5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Stop Going To Interviews (Even If You Have A Job).

So, you have a job for several years and you are relatively satisfied with it (or not). It’s not ideal, but it does pay the bills and the market is shaky right now. There’s no real point in keeping on going to interviews right? Well, think again.

I have developed a weird “habit” in the last couple of years. I go to interviews. It had started out as the result of my need to find something more fulfilling as far as my career goes, and maybe something more profitable (I do have a job by the way). So, I began looking what’s out there for me, what my options were given the financial situation and unemployment rate. Lately though I realized that for some reason, unknown to me at the time, I have grown to enjoy the process of going through an interview. This is quite the opposite of how most people feel about going to interviews. Interviews are tiring, stressful, sometimes unpredictable, and quite honestly painful memories according to many job seekers.

This made me want to examine further the importance of going to interviews, even if one is currently employed. Here’s what my experience has taught me so far.

1. Being proactive goes a long way

In a time where nothing is certain in the job sector, and you might end up jobless any time now, acting proactively is of the utmost importance. Having as many viable options as possible beforehand, should that ever happen, can save you from the immense stress that being made redundant brings along. It also gives you the time to evaluate all those options more calmly and patiently, and not under the light of “I need to find a job right now”, which makes you much more prone to opting for erroneous solutions.

2. Understanding where the market is headed is of paramount significance

What better way to find out about changes in your own field than going to interviews and talking to the managers? You get informed about new methods, trends, salary changes, benefits that other companies might have, requirements and qualifications that you might lack at the time, and a million other things. You also gain a brief insight into company cultures, what their mission is, and if that mission happens to match your personal goals and vision.

3. Networking is key

It’s all about knowing the right people, and not in the “I got hired because my friend knew the hiring manager and he put in a good word for me” type of way, of course. Having the right connections should be just a plus to getting the job and not a factor on its own (reality is very different sometimes though). We have many more tools nowadays to achieve efficient networking compared to the conventional forms of the past, but it still hasn’t lost its importance, whatever the kind. You never know when a job opportunity that arose because of interview networking might come in handy. I had once been in an interview where the owner of the company was really interested in me and I was really interested in the company, although at the time we didn’t move on to the next level due to other reasons. However, the owner graciously honored me more than once later on by making me a job offer. An agreement was not reached, once again, mostly because I was looking for a full time job and they couldn’t offer one, but you get my point. You never know when networking will salvage you from a critical situation.

4. Getting a sense of approval rejuvenates you

To me going to interviews is like dating, you get this feeling that somebody liked you enough (or in this case your resume) to want to see you again. This is tremendously important and is the main reason, I believe, that candidates who are on year long job searches with no interview offers are said to suffer from depression etc. Not getting asked to go to interviews equals rejection, and who can deal with rejection effectively?

5. It’s fun

Or at least, I personally find it fun. It takes long to master it, and I can’t say I have (I’m not even close to that point actually), but I am certainly more experienced than I was in the beginning. The more interviews you go through the more ways or set answers you will find to tackle tricky questions or issues that come up in that context. When this happens, you will feel much more relaxed, sure about yourself, and able to appreciate what you can learn from the situation. So, in a way, being successful in interviews is an art on its own, and art is fun, right?

It really has to do with the person, I guess. However, I believe that modern times call for restless people, people who are passionate to find what’s best for them, especially in such vital areas as employment. Much like the saying “Better is the enemy of good”, the improvement of our own work prospects relies solely on us and our need to evolve further, even when we think we have reached a satisfactory point.

What’s your take on interviewing? Do you like it, hate it, or just manage to cope with it? I’d appreciate one or many 👏 as well as your input in the comments section below.

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