If you wait for everything to be perfect before you act, chances are you’re not going to make it. You will be stuck. You will not see the beauty behind flaws and learn from those imperfections. This also applies to your job search. If you chase perfection before you apply for your desired job, it will only paralyze you. Sure, you want to do your best in job hunting, but if you try to be perfect with all your standards, you will find it hard to make a progress. Likewise, you might not even know that a particular role which you think isn’t perfect for you, is the one that will open doors to lots of great opportunities. So, don’t let perfectionism hinder you from getting your dream job. Start now even if you think it isn’t ideal yet.
5 Reasons Why Perfectionism Can Harm Your Job Search
1. You are never done
There is always something to improve in any project, so is in your job application. If you wait for yourself to be perfectly qualified for the position you’re aiming for, time will come that it’s already taken when you’re ready to apply. You don’t have to be perfectly fit to begin with. It’s because you will learn the necessary things along the way. The important thing is you keep progressing.
2. You don’t take risks
Worrying about the possibility of failure can rob you of happiness and potentials. Though there are things that you can control, there are also other things beyond your capacity. No one is really sure of what will happen in the future. Therefore, you don’t have to make a perfect move, you just have to take a calculated risk. Being a perfectionist can hinder you from unlocking the box of treasures that an imperfect job has for you.
3, You are disappointed
There’s no perfect company. You can have a glimpse of it when you attend your interview. You will notice some little things in the surroundings while waiting for the interviewer to call your name. So, being a perfectionist can make you blind of the good things that you can experience upon accepting a job hiring opportunity which isn’t perfect based on your own limiting beliefs.
4. You can’t see the bigger picture
Obsessing over every inch of your standards in getting your dream job can actually move you miles away from it. You don’t realize that things are connected in some ways. If you want to be a finance officer but got an offer for the role of an investment analyst, you can still get the former position by accepting the latter one. Doing so will help you learn some transferable skills which you can also use to get the first role in your next job search.
5. You are not growing
Having everything perfect will not test your ability to handle difficult situations. You will definitely make mistakes. But avoiding failure at all costs can’t make you a better version of yourself. You can eventually succeed if you learn from your mistakes. Don’t wait for your credentials to be perfect for the job before you apply. The real growth takes place when you are already hired for the position.
You don’t have to be the perfect candidate for the role. You just have to be good enough and be willing to learn new things. That’s how you keep your momentum. This mindset will put you to the place you truly deserve. So, start your job search now despite imperfections. Strive for excellence, not perfection. You will definitely learn valuable things when you get hired and become better at what you do, soon.
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