From Rejection to Redemption

With absolute sincerity, I've navigated through over 2000 job applications—I'm practically a pro by now. My arsenal includes over 100 versions of my resume (you know, gotta tailor it for each application) and about 20 different cover letters. I've honed my skills to the point where I can spot a rejection letter from the very first sentence. If it starts with "Thank you for your interest in (Insert company name)," well, let's just say, it's not a job offer.

With the flood of applications comes the steady stream of rejection letters—cue the heartbreak. Made it through round one interview? Yay! Round two? Double yay! Round three? Triple yay! But then comes the dreaded "We've decided to pursue an internal candidate" or "This position has been closed" emails... Ouch! One of my biggest heartbreaks? Getting an offer letter, having my references contacted, and then having the offer pulled without a word of explanation.

The toll of interviews, rejections, and ghosting, coupled with the uncertainty of the future, was a heavy burden. I could feel myself teetering on the edge of depression, losing sight of who I am. But I kept grinding. Up at the crack of dawn, scouring Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Dice, Career Builder, SimplyHired, and Glassdoor. Finding potential prospects, updating resumes, crafting cover letters, preparing for interviews—nine hours a day, every day... rinse and repeat.

Then came February 1st. I'd been stuck in this cycle since September 1st, 2023, the day after I was laid off. And on February 1st, I received a job offer, only to have it unceremoniously rescinded. They called, withdrew the offer, and hung up—no room for questions or answers. Instead of wallowing, I instinctively turned to the job boards. But as I sat at my computer, I heard a voice in my head: "Peace, be still."

"Peace, be still"—it's from the Bible, Mark 4:39 to be exact. "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." And in that moment, I chose to embrace that calm. Starting February 1st, I stopped submitting applications (a fact that will shock my family). I leaned into my faith because, let's be real, that was all I had left.

And you know what? "There was a great calm." I set a timer to go off every hour, and when it did, I'd pray for 10 minutes. No job hunting, no resume updates, no applications—just 10 minutes of prayer every hour. And you won't believe what happened next: opportunities started coming to me. Emails from Verizon, private messages from AT&T, texts from recruiters. As I write this post, I just received another private message for yet another opportunity.

Call it cliché, but I let go and let God take the wheel. I turned my test into my testimony. Who would've thought I'd land a job without even searching? Yes, after countless hours of prayer, I've been blessed with a job at Big Blue. I start on Monday, May 6th. And let me tell you, when they say He's a waymaker, He made a way for me. They even waived certain prerequisites because they wanted me. And let me be clear, this isn't a brag—it's a testament to the power of faith. I'll be making over $20K more than in my previous job.

This is my testimony. I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but it's something I had to share. To those still searching for job opportunities, I'm here for you, truly. If there's anything I can do to help, just ask. I know this situation isn't ideal, but I have unwavering faith that we can and will change our circumstances for the better.