So I Didn’t Get the Job…
Life is full of ups and downs, but you have to persevere.
Being unemployed, single, living at my parents' house, and recently graduated amidst a pandemic is not typically what one would call “living the dream life.” I desperately tried to escape this situation by applying to jobs and going through a rigorous interview process, finding new hobbies, going on dates and trying to meet people online (who says romance is dead?), and staying in touch with old friends to pass the time, yet nothing seemed to work. When will hard work pay off?
There is no rulebook to life, nor does life has a path that guarantees success. Life is about surviving trials and tribulations. You have to figure out what works for you. But it’s hard, without a doubt, to continue and find that successful path while having limited success along the way to reassure you it’s worth it. When you take one step forward and two steps back, you can lose your way (sometimes). The most important thing to remember is that so many others are in the same position as you and it almost always works out for the best. After all, everything happens for a reason.
In this instance, professionally speaking, I applied to over 100 jobs and various companies in different cities in a variety of fields. I only denied by a few and hadn’t heard back from the rest, yet was asked to proceed through an interview process for one position. Six different interviews, several hours of conversation over Zoom, and three weeks later, I was denied the job. Of course, I was upset, however, a small part of me thought I wasn’t going to get the job. To be fair, however, I didn’t meet all of their preferred qualifications, but I did make it far enough to interview with the Vice President of the company. So that being said, I think the experience was great, despite the lack of a job offer.
But now I’m back at square one. After asking my interviewers what I could’ve done differently, they offered great advice. I tweaked my resume, edited my cover letter, and kept applying to more jobs. It’s rough out there, I’m not going to lie, but it’s manageable. Obviously, there are so many other things in my personal life that I need to figure out. But again, everything will fall into place. So that’s also when I realized that I need to make something more of myself despite being “unemployed.” I write for my blog (which is more of a hobby than anything), I do my freelance marketing work — check out my “Connect With Constance” tab for more information on how I can help your social media / small business! — and continue working on myself every day, whether that be working out, eating right, reading, and writing, or catching up with friends and family.
“The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” — George Washington
There isn’t a single thing that defines you as a person. The goal in life is to be a multifaceted diamond; a jack of all trades. Work on yourself and never give up. Change takes time. You are a work in progress. Never stop working toward your end goal, even if you get lost. You’ll find your path eventually. I know I will.
xoxo -C
