Dear Jobseekers,
Looking for a job can be hard sometimes, especially if you are at the beginning of your career.
Let's Begin with My Story
I remember waking up, opening my Gmail app, and seeing the rejection email on my screen. It felt like the world was over. After four months of searching for a job, I thought this one was the one. The interview went well, but a week later, they rejected me.
I hit rock bottom. I stayed in bed for hours, quit the gym, and didn’t talk much. I stopped going out. I saw days go by without doing anything.
Every day, I wondered what happened to me. A few months earlier, I was in a much better place. My boss was happy with my work, and I was motivated and productive as ever. Now, I look back and think, "Am I really that bad?" What happened to the guy who was promoted to a lead position after just four months?
I sent more than 500 applications, and nothing. I was trying so hard not to give up, not to break.
But I stood up. I knew it would end eventually. I never gave up on myself; I just couldn’t. I knew I was good at my job, and I kept moving forward.
The Struggle is Real, But So Are You
What I'm saying is that job hunting is a rough path. Most of us have gone through it, and you probably will too.
Take it easy on yourself, and don't give up. Continue to grow and improve. I know it's tough, but don’t let rejections bring you down. Use them as fuel to become better—not only in your career but in your life. And remember: You are valuable, and your time will come.
Don't be afraid to ask for help
Continue interacting with your loved ones and know that there are people who care for you and don’t want to see you sad.
Don’t be shy to ask for help, whether it’s from a family member or a senior in your field. Sometimes, all it takes is sending a quick message on WhatsApp or LinkedIn to start a meaningful conversation.
If none of that works for you, a hug is always free here.
I hope you get past these hard days, and last but not least, don’t give up on yourself.
If you have any advice or stories for jobseekers, I would be happy to hear them in the comments. Sharing your experience might help someone else on their journey.
Sincerely,
Ali Navidi
Top comments (16)
This one hit close to home. Job searching can distort the way you see yourself very quickly, especially when rejection starts piling up and you begin questioning abilities that you had no reason to doubt before.
I really appreciated that you didn't try to make the experience sound heroic or easy. You described the low point honestly, but also the decision not to let that period become your definition of yourself.
The reminder to ask for help matters too. Sometimes a conversation with someone who knows us, professionally or personally, is enough to give us back some perspective when rejection has taken it away.
Congratulations on making it into the Hall of Fame, very well deserved. And if you ever feel like stopping by my corner of DEV, you're always welcome. I'd be glad to continue the conversation there too. 💙
Thank you❤️
❤️
🙏🏻❤️
For me it is too hard to ask for help.
One suggestion that I would give to jobseekers is to reach to their contacts, also be active on networks like this one and linkedin make yourself seen, build some projects, it worked for me a year ago.
Thanks for the tip🙏🏻
500 applications with nothing back sounds brutal, especially after being promoted to lead just months before. Thanks for being honest about the rock bottom part, that is the part most job advice skips over.
Thanks🫶🏻
Thanks! Those are the right words I needed to hear right now!😫
I’m glad it helped. hang in there, you’ve got this! 💪✨
I suggest doing some internal networking, especially if you’re just starting out!
Thanks for sharing helpful tips
Any time🙏🏻
That's great.
Cool project! I recommend it!
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