Failing to learn from unsuccessful job applications

As a headteacher and later a chair of governors, I saw too many candidates who plainly did not understand how much effort it takes to land a desirable post. Many of these hopefuls are, to use their own term, “on the circuit”, submitting the same mediocre application time and again with only minor tweaks, attending and failing interviews with the same itinerant group. The principle they seem to work on is, “eventually my turn will come”. It’s a bit like an unprepared runner trying to increase their chances of winning a marathon by entering a lot of them.

What is the right thing to do?

This is not the place for detailed advice on writing applications and handling interviews, but if your efforts repeatedly fail then the devil is surely in the detail of your approach. So instead of complaining about being unappreciated, invest serious effort in seeking feedback and learning from people who deal with job applications every day.