As a job applicant, I feel discouraged. I have made thoughtful, ambitious moves as a professional and have little to show for it. I know we all over-value our own journey professionally, but truly feel that I have eaten enough humble-pie to at least garner an interview for some of the jobs I've applied for. The application processes I have been involved with lately have made me feel extremely humble, a bit challenged, but ultimately angry. I've invested hours and hours of my life for my efforts to be completely thwarted by bots, barely reviewed by an HR rep, and potentially acknowledged (very briefly) by an actual expert/hiring manager/competent/expert person. This leads me into my first hurtful word. Potential. You have it. We have it. We are all taught to strive to achieve it fully. That is a harmful concept. “Potential” will crush you as a job applicant. Your brain may read and interpret a job posting and see “it's” potential. Decent money. Hours don't fucking suck. Might not suck your soul out of your body like the fucking dark crystal (like your last/current position). And you start thinking… “I'm a good candidate for this position”. You see all your “potential” flying about the room, illustrating “why NOT you”?? If not you you, than who could do it better??? And you start to believe in your potential. It's a lovely moment. Which eventually ends with a message from a bot, HR rep, or barely paying attention hiring manager. Sometimes, the responses come so quickly, you know no human person is responsible for that level of communication and know you have been rejected by bots. Sometimes, you have an actual extension and realistic title listed on the reply email, and think this may have come from a real HR rep. Other times, you know some poor, overworked asshole took one glance at your “potential” work (CV, resume, application, etc.) and promptly removed your hat from the ring, and into the ether. They all suck. Which leads me to my second harmful word, “eventually”. Everyone you know that knows you are looking for a job will tell you some bullshit variation of “eventually, you'll find the right job”. Eventually is an extremely harmful concept when you aren't able to pay your bills. Full stop. Can't eat “eventually”. Can't pay your power bill with “eventually”. Third and final word: This has been my rant. I apologize if you were looking for positive affirmations and all you found in this post was potential and likely eventual co-misery (not to be confused with commensurate: where “your salary may be commensurate with experience”), my final hurtful word, which I don't believe is actually a word, but your wouldn't have read this far if you weren't also in applicant tribulation. You are not alone. Thanks for reading. Wishing your better luck in your pursuits!!