430
Updated: Jun 9, 2021
I have been applying to internships and entry-level positions for 2 years now. Started during my Junior year, and I am starting to get just a bit anxious in the hunt for my first job.
I have been rejected 430 times. Been told that I don't have enough experience for an internship ( as I hold 3 certifications, have an active GitHub, a portfolio page with projects, & have attended Hackathons and Conventions ).
Meanwhile, only 4 of these 430 have taken the time to talk with me.
Made sense for about a third of them as I swung for jobs outside of my wheelhouse, and to big names like Facebook, Google, Amazon in a bid to challenge myself. ( 2 of the 4 conversations were from these types of jobs )
To say that you need a thick skin to be in the Computer Science field is a understatement. This has been the professional 'bootcamp' I didn't know I needed. It has tested my patience, broken and rebuilt my confidence, redefined the ideals of what I want to bring to the field as a developer, and forced me to confront the imposter syndrome that haunts all of us.
This is NOT a failure.
These fights aren't unique to me.
Juniors \ Recent Grads all over are living my same life due to job listings wanting 10+ years of experience in languages 5 years old, and people with Master's degrees going for entry-level roles. There are also plenty of places that refuse to hire Juniors.
Our field needs an overhaul. 2021's newest batch of younglings are tough, resourceful and ready to take on the challenge of righting some wrongs in our field due to the rigorous training rejection has given us.
Thanks to these 430 No's, not only do I know that these rejections won't keep me from continuing on my path to finding the perfect place to hone my skills, but they will be the pile of 'NO' that I stand on that guarantees my success.
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