Rejection Shmerjection

The plight of the graphic designer is a sorry one, you'd think we were trying to be rock stars with all the rejection given out.

It's not an easy task for a newbie or a seasoned professional seeking employment in this current state of the economy. I've seen it all, potential employers can be picky and unreasonable. I understand that the industry is over-saturated with all types of designers. These days designers come in all shapes and sizes and need to know everything and be versatile to design FOR everything. And then to have to choose between the hundreds of applicants I understand can be harrowing.

But it is a job just applying for a job.

I wrote a paper during my Bachelors program about the difficulty graphic designers have finding jobs that don't require web experience. Because lets face it- when I went to school and majored in GRAPHIC design I did NOT learn any programming or coding. I learned how to design an interface, and make some silly Flash animations. That is all.

Learning to design for the web is totally on my shoulders, and thats fine. The instruction is slow going on my part, because you know, life tends to get in the way and a three year old waits for no one. Oh and there is the whole needing-money-now-to-pay-bills factor. My free time is divvied between cleaning house, cooking, and spending time on online communities trying to learn. My drawing and painting has been put on the back-burner and that makes me sad.

Back to the reason of this blog!

What do you do when you are rejected over and over again for jobs?

Get over it.

Move on.

Keep searching.

Never give up.

Oh that is all well and good advice. You have to move on, and keep going, but am I supposed to pretend that the sting of rejection is not there? I am human after all. I can take a good critique when given to me, I love feedback. When its constructive of course.

But for once, just once, I would LOVE to just reply to a rejection e-mail or phone call or the silence of not receiving either with a hearty F*#$! You!

I do know my worth, I do know I am a bona fide Graphic Designer with skills and knowledge to do whatever is needed within the parameters of a project.

Rejection from a job opportunity should not be taken so personally.

But we do take it personally.

Because we are human.

But I still need to vent, to let this emotion out. I can't keep it inside- it will destroy me.

So to all you Designers out there who are struggling to make a name for themselves go ahead and write that reply e-mail! But don't send it. That is just bad sportsmanship.

Just write it out somewhere! This is some Rejection Therapy going on here!

Here is my reply e-mail to a rejection from a company that took over three months to reply to my initial application then after two interviews took another two months to let me know what was up:

RE:

Why thank you anyway for the opportunity to interview for the position! It was such a joy to hear after three months you were interested in an interview after having an opportunity to view my complete portfolio online. Then driving an hour to your establishment for the interview and having to re-schedule at the last minute and come in earlier to accommodate the team's schedule was so fulfilling. All the hope and anticipation of the positive conversations left my heart light and my mood confident.

So thank you for waiting two months after my interview, follow up project, and follow up e-mail to let me know you are going with another candidate. Because honestly, I don't know who you found that was cheap enough to just be a print shop drudge but then knowledgable enough and experienced to help re-brand your business!

It warms my heart.

F*#@ You.

Best Regards!



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Ah that felt better.

Now to move on with my life. With everything else going on how about trying out this Challenge? I would like to help promote the CCFA. There is a walk happening in Charlotte in May and I need to sign up for it again... donations welcome. I will post a link when I've signed up, but you don't have to donate to my team, you can just donate! The walk is called Take Steps Be Heard.

Let's hear it!