Career Fair Blues

I just got back from the Stanford Engineering Career Fair and boy do I have the blues. The four hours I spent their recruiting for my company made me feel crummy. I really struggled to get a job when I was just out of college and the career fair brings back some really bad memories. Sending out dozens of resumes and getting no calls back. Finally getting an interview and then being offered slightly above minimum wage. Having to sell myself in front of people during the 2 minutes they would speak to you. Dressing up in my black suit to go on interviews. And then the endless waiting...

Since I am recruiting instead of looking for a job, I am not experiencing the same stress as before. But I just really feel for all of the job seekers that I met today. I had to tell a Ph.D that he would be hired at the same level as a person with their masters degree. (He asked, and I wanted to be honest with him.) I had to tell countless people that their skill set was not what we needed. Their faces would fall, but they would try not to show it. They would mumble thanks and then float back into the crowd of students.

Argh, I just dont have the heart for this recruiting stuff! And combine that with being on the Stanford campus, a place I hate and love at the same time. Going to Stanford is like being a trust fund baby. You are forever blessed with privilege, yet you feel crummy being associated with rich Uncle Leland who is a conservative prick.