I shall let todays emails speak for themselves (edited to avoid naming companies):

[the company] said [I'm] not a close enough academic fit, I can only presume they wanted a high 2:1 [or above], which I find very suprising.

Your application has been carefully reviewed, and I am sorry to inform you that we will not be inviting you for an interview in this instance...we hope you will not be too disappointed with this decision.

I have just spoken to the Line Manager and he has decided not to go ahead with an interview...Sorry about this, I am very surprised by his decision.

Then we have a selection of Mondays delights:

Unfortunately we do not specialise in candidates with your skills andexperience and are therefore not best placed to help you at this time.

My client is actually looking for somebody who has 2-3 years experience in real time embedded software. So to that end I will not be putting your CV forward at this stage.

And yet people keep telling me that "it doesn't matter that you have a lower-second class degree" and "it doesn't matter that you've only got a years experience". Oh and then there's that gem of advice... "go to the graduate recruitment fair as it's a chance to get your personality across and impress them".

I would like to address the latter bit of advice in more detail if I may:
I believe that I am a nice person - I'm polite, considerate and friendly. I chat to people fine. My technical knowledge is just as good as any holder of an upper-second class degree. The trouble comes when selling myself and when selling my skills.

It's not a matter of confidence - it's a matter of competence. Or rather, the lack of it. I need practice. I WANT practice. But how am I going to get to practice?

My psychotherapy book warns you against using certain phrases as you are often avoiding issues if you use them. One of these phrases is "you don't understand". I'm trying hard to see it how all the people offering advice see the problem. But I think you'll agree that it is hard to see how any employer will want me.

If you look at the evidence, employers are willing to consider my CV / application but, when it's clear I meet all their requirements they decide to raise the skills / experience they require. And you know what bugs me? They continue and continue to advertise for the job, with nobody applying to them BECAUSE NOBODY WITH THE SKILLS THEY ARE ASKING FOR WILL DO A JOB LIKE THAT FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY!

I wish to scream. I'll settle for drinking lager.

All of this overshadows the one bit of good news from today; the point I'd like to end on. I've put all my Dad's side of the family history (210 people) onto the internet and got in touch with two distant cousins. So I should be able to fill out and expand the family tree. Dad will be impressed by the time he comes back off holiday. Over the next week I'll put my Mom's side of the family history up and see what I can find.

Bye everyone