Nothing ventured, nothing gained. – Chaucer

100% of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in. – Wayne Gretzky

You can’t win if you don’t play. – State Lottery Commission

There are many ways to express the idea that to gain rewards one must take risks, but humans and animals alike are naturally risk averse. This is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation. Those populations that selected low-risk environments, food, and mates, survived to pass their genes–and an aversion to risk–on to the next generation. However, researchers have found that if a risky action has the potential to lead to a bigger payoff than the certain one, most of us will take the risk. There is one action that we engage in throughout our working lives that has the potential for big payoffs and equally high rewards regardless of the outcome…applying for a job.

All of us have had the experience of not getting the job we wanted. This may increase our dissatisfaction with the job we have now, erode our self-confidence, and discourage us from applying for jobs in the future. But there are many benefits to applying for a job, even if you didn’t, or don’t think you will get the job.

It provides a reason to update your resume.

A client recently had the experience of applying for a new job after working for her employer for over 10 years. Gail performed well, and was given increasing responsibilities, but sought new challenges. However, she struggled with the application process because she hadn’t updated her resume in over a decade. We suggested Gail review her annual evaluations to come up with a list of major duties and responsibilities, as well as the special projects she’d worked on over the years. This helped Gail overcome her writer’s block, apply for, and compete successfully for a new job.

PRO TIP: Whether you’re applying for jobs or not, review and revise your resume and cover letter at least once a year. This will help you remember accomplishments, experience, and skills gained, and ensure that you are always prepared to apply for new job prospects.

It gives you practice.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, job seekers who apply for 21 to 80 jobs have a 30.89% chance of receiving a job offer. These odds are much better than winning the lottery and can be improved upon by practice, repeatedly applying, and interviewing for jobs.¹ So although not getting the job you hoped for can be discouraging, a helpful reframe is to realize that the process provided you with practice.

It gives you an opportunity to review the skills and experience you need to qualify for the job you want.

A wonderful thing about the public sector is its emphasis on transparency. This means that the minimum education, experience, and skills needed to do the job are spelled out in every recruitment ad. These minimum qualifications (MQs) can be used to plan your career progression. For example, if you are a Public Information clerk who wants to become a Public Information Officer (PIO) someday, read PIO recruitment ads and use them as checklists for the skills, experience, and education you need to obtain to qualify for the position.

PRO TIP: If you don’t meet all of the job qualifications, apply anyway. Several recent studies indicate that women don’t apply for jobs unless they meet 100% of the qualifications, whereas men will apply if they meet at least 60%. This is likely because women are rule followers while men possess confidence in abundance, and believe that they can do the job even though they may lack some of the requested skills and experience. If you are questioned about not meeting one or more of the qualifying criteria, talk about the skills and experiences you have that are transferrable or similar.

It gives you a chance to reflect on challenges in your career and how you’ve overcome them.

You made it through the job interview gauntlet and likely answered questions about interpersonal or career challenges you’ve overcome. Answering these questions requires you to reflect on your accomplishments. This, in turn, helps you build self-confidence and provides a road map for overcoming challenges in the future.

Not getting the job you want can provide benefits including an updated resume, invaluable practice, an opportunity to review your skills and experience, as well as the chance to reflect on career challenges you’ve overcome. Keep applying and interviewing and don’t get discouraged when you don’t get the job. Believe in yourself and your skills and abilities and one day the job you want will be yours.

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1. Interestingly, the BLS study also found that the chances of getting a job decreased if job seekers sent over 80 applications. Some possible explanations for this include applicants rushing to send numerous applications and not taking time with application materials. This leads to disqualifying mistakes, and a lack of match with the required knowledge, skills, and experience requested.