I recently interviewed for what felt like a dream internship — one of those opportunities that could change so much for me. I was so confident I’d get it that I stopped applying for other internships. I gave myself a false sense of security.
I was told I’d hear back within a few days, whether I was offered the internship. Days passed, then a week, then two, with no email or call. I received nothing.
Then, one night, as I was mindlessly scrolling through LinkedIn, I saw a post from one of my connections celebrating their offer for the very internship I had pinned my hopes on. That’s how I found out that I didn’t get it, not through an email or a phone call, but from someone else’s win, broadcast for everyone to see.
I never thought I’d be rejected through someone else’s LinkedIn post.
The endless cycle of “almost”
Every day makes me feel more and more like a loser. Every day, I’m running out of time to gain the experience I need to succeed in an increasingly competitive job market. And yet, all around me, everyone else seems to be winning.
The application cycle is endless. Every day, it’s another internship posting, another cover letter, another form asking me to manually enter the same information already on my resume. It’s relentless, and it never ends.
Through all this, I’ve learned that my hope alone won’t get me anywhere. As pessimistic as it may sound, it’s become my reality. Between school, my job, and everything else demanding my attention, carving out time to apply for different opportunities feels like another job in itself. And for what — an AI-generated rejection email?
These employers will never fully understand the emotional and mental toll of applying. It’s so much more than just clicking “submit.” It’s the aspiration, the time invested, the overanalyzing of every sentence in a cover letter, the endless waiting just to be ghosted — all leading to an inevitable letdown.
For many college students, this is our everyday reality, and yet it often goes unnoticed. Jobs seem to be a privilege now, not a right. It’s a cycle that needs to be broken.
The illusion of success
All I see on LinkedIn are other people’s wins. I scroll through endless posts of people celebrating the opportunities I’ve spent months chasing. I like the post. I comment, “Congratulations!” and try my hardest to be happy for them, and I am, but I can’t help but wonder… why not me?
I have to remind myself that everyone is only telling half the story. Just like me, others aren’t posting about their rejections and disappointments. I’m not seeing the hundreds of ghosted applications, the countless “we regret to inform you” emails, and the interviews that led nowhere.
Wins do not measure success. Success is measured by the work it took to get there — the long days spent perfecting resumes and portfolios, the endless cycle of writing cover letters, and the interview preparation. Every acceptance we see is built on a foundation of rejections we don’t. Someone else’s external achievements do not define our worth.
In a world of constant comparisons, it’s more important now than ever to celebrate each other, not just the job offer but the persistent work it took to get there, even if we don’t see it. Most importantly, we should remember that someone’s success does not diminish our own.
Redefining success
Every rejection is a blessing. It teaches us persistence — to keep pushing forward even when the odds feel stacked against us. Persistence is one of the most valuable skills anyone can learn, not just in their professional careers but in life. Rejection is never the end; it’s a redirection, a push toward something we may not have imagined for ourselves yet.
History is filled with people who have successfully turned failure into success. Walt Disney himself was turned down by over 300 bankers who thought his ideas were too big, too ambitious, and too impossible to execute properly. Michael Jordan didn’t make varsity for his high school basketball team, a moment he could’ve let ruin his future career forever. Instead, it fueled his ambition, leading him to win six NBA championships and become one of the greatest athletes of all time. Steve Jobs was fired from the company he created, only to return years later and revolutionize the tech industry with the iPod. These famous figures have all faced rejection that changed their lives and gave them a place in history.
These stories remind us that rejection doesn’t define our worth or potential. It’s a test of our resilience. The difference between failure and success isn’t luck; it’s the ability to keep going when others might give up.
So, if it seems like everyone else is winning while you’re left behind, remember that your time is coming. Success isn’t measured by how many opportunities you land; it’s measured by the effort you put in, the lessons you learn, and the resilience you build along the way.
Even when it feels impossible, keep going — redefine what success means to you. It’s not about never failing; it’s about never giving up! One day, you’ll look back and realize that every rejection and every “almost” is what led you to exactly where you’re meant to be.
My best advice is to keep pushing forward, even when it feels pointless, and learn to redefine your version of success. Remember, success isn’t about the outcome — it’s about growth, persistence, and the courage to keep putting yourself out there.
Trust that if you believe that, you will absolutely find what you’re looking for.