Gap Year...and the Job Searching Rant That Undoubtedly Follows

After lots of consideration, I've decided to take a gap year.  I really don't want to go to Earlham, and would much rather spend my year doing something, ANYTHING else.  What I really want to do is go to Irvine, CA for the rest of my gap year.  Meaning I'll need a job in Irvine.  But before I pick up and move halfway across the county I need some money for a plane ticket.  Which means I need a job right here in Colorado at the moment.


Unfortunately, getting a job isn't going so well.

In the past two weeks, I've applied to about 40 jobs.  I got an interview for one.  And I didn't get that job.  That's right, I couldn't even get a job that was a measly 4 hours a week.  Three of the other jobs I applied for found someone else for the position, meaning I didn't even get an interview for some unknown reason.  And whenever I ask, I get answers like these:
"We found someone better suited for the position."
"If I didn't call you for an interview, then you didn't pass my criteria for what I was looking for in an applicant."


Fat chance if you want them to tell you why you weren't hired.

I don't get it.  Why not hire me?  I'm the PERFECT applicant!!!  I'm hardworking, energetic, enthusiastic, optimistic (well, usually; right now I'm irritated and therefore ranting), creative, people oriented, have great customer service skills, have the ability to motivate those around me, etc. etc. etc.  Seriously, why aren't I getting an interview here!?  And why is it when I get an interview I still don't get hired?


Is it the lack of work experience?  I only have my volunteer experience at the library.  Lack of good awards?  The highest recognition I've received is honor roll.  My family says it's due to the insanely high amount of people applying.  ARE YOU PATRONIZING ME!?!?!?  Saying, "The reason you didn't get the job is because there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people applying for that same job," is not encouraging.  That's the same as saying, "You're just not good enough to compete with these hundreds of thousands of other applicants."  (Geez, that sounds like my Wellesley rejection all over again.)


Obviously someone is getting the job, so why isn't that person me?


As for the two interviews I've had, it's fairly obvious that my interviewer feels very "meh" about me at the end.  (I'm great at reading people...another reason why I'd be the perfect employee.)  I don't know why.  I try to act confident but modest.  I'm so polite to my interviewer that it's ridiculous.  I reply to all the questions just like those how-to articles instruct me to.

You know, maybe that's the reason why I'm not getting the job.  Come to think of it, it probably sounds like I'm reading the "right" answers off a piece of paper.   Making me sound like a very typical, nothing special, cookie-cutter applicant.

So maybe doing something to make myself stand out would increase my chances.  For instance, dying my hair pink (I've been avoiding doing this simply because I thought it might negatively affect my chances of getting a job).  And instead of putting on the act of being all polite and modest, perhaps I should just go in with my normal so-confident-I'm-on-the-brink-of-arrogant attitude.  I have no doubt I'm the perfect applicant; I just have to convince the interviewer of that.  Here's an example of my idea in action:
Interviewer: "What will  you bring to the company if I hire you?"
My typical answer: "Well, I'm enthusiastic, energetic, and have great customer service skills."
My new, improved answer: "I'm enthusiastic, energetic, optimistic, and highly motivated.  I have superb customer service skills and possess the ability to inspire and cheer up those around me.  I'm trustworthy and driven by success.  I put my all in everything I do.  Therefore, I am the perfect person for this job.  Mark my words: you are not going to find anyone that can do this job better than me, because no one else possesses every single one of these superb qualities."

Arrogant?  Yes.  But certainly memorable.  Who is the interviewer going to remember more: the girl with the typical answers that sounded like she was reading off a script, or the girl with pink hair who gave an answer like that?


Actually, I'm really considering doing that.  It's obvious that my current approach is not leaving an impression on my interviewer.  Meaning I'm not getting the job anyway, so even if I gave an answer like that, I really don't have anything to loose.