Mum always says to me and tried to teach me that patience is a virtue. Well, if you want to learn or teach patience, I say put somebody through the recruitment process. Over the past few weeks, I have had a number of conversations with people asking: how long should I wait, how should I wait and why should I have to wait?

So guess what, patience is a virtue, especially during the recruitment process.  That is the ability to wait for something without getting upset is a valuable quality in a person and we know the more valuable traits you have…and so on.

Searching for ‘that’ job can be a drawn out emotionally draining and physically exhausting process.  This waiting game can last a few days or even a few months. It really depends on the employer and exactly how soon they need to make a new hire.  It is not always in the control of the recruiter.

While most organisations will respect that your time is as valuable as theirs and make the recruitment process as painless and stress free as they can, others can almost seem to drag it out.

It is important for organisations to do their due diligence when hiring, and ensure they recruit the right candidate. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah right.  So, here are 6 things you can do if you are in this waiting game you maybe didn’t want to play?

1. When waiting for an update after your interview, it’s important to remember that organisations have responsibilities outside of the recruitment process and may have other projects running simultaneously. This means that this particular recruitment process may not be number one priority and they may take a little more time to get back to you. Try to stay calm (be patient) and understanding of their responsibilities, as this may help you remain positive about the process.
2. Ask the question when can expect to get feedback or an update or hear back throughout the recruitment process: from pre-screen, to interview and even after it’s been communicated that you have been selected.
3. Do not stop your activity once you have applied for a particular role. Keep looking for other roles that you believe may suit you and frame up and prep for a new application where appropriate. When you are an active job seeker, the best position you could possibly put yourself in is to have multiple offers to choose from, and that will never happen if you wait to hear back each time you get an interview prior to moving forward with other potential job opportunities.
4. Not all employers provide feedback on applications but do feel free to ask for this as insights can be useful and can lead to new phrasing or reframing of experience in your resume. If you have been searching for a new role for a while, consider allocating a portion of your week to voluntary work or ask about internships and casual employment.
5. Glassdoor (an online review business) can be incredibly insightful in the job hunt. Before you accept a new role, or even before investing too much time and hope in the recruitment process, check out their reviews online. There is a wave of valuable information where you can read the interview and the selection process from candidates who did or didn’t get the job.
6. Remember to not get discouraged! As much as interviewing is about the organisation determining whether you are a right fit or not, you must also ultimately decide if the position and organisation is the right opportunity for you too.

The job search process may test us in ways that we probably haven’t experienced before. For some, this may be the first time that they have been out of work and for others, the length of time and the continual knock backs are wearing thin.

As we go through the process, we need to stay focused on the here and now and be less concerned about what might occur down the track. The decisions that you make now will impact on that outcome, so you must focus on making good quality and relevant decisions.

Think of your efforts as a marathon rather than a sprint, and view bumps in the road as minor setbacks rather than total roadblocks. You’ll need all the mental strength you can muster when you experience disappointment, but you will get through and be mentally and emotionally stronger for the experience.  Remember what my mum says, patience is a virtue and this is a valuable trait.  All the best.

James@yellowboxcareers.com.au