Another swing, another miss. Like in baseball, losing just makes you want to lay down and take a nap. In a similar sense, falling short of another job search can be a downer, especially when you develop a losing streak. But there is hope; you can walk it off.

The question now, is how? Like most things in life, you have competition. Fortunately, there is a way to face it head-on and come out on top.

Speaking from my own experience, the job search is like a game of baseball. You win some, you lose some. I’ve battled to earn a championship and then fallen short right at the end. The same story can be applied to my past job search. What got me through all the shortcomings is the reminder that I’m not out until the very end.

With baseball references and puns aside (for the time being), how do you avoid striking out? Fortunately, there is a strategy involved, and it comes in the form of three practical steps. Apply these, and you’ll be ready to knock it out of the park.

Step 1: Don’t cry

We’ve all heard the classic saying “there’s no crying in baseball.” Well, this principle applies to your job search too. When you lose, your spirits get down. But this is the last thing you should do. Take it from me; I wanted to cry on numerous occasions after a loss. What prevented this was motivation. Sure, it does get hard when an employer keeps telling you, “I’m sorry, but we have proceeded with another candidate.” That is why you must get up and move on. More importantly, you have to make sure you continue to make a good impression. No one likes a crier.

Step 2: Time to rally back

Like any game of baseball, you’ve got to show that you want it. Even if things are looking down, you have more control over the outcome than you think. Sending in your resume and interviewing gets you through most of it, but you still have to close. The best way to do this is to follow up. This shows that you are invested in the outcome. You want to win, but just like baseball, you cannot give all your effort up front. Doing so means you run out of steam and therefore, have nothing left to give. This in turn overwhelms the employer and can turn them off from the idea of considering you. Take it from me, there is such thing as giving too much effort, too early.

Step 3: Send in the closer

Now that you’ve rallied and made your presence known, it’s time for the last pitch (literally). If you hear back from the hiring manager, you’ve made a great impression, and perhaps, won the game. But you cannot settle. The game isn’t over until the last out (also literally) when the employer has chosen you as the “winner” (aka got the job). So, until then, don’t assume and don’t let up until that call is made. Even if you lose, you have the confidence knowing you gave it your best. And just like the first step, don’t cry.

Like most aspects of life, there’s no guarantee. Baseball players never win every game they play. Rather, they give it their best in hopes of winning. This also applies to your job search. I never won every game I played, nor did I land every job I applied for. You have to take a crack at it in hopes that you hit a home run. And who knows, you could walk it off.

Here at Synergis, we help individuals like yourself find the right job. More importantly, we help you win the game of job searching. So, if you are ready to walk off your job search, contact us today!