It’s unbelievable that it’s already been a few months since I graduated from UNL in May. My final semester flew by and suddenly, here I was, a graduate who was ready to set foot in the “real world.”
Spreetail is a company I heard about early on in my college career and kept my eyes on throughout the years. This organization appealed to me because of its business growth, community outreach, and vibrancy, among other things. When I began my search for a job, I kept up with Spreetail’s job board in hopes that a fitting opportunity would arise. One day, it did. I saw a posting for a Product Copywriter position and applied right away. I got a swift response back from a recruiter with an offer for a phone interview. Before this, the last time I was actively interviewing was for internships nearly a year before. I felt rusty during this phone interview, but I was hoping I would make it to the next round. However, I didn’t. I was disappointed, but a small part of me didn’t believe that this was the end of my journey with Spreetail.
After that, I carried on with my job hunt. For a while, the stress of looking for a job gnawed away at me. Due to COVID-19, fewer companies were hiring, and job opportunities were scarce. Not only that, but the seemingly endless applying and waiting was also discouraging and draining. I began to notice that my mood was dictated by whether or not I heard back about an application. At that point, I realized I needed to change my mindset. The only way I could do that was by accepting one thing: I can’t control everything. I just needed to focus on working hard, putting in my best effort, and maintaining confidence.
A few weeks later, I saw that Spreetail was hiring for another copywriter. I was still excited about Spreetail and felt I had something to offer. I thought I couldn’t lose anything by applying again, so I did. Around this time, I also dusted off my LinkedIn profile and came across a post made by a Spreetail employee, noting that anyone who had questions about the position could reach out to him. I reached out and ended up having a phone call with the head of the content team.
After our conversation, I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that I would be referred for an interview with a recruiter. I was over the moon that I was reconsidered! I spoke again with the same recruiter as before, but this time I was more at ease. By the end, I was invited for a virtual interview where I would also present a work sample.
In the span of a few days, I worked tirelessly to research, write, and put together a work sample based on the given prompts. The night before my interview, I rehearsed my presentation in front of my family, going over it countless times to perfect it. My mom was very supportive and encouraging, while my dad and older brother took a different approach to being helpful. After each run-through, they probed me with intense questions and critical feedback that challenged my thinking. By the end of it all, I was worn out.
After making it through my dad and brother’s rigorous scrutiny, I was ready to give it my all at the interview the next morning. The interview lasted for an hour, and after it was over, I was proud. No matter the outcome, I knew I put my hard work and dedication on display. All there was left to do was wait patiently. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait too long because I got a call with the job offer the next day.
Through this entire experience, I discovered a few things about job hunting that I could have only learned by going through it firsthand - one of those things being the value of applying to companies that genuinely excite you. Spreetail is an organization that I was enthusiastic about from the start, so I was eager to research, reach out, and learn how I could make an impact. Having real excitement for a company and its mission changes your perspective of a job and your application approach.
I also learned that internal factors play as much of a role as external factors. In order to get a job, not only did there need to be an opportunity, I needed to have true confidence in my talents and abilities. Being a fresh graduate, I feared that this would be seen as a disadvantage or that I would be overlooked in favor of others who had more direct experience. Through each step I took with Spreetail, as I learned more about the company and position, my confidence in my abilities grew until there was no doubt in my mind that I could succeed in this role.
I am thankful for the difficulties I faced during those few months as I strived to begin my career after graduation - all during a global pandemic no less. They serve as a constant reminder that no situation is impossible to get through if you stay focused and put forth your best effort. While it may seem ideal to bypass difficult moments, the reward of looking back at how far you’ve gotten once you’ve reached your destination is unmatched. I've reached my destination at Spreetail, and I’m excited to continue to drive my career and see where the journey takes me from here.
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Product Copywriter
