So as literally none of you know because I have not told a single person about this blog and don't have it displayed anywhere whatsoever on my website, I've been on the job hunt. I left my job as Art Director at a company I'd worked at for nearly 5 years in late September. I won't get into the gory details of the departure, but it's safe to say the break was not clean and I still get pissy when my boyfriend goes there to hang out, because to do so without getting a stinging pain in my temples, an anxiety attack, and an insatiable urge to tear down the walls with a sledgehammer while Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" plays at volume 11 would be, essentially, impossible. But let's move on.
If you're new to planet Earth, or have been living either under a rock or in Denmark, then I'll give you a little back story: The year is 2017, and job hunting is a fucking bitch. Like many things ruined by baby boomers and new-wave feminists, to find a job that actually succeeds at stimulating your brain, lifestyle, and wallet all simultaneously, is about as achievable as UK citizenship if your name is Mohamed. The long and short of it is that I have sent my resume to no less than 75 places at this point, some of which I'd love to work, and some of which I honestly have no idea what the company even is or does, and what I have gotten back is nothing more than every form of rejection, from friendly and encouraging, to completely automated. My quickest turnaround time for a rejection so far has been 3 minutes.
The hardest part for me right now is that I'm trying to find work in a state that is 3,000 miles away from the state in which I currently reside. And while I'm literally ready to pick up my shit and move across the country at a moment's notice, I worry about how many places are writing off my qualified resume and portfolio simply because they see that as a red flag. And with each rejection, San Francisco feels further and further away. Sure, some of the rejections are from those places you find via Indeed.com and their company and job descriptions are so vague and cryptic that you have absolutely no idea what the company is or even what your job would consist of, and the only thing you can really be sure of is that it would be incredibly boring. And those are often the rejections that are automated and sent from a no-reply email address so you couldn't even ask WHY they've decided not to pursue your application, which is even more frustrating when you're literally a mid-level graphic designer applying for a Mid-Level Graphic Designer position. All you want to know is WHY, and you have a right to know WHY, and in my case, you hope it's not because you live 3,000 miles away, and wonder if it's worth it to start lying and be prepared to board a plane the next day just in case they say "Can you come in tomorrow for an interview?" Um, yes. Yes, I definitely can. For you, potential, employer, the fucking world.
But perhaps the most confusing rejections are the friendly ones, because they imply, You're a fantastic designer and you're going to find work, but it's not going to be here, because it's 2017 and there are no jobs to be had, and even if we had a job for you, we'd only be able to pay you enough to live in a cardboard box in the Tenderloin. Don't get me wrong, it's good to get these rejections, because they assist in reminding me that I'm not just being rejected by all these other places and no-reply email phantoms because I suck. In fact, in about a half a dozen instances, employers have told me that I'm very talented and qualified, and that I'd be a great fit for their team, but there regrettably just isn't an open position at their firm. Check this one out:
If you're new to planet Earth, or have been living either under a rock or in Denmark, then I'll give you a little back story: The year is 2017, and job hunting is a fucking bitch. Like many things ruined by baby boomers and new-wave feminists, to find a job that actually succeeds at stimulating your brain, lifestyle, and wallet all simultaneously, is about as achievable as UK citizenship if your name is Mohamed. The long and short of it is that I have sent my resume to no less than 75 places at this point, some of which I'd love to work, and some of which I honestly have no idea what the company even is or does, and what I have gotten back is nothing more than every form of rejection, from friendly and encouraging, to completely automated. My quickest turnaround time for a rejection so far has been 3 minutes.
The hardest part for me right now is that I'm trying to find work in a state that is 3,000 miles away from the state in which I currently reside. And while I'm literally ready to pick up my shit and move across the country at a moment's notice, I worry about how many places are writing off my qualified resume and portfolio simply because they see that as a red flag. And with each rejection, San Francisco feels further and further away. Sure, some of the rejections are from those places you find via Indeed.com and their company and job descriptions are so vague and cryptic that you have absolutely no idea what the company is or even what your job would consist of, and the only thing you can really be sure of is that it would be incredibly boring. And those are often the rejections that are automated and sent from a no-reply email address so you couldn't even ask WHY they've decided not to pursue your application, which is even more frustrating when you're literally a mid-level graphic designer applying for a Mid-Level Graphic Designer position. All you want to know is WHY, and you have a right to know WHY, and in my case, you hope it's not because you live 3,000 miles away, and wonder if it's worth it to start lying and be prepared to board a plane the next day just in case they say "Can you come in tomorrow for an interview?" Um, yes. Yes, I definitely can. For you, potential, employer, the fucking world.
But perhaps the most confusing rejections are the friendly ones, because they imply, You're a fantastic designer and you're going to find work, but it's not going to be here, because it's 2017 and there are no jobs to be had, and even if we had a job for you, we'd only be able to pay you enough to live in a cardboard box in the Tenderloin. Don't get me wrong, it's good to get these rejections, because they assist in reminding me that I'm not just being rejected by all these other places and no-reply email phantoms because I suck. In fact, in about a half a dozen instances, employers have told me that I'm very talented and qualified, and that I'd be a great fit for their team, but there regrettably just isn't an open position at their firm. Check this one out:
| Hi Raychel - I am very much drawn to your statement "Art and creativity have been at the epicenter of all of my acquired experiences and adventures". This is the spirit in which passion rules the day. This is to be cherished and nourished. I believe risk and intuition - as well as compassion - connect and inspire people. I have filled the position in question, but I am impressed with your imaginative - and focused - brand development for Citizen Cider. When you relocate to the Bay Area, please contact me. I am always interested in interesting people. Best, ... |
Now if you've ever received a nicer or more reassuring rejection than that then you can just go fuck yourself because you're lying. But at the same time it's quite possibly the most frustrating thing to be told, You were perfect, you were just a little late. It beats the hell out of the automated responses, but it gets you no closer to changing your Facebook relationship status to "Employed." So here I am, 75 resumes and cover letters and copy-and-paste LinkedIn profile URLs later, and still without a job, with little hope in sight. To tell you this is discouraging would be an understatement, because at this point, I've fallen from hopeful and bright and seeking that dream job, to throwing my dreams in the back seat and taking a soul-sucker of a job just so I can finally get started with the next chapter of my life.
As someone who is aware of their talent and has often been told that it extends from the "Talented" realm to the "Gifted" realm, it's hard to face so much rejection, and to know that it's just become part of the process now. If you aren't ready and willing to get down in the shit-infested mud of the graphic design world, or go from being an Art Director on the East Coast to a Junior Designer on the West Coast, then you can kiss opportunity goodbye. I'm prepared to do whatever I have to do to get there, even if it means working in a cube with an obnoxiously content person popping their head over my cubicle wall every 15 minutes. If I gotta poop some designs out that don't mean shit to me every hour on the hour for a year, I'll do it. If that's the necessary first step to climbing some freakishly rickety ladder to my mother fucking rainbow designer dreams, I'll do it. Just please, for the love of God and all things holy that I don't even really believe in, give me a fucking job.
As someone who is aware of their talent and has often been told that it extends from the "Talented" realm to the "Gifted" realm, it's hard to face so much rejection, and to know that it's just become part of the process now. If you aren't ready and willing to get down in the shit-infested mud of the graphic design world, or go from being an Art Director on the East Coast to a Junior Designer on the West Coast, then you can kiss opportunity goodbye. I'm prepared to do whatever I have to do to get there, even if it means working in a cube with an obnoxiously content person popping their head over my cubicle wall every 15 minutes. If I gotta poop some designs out that don't mean shit to me every hour on the hour for a year, I'll do it. If that's the necessary first step to climbing some freakishly rickety ladder to my mother fucking rainbow designer dreams, I'll do it. Just please, for the love of God and all things holy that I don't even really believe in, give me a fucking job.