.
Boy, was I dead wrong.
All those unnecessary rejections for jobs I clearly wasn't a match for revved up my imposter-syndrome, and nearly destroyed my self-confidence as a designer. But once I started being more selective, and actually matching myself to the roles, I got callbacks for almost every position I applied to.
The thing about applying for creative jobs is that it's never going to be easy for us. Online profiles, cover letters, samples, resumes, portfolios, websitesโโit's takes a LOT of creative energy!
So, here are 4 things to consider before spending your precious time, energy, and creativity on a job application:
1. Is your portfolio a solid match to the job you're applying for? (if it's a print design role, and you've only got digital work to show, this may not be your jam ๐จ)
2. Is it easy to tailor your resume to match the job description? (are the responsibilities similar enough to yours that you just need to adjust language vs. rewriting every single miserable bullet ๐ป)
3. Is your work experience a match? (if it requires 10 yrs exp, and you've only got 5, it's likely that they will pass on youโโfor now ๐)
4. Do you actually feel GOOD about this job? (is it a role that makes you feel excited and alive as a creative? ๐ฅฐ)
Many creatives assume that applying for as many jobs as they can will equal a higher potential success rate, but it's actually just the opposite. Getting rejection after rejection is just going to reinforce any fear-based narratives that are already in your head.
And, more importantly, when a job comes up that IS a great match, you need to have the energy to make the best impression possible! Because when you focus that creative energy in the right place, things will definitely begin to happen. ๐๐จ๐๐