What I Learned When Searching For a New Job

It wasn’t easy finding a new job. The risks, the roadblocks, the rejections, it was a raw experience. I applied to a multitude of jobs, ranging from behavioral therapists to online tutor. There were jobs I wanted to be a part of but couldn’t because of location reasons, there was no way I was willing to drive 30 miles to travel from one location to the other, back and forth for the majority of the week. I had interviews lined up only for them to suddenly be cancelled because some other highly-qualified candidate was more worthy to the position. I didn’t know how long this job search was going to take. I even signed up for unemployment benefits. But my hiring manager was willing to roll the dice on me and hire me. I still need to take online classes for certification and take an exam, but my job is now secure.

The job search lasted for over two weeks. Beyond the job search, I took some online classes, went back to my exercise routine, and spent more time to reflect. It felt both strenuous and rejuvenating at the same time. There were a lot of things I learned from searching for a new job. This is what I learned.

• Have a thick skin: During the job search, I had to deal with plenty of rejection. And my new job? It also deals with a lot of rejection as well. There’s a very good chance that in the first job you apply to, the employer will reject you, despite the cover letter detailing how your the right fit for the job, despite the phone interview explaining your qualifications, despite answering all the standard questions when it comes to face-to-face interview. It’s important not to quit. Never settle for less. You need to pick yourself back up and try again. You better develop a thick skin during the process. It can take awhile.
• Pick the job that fits your qualities: This should be an obvious one. But at the same time, there were plenty of job applications that said I needed X number of years of experience or I need to be familiar with Y software. It’s clear that I’m still very much new to the world of employment and that I need to develop that experience and demonstrate those abilities if you really want to get those highly coveted career positions. At the same time, you don’t want to pick up a job where A. anyone can train you and B. anyone can replace you. That’s not going to be great long-term and you may not get the things you want such as a flexible schedule or a level of autonomy. You have to pick a job that you’re actually competent in. If you need help in this, I recommend establishing your Circle of Competence. Build up your skills and knowledge and use that to build the life you want.
• Think “What Problem Do I Want To Solve?”: Instead of thinking about it in terms of how much profit you want to make, adopt a problem-solver’s mindset and ask how can I use my skills and abilities to solve a problem. For example, how can I use my knowledge of AI and software development to tackle climate change? How can I use my skills as a carpenter to build more houses for the homeless? How can I use my communication and interpersonal skills to establish better relations between neighboring communities? Not only will this mindset help solve major issues, you can also make a profit as a side effect for helping solve a problem.
• Emphasize Building Skills and Knowledge Over Passion: In recent years, there seems to have been a big shift away from developing a passion more towards skill building and specific knowledge. People such as Cal Newport, Dawn Graham, and Naval Ravikant have all emphasized finding your good at and perfecting it over something you have a passion about it. As a personal example, I have always been a big art aficionado, as I have noted in a previous blog post. But just because I love art doesn’t mean I should make a career out of it or that I should get paid for it. Arts and crafts is more of a hobby than it is a job. Once it is a job, I start thinking about it in terms of success and failure, making a profit and it becomes more like work. Just because something is your hobby doesn’t mean it should be your job. Not only that, you also have to think about how transferable your skills are. If you over-specialize, then you lock yourself out to bigger opportunities. If you want to build the life that you want, build the rare, valuable skills that make you hard to ignore.
• Live Below Your Means: Finally, one of the most important things I learned was how to manage my money and spend it on the things that matter. Every dollar you spend is a reflection of the things you value the most. Over the course of my previous job, I focused a lot on saving money and building up reserves on my savings account. Every dollar you save will build up over time once you build up those financial habits and be smart with your money. To me, that meant living below your means: going through long periods of time where you don’t spend money on anything that isn’t essential. Looking at my purchases, what I valued was learning, family, community and wellness. I always took a close look at tracking what I was spending and I was mindful where my money went to. When it comes to spending, much like a lot of things in life, less is more.

By the time you’re reading this, I have already spent a large chunk of my time studying up and getting ready for my insurance exam. I have never worked in sales before, let alone in the insurance market. But I’ve also heard about how lucrative it is, how flexible the scheduling is, and the ways you can impact the lives of many people. To me, that’s an exciting opportunity. It’s a risky business, but I’m willing to roll the dice and open myself to new paths. It’s a chance I’m willing to make.