Job seekers face incredible stress and anxiety when finding a new job. People get confused as to why the hiring process takes so long. They’re tasked to meet with three to 10 interviewers over many months. Most often, to the chagrin of job hunters, the candidates get ghosted. They’re left in a quandary, not knowing what happened, and presume they did something wrong.
The insider secret is that it’s not you. It’s what’s happening behind the scenes. When the economy is running hot, the nation’s mood is positive. Hiring becomes aggressive and robust when there’s a feeling of euphoria with lots of high-quality jobs available and plenty of ways to make money.
On the other side of the equation, when the economic situation looks anemic with high inflation boosting costs, concerns over a possible recession and worries about macro global events, such as the fallout from the war in Ukraine and what will happen in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas conflict. Add in that artificial intelligence is perceived by many executives as a way to cull jobs by leveraging the new technology. They’ll prefer to wait things out instead of hiring right away. This fact pattern causes a case of analysis paralysis within the hiring process, making it difficult for companies to make hiring decisions.
More Interviews Isn’t Always Better
Some leaders and entrepreneurs maintain that the more interviews, assessments and people evaluating the candidate, the less of a risk there is of making a poor hiring decision. This may be true in some circumstances; however, it also serves as an excuse to avoid or delay making a decision. Sometimes, multiple interviews are made because the hiring manager is afraid to extend an offer.
Analysis paralysis, according to psychologists, is the inability to make a decision due to overthinking a problem, as they’re inundated with too much data, creating a level of anxiety.
Afraid To Make A Decision
Human resources, managers and interviewers are afraid of making a choice that will not work out well. They juggle the risk-reward scenario. After due deliberation, many hiring managers would rather continue to interview and meet people because they are psychologically unable to make the tough decision. This is one of the reasons why you are enduring endless rounds of interviews.
If they hire someone who doesn’t work out and needs to be let go, the team member involved with the onboarding decision will bear the brunt of the blowback. Their manager will question why they brought in someone new while there is so much uncertainty. For fear of being chastised or risking losing their own job due to a wrong hiring decision, it’s safer to do nothing.
The pursuit of perfection is a problem. Perfectionists struggle with analysis paralysis because they want to make the perfect decision. The challenge is that, for most instances, there is no one perfect solution. You have to ultimately make the best decision based on all the information and data you have collected.
People-pleasers also face challenges when it comes to making a tough call. They’re wired to make people happy, and denying someone the opportunity to move forward in the interview process causes stress and anxiety to a person with this personality trait.
Some supervisors simply lack confidence in themselves. They may suffer from imposter syndrome. Consequently, they don’t feel worthy of making the decision, so the interview process goes on forever.
How To Overcome These Hurdles
To combat this problem, set clear timelines. This can include deadlines for reviewing résumés, conducting interviews and making a final decision. Additionally, having a backup plan in case the first choice doesn’t work out can help reduce anxiety and prevent analysis paralysis.
Similarly, Job Seekers Have Decision Fatigue
Job seekers can also experience decision paralysis during the interview process. Some common causes of interview paralysis include uncertainty, fear of failure and getting overwhelmed by the job search process.
In light of the hundreds of thousands of white-collar professionals who were laid off from mid-2022 to the present, it’s not surprising that job seekers are leery. Understandably, they are concerned that they will be the last one hired and the first one fired.
People are afraid to make the “wrong” decision when choosing a job. On social media, especially TikTok, there are unrelenting memes about how bad the workplace can be, influencing workers to act their wage, quiet quit and commit to Bare Minimum Mondays. Clearly, no one wants to accept a job only to feel useless, disconnected and disengaged.
Job hunters get unsolicited advice from their parents, friends, co-workers, former colleagues and anyone who knows you are interviewing. With everyone offering their opinions, it can get overwhelming.
How To Take Control
However, job seekers can take steps to overcome analysis paralysis during their job search by implementing self-directed timelines so the search doesn’t go on for eternity. Seek advice from recruiters who specialize in your space and career coaches who can offer advice and guidance.
To alleviate stress, prepare for the interview by researching the company and the position and practicing answering common interview questions. The more you learn about the job, the more your confidence is boosted and anxiety decreases.
Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to find the best job. Rather than worry about the entirety of the interview process, take one step at a time and focus on the present. Practice breathing techniques to quell your stress levels. Visualize yourself succeeding in the interview and getting the job you want.
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