Fighting For It

By Corinne Feight

My favorite author once wrote, “You’re supposed to fail sometimes. It’s a required part of the human existence.” I cannot even begin to explain how true that really is. I feel like the more I apply to jobs, the louder the silence gets. We just throw it out there, right? Send it out into cyberspace, hoping that someone, somewhere, will take the time to see the passion behind every word.

Yet, the worst part isn’t even the waiting. The worst part about the job search is the fact that first impressions are everything. Many times, we are unable to really prove ourselves in the forty-five minute time slot we are given, if we even make it to that point. And it’s really a near impossible task if you think about it. I salute those who can walk in with ease and confidence. It’s really like being asked to take the last 21 years of my class and crush them into concise, coherent sentences that matter. That’s the hitch right there: that matter. Isn’t that relative?

Most of the time we are unable to even speak for ourselves, having to let our written words and résumé stand in for the entirety of our character. For me? I think it’s extremely unfair when people make assumptions about others when they are unable to even experience their full potential. But I guess that’s the hardest part of the professional world. I think we all believe that if given the chance, we could prove ourselves. Still, the hardest part is getting our foot in the door.

I believe that our skills, aptitudes and countenances should be the only considerations. It’s difficult when someone tells you you can’t handle a task or a job. I applied for a reason. I know my own limits and capabilities. Don’t try to tell what I can and cannot take on. That’s what bothers me. So many of us are qualified and able candidates, but unfair assumptions taint these opportunities. And there’s the catch twenty-two. If you don’t have experience you can’t get a job, but if you don’t have a job you can never gain the experience.

And nobody said it was easy, cause it’s not—not even close. I guess that should only make us try harder. Push more. Fight. Keep applying. Because one day we’ll finally get the chance we deserve and we’ll be made that much stronger because of it.