My Meandering Sunday Job Search (and Related Thoughts)

So here I am, engaged in my usual Sunday routine: studying the weekly “Jobfinder” section in the Star-Ledger.  (Is the print getting smaller or is it just me?)  I realize that this is probably a useless exercise – I mean, don’t they always say that most job openings are filled without being advertised?  Still, I like to look anyway, even though I realize that the jobs that are advertised must get a hundred times as many applicants as the ones that aren’t.  It’s like the lottery – somebody has to win, right?

I’m flipping through these job listings and my mind is wandering to things I dislike about flipping through job listings.  I find it really disconcerting when:

• I’m checking out online listings and I see that the same job I applied for three weeks ago is re-posted as “new.” 
• I see a lower-level (or higher-level) job in my field posted at a particular company just after I’ve applied for the higher-level (or lower-level) position that was previously posted.  Let’s see now, do I apply for the new job and present myself as either less or more qualified than I did for their previous job? 
• I see an ad that indicates that “previous applicants need not apply.”  Although so far I haven’t been one of those “previous applicants,” I can imagine how it must feel if you are. 

Looking at the job listings in the Sunday paper makes me wonder if I’m in the wrong line of work.  There are columns of jobs for “computers” and “drivers” and “sales,” but hardly ever even a single ad for “writer” or “editor” or “public relations.”  Guess I’ll go look somewhere else for those.  I’m wandering off to check out a few websites now…hmm, that sounds interesting, I can do that, I think I’ll apply for that.

Well, at least it’s a new week.  The start of the week always gives me the feeling that anything can happen, that this could be the week that I find a job.  And I was so happy yesterday!  I heard that one of my relatives, who’s been out of work even longer than I have, has been offered a job.  This news really gives me hope.  He was persistent and determined and he never gave up.  I’m inspired!

So I’m not giving up either.  Who knows?  It’s a new week.  Anything can happen, right?

OK, back to applying for that job...