Mindset Matters: Staying Sane in a Tough Job Market
- Morgan Steele
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
Yes, the job market sucks right now.
Between another year of tech layoffs, federal job cuts, and AI reshaping knowledge work, a large number of very talented people are on the market for a new job. Highly skilled professionals are spending months or even more than a year trying to land their next role. I've heard from so many folks who are exhausted, discouraged, and feeling stuck.
And yes, it’s beyond frustrating to hear someone tell you to “fix your mindset” when you haven’t worked in months and have bills to pay.
However, your mindset won’t just help you stay sane in a challenging market. It can actually help you get hired faster.
Consider how candidates with a scarcity mindset show up for interviews. I recently spoke with a hiring manager who shared, “Hiring is so different from two or three years ago…candidates feel desperate, and it makes it really hard to have a productive conversation and assess fit.”
I also saw this same phenomenon while interviewing a candidate for a role a couple of years ago, who told me, “I would do anything for this job!” This over-enthusiasm was frankly off-putting and made it hard to trust the way she described her own skills and experiences.
Compare this to how passive candidates who are content with their current job might show up. Instead of being in hard sales mode, they’re curious. They ask sharp questions that show how their minds work. They offer a more authentic perspective on both where they would shine in the role and what would be growth areas.
Sure, it’s much easier to be in the circumstances of the passive candidate. But with a mindset shift, it's still possible to channel the confident, curious version of ourselves that will ultimately improve the odds of getting a job offer.
So, how do you actually change your mindset?
Enter your “Inner Sage,” a concept from Shirzad Chamine, author of Positive Intelligence. According to Chamine, your Sage represents the deeper, wiser part of yourself that accepts every challenge as a gift or opportunity.
His metaphor illustrates this point: imagine dropping a glass, and it shatters on the floor. From that moment, any time spent being angry, blaming yourself, or regretting it is wasted energy. The glass is already broken. Your only productive move is to clean it up and move forward.
The same applies to the job market. It’s tough out there. We cannot change that single-handedly, so let’s talk about how to accept it instead and adjust your job search strategy accordingly.
Accept the current conditions and adjust
❌ Don’t: Play the “Numbers Game”
Applying to 100 jobs a week might feel productive, but unless you’re actually a competitive candidate for each of those roles, it’s a poor use of time. Companies are flooded with applicants right now, and unless your resume is an excellent match, you’re likely to get filtered out before a human even sees it.
Entering hundreds of low-odds lotteries does not make it more likely that you will get a winning ticket.
✅ Do: Apply Selectively
Focus on roles you’re highly qualified for, even if that means putting a more significant career switch on hold.
For instance, if you’re a tech recruiter who wants to move into healthcare marketing, another option right now might be to look for healthcare recruiter roles where you’re more competitive than if you're switching both function and industry. You can always revisit the function switch once you have established industry credibility.
❌ Don’t: Rely Completely on Online Applications
Online applications might be one channel you use, but I hope it’s not the only one. Obsessively refreshing job boards every day to be the first to apply for new openings is a quick way to burn out. And while it may be possible to land an offer through a blind job application, it’s not how new roles are filled in many cases.
✅ Do: Lean on Your Network
Reach out to former coworkers, clients, vendors, and weak ties. A warm intro or internal referral makes a huge difference in getting a first interview for a role.
Stay tuned for a primer on how to leverage your network more effectively!
❌ Don’t: Take Rejection Personally
I know this is easy to say, and hard to do. But remember that rejections can happen for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with you.
Here are just a few possibilities for why you didn’t get hired that you cannot control:
They already had an internal candidate lined up.
The role was never real to begin with (thank you, “ghost posting” trend).
The funding for the role was cut (this happened to me in 2019…after 12 interviews and a hiring manager who “loved me for the role” 🫠).
The CEO’s nephew needed a job.
Some other mysterious reason you’ll never know.
✅ Do: Look for the Lesson
In the spirit of Chamine’s Sage, can you see the gift in each rejection? Maybe you're learning to spot red flags for ghost posts sooner. Or maybe you’re getting better at telling your story for when the right opportunity does show up. Every “no” sharpens you for the eventual “yes.”
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone
Keeping your confidence up while job hunting in a shaky market takes real mental work, but letting go of what you can’t control and focusing on what you can gives you the best shot at success and maintaining your sanity.
The list above is just a starting point for what accepting the realities of a tough job market with fewer jobs and more candidates could look like. You may have other ideas too!
And if your brain feels like it’s working against you more than for you? You just might need some support. Working with a coach can help you shift old thought patterns and rebuild confidence so you’re not self-sabotaging without realizing it.
You’ve got this!
