Rejected by Company with One-Application Only Rule

Hey Jodee-

Nice to have someone other than my husband to ask- he has no clue obviously being a watch commander/Lt law enforcement.

Writing all my life whenever possible, I jumped in the blogging arena six months ago. Because I have a background in varied, high profile subjects, I submitted my resume, as well as a sample of my writing to On Demand Studios.

Having not been creative enough on my resume, what stood out was the ten years since I retired; Those years were filled with topics readers are fascinated with, yearning to find more information on (other than ask.com).

My submitted writing did not reflect the work I am doing now. I saw advertisements for talented writers; Part of their policy states no second review of application.

My first review does not remotely resemble the second.

In addition, since then I have been vetted and published in three national edited magazines.
What should I do? Just walk away, chalking it up as their loss? Or should I resubmit?

Thank you

Ridgely Johnson

Dear Ridgely,

Thank you for asking this interesting question. I think it’s normal to do a bit of “shoulda-coulda-woulda” after being rejected by any potential client, especially if you feel that you could present yourself better if you were given another chance.
I am not going to poke a stick into the whole “should freelance writers work for DS thing” now. It’s been hashed to death (hopefully) and what you really want to know about is should you reapply after being turned down by Client X. You are the best judge of whether you want to take another shot or not.
I would suggest that you think about what it is about this particular client that interests you. There are many, many places where freelance writers can find work, and you don’t ever have to think that your job search efforts are an all-or-nothing venture. Is this more about proving that your worth by having your application accepted or is this an organization that you are excited about working with, for whatever reason?

If your desire to reapply is about showing someone that you are good enough, it may not be the right reason to go after the opportunity again. (You are already “good enough” BTW – whether you get the gig or not.) You also need to think about how you would feel if you were rejected a second time – even with your new accomplishments and updated resume and samples.
I am familiar with the policy that DS only gives applicants one shot at applying. I also know from reading message boards that some writers have applied a second (and sometimes a third)time using a different e-mail address and been hired. Whether you feel comfortable doing so is something I will leave up to you.
This question leads me to another interesting one: Is it ethical to try to circumvent a company’s one-application policy by reapplying under a different e-mail address? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Comments

3 responses
  1. Meg Avatar

    Speaking as a newbie, I’d like to know where to read more about the DS debate. Can you steer me to some links?

  2. ridgely johnson Avatar

    First, I’m a tad confused- I believe this is my question, but part of the response begins Dear Jodee- wouldn’t want to offend her- she may have never been rejected.

    I have had a long time to think about this situation. Your poignant remarks and questions added additional insight, reiterating what I must do. I must walk away. Not that the thought of submitting under another e-mail address didn’t cross my mind;it did, briefly. I definitely do not scorn or disrespect writers who resubmit their work. I wish them only the best, however they choose to submit.

    I realize this is a simple case of “is this important to me?” Honestly, no. My style of writing does not lend itself easily to informative writing: ask.com. Information writing is not my passion. Humor writing keeps my pen moving.

    I wanted validation from them, i.e., their stamp of approval. Thank you for taking the time to explore the avenues of motivation for resubmission.

    Accepting my rather shallow motivation, I can move on knowing it’s their loss.

  3. Jodee Avatar

    @ Meg: If you type “Demand Studios” into Google, you will find what you are looking for.

    @ Ridgely: This is your question…I put it in a Q&A format. Don’t worry about offending me…I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been rejected. I try to focus on the much shorter list of people who do want to work with me and keep those clients happy. 🙂

    I’m glad that my comments made sense to you. When we get rejected, a part of us wants to convince the client that they made a mistake. It sounds like you have decided that your style doesn’t match what DS is looking for, and that’s perfectly OK. You can focus your attention on opportunities that will work out better for you.

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