1. Why haven’t I heard from anyone?
The sad truth is that while I may have qualities that make me a good candidate for a particular job, there is always someone who is better. I barely hear back from places that I’ve applied to, and when I do hear back from them, it’s to tell me that they’ve found a more qualified candidate to fill their position. That’s the way the job search works, and I understand that… but I still don’t like it.
2. I don’t have enough patience for this.
Sometimes when I get a response after sending an application, it comes weeks after I’ve applied and it’s simply to tell me that the company isn’t interested in hiring me. I don’t want to wait; I want to work. I want to get out there and make my mark on the world. Why should I have to wait for that?
3. I feel like I’ve sent my resume to a billion places.
I can’t begin to tell you how many places I’ve sent my resume to. I initially kept a list of all the places that I applied to, but after a certain point I just gave up on doing that. I’ve sent my resume to a ton of places, because I couldn’t afford to be picky. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I need to settle on a job that doesn’t seem to be a good fit for me, but I might as well put my information out there.
4. Please hire me, someone!!!
Please just hire me! I have been doing this internship for the past few summers. I have done a couple of jobs that have given me the experience you need in order to do a good job. Why have I spent all that time gaining experience when you barely even glance at my resume? I just need someone to give me a chance to prove myself.
5. I reach out to people and get frustrated with the responses I don't get.
I’ve been told to network, network, network, so that’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve reached out to people, I’ve received responses, and after I try to set up phone calls or meetings…I don’t hear back. Ever. How can I network when people make it impossible to do so?
6. I can do this, I know I can.
Every older person with a job keeps giving me words of encouragement and understanding. The phrase “You’ll find what you’re looking for soon” is nice, but soon isn’t soon enough. I’m ready to get going right now. But I have to be patient; I’ll find the right job. I know I will.