The Man Who Applied Again

Once upon a time in the heart of a dusty, overlooked town, lived a man named Arif. He wasn’t a hero, not in the way stories usually define them. He was 29, jobless, and invisible to the world—another name among thousands of unread resumes and unopened emails.

Three years ago, Arif graduated with a degree in business administration. He had big dreams, the kind that made his mother smile and his friends envious. But life, as it often does, had other plans. Interview after interview, rejection after rejection, the weight of failure grew heavy on his chest. He stopped looking in the mirror. He avoided weddings and family gatherings, tired of the same questions—“What are you doing now?”

Eventually, his days blurred. He'd wake up late, scroll through job portals with hollow eyes, and delete cover letters he never had the courage to send. The walls of his tiny room began to close in, and silence became his closest companion. Depression didn’t knock. It slipped in quietly, like a thief, and stole his mornings, his laughter, his hope.

One rainy night, Arif sat at his desk staring at the blinking cursor on a job application. His finger hovered over the “submit” button, but he couldn’t click. What’s the point? They won’t choose me. He shut his laptop and rested his head on the desk, ready to sleep through another wasted day.

Then, the power cut.

In the sudden darkness, he noticed a faint light coming through the window. Curious, he stepped outside. The rain had stopped. A single streetlamp stood glowing at the corner, and beneath it was a boy—maybe ten years old—trying to fix the chain on his bicycle. Arif watched him struggle, fail, try again, fall, and stand back up.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the boy fixed the chain. He wiped the grease on his shorts and smiled—not because someone praised him, not because he succeeded quickly—but because he didn’t give up.

Something shifted inside Arif.

He went back in, opened his laptop, and hit “submit.” Then he applied for another job. And another. That night, he applied to seven positions. He didn’t care if they said no. He just knew he had to keep moving.

Days passed. Then weeks. One morning, he received an email:

"We were impressed with your profile and would like to invite you for an interview."

It wasn’t a multinational company. Just a small startup. But that didn’t matter. Someone saw him. He went to the interview with a trembling heart, honest eyes, and no rehearsed lines. They offered him the job.

Arif now wakes up early. Not every day is perfect. He still battles doubt. But he shows up. He works. He learns. And he applies—still—because dreams don’t retire at the first sign of rejection.

His story isn’t about a miraculous overnight success. It’s about showing up for yourself, especially when no one else does.

To those who feel forgotten, rejected, or broken: remember Arif. Not because he made it—but because he didn’t stop trying.

Because sometimes, the smallest step forward can be the beginning of everything.

light through the window. He kicked out curiously. The rain has stopped. A single streetlight glowed in the corner, underneath was a boy (presumably aged 10) who repaired the bike chain. Arif saw that he fought, failed, tried, collapsed, and rose again. Finally, the boy repaired the chain after eternity. He wiped the fat with his shorts and smiled - not because someone praised him, but because he didn't give up. moved to Arif to some extent. He went back, opened his laptop and typing "Send". He then applied for another job. And another. That night he applied for seven positions. Whether they said no or not was not important to him. He knew he had to keep moving. days. A few weeks later. One morning he received an e-mail: . It was not a multinational company. A little startup. But that wasn't a role. Someone saw him. He went for the interview without a trembling heart, honest eyes, and no lines passed to him. They offered him a job. Arif wakes up early. Every day is not perfect. He is still fighting doubt. But he shows up. He works. He learns. And that is because - yet - the dream does not retire with the first sign of rejection. His story is not about miraculous success overnight. It's about showing up for yourself, especially if no one else is doing it. Those who feel forgotten, rejected or broken: Remember Arif. Not because he did it, but because he didn't stop trying. Sometimes, the smallest step can start everything.