Stuck in a job you can’t stand? I was too. And then I got out!
As a millennial, there is a certain prejudice against you entering the workforce. The older generation assume we are lazy, entitled, and spend 90% of the time scrolling through Tinder. And while I do keep my dating profile fresh, I’d like to think I’m a pretty excellent employee.
This past July I finally hacked the system and got a new job with a company I love and a day-to-day that doesn’t make me want to tear out my hair. Since changing companies I’ve noticed a lot of people in very similar unhappy situations, so I figured today is the day I share how I, a millennial, got a new job.
How a Millennial Cracked the Code of Getting a Job
Accept Defeat Yes, I know it’s not glamorous, but you have to start out realistic. The first job you apply for is probably not going to work out. There’s too many millennials and not enough jobs. By not setting up a fairytale ending, the first rejections won’t be as bad and you can continue applying like a mad man.
Apply Like a Mad Man I cannot even begin to explain the amount of applications and cover letters I wrote. It became a part-time job, it was all I ever thought about, and I now know my “Top 5 Skills” better than I know my phone number. If you see a job you like/in your field/could possibly interest you, APPLY! You won’t get the job unless you apply, so get to it!
Network or Get Lost The best thing I ever did in my job hunt was join a communication conference. Yes, it was stressful and a lot of work on top of my job, but I met so many people who could potentially give me work. Additionally, become familiar with the companies you want to work for. My new company is one I’d learned about a whole year before and when I walked into the interview with a proposal of theirs that I admired and familiar with their work, I could tell they were impressed that I had spent the time getting to know them.
Give Up Your Social Life This is negotiable, but seriously helped me. I turned happy hour with friends into writing cover letters at Stanford’s Bar & Grill with half-price French fries. While other people are out having fun, use that to your advantage and get your application first in line. For my current job, I spent the morning of 4th of July (you know, that Wednesday where everyone was having BBQ’s and swimming?) writing my letter to this company so they could open first thing Thursday morning. A week later I had a job offer.
Be Patient This isn’t going to happen overnight. Use the time of waiting and rejection to better yourself. Brush up on your interview skills. Find that perfect interview #OOTD. Perfect your cover letters. It’s a tedious process that 9 times out of 10 doesn’t go as you want. But if you use it as a way to improve yourself the wait will be much shorter.
I am so thankful for my family and friends who went through this process with me, they know it’s not easy. I lost my cool, I cried, I played sad Adele songs in my car after I received a rejection. But at the end, it’s worth it. My new job is everything I was looking for, and it’s made me a happier person. I had to go through this process to get here, and you will too.
If you have additional questions, feel free to add them in the comments and we can have a discussion in there. Let’s go get jobs, millennials!