Ed. Note: I asked Kristin Davie, a recent college grad, to keep track of her job seeking habits and experiences so that others might learn. If you are a ‘professional’ in HR, resume writers or other career experts…will you please leave notes of encouragement or ideas for Kristin.
by Kirsten Davie
On Tuesday I celebrated my one month anniversary by watching “He’s Just Not That Into You.” No, the celebration didn’t commemorate a relationship, per se, but rather marked one month since my college graduation. So I guess you could say it was the one month anniversary of one of the most painful breakups a young co-ed can experience.
Why?
Well, as I strode across stage and left what some would call the best years of my life (not to mention Friday happy-hour with $1.75 draft beer and free buffalo wings), I was forced to look forward to unemployment and my parents’ couch. Coupled with one of the most competitive job markets in years, you can understand why the Kleenex was on hand even before the opening credits.
At the end of the movie, two things became clear:
1) I liked the book better, personally.
2) Rather than reminding me of my own relationship blunders in the past, the movie served as a sort of metaphor for the job search.
The film argues that women turn to rationalization after a potential beau fails to call back after what they believed to be a perfect date. He fell off a cliff, his mother is sick, he dropped his phone in the toilet, etc., etc….
Recently, several other unemployed friends and I have been talking about a similar phenomenon we’ve experienced in the last few months. After interviewing at a particular company, many of us simply never hear back from our potential employer. I’ve become familiar with rejection over the last few months, but without a clear explanation, I’m left with rationalization. Maybe the human resource department is being held hostage by a disgruntled employee, or the interviewer lost my contact information, and so on and so on….
Eventually it becomes painfully clear that I didn’t get the position, and I’m forced to move on. Sometimes, however, the failure to update a potential employee on the status of his or her application can cause a few headaches. Given the state of the economy, an interview alone can be hard to come by, so when a friend of mine was offered a paid internship, the decision seemed like a no-brainer.
Save for one thing- another firm she had interviewed with earlier (and who paid more) had yet to get back to her. She was in a love triangle more awkward than any portrayed in Jen Aniston’s recent endeavor.
There are hundreds of articles available to those in the throes of the job search detailing the proper dress attire for interviews, responses to the most difficult questions, but what’s the proper etiquette for employers? How long should a candidate wait before realizing “they’re just not that into me.”
9 users commented in " Recent College Grad Kristin Hits the Real World "
yes! i am in the same boat! and i am totally relating. i’m 5 years out of college, and my contract is coming to a close with the place i’ve been employed on tuesday. i’ve had several interviews, and i’ve even sent in salary requirement letters, but it’s been all quiet since then. agony. i have to pay the rent people!
I feel your pain! As someone who is in the same boat, I can definitely relate. I think its all about the follow-up, although it does feel like I’m bothering the HR person sometimes. I’ve heard of people who have followed up 3 times & gotten the position. Good luck with your job search!
College really doesn’t prepare you for what’s ahead. What field are you looking into?
I studied Public Relations in college, so I’m really hoping to land something in that field. It’s so difficult though, and I know friends are starting to settle and accept jobs in different fields than what they studied. I’m stubborn, but I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out until the copious amount of HGTV I watch begins to get to me.
Same boat here too. I’ve started just taking the “paid internship” / “3-6 week project” position when I haven’t heard back from the full time interview position. Any money and more experience is always better than sitting around hoping to get a call back. Plus, the time it takes to finalize a full time position and the standard two week notice could very well be enough time to finish the temporary project. I imagine I would even offer to finish the project on nights and weekends in order to not burn any bridges, but the situation hasn’t come up and I’m finishing my second temporary job now without any full time prospects.
You are exactly right, Kristin. Job hunting is a LOT like dating!
What I would do in your friend’s situation is to ask the internship people for a few days to consider their offer. Then go back to the other job (the better-paying one) and politely ask them where they are in the decision process. She could even say, “I’ve had another offer but your company is my first love. I really want to work for you.”
This should get them moving. But what if it doesn’t? Then it’s decision time. If the better-paying people say they can’t give her a decision for a week or more, she will have to decide whether to take the internship or not. In general, you should only take a job if you really want it and intend to stick with it. So when faced with these dilemmas we need to think hard about what we really want. Remain straight with people. Be creative. Scott’s idea, above, of actually trying to meet both obligations (if it came to that) is innovative and ambitious.
Oh, and I would not “sit around and wait” for call backs. It’s too depressing. Do not stop looking for a job until you have one in your hot little hands!
Good luck with your job hunt. It’s not easy, that’s for sure. But, definitely, the best years of your life are not over. They are still out there ahead of you!
I am a recruiter parent and grandparent, here is my advise “ Looking for a job is your job right now” Have a plan and work the plan on a daily basis. Have a buddy hold you accountable for what you say you are going to do. Few jobs come from applying online and waiting for HR to call you back. I see you are on LinkedIn, use your connections to see who they know, check out companies and look for the hiring managers etc. I would be happy to discuss coaching you if you want to put some real effort into your job search which would require a lot of work on your part.
I’m two years out of college and still in the same situation!! The economy now doesn’t make things any easier. I went through a long period of unemployment because I’d had a few interviews trickle in here and there, only to either get rejected (if I was lucky) or stonewalled. I never took an “entry-level” job b/c I always thought I was on the cusp of something big. Eight months into my entry-level retail job, and this is where I continue. It’s best to take an easy job right away; it gives you something to do rather than agonizing by the phone/email all day hoping to hear from recruiters who’ve interviewed you.
I agree with points made from everyone. Looking for a job IS my job! (Even though I haven’t found a position yet, I think I’m pretty good at my job) My friends and I talk about this all the time. I wake up early each morning, roll out of bed, and immediately go on my computer to begin a minimum 4 hour-long process of job searching. I posted a poll on my own blog where I asked my friend how long they spent applying for jobs each day and some only dedicated an hour or two to the process! I bet they’re learning their lesson.
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