To the Job That Never Was

To the Job That Never Was,

I found you the other day on Diggernet. You just happened to catch my eye from across the computer screen. In an endless sea of mediocre jobs and boastful internships, you stood out to me. You were special. I clicked on your “apply” button and was swept away to an elusive and daunting corporate website. You really outdid yourself there. I began filling out the required fields of information, because you were worth it. Name? Check. Email? Check. Hopes and dreams? Check and check.. You know absolutely everything about me. I uploaded my fresh, new resume – just for you. I even changed around a few words in my cover letter template – just for you. By that point I assumed we were both invested in each other. My heart was bursting with hope. This is it, you could really be the one. My finger hovered nervously over the “submit” button. There’s time to go back, you can still get out now, I thought. But I pushed past those nagging doubts and took a leap of faith. Application submitted. Shortly afterwards, I receive an email. It’s from you. I wasn’t expecting you to contact me for at least three days (that’s the rule, right?). I open the email. You are just checking up on me, letting me know everything’s okay. You are busy but you promise you will contact me again soon. You write so eloquently. I close my laptop, hopeful for the future we may have together. This one is going to last.

Two weeks later, I receive word from you again. I know we are long distance but you could have responded a bit sooner. No matter, I am excited to hear back from you. I tear open the email. …Regret to inform you……after careful consideration…another candidate’s qualifications more closely match what is needed. My heart sinks. More importantly, who is this other candidate? How could they lead me on like this, and for weeks? I slam my laptop shut. I thought I was special. I was prepared to move to North Dakota for you. North. Dakota. This “other candidate” cannot compare to me. My confidence plummets. Why not me? I am angry for the next few days. I have a lot to offer, why can’t everyone see that?

Miraculously, I slowly begin to forget about you. What was once seething anger morphs into impartiality. You weren’t even that great anyways. People tell me I can do better – much better. So I set my sites on the next prospect. But looking back, I have to say, I am grateful for the short time we spent together. You hurt me, but you also taught me valuable lessons. You made me present myself in a professional and positive manner. You taught me that it is okay to be ethnically diverse. And after everything, you taught me resilience. I will get rejected from countless more jobs, but it will only get easier. The first one is always the hardest. So thank you, Job That Never Was. I wouldn’t have done well in North Dakota anyways.

All the Best,

The Employee Who Never Was