Unemployment, or underemployment, brings with it a lot of ill side-effects besides the lack of a paycheck. One being an unhealthy self-esteem. When we don't have a place to go and things to do on a day-to-day basis, we feel lost. Without a professional agenda, we feel purposeless. Therefore, we all WANT to find a job (for those of us who don't already have one). But with how the job search process works these days, we are beginning to feel even more purposeless.

We've all had the dreaded experience of finding a new job:

• We send out hundreds of resumes that never get responses.
• We found a job we think is a perfect fit: our experience exactly matches the posted requirements. Yet, the employer obviously doesn't agree because we do not get so much as an interview scheduled.
• We finally landed an interview. We thought it went so well! We got very positive feedback, only to get a follow up email that states: "Although we admire your credentials, there is not a fit for you in our organization." But they make sure that you know to never give up because,  "We will keep you in our database in case any other opportunities arise."
• Networking. We talked to dozens of friends, colleagues, neighbors and ex-business associates about our job search only to chase dead ends.

Trying to find a job is no longer exciting, but more like running away from a painful situation. The job search process is not only daunting, but emotionally exhaustive. Hearing no's, after no's, after no's really takes a toll on us. The end result: a reduction in our self esteem. We feel as if we are unemployable. We are left with an overwhelming fear because we either have bills to pay, a family to provide for, student loans to pay off, or a reputation to uphold.

So what do we do? We are tempted to take the first job that is offered to us without regards to our desires, conviction, and long-term success goals. The thought being, "Something is better than nothing."

That's where we are wrong. Yes, not having success in finding a job (excuse my language) SUCKS, but what sucks even more: finally having that place to go and things to do on a day-to-day basis, but HATING the place you're going and the things you're doing. Talk about a self-esteem killer. Going into work miserable every day contributes just as much, if not more, to that feeling of purposelessness as not having a job does. So, although it's tempting, don't take a job "just because." Take a job you enjoy.

Don't let the job chose you. Chose the job.

Don't let all the no's get you down. While it is cliche to say, "it's not you, it's me." It's true. It is not you - you are employable. It's the current way in which we go about finding a job that sets us up to fail.