Ah, the exhilarating yet nerve-wracking world of job hunting! As a UX designer who recently emerged from a year-long sabbatical, I found myself in the chaos of the job hunt yet again. Today, I want to delve into the struggles I encountered during this process and share my tried-and-tested recommendations to keep the them at bay.
So, buckle up and join me on this personal journey through the clutter of job interviews.
32 applications
14 no thank you’s
24 cover letters
11 interviews
Struggle 1: An outdated portfolio
As usual, when i’m not applying for roles I usually take my portfolio offline to save a few bucks, I don’t recommend this. It’s a reoccurring process, I get a job, I take my portfolio offline, years later I decide it’s time to start looking at new roles and I put my portfolio live again. That’s when I’m faced the daunting task of resurrecting my portfolio — outdated and dusty, to say the least.
My recommendation: Once you have nailed down the role, keep your portfolio live! Even chuck that bad boy on your LinkedIn profile and wear it proudly. It can hold you accountable to continue to update and refine your portfolio in smaller chunks over time rather than re-doing your entire portfolio every time you go through the interview process.
Struggle 2: Keeping track of your applications
Imagine managing a staggering 32 applications — quite the feat, right? Let me tell you, it was no walk in the park! To regain my sanity, I discovered a few lifelines along the way:
My recommendations are:
- Set up a Trello or similar progress board so that you can visualise the progression of your applications, from the ones that bid you farewell to those yet to respond. It’s a great way to regain control and keep your motivation high.
- Set up an email folder where all job application communications can go into and where everything lives, preventing messages from getting lost in the wilderness.
- Lastly, store all your notes, case studies, questions etc. for each application in one place whether that’s your notes app, a google doc or within Trello. Trust me, it’s a lifesaver when you are inside the whirlwind of multiple interviews each week. Avoid the confusion and overlap — I speak from experience!
Struggle 3: Preparing what to ask interviewers at the end of an interview
During the start of my interview process I found it tricky to know what to be asking to get the insights I wanted but by the end of the process I had refined what questions really started to work for me.
My recommendation: Save these important questions! Every designer needs a trusty list of core questions to ask in every job interview. Not only does this bring consistency to your approach, making comparisons between roles and businesses a breeze, but it also shaves off precious prep time. Of course, tailor further questions to the specific role, but starting with those trusty classics is a game-changer.
Struggle 4: The cover letter conundrum
The most frustrating part of any job application is writing that goddam cover letter knowing someone or some bot is just going to skim the whole thing anyway.
My recommendation: To save, store and categorise all cover letters you write.
- Store everything by date so you can find your most recent letters as well as old ones.
- Store everything by category e.g. Finance, Government, Healthcare you name it. This organisational gem will save your sanity and allow you to copy and paste gems from previous letters as you tackle your fourth Fintech application.
These tips might seem simple but the sheer amount of applications can start to build up quickly and disorganisation comes alongside that. Setting up a system from the get-go will help set you up for success. Especially when multiple platforms and tools start to get involved.
I have one last gem that will truly elevate your job application process: A comprehensive Notion resource I designed to help you conquer the chaos.
I made a resource that walks the talk above. After dealing with multiple tools, files and saved documents all over the show I created one place where everything could live.
Grab the template here. Don’t worry — it’s free!
Introducing my meticulously crafted job application tracker, a versatile template that serves as your ultimate organisational companion. This resource encompasses all the vital elements you need for each application, conveniently stored in one place. From important dates, job descriptions, your crafted cover letter, interview preparation notes, questions and answers — it’s all there at your fingertips in one place.
My mission was to create a one-stop-shop, a hub of efficiency for your job hunt. With this Notion resource, you’ll have a singular source of truth, guiding you through every step of the process. It’s time to bid farewell to scattered documents, forgotten details, and overwhelming disarray.
Again, it’s here if you want to trial it out.
Your dream role is out their waiting for you! I wish you all the luck in the world and hope that this advice and template might help you find it.
