Tuesday, August 21, 2007

The big brushoff

Main Entry: rejection
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: refusal
Synonyms: bounce, brushoff*, cold shoulder*, cut, denial, ding, disallowance, dismissal, elimination, exclusion, gate, go-by, hard time*, kick, nix*, no dice*, no go*, no way*, nothing doing*, pass*, putdown, rebuff, renunciation, repudiation, thumbs down*, turndown, veto
* = informal or slang

When one is rejected by a potential employer it makes one wonder - WHY?

Was it something I said? Something I didn't say? Should I have been more careful with my answers? Should I have been more "open" - more humorous - more serious - more curious about the position - less curious - more informed about the company?? Was there food in my teeth?!?!

I have been trying to get a new job now for almost 7 months. My current one is still driving me nuts....I have been there over 10 months now, and the project I was hired for is just NOW coming out of negotiations....v e r y, so v e r y slooooowlllllyyyyyy. But until it's really moving - probably October, if we're very lucky, but more like December - I will be continuing my "fill-in" work....I was hired to be a project manager, a developer of a new software tracking system, and ultimately a developmental editor (this would be a top position in the dept.)....what I've been doing is stuffing envelopes, making labels, checking in manuscripts - all editorial assistant work. Yes, I should be glad to even HAVE a job, especially one that pays well....but my work ethic is dying of starvation here. I NEED MENTAL STIMULATION!! I need deadlines, challenge, management support!!

Basically, I need a new job.

But no one seems to want me. Each rejection, each un-answered resume, is making it harder and harder to keep trying, keep positive, keep "bright" in what interviews I DO get.

I keep trying, but I'm still getting rejected.

1 comment:

epota said...

The problem with "creative" jobs (designer, writer, etc.) on the whole is that the best available positions are being sought out by a large creative pool of individuals -- all figuring that the world is just a bit "greener" on that side. Even people in great positions are looking at others.

Before my last brand mgr. spot, I probably sent out about 125 resumes, had about 5-8 interviews, turned down three. Took one. Phase II of job search two years later produced probably another 100 resumes.

Fortunately the last attempts found a connection in far fewer tries. Competive? Very.

When I hired our new designer, I had to finally choose between three extremely qualified candidates. I turned down two individuals that really didn't have a "negative" quality. They were left scratching their heads and even contacted to find out why. It came down to a gut feeling on the hiring. And it's paid off to date.

Why the long narrative? Just to illustrate a point. It's crazy competive. And your skills are top-notch. Keep sending out the resumes and keep your spirits up. It's not always you. Sometimes the explanations are less about what you can offer them and more about having to make a choice among many. Soon enough YOU will be that choice among hundreds.