Pokémon Go has quickly become the most used smartphone app, surpassing the popular Candy Crush Saga. After reading Stephanie A. W. Anderson's piece (which you can find here), I realized that there are some lessons to be learned from this game.
To those who have never played the game, it is a location-based augmented reality mobile game that can be played on iOS and Android devices. This seems like a wild goose chase, given that all the Pokémon caught are just codes in a game, but the game itself is full of strategy and skill, which you will ultimately need to become a PokéMaster. The game has a main end goal, but players have to struggle to reach that goal. If you think about it, it seems as if the game is pretty similar to the average person's job search.
Consider the start of the game. You download the app and create a new profile, and customize your trainer. In your job search, you create your resume and customize your LinkedIn to show off your best version of yourself. When you first start your job search, you will see all kinds of job posts, much like the numerous Rattatas and Pidgeys that are always around when you open your app or hatch an egg. However, after some time, you start to set your sights higher. You start to look for more rare Pokémon, such as Pikachu or Snorlax.
Or in terms of your job search, you start to look for your dream job.
It is important to note that rare Pokémon are called rare for a reason. They require time and effort spent searching and sometimes you can go days without finding one. However, the power of the rare creatures trumps the power of the creatures you encounter on a daily basis. Similarly, your dream job won't be waiting behind the first link/application you choose. Your dream job will require hard work, constant searching, and commitment. Without this, you will be stuck looking at the common positions that you are no longer interested in.
Once you have collected enough Pokémon, you are then eligible to join a gym. This is where you learn to become the best trainer you can be, challenging others until you become a gym leader. In the same way, you will always be challenged by others during your quest for your dream job. You are not the only one applying for this job. There is a whole pool of people in the same "gym" as you working hard to prove that they are the best. Practice your interview skills. provide a compelling cover letter, and make sure your resumé as well as your LinkedIn profile is up to date. With enough practice and experience, you have the chance to become a gym leader, aka you have the chance at being selected for the position.
However, don't get discouraged if you don't get the position.
Just like in the game, there are always more challenges ahead, and more opportunities to become a leader. Likewise, there are always going to be more opportunities. Take it as a sign to keep looking. Everything happens for a reason, and the world is probably making you hold out for a new position, as long as you are out there searching.
