Step 7.1: The Waiting Is The Hardest Part
To paraphrase Tom Petty, waiting for others to get back to you sucks. Here’s how to stop hitting the Refresh button on your email and take control.
The worst part of any job search isn't the rejection – it's the silence. That endless void between "application sent" and... nothing. The temptation to check your email every three minutes. The Sunday night anxiety that starts on Thursday. The constant urge to "just follow up one more time."
Here's the truth: The waiting will break you if you let it.
The solution isn't another follow-up email. It's redirecting that nervous energy into something that builds your value while you wait.
Think of waiting like working out: The growth happens between the sets, not during them. Your job search works the same way.
Instead of refreshing your inbox, build something of your own: Start that industry newsletter you've been thinking about. Launch your personal website. Create the side project that showcases your skills. Write the analysis piece that demonstrates your expertise. Build the portfolio you've been putting off. Etc…
The market doesn't care about your anxiety - but it rewards the value you create.
Your time waiting is time you can spend building. Every hour spent refreshing your email is an hour you could spend creating something that makes you more valuable to your next employer.
Remember: The best opportunities often come when you're too busy building to notice them.
Think of it this way: A year from now, you can either have a folder full of unanswered follow-up emails, or you can have something you built.
The market rewards those who create while they wait.
Your move: Close your email. Open your creation tool of choice. Build something today.
Because the best way to handle radio silence is to make some noise of your own.