Keeping Up Appearances.

Well I have now been on the job hunt for nearly a couple months and … *drum roll* … I still don’t have a job!! Wooohooo. But that’s fine I’ve gotten so good at this whole application business that it’s actually become like a little job in itself. And when I say a ‘little job’, I really mean a ridiculously labour-intensive task with little positive return and definitely no financial return. On the plus side though, I reckon I’ve got more of a routine than I ever did at University.

Get up. Drink tea. Get a few applications out. Lunch. More tea. Research more people/companies to contact. Even more tea. If I’m feeling particularly keen, get some more applications out.

Today, I feel like writing though. Haven’t blogged in a while so it seems appropriate. I miss writing about environmental issues (and this post is sadly not environmentally related). I just seem to have no time to do anything other than job applications. So I’m not really being inspired much at the moment. I’ll make an effort for my next post. Writing about rejection is only interesting if a lesson is learnt from it… or if it’s funny. I’ve yet to receive a funny rejection, I quite like the idea though! Stick a little joke in there. Or maybe just a link to this picture…

Hahaha yeah that would put a smile on my face. If a little tactless.

So anyway, for those who do find rejection funny, here’s my job application tally so far:

Sent out approx. 100 speculative e-mails out.

Sent out approx. 20 advertised job applications.

Received two invitations to next step in process.

Received approx. 25 rejections.

And the rest is just silence on the airwaves.

Not good odds really are they?!

So what can we learn from this? Well there’s a few things I reckon are important:

• Keep positive, but realistic. A delicate balance. But you can’t go around being miserable stating the depressing graduate facts of unemployment. And I don’t think it’s healthy either to go around thinking that you’re going to apply to this one amazing job and that they’re going to see how amazing you are. That’s just a set up for disappointment.

• Don’t take the rejections to heart. That’s what people tell me anyway. I haven’t got this one down yet. How can you not take a rejection to heart?? It’s a lost opportunity! But, I have developed a neat little coping mechanism… and it is so… shrug shoulders (as only a French person can) and exclaim: “Well it’s their bloomin’ loss!” 

• Apply to jobs while listening to an empowering soundtrack… makes the whole process seem a lot more significant. My choices so far have included: the Tron:Legacy soundtrack, a bit of the Offspring , any of the Black Key’s albums. Actually I’m also going through a 90s music revival at the moment! Just me? Oh… Awkward.

But anyhoo, to finish off, here’s my best and worst moments of applying for jobs. Next post will be green, I swear!

Bad Moments: When people ask you how the job hunt is going with a mixed air of pity and hope; and you answer with a very positive ‘oh well it’s just a case of perseverance isn’t it!’ when really inside you are screaming WHY WILL NO ONE GIVE ME A JOB????

Good Moments: Finding a job or company you absolutely love, and briefly imagining yourself having an awesome job with them.