I’m Qualified and People Tell Me I’m Not Qualified Enough

Try leaving a job when you thought you could get another job easily. I was like many people getting a job in their desired field. When I left, I thought it would be easy for me to get a job after leaving a current job.

But I was wrong.

I didn’t know what to do after my first job. I decided to try temp agencies to pay my bills. My mom did it before and loved working in different job fields. I signed up for several temp agencies in NYC while applying for full-time jobs. When you’re applying for a full-time job, it’s like a full-time job; you’re committing many hours looking at the computer screen, reading each job description to see if you’re qualified, creating a profile, tailoring your resume and cover letter, filling out the job application, and waiting for a response.

The month of November was like a roller coaster going to many interviews while temping. Every interview asked questions like tell me about yourself, why you want to work here, what do you bring to the company, and what challenges did you face in your previous role etc. After each interview, they would ask if you have any questions. I asked the history, challenges, job responsibilities, and culture of the company. I thanked them for their time; then patiently waited several days, even weeks, to see if I would hear back for the second round. I followed up and unfortunately, they would select another candidate.

I had many interviews and not even one wanted to hire me. The countless times polishing a resume to fit with each job position, ironing clothes to make a great first impression, practicing what to say in front of the bathroom mirror drained me. The worst is not hearing back from every job, then getting a rejection email saying they selected another candidate.

Rejection feels like a sword slicing through your heart. You put so much effort into something, and then when you get rejected, this could either lead to physical or mental sadness. It feels like your whole world is turning upside down and you don’t know which way to turn. This always happens in job interviews; candidates going in interviews thinking they nailed the interview, but they don’t receive any response. This could lead candidates to go into a different route if they can’t get a job in their desired field. However, when some go into a different field, they would experience the same process.

I decided to follow my passion for writing. I applied to numerous fellowships and completed edit tests. I barely had time to sleep while going through this process.

The question here is if companies are having a fellowship or internship program, why would they hire someone with more experience than someone with less experience? This goes with entry-level roles as well; why would a company have a job opening and have small requirements, then when one potential candidate with less experience goes in for an interview, why do they get rejected because they lack one job requirement or a year or two of professional experience?

Maybe companies need to look at this from a different perspective: when candidates have internship experience, it’s a learning experience that helps them to get into their future careers and learn about the industry. They may also have many extra-curricular activities from college to show their skills and leadership on a resume. I strongly believe the amount of internship or extra-curricular activities one candidate has on a resume are the same as professional experience. Employees always learn something new and they gain skills in their role to help benefit them in the near future.

I let the Lord, my best friend, put my mind at ease, became patient, and put every job I applied to in God’s hands. I prayed to him to give me a job that is best for me.

To all the countless jobs I applied to, all the interviews, completed edit tests, I want to thank you. Thank you for your time letting me know that I was not fit for the company. God works in mysterious ways and he has a plan to place me in a job that is for me. To anyone who is dealing with constant rejection, just know that God always has a plan for you.