I'm slowly learning that the whole crazy-high-unemployment-rate-thing plaguing the U.S. is actually affecting little ole me.
Others are struggling too. Keely is a 3L looking for a job, but the options are so slim in North Carolina that she actually interviewed at the public defender's office in South Carolina (even though she just bought a house in NC). The interviewer told her that 5 years ago she might have gotten a job there, but now they had people with multiple years of litigation experience applying for entry level positions. Katie got her nursing degree in May and has yet to find one single opening in all of New Orleans, she guesses because all the part-timers have re-flooded the workplace in an effort to make ends meet. I mean, isn't nursing supposed to be one of the most surefire careers you can have? What is going on out there?!
So I guess it's no surprise that my phone is not ringing off the hook. My search is very specific: I want to work for a consulting firm that serves nonprofits. This makes it easier to target possible companies but means that positions are limited. I got my wake-up call last week when I applied for a job at a local firm, a job that I'd already done before at an equivalent firm. Honestly I figured I was a shoe-in to at least make it to the interview level, since I already had the required experience, and I had a master's degree and the current people in that position don't. It's a small firm, about 30 people. I figured maybe 50 people applied at most. Thus, I didn't take it too well when I got a rejection letter. I called the firm and found out that more than 400 people had applied. The good news is, I don't have to take it personally. The bad news is, I'M NEVER GOING TO GET A JOB WHEN 400 PEOPLE APPLY FOR A TINY NICHE POSITION.
Needless to say, I've decided to expand my horizons. Now I'm considering positions in prostitution, tattooing, video game programming, pest control, witchcraftery, auto repair, dog walking, and mathematics. Surely something in there will stick.
On a slightly more positive note, I saw that someone from a company that I applied to had visited my LinkedIn profile. So at least all my applications aren't flying off into the ether.
And another thing: I ended up emailing Rejection Firm and asking them to re-review my application, because I have a website with writing samples set up, and I knew they hadn't visited the site (because who wouldn't put a tracker on that?), which made me think maybe they'd never even read my email at all. It was a longshot, but I didn't really have anything to lose. About 20 minutes after they got my email, they totally went to see my site! They're still not going to hire me, but at least they followed through and thoroughly read my application before kicking me out the door. I'll take it!
5 comments:
well, hellloooo. had i known you were up for pest control, i could have hooked you up a long time ago. you know i've got an in there. ;-)
Impressed by your gahunas to email them back and say, look again, fool.
I remember applying for an entry level position in Delaware requiring a bachelor's degree and 0-2 experience preferred. With a Master's and 3-5 years experience, I got the phone interview and the on campus offer. Found out over 350 applied for the position. Just saw it's re-advertised.
Stupid recession, man. Remember before the recession and there were JOBS GALORE? I wish we were back then. Or that I'd taken advantage of the aformentioned jobs galore.
Even though it feels counterproductive to take a job unrelated to what you'd like to do - I don't think in terms of moving forward (ie, into the field you actually want) that a year or two doing something else would make your resume look bad. Everyone realizes the economy sucks, which doesn't make it any better, but it at least might help justify making a choice now that doesn't seem to move you in the right direction.
i agree with jackie. and also, get ready for mood swings and wanting to drink your sorrows away all the time (which sucks cause you get to a point where you can't afford to do this-haha).
I'd be happy to drink y'alls sorrow away with you. Just saying.
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