To wonder how other people cope with rejection after rejection when applying for jobs?

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

I'm feeling really downtrodden. I'm getting good feedback but I'm missing out on jobs to people who are more experienced. I am desperately trying to find the experience, bolster up my CV, do voluntary work etc but I can't help but feel a little fed up.

I've taken to eating pringles and cheap Easter eggs over the past couple of days to cope.

Feeling the same. The most hurtful thing, that the place where i volunteered for a few years, advertised a job, took a person from outside as she had "more experience". There was at least a dozen of volunteers, if they chose any of them over me, then fair play. But now... Probably i'll quit this organization. Feeling so bloody shitty. (And it was just a part time job)

Ohh Dog, that must have hurt. It's hard to get over things that like that, isn't it?

Sorry you didn't get it, but look to the future. You need to persevere and believe in yourself. And apply for lots of jobs.

I have just got a new job after 2 years of applying. It was hard to keep going, it was my ninth interview. I think the interview practice helped. Also I was asked to give a presentation and did something quite quirky and I think that did make me stand out. Slightly risky, but it worked.

Yeah, but what when nobody even gives you an interview?

Oh god I hate it. Makes me very depressed -and then I look around at all the people who do have jobs that I know (or even don't know!) and think am I really so less able then them? No I am not - but still hard. Ho hum.

I think I'd feel less shit if I got to the interview stage. It's early days for me and I knew it would be tough but I had no idea I'd take it so personally. I think it will get easier. I know I need to toughen up a bit.

I feel for you, I really do. I have only been turned down ffs for a few jobs I my time, and always when I have been in employment. It's horrid even when you already have a job, I can only imagine how soul destroying it must be when you are jobless.

Have some and some and please, don't give up!

Soz don't know where the "ffs" came from!

I had this last year, mainly because my past work experience would indicate a degree level education, but I don't have a degree. (And I reckon many of the jobs I applied for didn't need a degree anyway.)

I'm currently in a job at a lower level that my experience would qualify me for, but as I'd been unemployed after redundancy, I think this was putting some potential employers off.

I like my current job, have a fair bit of autonomy over it, and I'm valued and respected by the rest of the team. I did ask my boss what had made him pick me over the other candidates and he reckoned my "can do" attitude was the clincher.

However, while I like the job, I know that I'd like some more seniority and will be looking to move on after the end of this year, there being no realistic prospects at this place. It'll be easier to move on while still in a job, and not from the position of being unemployed, whatever the reason for it.

But to get this job, I applied for nearly 50 posts, and never got replies for many of them. I had about 12 interviews, 2 on the same day (that was hard).

I found that what kept me going was to try and keep up with other stuff such as trying to keep fit, trying to do voluntary work. It isn't easy, and I can't say with any certainty that the other stuff I did was really of any use.

I hope it turns around for you soon.

I am getting this too. Have been to three or four interviews so I know my CV is ok and so are my covering letters and application forms. It must be the way I am in the interview that is letting me down. It hurts to be rejected.

To be bluntly honest, that first impression goes a long way when you get into an interview.

I am fat (no surprise there, given my nickname ). I have seen that flicker in someone's eyes on meeting me, which told me I hadn't got the job, right there. I was always right in that assessment.

I'm losing the weight now, while I'm in this job, so that when I start the process again, it won't be such an issue. (And with a summer wedding to attend, I want to wear a dress, not a tent....)

I can only say that for interviews, look in advance at what the job entails, and think of possible questions, and therefore possible answers. Have a good look at the website for the company/organisation, note the language style and the values they are promoting and word possible answers around that. Think of specific examples of things you have done that would demonstrate that you can do the skills/tasks that are part of the job.

Eg, for one post that had supervisory skills as part of the requirement, I did get asked questions about how I would handle particular situations. I have had to deal with disciplinary stuff in the past, and even got complimented by a union rep for the way I'd handled one, so I used that as an example, being careful to maintain anonymity of the other people involved.

candycoatedwaterdrops In your case, I can see that it's the experience issue. You've mentioned you do volunteering work, but is it directly relevant to the experience required for the jobs you want? Which might be one way of adding to your CV. Also, for the volunteering you currently do, are you selling that well enough on your CV? Picking out the bits that highlight the skills that are required by the jobs you want?

I'm sorry I can't really offer much more advice at present, I've got a brain on go-slow as I've a nasty cold.

Really sorry you feel like that OP, I know what it feels like to keep getting the knock back. Sadly though, in many organisations, they already know who they want before they even interview. For example, I am in the NHS and last week there were 3 jobs available advertised externally. People were interviewed both internally and externally but surprise surprise the three people offered the jobs already worked for the hospital.

On another occasion, the manager sifting through the application went and asked people she knew had applied which one was their application so she could approve them for interview. One of them got the job then too.

It probably isn't that you are doing badly, there is just a lot of this favouritism about everywhere. I hope it works out for you soon

what industry are you aiming for? Can you do any courses to help?

also all too often jobs aren't even advertised , it's all done word of mouth, through friends of friends

volunteering can help you get a foot in the door

Have a thought for the poor interviewers too. It's really hard to advertise a job and have to wade through stacks of good applications, especially when there are staff and volunteers who have 'earned' the job, could do it, and will be gutted not to get it. You can't interview everyone, and whatever you do there is actually only one job. Or even half a job. It's not a rejection if they don't choose you. Lots of the other applicants will also have wonderful qualities and be as worth appointing as the one who gets the job. Keep at your volunteering, brush up your CV and qualifications and keep applying, the right opportunity is out there for you.

I had this a lot last year as I am changing career late in life. I applied for a voluntary post but very specialised. I have great relevant experience, obtained over many years, but wasn't even interviewed. Actual application took probably 1 day to complete. I have recently found out that at least 2 people out of the 5 who were on the placement were already with the organisation. I looked back at the requirements and a large number of the voluntary vs essential criteria were clearly not applied in the selection process. But what can you do? I can't change my previous experience - it is good, solid and professional. I just wish recruiters would be more honest. I would not have spent that day+ completing an application form if I had known that I didnt stand a chance of realistically being appointed (for a voluntary short term position)

I remember this when I got made redundant two years back. The trick (for me) was to treat it as a game. Every rejection I got "freed" me up to look at another company (e.g.no more research or energy needed on that prospect). It's hard not to take it personally, but it helped me to think of it as selling a skill set, rather than myself as a person.

Good luck with your hunt. It sounds like you are doing all the right things.

The jobs market is still tough at the moment, and getting a couple of hundred applications hasn't been unknown for entry level jobs, so very often when you don't get an interview it is not a reflection on you so much as a reflection of the fact only a small percentage of applicants will go to interview.
As long as you have the basics in place (spelling/ grammar, having an idea about what the job might actually entail, making the most of your voluntary experience and so on) and just keep churning out the applications you will get there in the end as long as you keep on applying - and if you've got the basics in place you'll already have an advantage over quite a few other applications.
And as TheABC said, treating it as a game helps.
But yes, it can feel a bit bruising and i have found pringles can be very necessary to the application process, myself. But at some point you will find your opportunity, good luck with the hunt

I feel for you: it's a tough job market out there. Just to echo what other people responsible for recruitment have said here... I am regularly involved in making appointments and over recent years the quality of applicants has rocketed. We usually get up to 100 applicants per post, and even roles which are non graduate positions attract mostly people with degrees or higher degrees.

When you don't get a job it doesn't necessarily mean you were 'wrong'... It may well be a number of people could have done it equally well, but perhaps someone had more up to date experience or no gaps on their cv or will just fit better into the existing team

Good luck

Thank you for the advice. I have woken up feeling less miserable!

In 2 months time, I will be a qualified social worker. I am fortunate in that I do have paid and unpaid experience in the field but many jobs are asking for 1-3 years in a qualified SW role. I just need to be lucky and catch a break for someone who is willing to take the chance on a newly qualified.

For the job hunters who are feeling shit, I hope the following cheers you up;

www.buzzfeed.com/lukebailey/charts-that-explain-every-problem-with-trying-to-find-a-j

That article gave me a much needed laugh candy thank you!