Discouragement Leads To Despair

An AntiPattern candidate

In my current job search, I've become very discouraged. I've seriously begun question my technical abilities. Perhaps they're not as good as I thought that they were. Perhaps I don't really have the skills that employers / clients are looking for. Maybe I should just pack it all in and become a GoatHerder?.

The longer that the situation drags on, the less motivated I am to search the job listings, tailor my resume, and even get up in the morning. Of course, the resulting context is even more discouragement leading to despair.

One solution that I've found is forget about it for a couple of days. Things are slow right now and missing a day of sending out resumes won't change my situation much at all, but taking a day off and doing something entertaining certainly helps to brighten my mood.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to....suffering

Despite what the ITAA lobbying organization says, there is a general glut of techies. This means that employers become super-picky and will reject you for minor things, like a bad tie, knowing just 39 languages instead of 40 etc. Don't take it personally. Whether the glut will eventually dissipate or if globalization has permanently ruined the field, it is too early to say. Many profitable companies are hoarding cash instead of investing in expansion and new projects. Nobody knows quite why yet. But this cash hoarding is part of the reason also.

Another reason DatingIsHarderThanProgramming.

Of course, I'm not trying to get a job as a professional dater. I think that's illegal!

To anyone who is stuck like this: Consider reading the works of NapoleonHill? and other PositiveThinking? authors. There is power our thoughts. -- RobertField

Wait, wait ... I know! This is the pattern expressed at the bottom of WhySympathizeWithTheUnemployed!

The CDC has been trying to keep this epidemic under wraps, but SpontaneousSkillsDepletionSyndrome? is sweeping the country. It's amazing. I've been witness to several cases myself. It's weird. Some highly-skilled guy is just sitting there, working along, and ZAP! The HR and/or security staff have to escort him from the building to prevent contagion. Scary stuff. And, of course, you can't get anyone else to hire you, because they're afraid you might be infected.

Now, as it happens, I do know a little something about overcoming this phenomenon. I've employed the services of the proprietor of tmonroe.com (a personal acquaintance, actually) who has been most helpful in these matters. Of course, maybe I'm just an exceptional person and the services of the tmonroe's proprietor were of no consequence. Seven times. Yeah. I have a rabbit's foot like that.

Then there are some remarks on JustGetAnyJob that might be pertinent.

Heck, you know, someone might actually be interested in helping, and not just observing (dispassionately, from a distance) that it sure sucks to be you.

None of us is as good as we thing we are :)

Seriously, you sound like you are fight the large company HR follies battle and losing. Look for smaller companies out of the mainstream (Engineering, Manufacturing) and gov't/ academia. Most IT jobs are in-house IT or development. I for one would not work for a fortune 500 company again unless I was really in need.

CategoryEmployment CategorySelfImprovement?