Giving up

My friend  came to Aus as a student after completing his medical degree in his home country. He  is one of the smartest guys I have ever met. He wanted to stay on in Aus and it took 10 years to go through the bureaucratic red tapes.. Meanwhile, even though he passed both AMC 1 and 2 exams, he couldn’t get a placement to work as a doctor as the dudes in the medical fraternity have the power to not to hire you based on their whims and fancies.

After receiving letters after letters of how sorry a certain organization is not being able to offer him the job he applied for (in other words those rejection letters) he has given up applying. His wife is also a Doctor and is now working in an aged care home as a carer.

I want to shake him.. shake him really hard, so I can put some sense in his head.

Let me tell you about rejection letters. I should call Guinness book of records, because I probably hold the world record for the most rejection letters ever received. When we were living in Canada and I was so desperate for money, a neighbour suggested that I apply to the company she works for..domestic cleaning. I did. Even that company sent me a rejection letter. I was not even good enough to clean houses.

You have a choice.. when you have been hammered down.. you can stay down or fight. I chose not to give up.. even though it took years to get what I really want.

In hindsight I made couple of mistakes when I was in Canada.

1 As a newly arrived migrant, I should have used the services available that will help me get a job. I only used once where they wanted me to work as a tel operator in Granville. Travel and child care cost was more than the hourly wages. I lost hope. I should have persisted.

2. Volunteer. I should have called organizations/unis etc and asked for internship/volunteering options. The easiest way to get a job and career references was to get a volunteer posting.(I couldn’t have done this in Canada cause I had no money to pay for child care)

3 Go back to Uni. As a PR of Canada, I was eligible for student loan and I should have used it.

4. Ge t my resume professionally written. This was the biggest mistake I ever made.  I was idiot who didn’t want to spend 450$ to get the resume professionally written. I should have considered it as an investment for my own future.

Just to put in perspectives.. at one time I earned 10$/meal and my oldest child went to school wearing wet and soggy socks because I couldn’t even afford proper winter shoes for her and now I am in the process of buying my oldest child an apartment close to her Uni.. Yes, I am boasting. I have a right to..

8 thoughts on “Giving up

  1. “After receiving letters after letters of how sorry a certain organization is not being able to offer him the job he applied for (in other words those rejection letters) he has given up applying. His wife is also a Doctor and is now working in an aged care home as a carer.”
    “Let me tell you about rejection letters. I should call Guinness book of records, because I probably hold the world record for the most rejection letters ever received. When we were living in Canada and I was so desperate for money, a neighbour suggested that I apply to the company she works for..domestic cleaning. I did. Even that company sent me a rejection letter. I was not even good enough to clean houses.”

    I’m in that same position now. I have been applying to so many jobs in the field I am interested in (epidemiology) and I haven’t gotten anything except for rejections. Not even the opportunity for a interview. And I admit it’s hella discouraging because getting a job is the only way I get to start on my own and gives access to independence (I don’t want to end up back home, especially now that marriage pressures are starting and I don’t want to be intoxicated with that at home). Even for some starting position they give in some insane demand like must have a Ph.D and have like 5 years experience. It leaves new grads hopeless, so I do understand your friend in that aspect because it seems the chance of getting a job, especially in the US is slim as it’s very competitive. You are obviously right that you need to keep on pushing through (which I do to the best of my ability), but every time you get a rejection, it just pulls you down so bad.

    • J1206: You don’t get a job that you don’t apply. Of course it is frustrating..but you chip away.. one rock at a time, till you get what you want. I strated by volunteering at the uni.. and made my way through..

  2. ahhh!! I have been balking on spending that kind of money on a professionally written resume for me…just feel it is too much. But I need one. May be I will after this post.

    Congrats! and good luck on apartment buying.

    • MS: Getting my resume professionally written has made such a huge impact on my ability to get a job that pays really well.

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