Job Searching is an Unnatural Act

Some of my coaching clients are searching for jobs right now. Some apply but get no response, some are deciding what work they want to do, and some are just tired. All are frustrated, which leads to I'm-not-good-enough feelings, which lead to self-recrimination, which leads to less effective job searching. 

The constant refrain: Why am I not better at this job search business?

First: it's not you. Conducting a job search is an unnatural act masquerading as a simple process. But it's not simple and it's not you. 

Being good AT a job doesn't make you good at SEARCHING for that job.

1. You're perky. ALWAYS perky. Talking about your experience, asking (you hope) smart questions, talking about yourself like you're writing marketing copy.
2. Recruiters are SO BUSY. They're listening for key words because they're also tired. So they engage as much as they can, but they preserve their energy because there are other job seekers they have to talk to. Sometimes, with nothing but the best intentions, their plate overflows and they ghost you. One more unclosed loop that takes up residence in your brain-space.
3. The skill of being a self-sales-person is probably NOT the skill you're interviewing for, but you're still being evaluated on it. You might be amazing at this potential new job and still not good at the job search part. This is normal.

Recognize that this is exhausting work, remember that you're awesome, and be gentle with yourself during this process.