Sometimes I think that maybe I'm not too good at things. Then again I think I'm pretty ok with certain things. Don't worry though, I know I'm the best of the best with "you-want-a-negative-interpretation-of-that?". If ever a medal is to be awarded, don't worry - it'll be in my hands in laser speed ;) .
I'm trying to plan and think a bit about the next step in my career (aka "industry world"). And the fact is that I sent an application to a new place a while back. I'm a little apprehensive, since I think I've overshot (then that would be in line with me and my present thinking about my abilities but somehow my *überjag* thought it was appropriate and in line with what I would be good at doing) but there is no loss in applying, right? And practice makes perfect?
I wouldn't think too much about it if it wasn't for the fact that I need to do a phone call I've put off for a few days now... If nothing else, I don't want to lose more sleep due to pushing it away since I am more and more nervous about it. But I don't know what was wrong with the "other application"* so how can I make better for this next one? (oh the glorious second-thought-brain that I've been equipped with.)
It's not getting easier applying to jobs when you never ever get any feedback from the ones you applied for. It's the dreaded "black hole that sucks up your application and never to be seen or heard from again". I know; "It's nothing personal". Although, it sort of is since if you were really a candidate for the job - you would have been contacted. However, you might have been a candidate partly because HR knew your application was coming through and sifted it to the "interesting candidates to look at". Or because you were "Outstanding and Wonderful"[tm]. Yeah, well. It's true though, it might not be anything wrong with you, they just looked for a better fit... Ah, all these wonderful rationalisations that we give each other.
Good thing though, I'm quite happy in my job while looking for the "next step". Despite this, it still makes me annoyed getting a "we have decided to award the job to someone else"- email 7 months (!) after the position was closed and the "we have received your application and will contact you soon". I mean, is it really that hard to send something out a little earlier than.... 7 months? You don't think I figured it out somewhere in month three? Duh. Although, I guess this means hope for the application that has been in for more than 6 weeks and counting? hhmmm.....doubtful. My little scientist brain sometimes equivilates with the rejection/acceptance letters from editors - not always a good analogy.
I know this post is pretty sad, but bear with a post post-doc who's trying to hack it in the 'real' world - where, on a good day the work is stacked with "development reports", "final reports", "project manager planning" and the actual lab work.
Thank you for your attention. Normal venting on sports, weather, nature experiences and feministic issues will resume shortly ^^
*Quite possibly there wasn't anything wrong per se. Maybe I was just not the strongest candidate, never mind the flaws on my CV and "my greatness shining through". I would just love to know who got the blasted job so I could know where in the ranking I end up in this little game of getting the matching tiles together without having light on when you turn them over....
4 comments:
"we have decided to 'award' the job to someone else" is the most tacky thing to say in a rejection letter and reveals the arrogance of the writers. I suppose it is easy to feel like royalty when they get 500 application per job and talk as if they are bestowing the job on someone. But it sounds horrid and to send it 7 months late. A pox on them.
:) To be fair, Dr S, I'm not sure if that was the 'real' word they used...but the style was the same.
The other one, another rejection I got, worded it way better; "We have decided not to progress your application to the next stage." At least I got that one pretty close and let me know that I was definetly not in their interest pool.
And yes, I'd think the whole "we are the castle everyone wants to get into"attitude does make it easier to forget that you might not want to portray your company as too arrogant. Then again, I'm starting to think they don't care since there are more people looking than jobs available ^^
:) To be fair, Dr S, I'm not sure if that was the 'real' word they used...but the style was the same.
The other one, another rejection I got, worded it way better; "We have decided not to progress your application to the next stage." At least I got that one pretty close and let me know that I was definetly not in their interest pool.
And yes, I'd think the whole "we are the castle everyone wants to get into"attitude does make it easier to forget that you might not want to portray your company as too arrogant. Then again, I'm starting to think they don't care since there are more people looking than jobs available ^^
Sorry dude. It is indeed frustrating not to hear anything back at all. It's tempting to put that kind of experience down to "they had an internal candidate they always intended to hire but had to advertise the job for immigration or other regulatory reasons"
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