I’m in the process of moving from practicing law to working in libraries. Because I’m changing careers, of course I’m applying for jobs. I can’t tell you offhand how many I’ve applied for, but the results have not been promising to date. That’s one reason I haven’t posted much lately; job searches are pretty much a full-time job in and of themselves.
But I got a couple rejections recently that stood out almost as much as others I’ve gotten recently, and for distinctly different reasons.
One rejection was a snail mail/hard copy letter. That struck me as odd because all previous communication had been online. I don’t mind getting the letter as it breaks the monotony of a mailbox full of flyers for the different inane politicians running and all the stupid ballot propositions out there. But the hard copy letter struck me as odd because everything else had been done via the internet (job posting, application, interview) and here the rejection came via snail mail.
One of the rejections was expected, but it’s the timing that hit me. I got an email notification one year to the day I applied that they’d just selected someone else . In what universe does it take a solid year to notify people of the status of the application? Can’t you, I don’t know, tell people that they won’t be part of the selection process before the final choice is made? If the library (or any company) is so worried about having sufficient applicants in the event the first choice turns them down, then have a pool of 5 or so that you will offer the position to in the event the first choice (and subsequent) turn you down. That makes sense to me, but then I’m not in HR.
Ironically, I’d just spoken with someone locally literally 3 days before about that application, saying I hadn’t heard and wondered (sarcastically) when I’d hear back from them.
It was kind of like a job I applied and interviewed for literally 8 years ago and am still waiting to find out when I start work there. That one isn’t on me, either; I have a few friends who also interviewed at the same time and are also waiting to hear.
I don’t like any of our prospects for that gig.
On the positive side, neither organization that rejected me today told me I was unqualified. That’s the de rigueur thing to say to rejected applicants – even when the applicant is patently qualified for said position. As an example, I applied for a job as a business librarian at a large university in the eastern United States. I am a solo practitioner of almost 10 years duration (which means I have my own law practice and am therefore a small business owner) whose practice focus is business. I work with businesses in pretty much every aspect of their needs: contracts, formation, governance, compliance and liability issues, even privacy policies, and many others as well.
In other words, pretty well versed in what businesses face and encounter today. Add to that my experience working as a mid-manager in a multinational corporation and all that entails.
It was an entry level position and, though I do not have years of experience, I do have experience working in libraries, providing reference services, along with the requisite computer skills, and know pretty much every database business students, faculty, and the public might need assistance with. Plus what I’m told are pretty good customer service skills.
It took about 4 months to hear back on that position, but I was rejected. The reason? I was deemed unqualified. Not that the other applicants had more experience, which I could unhappily but nonetheless accept, but that I was unqualified. In what universe is all that unqualified?
Yes, I’m complaining but I’m more than a little frustrated.
Be all that as it may, there’s no real point here, just musing on the unpleasantness of job searches, reinforced by the rejections I’ve received of late. Do any of you have job hunt stories? Feel free to share.
FlatpickingJD 