I thought all my fellow jobseekers out there would enjoy this humorous example of a rejection letter that I stumbled across .......
A DIFFERENT KIND OF “EMPLOYMENT REJECTION” LETTER (Something To Lighten Up Your Job Search!!!)
999 Likely Lane LUCKSVILLE WA 6060
20 October 2009
Professor Reid Iculus Department of Opportunity University of Absolute Nonsense 123 Jobsearch Junction PERTH WA 6000
RE: Assistant Professor
Dear Professor Iculus
Thank you for your letter dated 12 October 2009.
After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me an assistant professor position in your department.
This year, I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.
Despite the University Of Nonsense’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor in your department in November.
I look forward to seeing you then.
I wish you luck in rejecting future applicants.
Yours sincerely
A Jobseeker
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Reinvention for Sanity During Job Search
At around the six-month mark after losing my job, I realized that I’d started branding myself as an unemployed person. That was starting to feel depressing. So I repositioned myself in my own mind.
I started doing online certifications to strengthen my resume. At social settings, when people asked me what I do, I start answering, “I’m a Internet marketer.” Even though I still have not yet seen the light at the end of the tunnel, answering the question that way made a big difference to my mental health.
I find that the only way to get successful at a new plan is through optimistic self-labeling: telling the world that you’re already doing the thing you want to do.
It’s exuberant to change how you label yourself, especially if the new label is aspirational: something that you want to be, rather than something you already are.
Maybe that's why 'The Secret' has sold 500,000 copies in 6 months.
I started doing online certifications to strengthen my resume. At social settings, when people asked me what I do, I start answering, “I’m a Internet marketer.” Even though I still have not yet seen the light at the end of the tunnel, answering the question that way made a big difference to my mental health.
I find that the only way to get successful at a new plan is through optimistic self-labeling: telling the world that you’re already doing the thing you want to do.
It’s exuberant to change how you label yourself, especially if the new label is aspirational: something that you want to be, rather than something you already are.
Maybe that's why 'The Secret' has sold 500,000 copies in 6 months.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Pick Your Brain for Free In A Job Interview?
update: different point of view on giving your work away
I came across this article and I have a semi-related TINY thought about this; TINY in caps: Don't work for free in a job interview
Going through perpetual interviews is the story of my life right now. The process requires hours of preparation, putting on my best smile, clever answers, active follow ups and wait! the toughest part yet is to wait for the reply(or the lack of).
But, let's zoom in on the interview:
Sometimes, some companies (mostly start-ups) would ask interviewees to give feedback on how to better their situation, website, products...etc.
I have been in a couple of situations where a business decision can not be made THEN, the CEO would say: 'let's run an job ad and get people to come and see what they say'. Most of the time, the ad would read: 'contract work but potential to full time employment due to rapid growth of company' (I am not saying that contract work isn't the way to get your foot into the door; it is but some situations are a little trickier than others)
Most recently, I find myself in an interview where the CEO spilled his guts about his business conundrum. He started his interview racing through the thought process of running this type of job post:
1. He needs a warm body to answer the phone while his project manager is on a 2-weeks vacation.
2. He has decided that whoever that he hired for this short period of time will only be able to twirl fingers when the phone isn't ringing.
3. He CAN have whoever he hires to work on 1. design 2. SEO or 3. case study but he went ahead and said but I don't need people doing them later so I don't see the money well spent.
4. Then, he talked about how he wanted the company to remain small and cost driven. (I could appreciate that) He could have hired an intern for 3-6 months without paying but he does not trust the quality of the intern.
Result, he met with 10 qualifying candidates for interview out of 50 resumes and asked them to go back and think about what WE can contribute and solve this for him.
I left the interview with mixed feelings; I am frustrated with the job market and needless to say that I will not be able to help. I am walking away not because this contract is beneath me (I very much enjoy the social media product this company presents) but I just do not agree with this type of business conduct. Even if it leads to a full term job, I would keep wondering: is this where I want to position myself?
Moral of the story? I have learned to stick to my professional boundaries. I know what I want. (universe, do you hear me?)
"I am firmly against people giving away something for nothing,"said Beck, who likens such requests from hiring managers as robbery. I give thumbs up to this!
I came across this article and I have a semi-related TINY thought about this; TINY in caps: Don't work for free in a job interview
Going through perpetual interviews is the story of my life right now. The process requires hours of preparation, putting on my best smile, clever answers, active follow ups and wait! the toughest part yet is to wait for the reply(or the lack of).
But, let's zoom in on the interview:
Sometimes, some companies (mostly start-ups) would ask interviewees to give feedback on how to better their situation, website, products...etc.
I have been in a couple of situations where a business decision can not be made THEN, the CEO would say: 'let's run an job ad and get people to come and see what they say'. Most of the time, the ad would read: 'contract work but potential to full time employment due to rapid growth of company' (I am not saying that contract work isn't the way to get your foot into the door; it is but some situations are a little trickier than others)
Most recently, I find myself in an interview where the CEO spilled his guts about his business conundrum. He started his interview racing through the thought process of running this type of job post:
1. He needs a warm body to answer the phone while his project manager is on a 2-weeks vacation.
2. He has decided that whoever that he hired for this short period of time will only be able to twirl fingers when the phone isn't ringing.
3. He CAN have whoever he hires to work on 1. design 2. SEO or 3. case study but he went ahead and said but I don't need people doing them later so I don't see the money well spent.
4. Then, he talked about how he wanted the company to remain small and cost driven. (I could appreciate that) He could have hired an intern for 3-6 months without paying but he does not trust the quality of the intern.
Result, he met with 10 qualifying candidates for interview out of 50 resumes and asked them to go back and think about what WE can contribute and solve this for him.
I left the interview with mixed feelings; I am frustrated with the job market and needless to say that I will not be able to help. I am walking away not because this contract is beneath me (I very much enjoy the social media product this company presents) but I just do not agree with this type of business conduct. Even if it leads to a full term job, I would keep wondering: is this where I want to position myself?
Moral of the story? I have learned to stick to my professional boundaries. I know what I want. (universe, do you hear me?)
"I am firmly against people giving away something for nothing,"said Beck, who likens such requests from hiring managers as robbery. I give thumbs up to this!
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