𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠...

𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉, 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎

Job seeking can be a stressful experience for most. Rejection emails, unanswered applications, ghosting, and nerve-wracking interviews that one feels they are on a hamster wheel have all become the norm. There is, however, an emotional whirlwind under this tangible layer - the effect on one's mental health.

📢It's not You, It's the System...One of the hardest things to grapple with is the notion that maybe "you're not good enough." Yet, job seekers need to understand that it's not about them. Even though it's meant to be systematic and fair, recruitment is anything but. It's about more than just the skills and qualifications.

Various underlying issues impede the process:

🎯Lack of Recruitment Communication: The silent treatment from recruiters can be deafening. A study has shown that a significant percentage of job seekers never hear back after applying. This lack of closure can lead to overthinking, self-doubt, and anxiety.

🎯Inherent Biases: Unconscious biases, whether related to age, race, gender, or even university affiliations, can affect hiring decisions, sometimes unintentionally. These biases can sideline highly qualified candidates.

🎯Ageism: This specific form of discrimination is both overt and covert. The idea that someone might be "too young" and thus inexperienced or "too old" and therefore not adaptable is discriminatory and baseless.

🎯Overlooking Genuine Quality: With the rise of AI in recruitment, genuine quality candidates can get lost in the shuffle. Many recruitment processes prioritize keywords over context, meaning an ideal fit might be overlooked simply because their resume didn't have the "right" terms.

🩺 The Weight of Mental Health. The constant cycle of hope, followed by disappointment, can lead to serious issues like depression, anxiety, and diminished self-worth. Moreover, for many, the job-seeking phase isn't just about finding a career; it's about securing stability, identity, and a sense of purpose.

Bridging the Gap...While it’s no easy task to overhaul the recruitment process overnight, there are ways they can support job seekers as one day they might be on the other side of the table, looking for a job.

📞Transparent communication by prioritizing sending out responses, even if it's a rejection. Closure can help candidates move on and strategize better for future applications. Recruitment professionals must understand their unconscious biases and communicate transparently instead of making assumptions.

This job-seeking journey is an emotional roller-coaster that challenges one's mental health and self-worth.

Acknowledging these struggles and working towards a more understanding and inclusive hiring process can pave the way for a healthier job market and society.