job hunting for who?

just so u know, this is not going to be one of those self-help kind of blogs. i have no advice to give on the subject of job hunting, and after reading more than a few of them myself, i sincerely feel it has been "done to death".

so, as most of u know, i've been on a job hunt for some time now. sometimes i didn't even get to the interview stage, sometimes i never even got a letter saying thanks for ur interest, sometimes i did get to the interview stage, and times when i thought i had the job, i would find out it was given to someone else. never knowing y, i keep searching for ways to "improve" myself. i read all the online stuff that says what u should and shouldn't do when u prepare ur resume, go to the interview, etc. today it was "9 Ways to Ensure You Don't Get the Job". how much good is this doing me?? idk

one of the things they said not to do is not to smile too much -- don't be a gloomy gus either, but don't smile too much coz it makes u look like a nut case and overly eager for the job. what???? so what is too much and is my too much more or less than ur too much? and if u don't want to see my gloomy than should i wear a fake smile that is probably too much of a smile and make me see overly eager? give me a break .... i smile because i'm happy ... its got nothing to do with how badly i want the job. this kind of stuff just isn't helpful because from one interviewer to the next u will get differing opinions on what is too much or not enough. honestly, i am NOT a mind reader to know who would think its too much and who would think its not enough.

all these "self-help" aids on line can drive a person batty. do this and don't do this, say this and don't say that, wear this and don't wear that, put this in ur resume and don't put that. change things from what they really r to something they might be but probably rn't to ensure u get the interview/job. and whatever u do -- don't be urself. huh???

it doesn't help matters any that for years and years and years i swallowed who i really was to "please mankind" only to be miserable, and now that i've discovered and really like who i am, i'm being forced to push it into man's mold just so i can get a job. can't anyone hire me just on the basis of who i am with the plethora of experience i have, and not their expectations of who i should be??? just let me be me!! please!!