Get Unstuck: The Power of Interviewing

Complacency holds you back from realizing your full potential. For the career-minded individual, this is a growing, daunting source of anxiety and stress as the feeling of being stuck and purposelessness pulls you down. If this sounds familiar, jumping all-in and totally quitting your job might not be your best solution.  Instead, we recommend interviewing for jobs instead.

Interviewing for a job that you are not interested in accepting yields powerful validation. Not only is a meeting with a hiring manager a prime chance to expand your network and make new connections within/outside your field, but, if the interview goes well, you could use an employment offer as leverage at your current position for better pay, wages, perks, etc. An interview garners fresh insight into the field the job pertains to, and this knowledge benefits you in a number of ways, especially if you plan on a long-term career in that particular field. While these reasons are all very practical in nature, there are even more perks to the power of interviewing for jobs you won’t accept.

Empowerment. Going to a new job interview helps you get out of your shell and experience things differently as you interact.   Imagining yourself in a different role or company or even field helps break bad habits and stagnant thinking. Much like the peaks in happiness people experience in the time leading up to a vacation, the “possibilities” of a new adventure are often enough to improve self-esteem and improve stress. 

Collating data for your updated resumé highlights your awesomeness while sharpening your “small talk” skills is like stoking a fire of interest and enthusiasm: people are interested in YOU!  When the interviewer’s response is positive, your career journey feels well worth it. There are few authentic opportunities to get this type of recognition and encouragement outside the context of job interviews, when our accolades and successes are literally the focus of the conversation. Let yourself get hyped up (but humble yourself with their feedback.)

Even if the interview doesn’t ultimately culminate with a job offer, going through the motions of putting yourself out there, practicing your self-sales pitch, and receiving some direct, objective feedback only sharpens your candidacy as a dynamic employee, no matter your field or career. Taking these types of opportunities to learn more about yourself as well as a different context/culture/company/field leads to boosts in your mental health as you realize just how unique and wonderful you are. Thankfully, we are all beautiful, amazing humans full of nuance, complexities, and possibility.  We are not defined by our jobs or workplace or potential of a new job. It is within these contexts that our own unique humanity is allowed to bloom and flourish. 

So get out there and find a job interview to go to (even if you don’t need the job.)