Survival of the Fittest

I graduated about a month ago and am still on the job hunt. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to work for the company I interned with last summer. Day after day, there is another setbeck...another road block, keeping me from achieving my goals. I have to constantly remind myself not to give up. It is quite competitive out there (especially in marketing/advertising/PR), which is why I see it as "survival of the fittest."

Last summer, I found myself in a very similar situation. I was about to start my senior year of college, and I wanted an internship for the summer. I casually looked at the beginning of the Spring 2008 semester, looking more intensely as the semester winded down. I applied for internship after internship (even a few office jobs), only to find my search unsuccessful (not even landing any interviews).

One day, I found a listing for a marketing internship at a company in New York City. It was exactly what I was looking for. Also, they paid quite a generous amount (more than I saw listed for other internships). Noting my past unsuccessful tries at applying for internships, I was so close to not applying for this. I figured this would just be another rejection. Despite my pessimism, I applied. That same day, I had a phone interview. A day later, I had a message in my inbox asking all candidates to design some marketing collateral for the company. Finally, I was hired! Had I not taken the opportunity, I would have probably been under much more stress last summer. Who knows? Perhaps I would have not had an internship at all. But I learned an important lesson (and I realize this is cliché sounding): don't give up. Take advantage of all opportunities, even if you do not think you have a chance at something.

Of course, the actual job search is much more difficult, but eventually everyone falls into place. I will update more often - keep reading!