The job search is probably one of the top five most demoralizing things I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing in my life. The task of finding a job ranks above the mundane (filing) and excruciatingly painful (circumcision) and has probably driven more experienced and qualified hunters to suicide.
In an attempt to keep my sanity during the entire ordeal, I have opted to write. How cathartic.
The modern job hunt has become a right of passage, something weary eyed men and women discuss around a table with a bottle of rum. "How many years did ya search for? two? Jeez." It starts to sound like the amount of tours a veteran participates in during wartime.
And the worst part is after all of that searching, the odds of finding something that we want isn't necessarily guaranteed. Just like there are good people and bad people, there are also good companies and bad companies. Guess which ones tend to hire less.
So follow me on my quest for a career and take solace in knowing how much better your life is. I'll hopefully be able to use myself as an example of what not to do on your job search, and impart upon you wisdom that has taken me months to realize. Maybe it'll stop you from stepping off that ledge and realize that there's enough hope to go around.