It’s a rush getting that email or phone call – when those hours of rewriting, reformatting and self-branding have inspired someone to ask whether the flesh-and-blood You might be available to meet.

I was bursting with anticipation when I recently discovered, thanks to some LinkedIn sleuthing, an opening for a social media/communications position at a company that just happened to employ an old acquaintance of mine.

I sent my contact a message immediately, pouncing on the opportunity.

As a recent graduate of the Concordia University creative writing program, let me tell you, the worst part isn’t getting that rejection letter – it’s waiting for it to arrive.

The best part of working your network is that waiting is almost non-existent. I heard back from my contact the same day, not only with a request for my paper-self, but an inquiry about my availabilities so that an interview could be scheduled.

Within hours I had an interview set and some pep in my step.

Things got a little murky when, the following day, my contact had to swap our interview to another time, and I proactively suggested a place and time. I never received a confirmation.

Fast-forward to the scheduled time and place: I decided to assume that no response leaned toward the affirmative.

I was prepared, dressed appropriately, arrived early. And I waited. I waited for a half hour before I sent my contact a message to ask if we were still meeting. I waited another 15 minutes to see if maybe he got lost/stuck in traffic/couldn’t find parking/slept in.

I eventually did get a response from my contact, stating that the position had already been filled.

Like most things that involve putting yourself out there (job hunting, writing, dating, Canadian Idol auditions), the easiest thing to do is get discouraged.

If you’ve just graduated, whether you’re working part-time or volunteering alongside your job search process, don’t wallow if things aren’t working out.

Where I am now

I’m still on the prowl for career-launching employment, but am currently part-timing at a coffee house and I’ve applied to the creative book publishing post-grad certificate program at Humber College. I’m also writing and submitting my work to various literary magazines, for which, even after 100 days of waiting, I always get some kind of response.

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