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January 30, 2023 9 Comments

By Yash Seyedbagheri

I send a dozen applications into the whirl of world.

Email flickers with magic number 1. A rejection. Chose not to move you to the next stage.

Another rejection. Good luck.

Explanation has gone hiding.

I bolden up the resume. Deploy words like versatile, nexus, attunement, problem-solver.

Some nights, I make up new stories. I wrestled runaway giraffes, saved people from oncoming trains, edited famed writers’ works. I imagine drooping apathy replaced by tenuous respect.

Some nights, I almost send that version of the resume.

Hand hovering over the keyboard, I wonder which is more gainful: baroque lies or spartan truth.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julian Grant says

    January 30, 2023 at 7:10 am

    If only. Love the idea of baroque lies. Well done.

    Reply
  2. Paul Lewthwaite says

    February 1, 2023 at 4:36 am

    Ah, the age-old dilemma…’ big it up’ or plain unvarnished truth. Funny (esp love the idea of wrestling giraffes). Deftly written.

    Reply
  3. DeRicki says

    February 1, 2023 at 7:18 am

    Love this tale for our times.

    Reply
    • Toni Brayer says

      February 1, 2023 at 9:48 am

      A wonderful way to explain the delima and pain of job hunting. Well done.

      Reply
  4. Katharine Tyler says

    February 1, 2023 at 7:29 am

    This resonates!

    Reply
  5. DougJacquier says

    February 1, 2023 at 5:38 pm

    We’ve all been there but few as cleverly. Well done.

    Reply
  6. Robert Bishop says

    February 1, 2023 at 11:16 pm

    Cool story. Brings to mind that old adage…honesty is the best policy, but liars prosper. Decisions decisions…

    Reply
  7. Marie says

    February 3, 2023 at 10:43 pm

    Well done, thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    February 11, 2023 at 8:42 am

    I’d definitely go with the giraffes!
    Good story and one that would resonate with lots of people who have been in the same situation.

    Reply

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