Bummed.

Beanie

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#1
So today I got the "thanks but no" rejection letter from the place I interviewed a few weeks back... which I pretty much knew was coming but I just... had that little bit of hope still I couldn't let go of until I knew for sure. The guy was so nice during my interview and he was really nice in my rejection letter, saying he thought my stuff was excellent and he had no doubt I would find a job in the industry soon. But that doesn't feel very good when I've been applying for... two years now? and still can't get a job. I was thrilled to even get an interview, usually I don't even get those. =< I was one of eight people from about 30 applications he got that he called for the first round of interviews, so again, I suppose it should feel good, but it doesn't. Rejection is still rejection... even second place isn't winning.
He's keeping my stuff on file if they have any future openings which he said might be sooner than I might think, because they are expanding right now. So I guess that's always a positive.

I don't know. I haven't cried over getting a rejection letter in a long time and this one made me cry. I thought I was the right fit, he seemed to like me and my stuff, and I thought the timing was perfect. I thought this was it. but it's not. and I'm just devastated and tired of applying and applying and applying and I'm getting nowhere. I'm not even talking in my field, I'm talking anything and everything I've applied to.
I just don't even know. It feels like it's never going to happen. I'm going to be stuck with my soul being sucked out of me every day at the radio station for the rest of my life... in a few years my traffic manager will retire and they will offer me the job because I'm very good at what I do and I will be able to easily take her place, and I will work there until *I* retire, and I will be miserable every day for the rest of my working life, and I will never be paid very much for it either.
That is what I see when I look ahead of me. And it looks rotten.
 

Xandra

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#2
Aww that sucks :( I'm sorry. If you keep trying I'm sure something will work out. You're getting positive feedback! And even if this line of work doesn't turn out... you're young, you could get into another field... you aren't doomed to stay at the job you hate. Hope you feel better soon!
 

Southpaw

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#3
I'm sorry :( I know how much it sucks, but just keep plugging away and something will come up for you.
 

Doberluv

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#4
Awww...that's too bad you didn't get it. But you're young aren't you? You have lots of time and possibilities ahead of you. Don't let yourself get pulled down in the dumps too far. It seems so hopeless now because you really wanted this. But chances are something every bit as good or maybe even better will turn up. That happens sometimes, you know...just when you think you've missed the best chance, something else happens that is even better. Maybe not right away but life is like a roller coaster...up and down. You just have to pull yourself back up by the boot straps after you have a good cry and keep on plugging away. I know how painful it is though, when you get turned down lots of times in a row. Hang in there. I hope things will turn around for you soon.
 

stardogs

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#5
If he seemed genuine in the letter and you liked him in the interview, perhaps contact him about some constructive feedback on what made them skip past you? If you've been applying for years and getting good feedback on your work, but not getting offers, then there may be something you should tweak about your resume/application/interview skills that could help and this guy might be the perfect resource!
 

ACooper

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#6
(((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

and I agree with Stardogs, what could it hurt?
 

FG167

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#7
If he seemed genuine in the letter and you liked him in the interview, perhaps contact him about some constructive feedback on what made them skip past you? If you've been applying for years and getting good feedback on your work, but not getting offers, then there may be something you should tweak about your resume/application/interview skills that could help and this guy might be the perfect resource!
This. This is what I did at my last job and then the next time there was an opening they approached me about applying.

I am also job searching and getting a lot of refusals and it does suck.
 

Beanie

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#10
He actually did give me feedback but it's not much to go off. Just that somebody else had more experience in the kinds of print design they do (like catalogs.) My print design is mostly in smaller individual mass mailing materials like postcards, brochures, flyers, but nothing like a catalog.
Of course, the job I turned down earlier this year because it didn't pay enough and the benefits really sucked was in catalog design. So once again driving home the fact that I completely screwed myself over by turning down that job. If I had taken it I would have been in the hole for eight months but I could have gotten this job.

As for being young, ha. I'm 28 years old and there is no affording changing careers now.
 

AllieMackie

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#11
As for being young, ha. I'm 28 years old and there is no affording changing careers now.
I'm 28 years old and work in a pet store. As much as I love it, I sure hope it ain't my career. I still want to pursue design/graphics jobs ad I still have lots of time, and so do you. :)
 

Doberluv

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#12
I've had several careers. Between about 18 or 20 yrs old and now (I'm just about to turn 58) I've had the following jobs/"careers": A lot of the time I was a stay at home Mom so didn't work steadily. After my divorce, I did have to work more.

worked in a grocery store

pet store worker

worked in a vet's office for a short time

swim instructor/life guard

nanny to a family with 3 kids

licensed home daycare (in my home)

certified medical assistant

(the following I started somewhere in my 40's)

realtor

real estate investor

pharmacy tech

school bus driver

worked in a little store when I first moved to Priest Lake, Idaho, then cleaned cabins, did some landscaping and then started my...

dog trainer/behavior consultant business.

It's entirely possible I over looked something. :eek:

Okay, so those aren't careers, I guess. Nothing very glamorous. But it kept food on the table and the bills paid. And some of those jobs were interesting and rewarding. Some not so much. But you can do something that isn't your first choice for a while and work toward something that interests you more. Unless you have a terminal illness, you have lots of time to work toward your goal. (s) Disappointments happen. And that WAS a big disappointment, no doubt about it. But if you keep looking behind you, you won't see where you're going. ;)
 

Romy

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#13
Okay, so those aren't careers, I guess. Nothing very glamorous. But it kept food on the table and the bills paid. And some of those jobs were interesting and rewarding. Some not so much. But you can do something that isn't your first choice for a while and work toward something that interests you more. Unless you have a terminal illness, you have lots of time to work toward your goal. (s) Disappointments happen. And that WAS a big disappointment, no doubt about it. But if you keep looking behind you, you won't see where you're going. ;)
Great post Dober. :)

Beanie, I sure hope you aren't over the hill career-wise at 29, because that's my age and I'm further behind than you are! :p

It is really discouraging, and I'm so sorry things aren't working out as you hoped. There are still other jobs out there. Speaking as another artisty-type person, this is a great opportunity to develop new pieces for your portfolio. Are there any non-profits in the area that you could maybe volunteer for or even might hire you for contract work? Stuff like that would look good on a resume as well as beefing out your professional experience since that's what people keep passing you over on.

Or you could move to Seattle. There's a crap-ton of design jobs here. Wish I was qualified to even think about it, lol.
 

xpaeanx

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#14
28 is NOT too old to change careers, it happens ALL the time at ALL different times.

And, they did seem to really like you if he went out of his way to tell you that they would keep you in mind for a future position and that they're expanding so it might not even take that long. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit, but don't give up because it hasn't happened yet.
 

Beanie

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#16
28 IS too old to change careers unless you guys are going to pay for the schooling, and my brand new mortgage on top of that. =P I can't just decide anymore "well graphic design is an over saturated market, guess I'll just go back to school and learn to do something else!!" It's not going to happen.
 

RD

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#17
Beanie I'm sorry. :( I know the feeling, I applied to so many places and it turned out the only place that wanted to hire me was Walmart, so I'm working a miserable overnight job and just saving up as much money as I can until I find a job I can actually enjoy.

Sometimes you just have to drop your standards altogether, as lame as that sounds. I can't believe how difficult jobs are to come by in some areas.
 

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