Humour and the Jobhunt

"Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life"
(source unknown)

It's all too easy to get depressed by the state of the world today, particularly if you're unemployed, as I am. You only have to turn on the news to see stories of layoffs, bankruptcy, people losing their homes, their savings, their pensions... you name it.

Ireland's unemployment rate is hovering around 10% and some are predicting that figure will go higher. Competition for jobs is intense. Stories of bankers applying for jobs in McDonald's and hiring fairs attracting thousands of applicants for only hundreds of jobs are becoming all too common.

As a full-time jobhunter, I have amassed enough rejection letters to wallpaper my apartment. It's not always easy to take that much rejection, and as jobhunters we always run the risk of falling victim to depression and despondency.*

Sometimes all you can do is laugh. And I've found some excellent jobhunting-related humour sources!

1. The Most Awesome Cover Letter Ever
Can't you just feel the pain and frustration? Don't you wish you had the nerve to use this as your own cover letter?

Seriously, though... we've all had the standard rejection letters that thank us for our interest in the position, mention how impressed they were with our qualifications/experience/CV, and wish us all the best in our future endeavours/continued jobhunt/life in general. We know what it's like.

2. Overqualified
Joey Comeau, of A Softer World webcomic fame, has published a collection of his most crazy, outlandish, and off-the-wall cover letters. On the book's website, he notes:

"Cover letters are all the same. They're useless. You write the same lies over and over again, listing the store bought parts of yourself that you respect the least. God knows how they tell anyone apart, but this is how it's done."

You can read some of his letters in the archive section. He often resorts to begging, conspiracies, and outright threats, but what results is a bitterly funny picture of your average frustrated jobhunter.

Of course, these are just two examples of the humourous side of jobhunting. If anyone has any other favourites, please feel free to share them!


*depression is a very serious reality, and should never be treated lightly. If you or someone you know has been "battling the blues" for an extended period of time, please consider getting help. For an excellent list of resources, including a 24/7 helpline, visit Aware.