The Long Job Search features stories and advice from women who got hired after a prolonged job search. In sharing their stories, we aim to support and inspire those navigating similar situations during their job hunt.

🔎 Want to share your long job search story with us? Please fill out this form here and we will get back to you.

---

I’m an operations and change management professional with 12+ years of experience focused predominantly in the digital advertising industry. I’ve worked in both start-ups and larger agencies in the UK and the US.

The 7-month-long search

One of the key challenges I faced during the 7-month job search was building a network from scratch. I was looking for a job in a new country (I had relocated from the UK to the US), making a career pivot (switching from business operations to change management), and looking to change industries (from digital advertising to social impact). Trying to do one of those things would be challenging enough, but three was exceptionally difficult!

The application process was also particularly competitive with more job seekers in the market. It became very clear early on that you had a better chance of getting an interview if you were one of the first people to complete the application or if you found a way to contact someone at the organization (e.g. by messaging the hiring manager on LinkedIn or getting a referral). I probably applied to about 100 roles as I was being selective, but even then, I only got through to the next stage with 3 of them.

How I stayed active, formed connections, and found purpose during my job search

I knew that exercise helped me when I was stressed so I tried to workout a few times a week. I also found a spin (cycle) studio and signed up for 4 classes a month to get out of the house. I was applying for jobs over the summer so I made sure to go out for a walk in the evening.

It also helped to get involved in other activities that I knew would help fill my cup. I joined a local community theater group and was in a production, allowing me to have fun and meet people in my area. And I took on two volunteering roles (one helping Ukrainians learn English and one supporting those in the US in crisis) which helped me feel a sense of purpose.

Planning ahead (financially)

Due to some forward planning, when I moved to the US, I came over with some savings that allowed me to be more intentional with the roles I applied for. With that said, when there were periods where I had received a flurry of rejections or may have reached the end of the process to be told they were going with someone else, I did take a few days off to recover and recharge.

Strategies to stand out

I was able to get referrals on a couple of jobs. At the very least, it meant that my application was looked at. In the best case scenario, I actually progressed to the next stage of one job opening.

Contacting people directly on Linkedin was also sometimes helpful. If I was able to find out who the hiring manager might be, I would often drop them a quick note on Linkedin to reiterate my interest in the role. Not everyone responded but a few would then look at my profile and I also got an interview for one role that I strongly believe was influenced by this strategy.

How networking in a new country led to my dream job

As someone who was in a new country, this was incredibly important to my job search. I started by initially reaching out to my US contacts in digital advertising but asking them if they knew people in the industries/roles I was interested in. This kicked off a bit of a domino effect where I got introduced to more and more people and ultimately, it was because of networking that I landed my new role.

Bouncing back from rejection and owning the interview process

I adopted a sentiment early on that ‘rejection is redirection’. It still made it hard to receive rejections from job applications, especially as I was being selective in only applying for roles I really wanted. But by keeping that sentiment, I was able to bounce back after a day or two. At any given time, I often had between 3-5 applications being reviewed so I knew there were other options if I got rejected.

When it came to rejections from interviews, that was particularly difficult as in the two situations where that happened (1) I made it all the way to the final, only for someone else to be selected and (2) I was told they had cut the budget for that role. In the first instance, I was initially upset but after a few days I was able to see the positive which was that, having had my first interview in 8 years, I knew I could handle myself well and get to the last stage. In the second instance, whilst upset as well, I knew that this situation was out of my control.

When it comes to acing job interviews, I made a point to really understand the job specs and think of potential questions that I could be asked in relation to that. I also made sure to come up with a few questions of my own. I ended up enjoying a lot of my interviews as they felt more like a two-way conversation; so my final piece of advice would be to remember that it’s just as much about you interviewing the organization as them interviewing you.

⭐ Landing the job

My new job came as a result of networking. Through a friend of a friend, I had met someone who had a career in change management consulting. He had worked for one of the Big 4 but had decided to create his own agency a few years ago. The conversation we had was mainly for me to understand what I would need to think about if I wanted to consult independently on change management. I got a lot of great tips and guidance and sent them my resume and portfolio in case they ever wanted to work together in the future. Three months later, they reached back out to me and asked if I would want to consult on change management for a client of theirs!

Final words of advice?

1. Make sure you have a selection of activities that help with your mental, emotional and physical health. You may need to find alternatives (e.g. instead of going to the gym, you could temporarily pause your membership and try and do some workouts at home using YouTube videos) but ensuring you have a strategy in place will help you feel good. Also, if it works for you, spend time with people who will give you encouragement, or even just distract you from the job hunt for a few hours!
2. It can be tempting to apply to lots of places, especially in this current market. But personally, I could only apply to about 3 roles a week before I got tired. Be intentional with your job search and use the remaining time to make sure you’re feeling your best. Perhaps look into things like volunteering or working towards a certification.
3. Take rejection as redirection.