Life in Limbo
I graduated college in December of 2017 without a full-time job offer.
And like most college grads, professors, parents, blog posts and literally everyone else in the world will tell you, you’re supposed to graduate (with honors, ha!) with a full-time job lined up. While this is definitely reality for some, it’s not necessarily reality for the rest of us.
Following graduation (one of which I did not walk the stage with a job offer), I started applying to internships. At the time, I wasn’t able to land an entry level position right away so I believed interning would be a great way to gain more experience and become a more marketable candidate. In the spring of 2018, I began sending out mass applications for various internship positions. Out of 15 or so applications, my number one company emailed me to begin the interview process. I was stoked! This process lasted for a month and a half. Up until this point I had never participated in a multi-round interview process. Though nervous and a little annoyed with the timeline of the process, I was determined to get the position. This position checked all of my boxes: big name company, huge opportunity for growth with many of it’s internship positions turning full-time, and it was located in what was then my dream city– New York. After three rounds of interviews (that I aced, might I add) and several work submissions later, it was time for me to play the waiting game.
I waited forever, which turned out to be just a week and a half. But this led me to refresh my email at least 10 times a day. I finally got an email back telling me that I was not selected for the position. I was bummed.
This was one of the few interviews that I just KNEW I had nailed. Like, it was the most perfect interview of all interviews. I left no question unanswered, I refrained from stuttering or using my comfort words “like” and “um”, and I asked out-of-the-box questions that for the panel thinking about themselves. Like I said, perfect.
So much time, effort, research, and stress obsession went into this interview. Because the process was so long, it gave me ample time to make sure that my shit was tight. Because I had made it so far into the process, I was confident that the position was mine. Secured. So much so, that I did not entertain any other companies that were interested in having me become a part of their program as well. I even began looking for housing in New York. I had no Plan B because I was determined that Plan A was going to work.
I have since had to adjust to life in limbo.
There are a couple of lessons I learned throughout this process:
- Always have a Plan B
I put all of my eggs together in one basket and narrowed my focus there. Sure, I had other baskets, but the one I wanted most ended up costing me all of the other ones. Had I stayed level-headed and not gotten prematurely excited and committed, I might’ve had my pick at several other baskets. - Life’s no’s just make ways for better yeses
Rejection did not (and will not) consume me, just as much as it is not a measure of my success. Sometimes getting every question right won’t be enough. There will be times where certain opportunities just won’t have my name on them. But, I can rest assured knowing that what is for me will never miss me. - Delayed, not denied
Just because I didn’t get the internship then doesn’t mean that I won’t ever get a position at this company in the future, or one similar to it at another company. The most important thing that I continue to remind myself is to keep moving forward. See all you can see. Do all you can do. Be all you can be.
