Wow, Such Jobs!

August 21, 2015


In the past two weeks I've sent out about twenty resumes. I thought I was doing pretty well, but then my parents sit me down (because I still live with them for now, no shame) and my mom says "Your goal should be to send out about 100 applications by the end of the month."

O ________ O

Well then.

At least I sifted through 50+ this week. Does that count? 

I stand by what I'd said before about sending out between five and ten applications a week, but the truth is that sometimes, you can send out 200 applications and maybe hear back from three places. At my mom's suggestion, that means in two months I'll hear from three people. At my actual speed, and it's been a good month, I'll hear back from three people in five months. 

Of course, that's also like saying you can flip a coin and get tails half the time, and heads half the time, as opposed to having a fifty-fifty chance. 

But you know what? My glass is at least 1.5% full. I've been home since December, and yeah I've infrequently cranked out 40+ resumes in a month, but my three places in 200 applications is due. 

And it's taken this long to get my first ever rejection letter! YES. Why is that exciting? Closure. Most places these days say something along the lines of:

"Due to the number of applicants, understand that we can only reach out to desired candidates..."

Translation: You'll either hear from us, or you won't.

 I get why it happens, but it's frustrating, too. Sometimes you don't know if they're still figuring it out, or if they've dropped your resume in the recycling already. After a month, they've probably found whomever they're going to hire.

But little bits of help come along the way. I did get a part time position as an assistant editor on a magazine that only requires five hours a week.

I'm still waiting on something full time, but while I'm waiting for my three people in two hundred, I'm doing okay.