Get Hired During COVID · Misconception 1: This job is for YOU!
The following is an excerpt from an online course I’ve launched with my business partner Ellis Fitch at EdifyContent.com.
How many times do you hear people say, “I found the perfect job!” Think about that sentiment. It’s a “me first” mentality. Being a job applicant is not a “me first” situation. It’s a “please hire me” situation. If your cover letter looks like this: “Dear Hiring Manager, This is the perfect job for me and here’s why,” all showing is that you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Hiring managers don’t give a rodent’s behind about whether the job is perfect for you. They’re not trying to solve YOUR problem. They’re hoping you can be the perfect person to solve THEIR problem.
Here’s an anecdote from recruiter Allen Plunkett:
As an employer when I hear someone say, “It’s like you wrote the job description with me in mind,” there are few things [other than that] that set me in the immediate wrong direction with that person. It’s so annoying. I 100% did not have you in mind, I didn’t know you when I wrote it, I’m likely thinking that we won’t even get along because you said it in the first place and now I don’t want to hire you.
None of the above is meant to be heartless or insensitive, but rather to help you detach yourself emotionally from the job search process. One reason people suffer through the job search is they are too close to the job search. There’s a lot of pressure we put on ourselves and there’s the emotional and financial stress of not having any income. Considering the fact that 14% of Americans say they have wiped out their savings, plus the fact that most people didn’t have much savings even before COVID, it’s a brutal time to be out of a job.
You will find a job. It may take a while. The economy will recover and change. You are adaptable. This is tough, and you can do this.
What should you say instead of “this job was made for me?” Purchase our course “Get Hired During COVID” at EdifyContent.com. If you’re unemployed, take advantage of our pay-what-you-can model on our website, or send us an email at hello@edifycontent.com.
Here’s the original post with more posts like this on the Edify blog.
