Just been told I was unsuccessful again, agency said I was second. How do people keep motivated? Just feel a bit down now. Have a job I hate and whilst I have had a few interviews not had an offer.

Aim for 10 rejections per week/month.

Make that your goal. Be happy when you get that.

By working towards that goal in time you’ll be surprised by an acceptance.

iDave – do you do that with girls as well ?? I knew a bloke like that once. Had a constant stream of nice girlfriends. Its all about percentages.

You might have a job you hate, but you have a job. Using that as a good thing and not a bad thing might help to keep you “up”. Or just resign – that’s the kind of motivation that really keeps you on your toes!

Mr Mo – I’m finding it hard I must admit. At the mo I’m waiting on news from a big, very good job that I’d love. I’ve been told I’m the preferred canidate but I can’t count my chickens and am fully prepared for another turn down.

How do I keep motivated? I know I’m doing it right, I know I’m doing all I can to get the jobs and I know I’m capable and competent. If I get turned down there either has to be a bloody good reason (which there has been on one occasion), or they simply didn’t like me. The second of those wouldn’t make for a happy working environment if i did get the job anyway.

More motivation comes from not wanting my gf to be the breadwinner as she wants to stop working full time in the coming years anyway.

More motivation comes from wanting to fix my bike, and ride in the Alps with the lads.

The right job will come if you just keep at it. The minute you stop, you might as well have not bothered looking in the first place.

It is hard – but rejections are part of applying for jobs.

It doesn’t matter how good you are, it depends on what the interviewer thinks on the day. That can be influanced by many things so I wouldn’t get upset by a rejection.

hels – yes, i do it in most areas 😉

also use Pareto – 20/80 principle – in most things it holds true

and yeah, if you’re not getting enough job rejections, you’re not applying for enough, and less likely to win.

What feedback have you been given on why you keep losing out; are there any themes emerging?

One thing to be very aware of is that when people are looking to move job because they do not like their currenty job, consciously or otherwise that can come across in the interview and it will be almost universally seen as a negative for skilled roles.

What’s most important is that you need to be seen to want whatever job you’re going for, rather than just wanting to leave the one you’re in currently.

Think yourself lucky you have stuff to apply for and get rejected by. I can’t even find things to apply for..

That suggests you can’t do anything? Instead of applying based on a previous job, apply based on the skills that the previous job required – assuming you were competent in them all?

I no longer live in the SE so the categories of jobs available are far more limited. Granted, I probably have a narrower view in terms of prospective careers than I should, though I have booked in for a careers advisor. It seems most of what is available is bloody sales related. Something I know isn’t for me. As confirmed by BMW’s own psychometric tests!!

looking for a job is like a job itself. you just have to get on with it and deal with the rejection as there can only be one person for the role and that one person will be you if they think you are right for it.

I work in recruitment and I can tell you that you have to have a lot of interviews before you get a result.

Also as someone else has said it’s easy to come over poorly if you hate your job. Best thing you can do if asked about current workplace -Say its great, get off the subject and focus on being enthusistic about the job you’re interviewing for.

Keep doing what you’re doing.

Have you thought about becoming self employed?

I was made redundant last spring, got a new job and certain things were said but not honoured. I am now looking at current job as temping and when asked why i am leaving i am honest and say that it is a temping role, not what i want to do long term. It is different to what i was doing and what i am looking for.

My only concern is that whilst it is a long term role, it is not using my skills so i might be seen to be rusty if i don’t move soon 🙁 another black mark.

Feedback tends to be good, i just lack something, this job i was told someone else had a little stronger sql skills, before that i lost out to someone from a financial services background (my background is manufacturing), prior to that my lack of experience writing reports.

I guess part of the problem is lots of candidates and not a lot of jobs to go round. Employers can be a little pickier. So rather than taking someone with one weakness and train, they find someone with all the skills.

What i am also noticing is that jobs seem to be drying up a little, i guess Christmas effect.