“The war for talent”, that is what every organisation has been talking about. Is it truly a war for talent? I personally find it a tragic irony where people are qualified but they are told that they are never good enough. They need to stand out more.

Youngsters in this generation are told that they are privileged to have access to education, resources and technology that was not there before. They have opportunities that never existed. My personal observation is that, regardless of the generation, connections are always a win.

Rejections after rejections, I see so many people crushed and dispirited, wondering how to stand out. Get an undergraduate degree, no, get a postgraduate degree. Is that enough? Get some more professional development courses. Get some internships and placements. Check, check, check! Whoops, you do not have 5+ years experience. How can a recent graduate get five years worth of full time experience and are expected to have a professional degree as well?

How can we fix this?

It is hard to change the results that we get, the stigmas in place. However, as job seekers, one thing we can do is to channel the frustration and determination into challenging ourselves and thinking outside the box. Take some time for ourselves, really think about what we want, how can we be different with the minimum criteria set? Create an online portfolio, make some videos and blogs to truly express our passion. Show that despite not having connection, you can be a vital contribution to the team.

Passion, determination and positivity can’t be taught. I believe in the war of talent, it is like the game of chess. There is the king, queen, bishop, knight, rook and pawn. Don’t be a pawn, don’t try to be a king or queen. Be a rook or a bishop, be that unique piece that keeps a low profile but makes a change to the game.

Alas, we can’t change how the world works but we can always change our behaviour and perception towards the situation and turn that into an opportunity.

A rejection is one door closed but there are million of other doors waiting for a rook or a bishop to complete their set. We just have to find the right door. Doing nothing is just ideally staring at the million doors, waiting to be opened.