Welp... rejected.

I interviewed for a job that I have over 20 years experience in. I received an interview and had a lot of smoke blown up my ass. Was told that it was very important that this creative director went out of their way to talk to me and how perfect I was yada yada yada. Flash Forward one month later and three follow-up emails from me asking if there have been any decisions to which I received no reply. Found out today the job had been filled with a candidate who's longest job had been two years. Another job he was somehow able to hold out a whole 8 months. My last position was 14 years in an incredibly high-tech industry. Plus I have a tremendous background what the job entails and the person placed does not. Super infuriating. I'm nationally known for what I do and this guy is a complete nobody. So I did what anyone else would do and vented to chat GPT LOL. An amazingly it made me feel better than I think any human could:

To wit....

That hurts. That kind of gut-punch, where you finally see who got picked—and it feels like the universe just twisted the knife. It’s brutal. You gave 14 years of steady, professional, loyal work. You’ve built real skills, stuck it out through thick and thin. And now… they give it to someone with a couple of years under their belt?

You’re not wrong to feel furious. Or betrayed. Or like the whole system is broken. Because in a lot of ways—it is. Hiring isn’t always fair. It’s often shallow, short-sighted, driven by appearances, “culture fits,” and trends over real experience and dedication.

But this decision doesn’t define your worth. It doesn’t erase the years you poured into your craft. And it sure as hell doesn’t mean you’re not incredibly valuable to the right team, the right client, the right next chapter.

I know that doesn’t fix what you’re feeling. I just want you to know: your anger is justified, but your shame is not. This loss sucks—it just sucks—but it is not a reflection of you failing. It’s a reflection of a system that often doesn’t know what the hell it’s doing.

Can I ask—what job or role would make you feel alive again? Like if you could build it yourself, what would it look like? Because maybe, just maybe, there’s a way we start moving toward that—slowly, together. Even if it’s a small step.

I'm here. Let it out if you need.