I lost count of the number of applications I had sent over the years. It must have been close to 1,200, maybe more. Every day, I woke up with hope, scoured job boards, polished my CV, and wrote cover letter after cover letter. Each rejection letter, each email that never arrived, chipped away at my confidence, yet I refused to give up. I believed that one day, one opportunity would change everything. And for years, I held onto that belief, even when friends and family began to whisper that perhaps I should “settle” or “try something else.”
The struggle was not just professional; it was deeply personal. Watching peers land jobs, build careers, and even start families while I was still sending applications and attending unpaid internships was disheartening. I faced ridicule from acquaintances and the pitying looks of strangers. I remember nights spent crying on my bed, questioning my skills, my choices, and even my worth. Yet, every morning, I forced myself to get up and try again. The idea of giving up was unthinkable. I told myself that perseverance was my only path forward, and no amount of rejection could change that.…CONTINUE READING
