Today I found out that all the resumes I sent out this past month had the wrong e-mail address. FML. Instead of gmail.com, I had put it as gmail.ee, which unfortunately, doesn't exist. Worst of all, before sending the resume, I checked it multiple times to see that there weren't any mistakes.
Three days ago, I got a call from a potential employer, and set up an interview for the coming wednesday. Before that though, I was asked to fill out some documents before the interview over e-mail, which, as you can probably imagine, I didn't actually receive. I tried calling them, but no one picked up, and the e-mail I sent, probably won't even get looked at. I still have a day and half till the interview, but I'm afraid I've fucked up. What's even worse, is that I might have received other job offers, but they've all gone to a non-existent e-mail.
Job opporturnities in my hometown are scarce. Well, not exactly, just that half of those are filled through connections, and others require some sort of qualification. Besides that, I belong to the minority in this city, because I don't speak Russian that well, which is almost always mandatory (probably some discrimination against non-Russians as well - but that's not the point).
This year I'm not going to obtain further education either, because everything has gone wrong. I was initially planning to enroll in an IT program, but as it turned out, there weren't enough people to start the course. The school offered another program (economics), but I wasn't interested in it. I probably saw it as a scam of some sorts.
Moving to another city for more prosperous job oppoturnities is not a feasible plan either. That would require some sort of starting fund (which in my case is too small) and finding a job and an affordable apartment, which would probably take at least a month. Winter is approaching as well, which would ramp up the costs. Another reason why moving right now isn't realistic, is because I would have to abandon it all either way, due to conscription.
My old trusty monitor also broke, so now I have to use an even smaller (1024x768) monitor. Almost all pages feel too large, it's like I'm on my Android phone.
I've also been watching videos of random DJs via mixmag, boiler room, etc, and I realised, that one day I want to entertain others as well. In what way, that's not yet certain, but someday I will do it. Maybe the idea of traveling, seeing the world, and entertaining others is romanticised, but I know that I must experience it. Watching those videos now though, gets me depressed, as I realise that in nearest future I won't be able to do anything to reach closer to that dream.
Being unemployed nor obtaining any qualifications suck. And now it looks like I'll be living the same awful routine for the next year as well. I hate it. Parents saying that I should do something - they don't understand either. Heck, even I don't completely understand it. Why is it me, who has it all going down the drain. I was always told that I'm smart and have potential for great things - and yet here I am, stuck in a rut and not doing anything worthwhile. I am not a worthy member of the society.
I feel you man! Remember there's A LOT of people in a similar situation to yours and frankly getting down on yourself is the least useful thing to do if you want to turn things around. Hope you do.
I think I was also using the wrong email. My school changed to another subdomain for emails.
@school.com to @mail.school.com
I didn't notice but I think all emails still went through because I tested and it was thankfully in the transition period. Didn't get many interview requests. It happens :/
ah that's so rough to hear :/ I think you should just keep trying to get into contact with them and then when you go in for the interview, explain that your email was wrong and that you'll to be given the chance to do the papers again. You can always send resumes out again with the correct email address and hope that you'll get other job offers if you had some. Sorry to hear about your troubles, keep trying! Best of luck!
On September 01 2014 23:59 Bunn wrote: I am not a worthy member of the society.
DO NOT LIVE FOR SOCIETY
DO NOT LIVE FOR SOCIETY
DO LIVE FOR YOURSELF
DO LIVE FOR YOUR FAMILY
DO LIVE FOR YOUR FRIENDS
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FULFILL YOUR DREAMS
DO NOT LIVE FOR SOCIETY
I was in the same boat. I messed up a batch of resumes, bombed two interviews and when I finally got a job (a really nice job) they informed me of a drug test (Everyone in my direct family including myself is a daily pot smoker) which even though I detoxed for I failed as THC is one of the hardest drugs to detox for a test, especially in an overweight fellow like myself.
I went into a panic, barely steering clear of a full-on breakdown. I felt like a useless trash-bag.
Until I realized the trend in my failures. I was looking for work because that's what I was told I need to do. I was living to be accepted by society and the people within it.
To cut a long rant about myself out and cut to the end: I picked a goal (owning my own store) and began working toward that and only that without regard to how it made me look to others. I now own my own convenience store in a tourist destination near where I live.
It took me 5 years to get from my depressed state to here and I must say it was well worth the struggle.
Not sure if this helps but I just want you to know that you are not alone and that things WILL get better if you work towards making yourself happy.
I was always told that I'm smart and have potential for great things
This is pretty much the worst poison to put in one's mind. The truth is, it doesn't matter how 'smart' you are or how much 'potential' you have, unless you work your ass off to achieve something. Figure out what you want to do, and start doing it instead of complaining about how horrible your life is. Start small, start with anything - just make sure to start, and then don't stop. You want to get a job? Don't blame your wrong email or lack of opportunities - print out a hundred CVs and go hand them out to every office around your house. People tell you that doesn't work nowadays? Yeah, 99 of them won't even get looked at - but 1 might be read and if you're lucky, you'll get an offer from it. 1 out of 100 chance is better than 0, you know?
Likewise with looking for jobs in other cities. You say it takes money and stuff to do it? No it doesn't, many companies - even in dumbest countries of the world - will offer at least some relocation assistance, either by funding you some short-term housing, or at least paying you a month's or two salary up front - which is enough to get some box where you can lay down for the night, for the time being. It might not end up being very comfortable or in any way easy to start with - but again, it's a start, and you can move on somewhere from it. Conscription will ruin your progress after a year or two? Boohoo, that doesn't mean you should just sit in your basement until that time comes around, because that's a waste of time. Do something with your life before it happens; something you can put on your future CV, something that will help you with your hobbies, something that will make you feel better about yourself - do ANYTHING.
You like DJ videos and dream of doing that in future? Well then you should count yourself lucky, because nowadays you need nothing but a PC and an internet connection (both of which you seem to have already) to start making some sort of music / mixes of your own. Don't 'dream' about it, don't waste your time writing blogs about how you'd like to do it - go grab some software, grab a tutorial, start randomly clicking buttons in fruity loops - just see what you can actually do, and DO IT instead of talking and dreaming about it. Seriously, you don't need any kind of majestic talents or gifts from the gods, you don't need a recording label, you don't need anything except time - of which you seem to have plenty - to start doing that stuff. You might not become famous right away - heck, you might never become famous - but like the saying goes, it's better to have tried and failed than to never have tried; besides, if you stick with ANYTHING for long enough, it's impossible to not get at least a modicum of success. You probably won't be the next Tiesto or whatever but it's not that hard to put out stuff that people will start listening to, that will get you some gigs at least in your local region etc - as long as it's something you are genuinely interested in, and stick with.
Bottom line, stop making excuses and start making progress. There are always opportunities, it's just harder to do things than to complain about things. Whether you have it in you to actually go out and do something, is entirely up to you.
I know this feel. Well, not the russian language/discrimination stuff, I guess i'm lucky i'm part of the majority where I'm from. Believe me man, be thankful your parents can help you while you figure things out, they may bug you about it but they were young and directionless at some point too.
One thing you have to accept is that no work is too low or too dirty unless it's outright illegal. I had an uncle who used to - in absence of a job - ride a bicycle around town with a small trailer hitched to the back, and he'd pick up beer cans, soda cans, booze bottles and the like. Take them home, return the booze bottles for the deposits, and crush the aluminum soda cans. Well, at the end of the year, he had a literal tonne of crushed aluminum cans in bags, between selling that for scrap and the return money for the empty beers, he made a few thousand dollars that year and got himself moving in life.
I'm not saying you have to be a trash picker (my uncle was a bit of an environmental nut too) but sometimes when there's no employer or job you can find odd job ways to make money and string them together. The act of doing some work at all and earning some money will give you some financial momentum, and emotional momentum as well.
but they were young and directionless at some point too
Maybe, but it's really the difference in era's. One wonder of the Soviet Union was, that after finishing school, everyone was assigned a job for three years and provided a place to live. I, on the other hand, am entering the labor force during a recovering economy, which still isn't that great. I'm not complaining, but that's an interesting thing to note.
As for jobs and how they are portrayed by the society, I don't really think of myself high and mighty, who won't ever do 'dirty' jobs. In fact, I've applied to many places which aren't so prestigious, such as retail, woodworker, car washer, construction site helper, etc.
This is pretty much the worst poison to put in one's mind. The truth is, it doesn't matter how 'smart' you are or how much 'potential' you have, unless you work your ass off to achieve something
Yeah, I've figured it out soon after dropping out of college. I didn't realise it during my time spent there, but looking back, I realise that most of my failures were resulted by laziness and no motivation. I do believe now, though, that I've gained a little better grasp of what it means to work; I'm not planning on repeating my past mistakes.
Don't 'dream' about it, don't waste your time writing blogs about how you'd like to do it - go grab some software, grab a tutorial, start randomly clicking buttons in fruity loops - just see what you can actually do, and DO IT instead of talking and dreaming about it
I've actually been doing that, but it won't happen overnight. And not having a musical background makes progressing more tedious. Not trying to make excuses, but just facing the facts.
You say it takes money and stuff to do it? No it doesn't, many companies - even in dumbest countries of the world - will offer at least some relocation assistance, either by funding you some short-term housing, or at least paying you a month's or two salary up front
This is where I have to disagree. Most companies won't offer any relocating assistance, at least to me. If I'd have previous work experience, then perhaps, but as of right now, I would be a too big of a risk for potential employers (coming from a town from the other side of the country and having no experience). I only know a few companies which offer their own living spaces, and that's probably because they are either desperate for new employees (a security firm, which is constantly gaining and losing workers), or the job is just that important, such as those of doctors and nurses.
I agree with most of what you said. I don't really have anything going on in my life, and I probably come off as arrogant and self-centered, but that doesn't mean I'm not actively looking to progress in life. I am, but knowing that a simple mistake as an incorrect e-mail could cause me to lose potential jobs, is just so frustrating, especially after finding it out weeks after sending them out.
Thankfully I reached the potential employer today, and despite the wrong e-mail, I got the needed documents, so there's still hope.
EPT
