Metal Mouth Message Board

Guys, my self confidence got a huge slap in the face yesterday.

I applied for a job. Knowing that I do not look good and that I have a lisp, I aimed for a not so well paid editor/redactor position for an online portal. I hoped that it does not matter that I still have some speech problems and do not look pleasantly, when its job where I only write from behind of the screen. How horribly wrong I was.

The company called me on friday evening, telling me that last date for an interview is monday morning. I had a lot of things to do (doc, my insurance stuff,some papers at different offices...), so I asked them if there is not another date possible. At that moment, they clearly must know that I talk somehow weirdly, but they still insisted they would like to meet. I spent rest of the day rearanging stuff and planning a 3 hour travel on monday morning.

I slept 3 hours, took the buses (3 busses, 3 hours of traveling, cost quite a lot if you are unemployed). Called them in the morning once again, because the HR woman forgot to send me instructions. They again told me they are looking forward to meeting me and blah, blah, blah.

I came on time, sat and was waiting for her. She came late. She gave me a weird look, but I thought it was just my impression. She led me to her colleague for interview. As I started talking, they exchanged a "meaningful" look, but stayed polite... the really artificial polite. I came there, gave them a good CV, showed them at least 4 printed articles and stories to prove that I can write and am an published author (honestly, my praxis is above this kind of job, but I wanted it, because it would be easy job for me), even brought a finished piece in english to prove that I can help out as a translator with 2 foreign languages.

The interview lasted 15 minutes. They explained the position to me, I told them that I did something similar in my past job as part of my job... and they did not ask even only one more thing. Just nothing. Nothing about my past work, nothing about what else I can do... just nothing. Asked me if I want to ask something, so I gave them few work related questions and when it got to pay question, I told them that I value a good job over big money and would really want this job, because I love working with written texts.

I felt a lot of antipathy and sort of mocking in the way they talked to me. Polite, but anyway. At the end, they emphatized, that they have some other candidates as well. As I was leaving, I was sure they do not even think about hiring me.

Got a rejection letter today - short, blunt. Just a no, not even a reason why no as some other companies do.

Now, I know looks do matter, but why do I have to look like a model to get a job where I hide behind the computer screen and do not speak almost to anyone?! Honestly, I am really really hurt and totally discouraged from applying for any other job before my surgeries are over.

Sorry for ranting, I really needed to get it out of myself.

And no, I can not sue them or do anything against them. If I tried, they would say they just did not hire me because they found somebody more competent.

PS: Excuse the mistakes please, I am not in a mood to check it properly And just in case you knew about anybody who needs an internet based employee - writer, forums admin/moderator, editor, even data entry type of jobs would do... please, let me know. I am starting to be desperate.

DotCat

I really don't want you to fret. I've read so many of your posts and you are very obviously highly intelligent and articulate and employable.

I think that what we all do, when we are going through all of this, is to blame failure on our orthodontic/oral max/medical situation. But setbacks happen to everyone! And quite often they are very unfair - truly.

Your attitude is usually incredibly positive and this, along with perseverance will mean that you will find success. Just keep plugging away at it, and don't let any fool knock you down.

"If at first you don't succeed ........"

I work in an academic publishing house, and I'd give you a job if I was in a position to. But I live in the UK.

You're great. You'll be fine. Promise.

All I can tell you is to hang in there. Not all people are shallow and judgmental as those you faced in your interview. I have had nothing but positive experiences with my braces, and I can tell you I was extremely self conscious when I first got them on.

Job interviews are hard enough as it is. Some will be great and others will be horrible. Try to look at it in a different light ... there are many qualified people that are not hired for positions because they just are not a good fit for the company. And thank goodness, in this case, for you, because if they are that shallow, I am sure you will have much more success at a company that values accomplishment over petty concerns that are unrelated to job performance itself.

Best of luck in your job search.

You're obviously much too good for them, DotCat. Don't let them get you down!

I echo what has been already said.................you deserve to work in a position where it's the quality of what you do that matters. Keep trying.

yeh man, stay positive, not everyone is like that. I got a job as a lawyer in top firm 4 weeks after sarpe surgery with a huge gap in my teeth and decent lisp

Yes Dot, try not to be so hard on yourself. When I was applying for jobs I mailed out over 40 applications. Of those 40 I got about 15 rejections letters, nothing from the others, and a total of 2 contacts for interviews. One rejected me after an interview, and the other offered me a job. I was just about to take it when the one I had been waiting for came open and they contacted me offering me the position. I was so happy because I was going to have to move to another state for the other one.

Try and hang tough....it is not your looks, it is just hard to find a good job these days, and the competition is fierce. You will find a job soon, probably when you are least expecting it. Try not to get down on yourself....I know it's hard not to (been there done that) but it really happens to the best of us.

Brandy

Thanks everyone.

I think its not the rejection that got me so much, I got used to it since I started job hunting after uni. Its the way how they shortened the interwiew and the looks they were giving me. The whole behaviour towards me.

I have been in this company once about a year before my surgery for a different job (its a HUGE software company) and that time, they said no as well, but the interview was normal and lasted the usual 45-60 minutes and they were asking many things and I felt that they were really considering me for that position, even if I did not look the best either.

This was the first time, when I knew they would not even think about accepting me from the very start. Sort of shock to be honest.

An update:

Another company called me just now and offered me a position in PR (me and PR! ) as a press announcement editor and writer. They do not want me to come immediately, but asked me to write a sample press announcement for them as a test of my skills.

I sort of like where this is going. So, I am going to bury myself in the internets and search data for the announcement

PS: I think the best way of dealing with badly behaving people would be taking out a toilet plunger out of my bag and suck it in their face. It would not help, but damn would it feel good, lol.

Sorry to hear off your experiance dotcat, but congratulations on the positive news from the other company.

No its not exactly the same thing, but i fear i may be facing a similar problem soon, as i temp as a legal secretary/receptionist and will be having jaw surgery in a week and half.

As a temp, i obviously have to go into strange places, with no sympathic employer to return to, and until the swellings gone down i bet getting a temping jobs going to be interesting! especially if talking is hard for a while.

good luck with your press release.

To be honest, I had a lot of problems to get a job even before, as I am not the "representative and pleasant person" that many employers demand in their job offers. (Yes, it is legal here. )
But I sort of understand it - I can imagine that they want their clients to feel good in the presence of their employees (so they are more positive and more open to closing a deal). Thats why I gave up on jobs in PR (as a speaker) or assistant positions and it was also the last push that made me say yes to the surgery.

I find it really hard to have speach problems and gap, because it adds to my not too pleasant appearance (just wait when I am after the last surgery and get my facial implants! I should look quite good! ) and I give some people the impression that I might be retarted.

I had a funny moment once in a bus, when I was getting in after a group of mentally challenged kids that were on a trip to Zoo. They had some sort of group ticket and when I came in to buy my own, he looked at me a little confused, so I just smiled and said. "No, I am not with them. One adult to the city please." And we both laughed at the awkward situation.

It can be fun in a bus, but certainly not when you are trying to get a job.

Anyway, you do not have any syndrome added to your surgery, so I think you still have a great chance to land a job. Maybe not exactly what you want, but hey, wait after it all is over... then you will get a lot of guys begging you to work for them

If I tried, they would say they just did not hire me because they found somebody more competent.

Is it possibe they DID find someone more competent and this is all in your head? Maybe just an insecurity? I think a lot of us obsess about things that no one else really even notices, like a lisp or braces.

And I received dozens of rejection letters during my unemployment, I don't think any of them actually explained why I was not being hired. They all just say, "Sorry, good luck." for the most part.

I don't think you should beat yourself up over it. Everyone deals with experiences like this, braced or not.