Tag: Career Advice

This article on how to stay inspired during a job search is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School. 

Are you tired of your job search routine? Feeling stuck and unmotivated? Have the endless rejections and delays in finding your next opportunity started to affect your outlook? If so, it’s time to re-energize your job search and regain the enthusiasm you had when you first began.

Think back to when you first started applying for jobs. Remember the excitement, optimism, and enthusiasm you had? If those feelings have faded, don’t worry, it’s normal and even expected if the experience is taking longer than expected. But, you don’t have to stay stuck. It’s time to leverage everything you’ve learned up to now and take positive actions to refresh your search.

Why Is Staying Inspired During Your Job Search Important?

Feeling uninspired can affect multiple aspects of your job search. 

A lack of inspiration can be reflected in your actions, attitude, creativity, and energy levels. You might start to find yourself going through the motions without genuine enthusiasm. This can affect your progress and prevent you from taking the necessary steps to stand out among other applicants. 

It can also affect your ability to think creatively and present yourself in the best light to potential employers. Employers are drawn to candidates who are enthusiastic, passionate, and have innovative thinking, so re-energizing your job search is key to leaving a lasting, positive impression. 

How Do You Get Re-Inspired?

While there is no time machine to take you back to the beginning of your job search, there are practical ways to help get your inspiration (and motivation) back. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Remember Your Why

Recall your reasons for pursuing a new career. It’s an opportunity to find your passion, discover your potential, and start a journey that brings excitement, purpose, and a greater sense of fulfillment. It allows you to challenge yourself, learn new skills, and grow, leading to greater happiness and satisfaction in life. Refocus on the deeper reason behind your choice to pursue a new field, and use it to propel you forward.

Talk to people in your target field

Engaging with professionals in your target industry can help reignite your job search. They can provide industry tips, insight, knowledge, and motivation. They may also share job leads, give referrals, and make resume suggestions.

Attend industry events or job fairs

These events gather professionals such as industry leaders, experts, hiring managers, and recruiters all in one place. Use them to gain industry knowledge and stay informed about current trends. There are also opportunities to learn about companies and what they are looking for in candidates, network, discover job leads, and even have on-the-spot interviews.

Find an accountability buddy or create a group

Regular check-ins, whether virtual or in person, can help you stay motivated and accountable for your progress. Job search partners can offer encouragement, help you set goals, and keep you on track through the ups and downs of your search.

Explore different types of jobs

If you’re having trouble finding openings with a specific title, don’t limit yourself to one type of role. Look for adjacent positions that align with your long-term goals, offer growth opportunities, and give you the chance to develop additional skills. These roles can expand your network and help you pivot into your target role.

Engage in hobbies

It’s easy to get entirely sucked into the job search and neglect the other parts of your life. It’s important to make time for things outside of looking for a job, so try scheduling time for activities you enjoy. Hobbies allow you to relax, provide stress relief, and are opportunities to learn new skills. They can also provide a chance to expand your network in a relaxed way and connect with other professionals.

Make time for self-care

Throughout a long job search, it’s critical to take care of your mental and emotional health. Job searching has highs and lows, so it’s important to practice self-care. Find things that rejuvenate you, such as taking walks, spending time with loved ones, or exercising. Incorporating self-care into your job search will improve your focus and productivity.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to stay inspired during a lengthy job search is necessary to maintain the enthusiasm and motivation needed for success. Remember, finding the right opportunity is a process. By taking intentional steps to re-inspire yourself and your search, you can move past challenges, and achieve your career goals.

About Aimee Thompson

Aimee Thompson is an ICF Certified Coach with Flatiron School. Her background is in coaching, human resources, recruiting, and training and development. Her passion is partnering with her clients to help them thrive outside of their comfort zone and create a life they love. 

This article on Student Advising is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School. 

Let’s face it, starting something new isn’t easy. When you’re doing an activity for the first time – whether that’s coding, designing, baking, surfing, etc. – there’s a myriad of unpredictable ways things can go awry due to simple inexperience. That’s why having guidance while you pursue something new is critical to your success the first time around. 

Luckily for our students, Flatiron School programs are now equipped with a built-in guide, otherwise known as Student Advising. 

What is The Purpose of Student Advising?

Advising is a relatively new benefit designed to help our students navigate the bootcamp experience. While many students may have an idea of academic advisors they may have worked with in high school or college – the type that told you which classes to take – not every student is familiar with “Student Advising.” 

Unlike an academic advisor that counsels you on a particular academic path to take, Flatiron School Student Advising is specifically tailored to each student’s success in the program they choose. So while your student advisor won’t tell you which program to take, they will help you succeed in the program you’re in. 

The Student Advising team is here to coach students through all of the bumps and sharp turns that come with pursuing an education, whether those be academically, professionally, or personally (because life keeps moving forward while you’re focusing your energy on learning a new skill). 

When Should You Reach Out To Advising?

The short answer is … all the time! We encourage students to establish a relationship with their Advisor at the beginning of the program and meet regularly (about every 2 weeks) so that students already know who to go to once things get hard. But, for specificity’s sake, below are some situations when students should take advantage of their Student Advisor.

When you need a bit of structure or a new plan…

When a student begins to fall behind or is having trouble adapting to their program, Student Advising is here to help assess what’s working and what needs adjusting. A student advisor will work with their student to review their daily schedule, learning style, and lifestyle and brainstorm ways to help them adapt and reroute as required. We’re here to help students get unstuck.

Setting up small goals and habits that work with your individual needs is vital to ensuring success. There are a lot of different ways to allocate 24 hours in a day, but it needs to work with your life. Since this will look different for every student, an advisor will collaborate with you to design a new plan and help you follow through. Because we love watching you win and we’ll be the first to cheer you on, family-at-graduation style. 

When you need a bit of encouragement…

At Flatiron School, we talk a lot about imposter syndrome. As many career changers know, it’s easy to drown in comparison and the intrusive thoughts that say “I shouldn’t be here.” Student Advising is here to help our students navigate through those self-doubt spirals. 

As motivators and coaches, Student Advising is here to help you overcome any obstacles that come up – whether real or imagined. 

Your advisor will be there to look at any insecurities with you, reframe them, and get past them. From community events to our student assistance program, Student Advising is there to lead you to resources when you need them most. 

Ultimately, you’re here to take a chance on yourself, and that’s worth your dedication. By having these important conversations with your advisor, you can bring to light what blockers may be getting in the way of your success. 

When you need resources or have program/policy questions…

Each student is paired with an Advisor that is an expert in the Flatiron School experience, its policies, and the resources available to them. Instead of rooting around for who to reach out to for a particular service, Student Advising is the one-stop shop for school-wide policies, community events, and program schedules. For questions about program layout, attendance, accommodations, requesting additional time or help, or anything else, Student Advising can get you the information you need, saving you time and frustration. 

Student Advising also acts as detectives within the administrative side of Flatiron School. You should be using all of your energy on learning, so let us dig around looking for answers to your questions while you focus on your bootcamp experience.

Our purpose, and Yours

In essence, Student Advising uses a “full perspective” approach to guide students through their program and to support their academic, career, and personal successes. 

Our purpose is in helping “you stick with it” by getting to know who you are and what works for you. We’re here to build relationships, motivate, and keep you accountable for your bigger purpose. Because your “why” is important. It’s your north star. But you’re more likely to succeed if someone is with you. 

About Sara McCown

Sara McCown is a Team Lead for Student Advising with Flatiron School. She has been on the Advising Team since its recent creation and has previous experience in public education and administration. In addition, she has over 12 years of experience in coaching students for success. She’s also an avid reader and always open to suggestions and discussions!

This article on the informational interview is part of the Content Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate receives up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.

When embarking on a new career, it’s not always clear in which direction one should – or can – go. This is especially true for the tech field. With a variety of tech verticals that cater to niche interests and needs, paired with the sometimes minute differences between roles with similar functions, it can be overwhelming to decide which opportunities to pursue. 

To this end, it is generally a good idea to seek advice from those who have gone before. While you could mine the internet, read relevant articles, and listen to countless podcasts in your effort to select a path forward – the best way to get real, honest advice on what it’s like working in the tech industry is direct from the source with an informational interview.

What Is An Informational Interview?

An informational interview is an informal conversation in which a person seeks insights on a career path, industry, company, or general career advice from someone with experience and knowledge in a specific area. 

By conducting an informational interview you’ll discover what a person’s job is like, what responsibilities they have, what it is like to work at their company, and insight about their industry overall. 

Why Is It Important To Do Informational Interviews During A Job Search?

Doing an informational interview is taking the “look before you leap” approach to career planning. While an informational interview cannot give you the full picture of working in a particular role, company, or industry, it can give you valuable insight into whether or not it would be a good fit in general.

People who do informational interviews before taking major career steps have less likelihood of looking back on their career and saying “If I had only known, I would have done things differently.”

An informational interview will reveal aspects of a role you may have yet to consider and may take you in another direction. Alternatively, your conversation partner may confirm that the role/company/industry is exactly what you want, and you can proceed down the path you began on secure in your decision. 

Whether you have your heart set on a certain career trajectory or are still unsure of what type of path you’d like to take, informational interviews help to alleviate the “what if’s” that so often linger in the mind before, during, and after a career move.

How To Set Up An Informational Interview

When setting up an informational interview, it’s natural to feel apprehensive about reaching out to people. You may be thinking –  “Why would they want to talk with me? What do I say? What if they say no?” These are all reasonable thoughts, but once you get started, it’s easier than you think. And here’s a secret: people generally do want to help those coming up behind them! 

Here are some things to keep in mind and how exactly to reach out to prospective conversation partners for an informational interview:

Prepare Your Mindset

Despite people generally being happy to help, it’s important to begin your reach outs knowing that not everyone will say yes or even respond, and that’s okay. 

People are busy, and they may not have time to participate. Or, they may simply not want to. Any reason they have to decline is valid, and never push it. Set out expecting a fairly low response rate, but don’t let that discourage you. It’s not the quantity of conversations that matters, but the quality of them.

Understand Your Goal

It’s critical to remember that an informational interview is not a job interview. This meeting is not about securing a job opportunity. Instead, your aim should be to glean relevant information and build a relationship with your conversation partner. 

Don’t worry about “selling yourself” as one does in a typical interview. Instead, be authentic about your career goals, desired path, and your personality. Only by being authentically yourself will your partner be able to help determine which parts of a role you’d like or dislike. 

Source Prospects From Your Network

To set up an informational interview, first determine who in your network may have done the sort of work you’d like to, or been employed in a company or industry that interests you. Consider your friends, family members’ friends, past colleagues, people from high school or college, neighbors, and those in communities in which you are a participant.  

If you’ve exhausted your network, consider finding alumni from your high school or post-secondary educational institution. Use LinkedIn to search for people who belong to the same professional associations, have similar interests, have had similar previous roles, or are currently in a role that interests you. 

Craft A Message

Once you’ve found someone you’d like to talk to, it’s time to make the ask.

In many cases, sending an email is a great option, but this can depend on how well you know this person and how you typically communicate. If the contact is someone you know well, calling or asking in person works just fine. No need to make a formal appointment for an informal conversation. 

But for those whom you are not familiar with, an email or LinkedIn message is often the best way to reach out.

Here are some things to keep in mind and to include in your message: 

1. Why are you reaching out?
2. What about them or their experience would you like to learn more about?
3. Why are you reaching out to this person specifically? Maybe they created a project of interest to you, they live in the same city, went to the same school, or they made a career transition that you would like to emulate.
4. When, where, and for how long would you like to meet? Give them options to choose from, on different days and at different times. It is best practice to ask for no more than 15 minutes, though it may naturally run over during the discussion. 

Sample Message

Here is an example message that one of the graduates I worked with sent and had good results with:

“I’m an independent musician turned software engineer. I know it’s a crazy time right now, but I would like to ask you some questions about your experience in software engineering.

Specifically, I’m curious about:

• What skills or attributes do you think are most important for a bootcamp grad to demonstrate when looking for the first software engineering job?
• The first project or projects you worked on when you started your first engineering role.

Would you be up for a quick call this week or next to chat? I can set up a Zoom call or we can talk on the phone, whichever you’re more comfortable with.

Also: I really like the Nox song ‘Second Encounter’. I love a well-placed spoken-word sample.”

In this message, we can see that the sender reviewed the recipient’s background and resonated with it, and found that they shared common interests to include as well. 

Each message you send out should be different because each person’s background, interests, and the type of advice you may be seeking from them will be different. Don’t just mass-message – always personalize!

Follow Up

If you don’t hear back, reach out again after 5 business days. Many times people are busy and want to respond, but put your message in a folder and forget about it. 

Keep your follow-ups brief and give them an out. 

For example: “I realize you are very busy and this message may have slipped through your inbox. If you would be open to talking further when you are free let me know. If not, I understand and I wish you the best” and you can simply put the same message you had previously sent in the email. This allows the second message to be seen without a sense of pressure to respond.

How To Prepare For An Informational Interview

Once you have an informational interview set up, it’s time to prepare. Remember, an informational interview is about developing a relationship, not just about having a one-time conversation.

Conduct Background Research

While the focus and depth of your background research will vary depending on whether you’d like to ask about this person’s specific journey or simply working in their field in general, you must do research before your scheduled interview. 

You’ve likely done some surface-level research on the person you’re going to meet with before reaching out, now is the time to go deep. Look at their background, previous roles, current role, degrees, projects, LinkedIn posts, etc. Anything that might inform the questions you ask about their background and career trajectory. Research their company and industry, and make notes of things you are curious about. 

Develop Questions

Consider what questions you may like to ask, such as:

1. What are your most favorite and least favorite parts of your role?
2. What projects are you working on right now?
3. Now that you have been in your career for a while, what would you do differently if you were to start over?

Don’t feel like you have to select questions from a list and stick to them, allow the conversation to flow naturally and clarify new topics and points that will inevitably come up throughout it.

During The Interview

Next is conducting the informational interview. Don’t be nervous – remember, they’re here to help you!

Show You’ve Done Your Research

To begin your conversation, share something you’re impressed with about their background, preferably highlighting an area that you intend to ask questions about. This will steer the discussion in the right direction from the beginning. 

Ask Additional Questions When Relevant

Have your prepared questions handy, but don’t allow the conversation to feel like a battery of questions. Listen politely, ask for clarification, and let the conversation flow naturally. Take notes as appropriate, but focus on the person in front of you.

Stay Aware Of The Time

Be cognizant of the other person’s time and don’t run too far over. 

If you’re nearing the end of the allotted time slot and the conversation is still flowing you can say something like: “You agreed to meet with me for 20 minutes. I want to be courteous of your time – do you have time to continue talking or should we conclude?”

Follow Up After The Informational Interview

Within 24 hours of your information interview, follow up with a thank you note. Thank them for taking the time to talk to you, and share insights you found particularly valuable from the conversation.  

Be sure to stay in touch afterward and touch base regularly, giving them updates on how you’ve implemented their advice (if relevant). Should you hit a career milestone or land a new job relevant to your conversation, be sure to thank them for their support and knowledge in getting you to where you are today.

About Laura Nicolaisen

Laura Nicolaisen is a Career Coach with Flatiron School. She has 15-plus years of experience as a career coach collaborating with recent graduates, professionals, and executives. In addition, Laura has over 15 years of experience working in the university and bootcamp setting, in such areas as admissions, student advising, coaching, and as an executive team member.

This article on ideas to market yourself as a job seeker is part of the Content Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.

As a job seeker, marketing yourself is one of the most crucial steps to finding your dream job. It is essential to showcase your skills, knowledge, and personality in a way that is both authentic and attractive to potential employers. 

To help you cut through the noise of the job market, stand out, and catch employers’ attention, here are 5 ideas to market yourself as a job seeker.

Create Videos For Social Media

Videos allow you to showcase your personality, skills, and experience in an engaging way, while tapping a massive audience. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it’s possible to reach millions of people with a viral video, potentially providing life-changing opportunities if the right people see it. 

When creating videos for social media, consider the following:  

• Introduce yourself, share your skills, your passions, and tell your story. Emphasize and make connections for the viewer on how they all come together to make a perfect fit and add value to your dream job.
• Highlight your technical skills, including any recent tools, techniques, or programming languages you have learned, and share your knowledge. This shows that you are up to date with the latest trends and can adapt to new technologies quickly.
• Showcase any projects you have completed and explain how you used the tools you have acquired. This demonstrates your practical skills and how you apply them in real-world situations.
• Share your contact information at the end of your video, including your email and LinkedIn profile.
• Post your videos on social media, in groups, share them with your network, and send direct messages to your target audience. 
• Include an ask – the action that you want the viewer to take.

Make a couple of well-done, engaging videos, and see what sort of feedback you get.

Write Blogs

Blogging showcases your writing and communication skills and can demonstrate your expertise in the field or topic you write about. And with major platforms like Medium that remove the barrier to entry for creating your own articles – all you have to do is sign up and start writing! 

When getting started, keep these tips in mind:

• Choose a topic relevant to your industry. Write about industry trends, recent projects, or your personal experiences.  
• Know your target market and create high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and well-researched that provides value to the reader. 
• You can host your pieces on websites like Medium are share them across relevant social media channels and/or groups. 
• Share a link to your published pieces in direct messages and include a link on your resume.  
• Add your published pieces to your LinkedIn profile.

With content, more is more, so don’t give up if the first piece comes out a bit rusty. Keep practicing your writing skills – you’ll thank yourself later when it’s become easier!

Create an Email Marketing Campaign

Email marketing isn’t just for companies – individuals can do it too! Here’s how to use this tool to streamline your job search:

• Build a target email list by identifying management contacts (the more senior the better) at companies in the industry that you are most interested in, and that you believe would be most interested in your skill and experience.   
• Create a personalized email showcasing your skills, experience, and passion for the industry. Keep the email short and to the point, highlighting your value add and why you are a perfect fit for the company.
• Perform A/B testing: After sending your message review performance analytics and refine your strategy based on the data.

Go To Meetups

Attending meetups is a great way to expand your network. Find and attend industry meetups in your target market, areas of expertise, and interest.  This will allow you to meet like-minded individuals, learn about industry trends, and meet potential employers. 

Be sure to print out business cards before you go with your contact information and LinkedIn profile on them.

Participate in Industry Discussions

Join industry-specific groups on social media, Slack, and Discord. Share your insights and knowledge, answer questions, and provide helpful tips. This will demonstrate your expertise and could lead to networking opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Marketing yourself as a job seeker is essential in today’s competitive job market. But, by trying out a few different strategies to effectively showcase your skills and experience to potential employers, you can draw attention to yourself as a stay candidate. 

Remember to stay authentic, be yourself, and always highlight your value add.

About Noreen Walczak

Noreen is an Executive Recruiter and Career Coach with 25 years of combined experience in Business Management, Recruitment, Financial Services, and Coaching.  She is passionate about sourcing quality candidates for her clients and loves to assist companies in finding those hard-to-find individuals with a unique combination of skills “Unicorns”. With extensive experience building organizations, teams, and small businesses, she works with decision-makers to build out organizations and identify key employees.

This article on re-entering the workforce after a career break is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.  

Are you re-entering the workforce after a career break? If so, you are not alone. Career breaks have become more common, particularly during and after the Covid pandemic. According to a 2022 LinkedIn survey, 62% of employees worldwide have taken a career break at some point. LinkedIn has even added a “career break” feature, which allows users to add a career break to their LinkedIn profile employment history.

What is a Career Break?

The term “career break” simply means time away from work for an extended period of time, typically at least several months to several years.

There are several reasons why one may choose or need to take a break throughout their career; whether it’s returning to school full-time, caring for a child or family member, personal or medical reasons, or testing the waters as an entrepreneur. Whatever the reason – and with some introspective, planning, and patience – you can successfully find your way back into the workforce.

Let’s dive into what a career break is, and some options on how to plan and take action toward getting back into it.

Begin with Focused Self-Reflection

Before you even start looking for a job, make it easier on yourself by taking some proactive steps that will help your job search run more smoothly. One important step is narrowing down what you’re looking for in a new role. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What does a new job look like for me?
• What are my interests, skills, strengths, and transferable skills?
• Are there certain industries or companies I want to focus on?
• Am I looking for a new role locally, remotely, or am I willing to relocate?
• How can my unique background and experiences add value to the type of work I’m seeking?

These questions will provide some clarity and focus with which to bring your job search.

Develop an Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, high-level summary of your work experience, skills, and interests that articulates how all of that makes you a unique candidate and an excellent match for a given position. Develop and practice your elevator pitch until it feels natural and conversational. Practice with a friend or record yourself so you can watch it and see where you may want to make some changes. 

Use your elevator pitch as a conversation starter at networking events and conversations. That will set the stage for a deeper discussion on how you can make a positive contribution and add value to a team.

And, speaking of networking…

Refresh Your Professional Network

When one is employed and looking to switch jobs, networking is critical and probably the most important component of a successful job search. The same holds true for those re-entering the workforce.

Use Existing Ties

As a first step, tap into your current network and let them know you are “on the market” and looking for a new opportunity. This includes family, friends, neighbors, previous co-workers or classmates, etc.

Are any of them in the field you want to enter? If not, do they work at companies that have the type of role you’re looking for and can they introduce you to someone? If you were employed in the past and liked where you worked, can you contact someone there and see if they have work available that you can help with?

Many people have obtained job referrals and employment through neighbors, realtors, and people they’ve met through casual conversation at the gym or grocery store, so don’t underestimate the endless networking options!

Expand Your Network

You can also expand your network by trying to meet new people in the field you’re trying to enter. Engage on LinkedIn and build your brand, identify industry meetups or conferences that you can attend, set up informational interviews, or volunteer to work on an open-source project. Building on your network increases your exposure to individuals who may have insight into job opportunities or are hiring managers themselves. 

Connect With Others In Similar Situations

Finally, see if you can find others who took career breaks. Set up an information interview with them and hear their story on how they got back into the workforce. Not only is that an excellent networking opportunity, but you may find out other tips and information that can assist you in your journey to re-join the workforce. 

Polish Up That Resume and LinkedIn Profile

You’ll want to update your resume and LinkedIn profile and any other relevant career-related documents, social media sites, websites, GitHub, etc. Add or revise any of the content that may be outdated. If you’ve acquired new skills, certifications, or degrees, be sure to add them. 

Even if your time out of the workforce was not spent formally pursuing further education, you’ve likely gained additional skills that enhance your employability. Whether it’s developing and managing a budget, project management, or other relevant skills, brainstorm ways you can take what you’ve done on your career break and include it on your resume and LinkedIn and show how your break aligns with your career. 

If you had a break for several months or more, then you can add a line item to reflect that on your resume. You can always go into more detail in your cover letter or during an interview about your career break. 

On the flip side, sometimes “less is more” in these scenarios. Don’t feel like you have to provide very detailed information as to why you took a career break. Stating something as simple as Career Break –  “Returned to School”, “Cared for Family Member”, “Freelance”, etc. may be all you need. Then you can elaborate accordingly during an interview or related discussion as needed. Once you start interviewing, keep this in mind, and don’t hide the fact that you took a career break. Be candid and use your best judgment on how much detail to provide. Many hiring managers don’t have an issue with applicants who took career breaks. Some of those hiring managers may have taken their own career break at some point!

Consider Part-time or Volunteer Work

Be open to part-time or contract work, even if your ultimate goal is a full-time opportunity. This option can ease you back into the workforce and be an opportunity for both you and the company to see if it’s a good fit –  all while getting valuable experience you can add to your resume. You’ll also increase your exposure to potential networking connections.

Work With A Career Coach

A job search can be overwhelming, regardless of whether or not you’re coming back from a career break. Being able to talk with a Career Coach can help provide you with much-needed support. A Career Coach can help you discover how to put your best foot forward and enhance your overall marketability as a candidate.

Final Thoughts

As with anything else in life, consistency is key when re-entering the workforce after a career break. Keeping your momentum going and working through the frustrations of the job search process may be trying; but, if you keep at it and don’t give up, you’ll be back in the workforce before you know it. 

About Andrea Towe

Andrea Towe is a Career Coach with Flatiron School. She has 20+ years of experience in career coaching and corporate human resources, including employee relations, talent acquisition, career and leadership development, training development, and facilitation.

This article on how to rebound from rejections is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate is eligible to receive up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.

Rejection is a natural part of life. But, it can be particularly difficult for graduates and those in their early careers who are entering the workforce for the first time to rebound from rejections. The experience can be disheartening and demotivating, especially if this is your first job search experience.

However, it’s important to remember that rejection doesn’t define your worth or potential. Here are seven tips for rebounding from rejections and how to keep moving forward despite them.

Keep a Positive Mindset

It’s easy to spiral into negative thinking after a rejection. However, a positive mindset can help you bounce back and approach future opportunities optimistically. 

One thing I see that helps grads rebound quickly is turning to one positive thought such as “I owe this to myself and my family” or “I’ve been successful at other things and I know I can do this too”. If you have difficulty coming up with a single positive thought try looking for a quote that inspires you and adopt it as your own. For example, here is an uplifting quote I recently came across. “As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.” ~ Steve Maraboli

Focus on your strengths and accomplishments, and don’t let rejection undermine your self-confidence. Remember that rejection is a learning opportunity, and it can help you improve and grow.

Refocus on Your Why

When you’re rejected, it’s easy to lose sight of why you were pursuing that particular job or industry in the first place. Take a step back and remind yourself of your goals and the importance of persevering. Rejection is just a temporary setback, and you can still achieve your objectives through other opportunities.

Look at the Big Picture

When you get rejected from something you wanted, it can feel like the end of the world. But, it’s important to keep things in perspective. Remember that there are countless other opportunities, and try not to set your heart on any one company. 

One rejection doesn’t define your future. Keep your eye on the big picture, and don’t get too hung up on a single rejection.

Learn From The Experience

Rejection can be a valuable learning opportunity. Ask for feedback and use it to improve your application materials or interview skills. You can also reflect on your own performance and identify areas for growth. Use rejection as a chance to learn and improve, rather than a reason to give up.

Take Rejection with Grace

Getting that rejection letter from a company can stir up a lot of feelings. Writing a letter back and thanking them for the opportunity and time they took to consider you can help get you back on track.

A message like this can help you see it from the employer’s perspective as well as help to let go of ill feelings. It also may make you stand out from the rest as a mature professional and if any other opportunities come up you are more likely to be reconsidered.

Stay Persistent

Persistence is key when it comes to rebounding from rejection. Keep applying for other opportunities, and don’t let rejection deter you. It’s important to keep pushing forward, even when it feels difficult. Remember that rejection is a normal part of the process, and it’s not a reflection of your abilities or potential.

Conclusion

Rejection is a difficult but necessary part of life. By maintaining a positive mindset, refocusing on your goals, keeping perspective, learning from rejection, and staying persistent, you can rebound from rejection and achieve your objectives. 

Remember that rejection doesn’t define you, and there are always other opportunities out there.

About Julie Allen

Julie Allen is a career coach with Flatiron School. She also has a private career coach business called The StoryMakers. Julie comes from 20 years as a manager in the tech industry helping corporate America achieve its goals. She is located in the Phoenix area, where she inspires young professionals to go after their dream jobs. Julie holds a BA in English and Psychology from Washington State University and an MBA from Golden Gate University.

This article on the STAR method is part of the Coaching Collective series, featuring tips and expertise from Flatiron School Career Coaches. Every Flatiron School graduate receives up to 180 days of 1:1 career coaching with one of our professional coaches. This series is a glimpse of the expertise you can access during career coaching at Flatiron School.

Graduating from a bootcamp can feel like finishing a race. You cross that finish line and are left feeling a mix of exhaustion, relief, and pride at the monumental task you’ve completed. With this educational accomplishment behind you and a fulfilling career ahead that your new skills will help you conquer in no time, it should be smooth sailing from now on – right?

Then your career coach tells you about this thing called a behavioral interview where your technical skills are secondary. Instead, to get the job, you’ll have to highlight to your soft skills, your personality (whatever that means), and how well you connect and “vibe” with the interviewer.  

Uh oh. Is there a bootcamp for this too?

The Purpose Of A Behavioral Interview

The behavioral interview focuses on asking candidates to provide specific examples of how they have handled situations in the past. They often ask for details concerning interpersonal connections, leadership qualities, or how the candidate performs under pressure. This is thought to be the best predictor of future behavior, and a good indicator of how a candidate will act on the job when presented with similar situations.

But, behavioral questions can cause a lot of inexperienced interviewers to fumble (or worse, ramble). A concise, clear, and well-rehearsed answer to common behavior questions crafted using the STAR method is vital to acing the behavioral interview.

Common Behavioral Questions

Behavioral questions typically begin with “Tell me about a time…” and focus on different aspects of the position. They may vary based on the specific role and seniority, but typically fall into several categories including but not limited to:

1. Problem-solving
2. Learning from previous mistakes
3. Dealing with challenges
4. Handling things that go wrong
5. Learning new skills
6. Communication with coworkers
7. Deadline pressure
8. Working with clients or customers
9. Overcoming failure
10. Recognizing achievements

The STAR Method

To avoid fumbling behavioral questions, use the STAR method to craft your answer. This will keep your answers clear, concise, and prevent aimlessly rambling in circles.

STAR is an acronym for Situation Task Action Result.

Lay Out The Situation

Start your answer by briefly explaining the context of the experience, providing details about the task, project, or responsibility, and explaining the challenge. 

Do not go on and on about the why behind the situation, include only the bare minimum amount of information so that the interviewer will understand the rest of your answer.

Explain The Task

Describe the specific goal or objective that needed to be achieved and outline your approach or plan to solve the problem.

Highlight Your Action

Detail the actions you took to resolve the challenge or problem. Discuss any obstacles you faced and how you overcame them. This is a great time to emphasize your key contributions to the situation. Be sure to also highlight any leadership qualities or skills you demonstrated throughout.

Summarize The Result

The result of any situation you discuss is where the real meat of the answer lies and the portion you should emphasize the most. This is when you summarize the outcome of the experience. Quantify or qualify the impact of the solution, and highlight any lessons you learned and/or personal growth you experienced as a result. 

Examples of the STAR Method in Action

Here are some well-known examples of the STAR framework in action:

Elon Musk. In a 2018 interview, Musk used STAR to answer a question about the challenges he faced when launching SpaceX. He discussed the situation (S), the goal (T), the actions he took (A), and the result (R), and emphasized the importance of learning from failures.

Barack Obama. In a 2014 interview with Steve Inskeep for NPR, Obama used STAR to answer a question about his leadership style. He described a situation (S) in which he had to make a tough decision, outlined the goal (T) he was trying to achieve, discussed the actions he took (A), and explained the positive result (R) that was achieved.

Sheryl Sandberg. In a 2013 interview, Sandberg used STAR to answer a question about how she dealt with failure in her career. She described a situation (S) in which she was passed over for a job, outlined the task (T) she was trying to accomplish, discussed the actions she took (A) to learn from the experience, and explained the positive result (R) that came from the failure.

Notice that these answers focused mostly on what was learned in the R portion of the answer.  Keeping your response within the STAR framework and emphasizing the R portion, making sure to clearly communicate what you do differently now as a result of having gone through that experience, is one of the best ways to leave a positive impression on your interviewer. 

How To Prepare To Use The STAR Method In Your Next Interview

Before your next behavioral interview, practice using the STAR framework with your career coach or peer. You can play around with the framework to answer all kinds of questions. Remember, the question is not actually about the situation. Rather, it is about how the experience changed you, what you learned, what you would do differently now as a result of having gone through that experience, and how you have grown as a result. 

A great answer to this question could be the reason you get advanced to the next round. 

About Dyana King

Dyana King is a career coach with Flatiron School. She previously worked as a technical recruiter and co-founded a technical recruiting agency, Thinknicity. She became a certified professional coach (CPC) in 2012 and specialized in transition and career engagement coaching.