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October 10, 2007
Look Out You Rock 'n Rollers
Recently I have been going full tilt looking for jobs. Sadly, I am most qualified to be a waitress or work in finances and have no desire to further weight my resume in either direction. Really I'm looking for something to do during the day as I will hopefully be enrolled in a graphic design program next year, and it would be preferable that this something be even slightly affiliated with the arts and not too rigorous. I don't think such employment exists, alas.
The last time I looked for a job, I was in Washington and Jeff happened to have a connection to the boss of the place at which I ended up working for the last four years. I sent my resume from Washington, interviewed once I got to Boston, and was employed in two weeks after moving. This time around feels more like my first experience looking for work but it's also a vastly different experience.
When we were 15, Janna and I went to the mall, filled out applications for virtually every store there and I don't know about her, but I completely forgot about the whole thing as soon as it was done. We were underage anyway. In May of 1997 at the age of 16, I began looking for work in earnest. There was no internet, no on-line applications or e-mailing resumes. I found my first job at Steamers Seafood Cafe by browsing through the newspaper section and calling the restaurant. The application was quickly filled since I had no previous paid experience at anything other than yard work, collating for my dad at the print shop sometimes, and the infrequent babysitting stint - an activity I found so loathsome, it inspired me to get a real job in the first place.
In the last two months I have only gone in to one place in order to submit my resume, and this was because they required an application be filled out. It was weird and seemed unnecessary, particularly the page that had you "Check each attribute that other people have said about you" and then "Check each attribute that you feel actually applies to you." Lame. Like anyone is actually going to check off the "Difficult" box. That aside, the rest of my resumes and cover letters have gone flying through the internets, and though it makes things much easier and more comfortable, I can't help but think I would be working already if I could actually meet someone.
One place never responded at all even after I called and e-mailed to confirm my rejection. Two places rejected me only after I hassled them to confirm it, and one place had an online resume upload page and it's impossible to find any information about who to contact so they can tell me they found somebody else. Only one company was prompt to inform me that the position had already been filled and shouldn't have remained posted. At this point I hadn't even bothered sending anything other than a short inquiry about positions being open. This list of failure would be much more depressing if I was even mildly qualified for the jobs I applied for.
I know what it's like to forget to do something because the e-mail gets buried beneath more recent messages. Is that what's happening or should I chalk this up to a weird northeastern thing? It's frustrating and insulting.
There's something comforting to me about putting together my application packet for schools. My resume and entrance essay are printed out on bond paper, the application forms (that I downloaded) have my handwriting on them as will the envelope and the disk with my portfolio. It's a little representation of me. It feels like the way things should be. I know it's incredibly old fashioned and naively Michael Scott-like to say that the digital era is causing us to lose something personal, but despite the convenience of firing resumes into the ethernet instead of making awkward phone calls and mailing letters...I feel like that was a better way. You had to want the job more.
| By heidi | 12:57 PM
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Comments
Posted by: Janna at October 12, 2007 12:26 AM
Posted by: young_christopher at October 12, 2007 9:09 AM
Posted by: heidi at October 12, 2007 11:21 AM
Posted by: at October 15, 2007 11:01 PM