The Enchiridion of Epictetus, by Stoic philosopher Epictetus (50 – 135 CE), opens with a straightforward truth: “Some things are in our control, and others are not.” What you control are your beliefs, opinions, impulses, desires, fears, perceptions, and responses. What you don’t control are others’ beliefs, opinions, impulses, desires, fears, perceptions, and behaviours.
I tend to compartmentalize, which is why I strongly recommend job seekers adopt Epictetus’s dichotomy of control, which emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between what is within one’s influence and control (internal) and what is outside it (external). When job seekers accept that they have no control over external factors and focus on the internal factors they can control, they tend to achieve much better job search results.
Often, when pursuing the success we want, or more likely see others have, such as career advancement, we put all our efforts into learning new skills, attending classes, cultivating professional relationships, working extra hours, and promoting our efforts and results to our bosses and upper management, only to be disappointed with our rate of progression or to fall short of the success we’re aspiring to. We thus learn once again that success depends on many factors outside of our control.
A mistake we all make is equating control over our individual contributions with control over the overall outcome.
Having firsthand experience, I want to share advice that’ll help you avoid years of therapy and lessen your stress, frustration, anger, and anxiety. The surest path to an optimal state of mind is to identify what we can and can’t change, then focus on the former and accept the latter.
When you job search within your sphere of control, you feel naturally free, independent, and empowered. Outside your sphere of control, you’re vulnerable, constrained, and reliant. Every day, I see and hear job seekers pin their hopes on factors beyond their control, such as how employers design their hiring process, how gatekeepers behave (ghosting, lack of feedback), and whether they get hired. If job seekers focused only on what is truly their concern and within their control, and left the rest to recruiters and employers, they’d expedite their job search.
For example, if you’re feeling anxious before a job interview, remind yourself that your preparation, attitude, and how you present yourself are within your control. The interviewer’s mood, biases, beliefs, company policies, what other candidates offer, and, especially, gut feel—the most crucial factor in hiring decisions—are beyond your control.
Worth remembering: rejection is temporary if you allow it to be. Taking to LinkedIn to complain that you were unfairly rejected—according to you, you were qualified and aced the interviews—isn’t only not a good look but also shows you don’t understand that hiring decisions aren’t yours to make.
Take responsibility for your controllables. Don’t let the uncontrollables occupy your mind. You have no control over:
An employer’s timeline
You’ve done your part (submitted a quality application); now it’s up to the employer. Take a moment to breathe and redirect your energy toward another opportunity.
Job market conditions
You have no control over the economy or industry trends. The only thing you can control is making sure you’re as good a candidate as possible.
Employer preferences
There’s no way to know the preferences and biases of the person reviewing your resume and LinkedIn profile. No two recruiters, hiring managers, or (gasp) ATSs assess candidates the same way.
Internal candidates
Employers often post jobs despite having internal candidates to comply with policies, ensure fairness, compare talent, and maintain transparency, thereby avoiding accusations of favouritism. While competing with internal candidates is beyond your control, showcasing your fresh perspective is.
Random events
Companies downsizing, hiring freezes, AI eliminating jobs, and sending jobs overseas where they can be performed more economically are beyond your control.
What you can control:
The quality of your resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter
The information you choose to provide to a company/hiring manager/recruiter is critical to landing interviews. Offer quantifying numbers, not opinions. Show measurable wins and how you enhanced your employer’s profitability. Write a cover letter that compels the reader to read your resume. Not including a cover letter is lazy. I don’t know a hiring manager who hires lazy.
Your networking efforts
Opportunities are all around you; the catch is that they’re attached to people, which is why cultivating connections is the most efficient job search strategy. My networking tip: When meeting someone for the first time, ask yourself, “How can I help this person?”
Interview preparation
Know and understand the company, the role, how you’d fit in, and your interviewer (Google and LinkedIn are your friends). Express genuine interest! Ask questions that show you’re focused on what you can offer the employer rather than on what you want from them.
Your online reputation
Along with gathering information to learn more about you, employers are seeking “social proof” to confirm that you are who you say you are; therefore, take your digital footprint seriously, which most job seekers don’t.
Epictetus’s dichotomy of control applies to job searching as follows: Letting go of what you can’t control is liberating. Knowing what you can control is empowering. How you manage your controllables shapes your job search journey.
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