Hit 200 rejections on job apps last month and felt relieved instead of crushed

I kept a spreadsheet because I wanted proof I was trying. When I crossed 200 applications with no offer, I expected to feel like a failure. But honestly, it just confirmed the market is broken and not me. I had a recruiter tell me they got 800 apps for one entry level role (which is insane). Has anyone else hit a big number and just felt numb instead of sad?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlescraig4d ago

Wait, when you got past 200 did you actually stop applying or did you just keep going but feeling different about it? Like did you adjust your approach at all or was it more like you kept doing the same thing but just stopped caring about the result? I'm trying to figure out if that numb feeling helps you make better choices or if it just makes you worse at selling yourself during interviews. Because I've seen people who hit that wall and they either get really sharp about their strategy or they just start sending out the same lazy application to everything.

spencer_coleman4d agoTop Commenter

I hit 300 once and spent the next week just staring at my ceiling.

emerym364d ago

Respectfully, I see it different. That numb feeling didn't help me make better choices, it just made me stop caring enough to even try. I started sending out lazy applications where I barely changed the cover letter and that definitely cost me opportunities. The people who got sharp about their strategy were the ones who took a real break first, not the ones who kept grinding while feeling hollow. You need to step away for a bit before you can come back with fresh eyes.