Nobody really prepares you for how exhausting job hunting can be.
The searching. The applications. The resume adjustments. Trying to explain why you would be a great fit, again and again, while hoping someone on the other side sees what you have to offer.
Then comes the waiting...... Sometimes there’s a rejection email. Sometimes the position disappears. Sometimes there’s silence, and you’re left wondering whether anyone even looked at your application. Let's face it, in the age of AI, a resume seldomly makes it past an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Whatever happened to the "human" in Human Resources? Anyways that's a conversation for another day.
Back to my point though.
The waiting, it can wear on your confidence. You can know you’re capable and still have moments when you question yourself. You can trust God and still feel discouraged when your inbox holds everything except the update you’ve been hoping for.
I’m learning to make room for both: faith and frustration. Hope and exhaustion. Gratitude for what I have and a desire for something different.
God can handle an honest conversation.
Giving the Waiting Period Some Purpose
As I continue applying for jobs, I’m choosing to put more focus on my education. I’m still looking. Still submitting applications. Still open to the right opportunity. But I also want to give some of my attention to something I can actively build.
A lesson completed. A new skill practiced. A subject that helps me better understand the work I want to do. When so much of the job search depends on someone else’s decision, learning gives me a place to take a meaningful next step.
I can’t decide when an employer will call. I can decide to spend some time preparing for the direction I want to go.
That shift doesn’t erase the stress, especially when there are bills, responsibilities, and real needs attached to finding work. But it gives this season another purpose beyond checking my email. I encourage you to be intentional with your time of wait.
"Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation"
-Zig Ziglar
Faith in the Middle of “Not Yet”
One scripture I keep coming back to is:
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength…”
— Isaiah 40:31, KJV
What speaks to me is the promise of renewed strength.
Because waiting takes strength.
Continuing to apply after disappointment takes strength.
Studying when your mind is full of questions takes strength.
Starting again the next morning takes strength.
There are days when I need that renewal more than I need another motivational quote. This verse gives me somewhere to bring the tiredness. I can ask God for enough strength for today without pretending I have the whole season figured out [a sigh of relief annnd queue the ugly cry].
Preparing for the Work Ahead
There’s something meaningful about learning during a season when you wish life would hurry up. You begin discovering what interests you, where you need more practice, and what kind of work you want to grow into. Education can help you put words to abilities you already have while giving you room to develop new ones.
Proverbs offers this encouragement:
“Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.”
— Proverbs 24:27, NLT
I read that as a reminder to give preparation its proper place.
For me, that means taking my coursework seriously, asking questions, and thinking about how I could use what I’m learning in a real workplace. A certificate can mark progress. Understanding the material and being able to apply it is part of the work, too.
I want to enter my next opportunity with more knowledge, a clearer sense of direction, and the willingness to keep learning.
Keeping a Positive Perspective Without Forcing a Smile
A positive perspective doesn’t require me to call every hard day a good one. Some days are disappointing. Some applications take more energy than I expected. Sometimes I need a break from searching, comparing, and trying to prove that I’m qualified.
I’m learning that I can acknowledge those feelings without letting them make every decision.
I can remind myself that an unanswered application tells me very little about my worth, especially in a job market where so many are getting the same results.
Side bar: I've been using LinkedIn so much more now that I'm applying for jobs and making my next career move more intentional. It's like Facebook but for grownups, lol... I forgot the main point of my side bar :/ .... ANYWAYS....
I can recognize the effort I’ve made. I can let a small accomplishment count, even when the larger goal is still unfinished.
And I can hold on to this:
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
— Galatians 6:9, KJV
My family in Christ knows how much I love that scripture.
I don’t read that as a guarantee of a particular job or a deadline for an offer. It encourages me to keep doing what is good and worthwhile, even when the results aren’t immediate.
Today, that might mean applying. Studying. Asking for help. Taking care of myself. Then trusting God with what I cannot control.
One Step for Today
If you’re in a similar season, I hope you give yourself some grace, this has been a repeat theme for me.
You don’t have to turn every spare moment into a productivity project. You don’t have to collect certificates until you feel worthy of being hired. Your experience, effort, and value already matter.
BUT.... if there’s something you’ve wanted to learn, this waiting period may offer a little room to begin. A free course. A chapter. A skill you practice for twenty minutes.
I’m continuing to apply, continuing to learn, and continuing to pray.
Some days I feel hopeful.
Other days I need a little more encouragement.
For now, I’m asking God for wisdom about my next step and the strength to take it.
Have you ever used a season of waiting to learn something new or change direction? Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear what helped you keep going. 🕊️
With so much love for you in this season,
Coffee in hand, hope in Him.
Ana 🕊️
Isaiah 40:31
P.S. Can you tell I'm learning how to add media to my blog, lol. Next up emoji short cuts, because I hate writing out reactions (smh).
TESTIMONY 10/30 Update
I had a job screening call for a Team Experience Coordinator position this morning, and before the end of the day I received a call back to schedule an interview with the hiring manager on Monday. Y'all!! It's my first call back after almost 2 months of job search over 200 applications, and countless screening calls. Even if it doesn't lead to an offer, I'm celebrating this win 🏆 (I figured out the emoji's! Win #2 💜 🥇)
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