MMM! The delicious taste of rejection – it ranks right up their with an orange juice and toothpaste coffee. I like mine black, extra strong and served so hot that it burns my entire tongue, and the roof of my mouth and then mixes with the little fleshy skin bits that peel off. Sorry, I don't mean to gross anyone out but I need to vent.
Despite my oath to get out their and grab Life by the gonads, Life has decided to kick me in mine ... twice... in the same day... and the search for the perfect job (read: any job), continues.
Lets crunch some numbers: Six preliminary interviews + Five follow up interviews + Three follow-up follow-up interviews + Four reference checks + One job offer + One budget cut = a grand total of zero jobs *sob*
(for the sake of my dignity I haven't kept track of how many resumes have been sent and straight-up ignored by the HR department of wherever)
I find it slightly enjoyable, actually, getting that call. They always find something to compliment you on first, “you're writing skills are outstanding,” “your portfolio is very impressive,” “your references said great things about you” .... and then they drop the bomb (it' a big bomb, painted florescent orange and pink, with strobe lights attached to it and sirens going off, and you see it coming miles and miles away) “it really came down to you and another candidate.... BUT... I'm really sorry that it wasn't you. Nine times out of ten (as the case is) that other candidate speaks French. And they're not actually thinking “wow, I'm so sorry it wasn't you.” They're thinking “wow, I'm really sorry that I drew the short-straw and had to make this call because I feel REALLY uncomfortable right now.” But at least then, when all is said and done, you know that you don't have a job. Which is a heck of a lot better than not knowing and waiting for your phone to ring, checking your email every 30 seconds, and avoiding the mailman like he the carrier of small pox, on the off-chance that they've gone old school and sent you the dreaded rejection letter. Yes, I enjoy a good kick in the confidence about as much as I enjoy a good session of electro'shock therapy.
Truth is, Ottawa is a Franco-city and I'm a by-product of my rural-Manitoban, anglophone, upbringing (where, by the way, the little French that I do know, would knock the pants off of 95% of the population).
Truth is that's an excuse (all be it a very good one), and I'll wallow in self-pity for another day, maybe two, and then I'll brush off the ol'resume and take one more swing at it... not that my resume is very dusty at the current moment, or that I feel very much like swinging any more... but a girl's gotta eat and that first pay cheque's going to taste minty-fresh; hold the orange juice please.
I hear you. I've applied 14 places and had interviews for 6 positions. I've yet to get the job. The problem is that there's 40 people just like me looking for the same thing. Hang in there Britt. Something will come. Let's both be optimistic and minty fresh jobs will come soon!
ReplyDeletePS surely university of Ottawa offers French courses... maybe a brush up on french is in order.
I think that you were robbed! It is now the time that one requires new shoes, a new purse or something sparkly......pick one or all of the above. Rootin' for you, kiddo!
ReplyDeleteI know little sis it's not easy hang in there I know you have the talent to shine some times the right fit just takes time to find.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support and suggestions everyone! A french course might take me to a passable level, but in communications you really need to be equal parts french and english, the colloquialisms and "real-speak" aren't something you learn from a text book, although I know it wouldn't hurt.
ReplyDeleteIf I knew they wouldn't be eaten by Sally, shoes would make me feel better. I had a dream that she ate another dog last night.
Thanks for the encouragement!
I really like Jen's comment (i.e., 40 other people you're facing). It raises a very important question - what are you going to do to make yourself stand out?
ReplyDeleteI remember reading (and telling Britt) about a girl in Toronto who after a year of resume-handing in and interviews she still didn't have a job. So, she began standing on the street corner in downtown, bay street Toronto with a sign that read "will work for pay" and "spare a job?". Apparently the first day she did it she received 10 business cards and two invitations for interviews. Not sure what field/industry she was in but you get the point.
I also read about another social media guy who bought the google search results for three highly respected media execs. When they searched their own names (i.e., googled themselves) his website came up with the text "I'm XYZ. It's cool you google yourself. I do too. Here's my profile and portfolio". He got a job from one of them after being flown in for an interview.
Funny that these two examples are marketing based but you get the point - skills/abilities being constant, what are YOU doing to stand apart from the pack?
Even though I have a job now, it's only a year contract. It won't be long before I'm back in the market...
And just for the record, I think Britt got robbed too. Even without French she's still a very talented, fresh and can-do type of girl - and it's to their detriment those firms didn't hire her.
ReplyDeleteAll this being said, there's still lots of opportunities out there (even with the mal a la francais being considered) and I can't wait until I get to read the blog post about her getting one of them...
Go get'em baby.
detriment... good word!
ReplyDelete