One could argue that writing a resume is the most difficult parts of job search, but the 1 thing I see job seekers struggle with the most is managing “the waiting game”.
In this world of instant gratification, as a society we have become less and less tolerant of waiting. With a heightened sense of urgency, job seekers especially are intolerant of waiting to the point of building frustration and anger. They find themselves waiting for a response to an application submitted weeks ago, they find themselves waiting for a return phone call made days ago and they wait anxiously for an reply to an email sent hours ago. Job search is one long waiting game.
Managing the waiting game is about understanding the intricacies of hiring and managing expectations. Job seekers assume getting a job is about them and their time frame. When actually it is about the employer, their need to fill a job and their time frame. The sooner the job seeker understands this the less frustrating it will become.
Though employers have a need for workers, sourcing candidates is rarely ever the fire of the day, often delaying the process. In the current job market the average time to fill a position ranges from 4 weeks to 3 months depending on level.
I tell clients that they can only control so much of this process and the speed of the process is not one of them. They are at the mercy of the process, the employers and the job market. The best advice I can offer for managing the waiting game is to do their best to sustain productive job search activity every day and know that this process is a marathon not a sprint.