HANDING OUT MY RESUMÉ IN PERSON – PRETEND TYPEWRITER
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HANDING OUT MY RESUMÉ IN PERSON
11 Aug, 2026
Because applying online fucking sucks.
Over the last weeks, I have applied to fewer jobs online. I've received nothing but rejections and it's been eating at me. When I told my psychiatrist, he said that I should stop applying for design jobs because it's bad for my mental health.
I agree with him, but that's wild. This is what I studied for and worked in for over 10 years, and now I'm no longer a player in the game. It feels like a kick to the face. I've been hesitant to write this post because what if a hiring manager comes across my blog (someone did ask to see it), and they read this?
乁_(ツ)_ㄏ<br>I got rejected for that job anyway. I'm tired, angry, and I'm a person. With feelings.
It's been two years. Two years with only two interviews and countless emails telling me that the other candidates were stronger.<br>There's gotta be another way.
Earlier today, I went to the library and printed out 20 copies of my CV. My goal was to go to five businesses in town and submit my resumé in person. I'd never done this before and have only applied for jobs online. My friend gave me this idea weeks ago and said it was quite normal to do in the UK.
Because it sounded scary af, I dragged out the process.
Week 1: I made a list of 20 businesses I would want to work at and created a general CV that focused more on my skills rather than for specific job roles
Week 2: we went to social welfare (and got rejected*)
* We still have enough money in our accounts which will last us 3-4 months, they said. You basically qualify the month before you can no longer pay for your living expenses.<br>I was running out of excuses. I thought about just printing out the CVs for Week 3 and then going into town for Week 4, but decided to bite the bullet. As a compromise, I'm going to a few businesses per week, because it's quite exhausting to do 20 in one day.
I had Daniel help me prepare a short script in German to memorize:
"Hallo, ich habe eine Frage. Ich suche eine Stelle und würde gerne hier arbeiten. Kann ich meinen Lebenslauf da lassen, falls sich eine Gelegenheit ergibt?"
That translates to:
"Hello, I have a question. I am searching for a job and would like to work here. Can I leave my resumé, in case an opportunity arises?"
I made sure to look stylish and presentable despite the hot weather. I wore socks with shoes, rather than sandals. I know it's casual and nobody would notice, but I wanted to dress the part.
Gotta look like I mean business, ya know?
Since we had an active day ahead, I thought it was ok to eat a proper meal. All this for CHF 24! Worth it.
Cold potato cream soup with chives and white wine. Sooooo good!
Fried fish with potato salad and pickled veggies.
After lunch, we continued onward. I had a whole route planned out.
Results
Shop type<br>Did they accept my CV?
Library<br>Yes
Secondhand clothing store<br>Yes
Café<br>No, told me to apply online (which I already did)
Bookstore<br>Yes
Tea house<br>Yes
It wasn't as scary as I thought! Before I popped the question, I would look around the shop for a bit to build up some courage. I was pleasantly surprised that most places accepted my CV and didn't seem confused by my archaic method. The only place I got rejected from was the café. (They're a chain so maybe that's why?)
I could've checked online whether these businesses had openings, but the point wasn't to apply for open jobs—it's to put myself in the queue before a job opens up.
The library clerk was a student worker and had told me to check their website, but since it was the first place I asked, I was a bit more insistent about leaving the CV and they said sure. The person working at the tea shop seemed really enthused when I handed them my CV and even asked if I would be open to working at the store or just at the tea house. That felt promising.
Our little treat after a long and hot day.
Tbh, I don't know if any of these will pan out. It's just something I haven't tried, and I'm sick and tired of applying to a faceless entity only to have my application rejected two days later via a generic email. Everyone met me with a smile and listened to what I had to say.
I needed that.
Next week, I have some pertinent admin tasks to attend to so I'll only go to 1 or 2 businesses. I'm in a rush but also not? I've learned that rushing and stressing myself out does not get me a job any faster. So fuck that too. I'll just keep plodding along, at my own pace, but always moving forward.
BLAUGUST 11/31
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