I’m willing
to bet we’ve all had the same problem...can’t get a job without experience, can’t
get experience without a job. Someone somewhere is going to have to change this
one day.
I had a job
interview earlier this week, and I was excited for it because this time it was
a job in communications. The position called for a summer student to handle
media/community relations, sponsorships, and odds and ends here and there. The company
was looking for a student (who would be returning to school in the fall) to work
full time during the summer months, and hopefully onto part time when classes
resumed.
I felt as
though the interview went well, and the interviewer seemed to be really engaged
with my portfolio. By the end of it, I was rather confident that I had a
fighting chance to land the position. But unfortunately, it was a no go. I was
told in an email that my interview went really well, and that there was clearly
a lot I could contribute to the company, but that they had decided to go with a
candidate with more experience.
More
experience?
This troubled
me for two reasons.
1. Because the position specifically called
for student applicants, there is a strong chance the majority of applicants are
going to have a limited amount of experience related to the position
2. I was told that the company had
interviewed other CreComm students for the position, and chances are, we all
have around the same types of experience (probably the exact same)
Aside from
the fact that I really want a communications job this summer, the result of
this interview has gotten me worried for when it’s graduation time, and my
fellow classmates (and friends) are applying for the same jobs, having had the
same experiences. As I’m sure most CreCommers do, I would love to have a job
landed before I graduate, and I’m scared that it’s not going to happen. The program
does have a rather high success rate, but with any graduating class, there is
always someone who’s going to fall by the wayside.
I don’t
want to be that person!
Great post, Charmaine. Applying for and then getting turned down for a job that you really want definitely isn't the greatest feeling in the world, but as someone who's been there before, I'd like to offer some advice.
ReplyDeleteI see it as something that you can take two ways. Either you can let the sting of not being the one chosen for the job severely affect your "job-hunting confidence" or you can let this experience spur you to apply for other, better jobs.
I've become a big believer in "everything happens for a reason".
Case in point: There was once a company I was really hoping would hire me, but didn't. They didn't believe in any of my skills. I felt pretty bummed out and really had no clue why they weren't interested. As time passed, I tried to focus on what makes me a talented communicator instead of why they didn't hire me. A few short weeks later, I was hired at a similar industry job where I felt extremely happy and inspired. I realized that the company culture at the other job was very stressful and I wouldn't have been creatively satisfied there. It was a blessing in disguise that they never hired me.
You mentioned not wanting to be one of the grads that falls by the wayside come graduation/job-hunting time. Here's the thing, don't think like that, and you won't be! Positive thinking can do wonders for a gal. If you constantly tell yourself that A) Your skills can be put to work in a great job and B) You're not taking no for an answer, I think you'll find that you'll be very successful :)
Thanks Albertine! I think my main issue is that I'm anxious lol. I've known what kinds of jobs I've wanted to get into for a while, and being so close to finally finishing my education is getting me both nervous and excited for what comes next.
DeleteI really just want to get in there, but I know my time will come.
Thanks for the words of wisdom, my dear. I hope you're having a great summer!