"Thank you for your time and effort, but we've decided on another candidate."
I cannot even count how many times I've heard or read this sentence. It hurts very badly and I never got used to be rejected. It's never fun to receive "that" email. I often tried to play tricks on myself and say, "oh, you didn't get it" so I wouldn't feel so bad. But, then, my brain would say, "you did get it!" Either way, I'd be let down because almost always, I wouldn't walk away with the job or internship.
In my senior year of college, I would begin applying for magazine internships in New York and hope for the best! I'd cross my fingers and pray things would work out. I have to tell you though, I always got the interview, but never the actual position. I've interviewed with Self Magazine, Fitness, Weight Watchers (twice), All You, Real Simple, Women's World, Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Day In Style, as well as Good Housekeeping and Family Circle. Out of all of them, I landed internships at GH and FC. Overall, I've been denied from countless jobs and internships, but that never stopped me from continuing to apply for them.
I've always been a rather persistent person who never gives up on her dreams and wishes. So, even though I've been denied by several jobs and internships, I never stopped pushing myself. I kept applying and going on interviews as much as the rejection hurt. I was rather frustrated, angry and bitter about it, but I never quit! I had to continue on because why give up? You should never give up trying because you'll be a failure and will never succeed. What will giving up do? It will show that you're a quitter and didn't want it as bad as you said you did. That's not me and it never was, so I continued on trying.
I've had 2 full-time jobs and am on my third, which I really like! On the side, I freelance for Huffington Post, Thought Catalog and Your Tango and still having fully given up on my dream to become magazine writer. And, I don't think I ever will and neither should you! It just goes to show you that persistence works!