Here's the thing: When you have been searching for a job for as long as I have, you don't want to drag people along with you for the ride. There are more ups and downs than I am willing to share with my family and friends. A glimmer of hope often turns out to be nothing more than a falsity -- that's not me being cynical; that's me being realistic and honest with myself. It has gotten to the point that the last couple of interviews that I went on were virtually kept secret.
Some days I wake up, feeling motivated and ready to grab the job search by its horns; other days, I hit a wall after browsing listings only for a short while. The whole process is exhausting and mentally draining.
Today, before I could begin, an old friend posted something on Facebook, which I am going to retype for you here:
"Just go find a job... like they are lying around like dropped pennies on the ground. The use of that argument is so tired. I would like to think that people have tried to get a job, sent out many resumes, been on many interviews and have been told repeatedly that they aren't the right fit, the job has been filled, you are too overqualified, etc. Don't you think that people would rather have a job than be facing homelessness, bad credit, and the ridicule from others????"
A series of comments followed, and I felt compelled to weigh in with my response because I am a real life example. Not only have I tried time and time again to get a job by sending out thousands of resumes, I have been unsuccessful in getting calls for interviews. The last couple of interviews that I was LUCKY enough to get were only scheduled because I knew someone that worked for the interviewing company; without that inside advantage, I probably would not have been called.
I have heard it all -- I'm overqualified; my credentials are impressive, but the company has decided to go another route; despite the fact that the job is being advertised, the company is not actually looking to fill the position due to a hiring freeze; and a series of other lame rationales. More often than not, however, I simply do not hear anything. Companies will disregard my resume altogether. Being ignored is beyond annoying -- not to mention, extremely frustrating.
Some of the comments on my friend's initial post were related to the catch-22s of job searching. You can't get hired without experience, but you can't get experience if nobody will take a chance on you. Now, companies are more inclined to hire someone fresh out of school, thinking that they will work for less. Let's face it -- my 3 degrees might seem impressive, but they also correlate with a higher pay scale. Little do employers know... I am willing to work for a lot less than I am worth. Isn't that a bargain?
Some days I wake up, feeling motivated and ready to grab the job search by its horns; other days, I hit a wall after browsing listings only for a short while. The whole process is exhausting and mentally draining.
Today, before I could begin, an old friend posted something on Facebook, which I am going to retype for you here:
"Just go find a job... like they are lying around like dropped pennies on the ground. The use of that argument is so tired. I would like to think that people have tried to get a job, sent out many resumes, been on many interviews and have been told repeatedly that they aren't the right fit, the job has been filled, you are too overqualified, etc. Don't you think that people would rather have a job than be facing homelessness, bad credit, and the ridicule from others????"
A series of comments followed, and I felt compelled to weigh in with my response because I am a real life example. Not only have I tried time and time again to get a job by sending out thousands of resumes, I have been unsuccessful in getting calls for interviews. The last couple of interviews that I was LUCKY enough to get were only scheduled because I knew someone that worked for the interviewing company; without that inside advantage, I probably would not have been called.
I have heard it all -- I'm overqualified; my credentials are impressive, but the company has decided to go another route; despite the fact that the job is being advertised, the company is not actually looking to fill the position due to a hiring freeze; and a series of other lame rationales. More often than not, however, I simply do not hear anything. Companies will disregard my resume altogether. Being ignored is beyond annoying -- not to mention, extremely frustrating.
Some of the comments on my friend's initial post were related to the catch-22s of job searching. You can't get hired without experience, but you can't get experience if nobody will take a chance on you. Now, companies are more inclined to hire someone fresh out of school, thinking that they will work for less. Let's face it -- my 3 degrees might seem impressive, but they also correlate with a higher pay scale. Little do employers know... I am willing to work for a lot less than I am worth. Isn't that a bargain?
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