1. Don't take it personally.

At first, I took every rejection email as if someone looked me right in the face and said "You're not good enough".

In reality, their applicant tracking system (ATS) probably auto-rejected the resume for not having the right keywords or "qualifications". That’s right. A real person didn't even see your application!

Maybe you need to change the format or wording of your resume, maybe it wasn’t the right job for you, or maybe that ATS is a jerk! Don't let robots hurt your feelings. 🤖

2. Control the controllable.

This paradigm keeps me positive and productive. You don’t control if a company hires you, but you do control how hireable you are.

Don't have a degree? Get experience. Can’t get experience? Build the best damn projects they've ever seen. You might feel stuck, but there is always positive action to take.

Network, message recruiters, look for freelance work, build projects, and keep learning.

3. It's not "if" –– it's "when".

You might wonder "Will I ever get a job?".

I can say with 100% certainty you will... unless you give up.

Don't ruminate on dread scenarios of never getting into the industry. I see dozens of people break into tech daily. If you keep improving and keep applying, you WILL get a job. I told myself I'd apply to 1000 jobs before even thinking about throwing in the towel. Your opportunity is out there. Keep going.

The job search is grueling. Lean on the community for support/advice, find a mentor, and take short breaks as needed. But don't let yourself stop applying, and don’t quit! You got this 💯