Tuesday 24 March 2009

A depressing thought.

I am currently on one long long journey to finding a job which lets me step my foot onto my chosen career path. After nearly 9 months now nothing seems to be shifting into place. Not even a smidgin. 

Where I live in quite small and so generally my searches for a job have been much wider, but I was pleased when a recent design job was advertised in my local newspaper for a graduate graphic designer. These jobs rarely come up here as the business is small here, so naturally I thought I might actually have a chance at this one! 

After just over a week I heard no reply to my application and so I thought would email them to see how the whole thing is going, and to find out sooner whether I was successful or not at securing an interview. However I received the email bearing some slightly disappointing news. The email basically said that they had an overwhelming amount of applications, over 300 and it's taking them a while to go through them all! 

I am lost for words to think that over 300 applications were received for this small place in Lichfield. I recently heard a statistic regarding the economic problems saying that for every 1 job 50 people apply. This doesn't leave me with much hope as only 50 applications is obviously quite optimistic by comparison to this one particular job I applied for! I'm not sure whether I should laugh or cry. I'd probably have a better chance of winning big brother! 

On reflection this job was small by comparison to some of the bigger companies that I have applied for and it chills me to think of how many would have actually applied to these jobs. No wonder they never get back to you!


6 comments:

  1. it is quite worrying, but don't forget, this country has been here before. when i graduated in '92, we were just coming out of the last recession and it was the same when applying for jobs back then too. i remember applying for a position as a classroom assistant, there were over 100 applicants in total, i had a degree, and never even heard back! i have to be honest, and say it took me 2 years to get a design job back then, i spent the time in between on a 'cad' course and building up my portfolio. don't give up yet, you never know, you might be shortlisted, they have 300 applicants but i guarantee about 3/4 won't be suitable at all!

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  2. I graduated in 2001 with a degree in Medieval literature and was soooo excited to find six graduate trainee positions at a publisher of medieval academic tests. I was convinced that I had a good chance, and didn't even get a response. It's always extra competitive for graduate roles, and it's probably even more so now. God, I'm meant to be cheering you up, right?!

    Lucykate is right though, probably most of the applicants won't be suitable. Don't write it off just yet!

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  3. Sorry to hear of your situation. I live in a very rural area and it's certainly tough. I hope you get what you wish for and life soon gets easier for you.

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  4. I love hearing other peoples thoughts on getting design jobs, I am sort of in the same position as yourself - I too graduated last summer with a textile print design degree I spent months sending applications, searching, emailing, posting, going to london on work placements but after a few months my heart and credit card could take no more - I now work in insurance, I still live in hope tho - Good Luck!!

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  5. god - sounds depressing for sure - keep your spirits up though - your work is lovely!

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  6. ouch. thats the financial crisis for you. its so difficult to get a job nowadays, the competition is higher than ever.

    goodluck
    xx

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