I'll Tell You How I Really Feel

It's not been a secret that I've been looking for work.  However, I haven't really spent much time talking about the gory details of it all.  Because, honestly, talking about depressing things is not something I enjoy doing and I'm sure reading about depressing things is something you don't particularly enjoy, either, unless you're Russian, you like Russian things, or you like catching up on all of the Best Picture Oscar nominees that no one hears about until this time of year.

It's the same reason why, when small-talking, people tend to always respond that things are going "okay," because no where in the term "small-talk" can you find the phrase "bitch session."

But I'm rambling.

Ah, yes, the job search.

It sucks.

You know why it sucks, though?  It's not because I have not yet found a job, although that is obviously quite a big factor in it all.  It's because, in the current environment, finding a job has been like throwing my information into a black hole.  On only a few rare occasions have I received any sort of feedback that can help me in my continuing pursuit of employment. 

Let's provide some illustrative examples:
Example 1:
Me: Blah, blah, blah, I think I fit one of your job openings well.  Here's my resume!
Anonymous Employer #1: ...

Example 2:
Me: Blah, blah, blah, we both know so-and-so.  I'd like to set up an informational interview to learn more about your company.
Anonymous Guy at Anonymous Employer #2: ....

Example 3:
Anonymous Recruiter: I saw your profile online and think you'd be a great fit for some openings I'm trying to fill for my clients.  Please send me your contact info and resume.
Me: Sure, here you go.  Let me tell you a couple small details about my qualifications, even though you've already seen them.
Anonymous Recruiter: ...
[a week later] Me: Hi, Anonymous Recruiter, I just wanted to follow up on the openings you had mentioned previously.  Please let me know if you have any questions for me, or if there are any new positions you're trying to fill.
Anonymous Recruiter: ....

Example 4:
Me: Hi, Anonymous HR Person for Anonymous Employer #3, I saw your posting on linkedin and had a brief question about a discrepancy in the posting when compared to that shown on the official company website.  Could you please clarify?
Anonymous HR Person for Anonymous Employer #3: ...


Examples 5-n:
Me: Blah, blah, blah, I think I fit one of your job openings well.  Here's my resume!
Anonymous Employers #4-n: ...

And so on and so forth.  Now, after a couple months of this, it occurred to me that maybe my e-mail account had caught whatever digital influenza is currently in vogue, potentially sabotaging all of my efforts.  But, no, the truth is that the business world is full of douches whose time is far more valuable than mine.  Well, that actually may be true if one bothers to go through the math, but, still, it would be nice if there were folks out there that exercised just an ounce of professional and personal courtesy to us jobless lowlifes.  You know, spend those excruciating 30 seconds on a curt reply.  Just a friendly note that says, "Hey, you're barking up the wrong tree.  Go change your kid's diapers."  I'd much prefer that over the silent treatment.  Seriously, I would.

And just so I don't feel like a total hypocrite, I spent the last week catching up on all of my personal and professional correspondence, as I often go through significant lapses in communication.  So, if you received an e-mail from me from out of the blue, don't be worried.  I wasn't actually thinking about you, I was thinking about myself.