Relating job hunting and PhD preparedness I am applying for a PhD in neuroscience and one of the requirements on the application is to write a supplemental essay about a time you experienced failure. I wrote an essay about finding a job after undergrad and the times I was rejected and what I learned to ultimately land a job after several rejections. I want to conclude the essay by writing a sentence or two about how the job hunting experience will prepare me for some responsibilities during my PhD. I'm having trouble relating the skills I learned while job hunting (tailoring applications, organizing application materials, networking, interviewing etc.) to what is done during a PhD. Can anyone suggest what I can connect this to? Thanks!
(tailoring applications, organizing application materials, networking, interviewing etc.)


During your PhD and in your future academic career you will spend a significant amount of your time:


Tailoring applications to grants
Organising materials for those grant applications
Networking at conferences, workshops, online, etc across your discipline and in to other disciplines
Presenting your research and selling yourself as a researcher as you present papers at conferences etc (not entirely unlike a very harsh interview)


It seems to me that you've answered your own question. Your experience has prepared you for many of the academic extras that happen beyond simply being able to do good research. I think that's probably your hook there.