Common Barriers That Get in the Way of Your Job Search Goals

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice •


Even if you've invested time in creating job search goals, barriers could slow your progress or even put a halt to your success. Learn more about these barriers to avoid letting anything get in the way of your ability to accomplish goals and find yourself in the career of your dreams.

Barriers are merely imaginary obstacles, explains career coach Joel Garfinkle. The key is to identify the barriers to your job search goals and make every effort to avoid letting them lead you off course.

Self-Doubt

Many job seekers set goals with high expectations and then doubt their abilities. Self-doubt can stem from other people's opinions or rejections during the job search. Instead of valuing other people's opinions, strive to give yourself the approval you need. You know what you want and need, and you have established goals to propel you into your field of choice.

Vague Goals Without Direction

A common barrier to achieving your goals is a lack of clarity. Avoid vague goals such as "I want a job" or "I'll take what I can get." Opt for goals that are more specific, such as "I want a career as an accountant" or "I desire to work for a firm that has opportunities to advance." Evaluate your skill set and experience, and revamp those vague goals so they are more in line with how you can best utilize your talents.

Unrealistic Time Frames

Assign time frames to your job search goals. However, when you set unattainable goals and you have not fulfilled them within your designated time frame, it can cause self-doubt and put a strain on your job searching efforts. Set a quota for the number of positions you plan to apply for or strive to advance to the next level of promotion within your current company in a year's time. Be realistic, and set incremental steps for promotions that align with your annual reviews.

Lack of Support

Even if your confidence is soaring during the job search, a lack of support and resources can become a road block. You need encouragement from people who believe in your skills and talents. Seek out advice and input from a career counselor or the unemployment office. Sign up for workshops on resume writing. Reach out to colleagues and professionals in your network to keep yourself motivated and focused. When support is lacking, reach out to find it on your own.

Your job search goals serve as the road map to your success. Allowing barriers to stand in your way can impact your professional and personal well-being. Re-evaluate your goals and eliminate any barriers that may stray you off course so that you can progress within your search and find career satisfaction.

Photo Courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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  • Willard Miller
    Willard Miller •

    Your right about that

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @William sadly those job seekers who need assistance during the entire process are going to be those same coworkers who always need assistance completing a project or anything else. Those are the employees are the ones who will be a continual drain on everyone else' time and resources. To not be this person, you could try some assertiveness classes. Or maybe you just need to break the task down into manageable bites in order to remove the fear and self-doubt. Maybe it's just too much to look at the project as a whole - too overwhelming. But if you break it down into steps and just complete one step at a time, this might help build up your confidence and let you see that there's nothing to fear.

  • William Browning
    William Browning •

    What kind of tools can you use to get rid of any self-doubt and improve your confidence? That might not be an easy thing to do for some job seekers who need assistance during the entire process. Some people are simply better self-starters than others, so motivation becomes the first barrier you need to remove before having a successful job search.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water •

    Just because something is difficult (or impossible) to measure doesn't mean it's not a real thing. While "self-doubt" (or better termed "self-confidence" isn't something that you can tally on a spreadsheet, it has a very real effect on your job search. Employers can quickly spot somebody who is positive and upbeat about their chances, and can just as easily tell who is simply trying not to screw everything up. Additionally, self-confidence is directly controlled by you, whereas a lot of your measurable goals may not be.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Cory getting rid of self-doubt is more of an abstract while setting clear cut goals for your job search is more concrete - something that you can write down, see, review and modify as necessary. At least that's how I look at it. Anyone else want to jump in to answer Cory's question?

  • Delaney O'Neil
    Delaney O'Neil •

    I couldn't agree more about setting vague goals! Job searches tend to be stressful, and they often feel really urgent, which means we're tempted to just take whatever comes along, no matter how poor a fit it is. Having a really clear idea about what you're looking for is a huge help — it makes it easier to identify bad choices and avoid them.

  • Cory L.
    Cory L. •

    I think there's a crucial irony here in listing vague goals without direction as an issue, but also the need to deal with abstract and vague issues like self doubt and a lack of support. Is getting rid of self-doubt really any different than another vague goal without direction? I'm not entirely sure I understand the difference.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Jane it's hard to say for sure. Have you revisited your goals? Maybe they are too vague. Have you tried using the SMART method for setting your goals? Self-doubt - that certainly can be a killer. You have to figure out what is causing that self-doubt and work on ways to move on. We all doubt ourselves at one point or another but, if you are qualified for a position - you know how to do it - why doubt yourself?

  • Jane H.
    Jane H. •

    I like the idea of getting encouragement from others; who wouldn't? However, it's more common to hear about the economic downturn and how hard it's been out there for a long time now. Since I typically err on the side of caution, the difficulty in deciding what to do next tends to cause me to suffer from the paralysis of analysis. Do you think that kind of inertia is more due to having goals that are too vague or is it just self doubt?

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