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| Coronavirus: I got a job after 280 rejections | Coronavirus: I got a job after 280 rejections |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| After being in continuous employment for 11 years, Hannah Webb lost her job during lockdown and it took her 280 attempts to get a new one. | |
| She's not alone. | She's not alone. |
| Latest figures show UK unemployment reached its highest level for two years, with those aged 16 to 24 suffering the biggest drop in employment. | Latest figures show UK unemployment reached its highest level for two years, with those aged 16 to 24 suffering the biggest drop in employment. |
| "I was pretty much waking up every day to a rejection email. It was devastating," 23-year-old Hannah tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. | "I was pretty much waking up every day to a rejection email. It was devastating," 23-year-old Hannah tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. |
| "But I knew the tough time would end, and I would find work within six months." | "But I knew the tough time would end, and I would find work within six months." |
| 'Applying for everything and anything' | 'Applying for everything and anything' |
| Hannah's previous job was in careers advice - a situation that felt bitterly ironic. | Hannah's previous job was in careers advice - a situation that felt bitterly ironic. |
| "Having been working in careers, I was then questioning my ability to support people into work when I was struggling to find work." | "Having been working in careers, I was then questioning my ability to support people into work when I was struggling to find work." |
| She naturally started applying for roles within that area. | She naturally started applying for roles within that area. |
| "But I realised the market was so tough and I was just getting rejection after rejection." | "But I realised the market was so tough and I was just getting rejection after rejection." |
| That's when she decided to "broaden the search, applying for everything and anything". | That's when she decided to "broaden the search, applying for everything and anything". |
| "From retail sales and warehouse roles, to delivery driving, you name it and I was applying for it," she says. | "From retail sales and warehouse roles, to delivery driving, you name it and I was applying for it," she says. |
| 'I cried myself to sleep worrying' | 'I cried myself to sleep worrying' |
| Hannah's "devastation" at the constant rejections was made worse knowing she had two young kids to support. | Hannah's "devastation" at the constant rejections was made worse knowing she had two young kids to support. |
| "I can't count the amount of times I cried myself to sleep worrying about how I would do next week's food shop." | "I can't count the amount of times I cried myself to sleep worrying about how I would do next week's food shop." |
| But that desperation "to provide" made her believe she would eventually find work. | But that desperation "to provide" made her believe she would eventually find work. |
| •Jobless in the pandemic: 'It's hard to stay positive' | •Jobless in the pandemic: 'It's hard to stay positive' |
| •'I apply everywhere - few firms reply' | •'I apply everywhere - few firms reply' |
| "There is nothing I would have said no to at that point in time, so I knew deep down I was doing everything I could for them." | "There is nothing I would have said no to at that point in time, so I knew deep down I was doing everything I could for them." |
| "The only thing I could do was reassure myself that I would find work, and stay consistent with my applications," she adds. | "The only thing I could do was reassure myself that I would find work, and stay consistent with my applications," she adds. |
| Learning from rejection | Learning from rejection |
| You might be wondering what changed for Hannah to finally get a job more than 280 applications later. | You might be wondering what changed for Hannah to finally get a job more than 280 applications later. |
| After asking for feedback - which she recommends everyone do - Hannah realised she was underselling herself. | After asking for feedback - which she recommends everyone do - Hannah realised she was underselling herself. |
| "At the start, I was anxious and uptight, trying to portray myself as this super professional. I wasn't letting my personality shine through. | "At the start, I was anxious and uptight, trying to portray myself as this super professional. I wasn't letting my personality shine through. |
| "And they wouldn't have bought into me because I didn't believe what I was saying in the interview." | "And they wouldn't have bought into me because I didn't believe what I was saying in the interview." |
| •How do I find a new job? | •How do I find a new job? |
| •What it's like to change careers in the middle of a pandemic? | •What it's like to change careers in the middle of a pandemic? |
| To build her confidence, she started listing five things she was good at and why she was good at them. | To build her confidence, she started listing five things she was good at and why she was good at them. |
| "I was kind to myself and that made sure I knew what I was good at." | "I was kind to myself and that made sure I knew what I was good at." |
| It's fair to say the change worked for her. She's finally got a job, back in careers advice. | It's fair to say the change worked for her. She's finally got a job, back in careers advice. |
| Hannah's job search has been a positive in her new role - giving ideas she regularly draws on. | Hannah's job search has been a positive in her new role - giving ideas she regularly draws on. |
| "It gave me a hands-on experience of how our mental health drops, the self-doubt that creeps in." | "It gave me a hands-on experience of how our mental health drops, the self-doubt that creeps in." |
| What advice does she now give to people that come to her? | What advice does she now give to people that come to her? |
| "I know what it feels like to be rejected. So it's about pushing on and knowing you can do it." | "I know what it feels like to be rejected. So it's about pushing on and knowing you can do it." |
| "Be kind to yourself that you've got the skills and abilities for the roles you're applying for," she adds. | "Be kind to yourself that you've got the skills and abilities for the roles you're applying for," she adds. |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |