Sometimes the search for a job can be discouraging. You spend hours on your portfolio, work on tailoring your resume and cover letter to each position, and you might even get called in for a few interviews. But after all of the hard work, there's no call back. You take some additional steps and follow up with your prospective employer, but still, you're met with indecision or rejection. What do you do when you've done all you can do?

Revisiting the rejected genius

A while back, here on Archinect, I wrote a piece about Albert Einstein his excruciating two-year job search that was filled with numerous rejection letters. He diligently applied to countless jobs, but received no offers. His response to the misfortune was to keep on working on his skills. There was nothing and no one that could tell him he wouldn't make something of himself. He went from a nobody to a household name, and the key to his path was perseverance and determination in the face of the debilitating anguish of dismissal.

Time wasted is time lost

When one has done all they can do, there is still more that can be done. Resilience is a rare attribute in many young people today, and discouragement is a natural response when things don't work out. But, as we discussed previously, how we respond to setbacks will determine how we come out of them. If you have not yet received an offer in your search for a job, keep going, keep improving your skills. How can you refine your portfolio? What side-projects can you pursue? Reach out to people for feedback on your application package? Don't let the unfortunate state of our economy stunt your professional growth. As designers, we seek to overcome the circumstance, instead of allowing the circumstance to overcome us.

Construct creative cultivation

Of those who stay persistent in their pursuit to develop their career, I have yet to encounter anyone who has never received a job offer. For some, it happens quickly, for others it is longer trek, and even, on occasion, there are those who create their own opportunities. With all of these people, the common denominator is diligence and a refusal to accept "no" for an answer. So, in light of the state we all find ourselves in during this pandemic, keep on going, and your growth and development will be imminent.