5 ways to forget you’re an unemployed recent grad
Job rejection is never easy. When you get rejected, that means you left yourself open to being vulnerable and ended up not reaping the rewards of your vulnerability. Itʼs even worse when you have been receiving the seemingly same rejection letter over and over again after a long period of time. You start to contemplate your self-worth and whether you are really as capable as you think you are. You think about what other people are doing right and what youʼre doing wrong. Clearly, itʼs a matter of you lacking something. You start to anticipate future job rejections as if you didnʼt deserve to be asked into the interview in the first place. You know that thinking this way is neither healthy or accurate, but itʼs still hard to not let your emotions and deep thoughts get the best of you.
As a recent graduate, I feel the pressure of finding a “big-girl” job, a role that says “Hey! I have a degree and that is why I can get this job!”. However, after months of looking and interviewing and even getting close to a new position, nothing has turned out the way I wanted. On one end, lots of people that are in the professional world now tell me to value this time and to appreciate my ability to work on what I want to. They say I should use this time to invest in myself and to pursue any projects I might not have time for later on. I understand that. I know whenever I start working full-time, I wonʼt have the same kind of time to pursue my creative endeavors, but itʼs still hard. Itʼs still annoying and frustrating to have all this experience under me and to feel like I have nothing to show for it — besides a fancy and very expensive college degree. On top of that, there are some people who are bound to ask me, “what are doing now?”. Every time I am asked that I am sure my left eye twitches a little. If you are in the same boat as I am, here are some things to overcome the dark clouds of rejection:
- Go to fun networking events!
Yes! Networking can be fun! The trick to it is to find events that are centered around topics that interest you. Whether that is fashion, coding, girl power etc., whatever it is I guarantee there are people in your nearest city coming together just for that reason. - Work on what you love
If you have a business idea, use this “free” time to work on getting it off the
ground. If you want to learn a new language, start studying now! When you get a 9-to-5 you wonʼt want to touch a textbook when you could be catching up on Riverdale. - Do something that makes you happy
This is not to be confused with ‘working on what you loveʼ. If you like not being productive and taking long baths — do it! Always practice self-love when you can. Give yourself the opportunity to feel mental serenity. - Keep up with friends
Old friends, new friends, best friends… talk to them! Chances are youʼll realize you’re not the only one going through things. It’s therapeutic to talk to people you care about that wonʼt judge you. - Keep your head up
At least, that’s what I have been told to do. This can be very depressing times. Trust me, I know. Been there, still there. My only advice here is to try not to succumb to the darkness. It can put a damper on your job search.
