Now it is official. I have been unemployed for six months. I do have some part-time jobs but nothing full-time or enough to cover my bills. I have been a problem of the state for months now. Since my six months of unemployment insurance have passed, I now have nothing to fall back on because that is what I am offered by the government. I can apply through another state that has NO call waiting so I end up getting hung up on 100’s of times just to apply because there is no way for me to apply in person.
Statistical Pitty Party
The I decided to read the statistics. I looked up the Call Back stats first and discovered I may have a 2% or less chance of a call back now. Which means I have to apply to 20x more jobs a week to even think about getting a call for an interview. Fact is, I haven’t have a call for an interview in 3 months. The last major job I thought I had didn’t even call me back to say, “We went with someone else.” While there is a part of me that understands you can’t call everyone, an email would have been nice. Especially since I made it to the 3rd interview.
Identity Crisis
I like many people who have been laid off in this economy are having an identity crisis. I was so sure when I was in high school and college that I was going to be amazing. I was even encouraged to join teams that won big awards. However, now that amounts to nothing more than a class ring in the back of a jewelry drawer.
It isn’t just the folks who had jobs for 5 or 10 years and then were laid off who are feeling this. I knew in my head I was going to be a great communications person. I would help companies and they were going to have fun doing it. But now I feel like everyone thinks I am a hack. I can’t introduce myself as anything. I don’t even have anything to follow back on other than student of life or as others say it “Student of the School of Hard Knocks.”
To School or Not to School?
Now everyone is asking me, “Are you going to go back to school?”
And all I can think of is, “For what?”
I have a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best Journalism schools in the country. I could go back for a Master’s but who is looking for someone with a Master’s of Communication? I haven’t seen a single job asking for that. Most of them ask for a MBA not a MC.
Then my mentors encourage me to get an Accreditation. Yes, communications has a bunch of accreditations, much like technology that are expensive but make you look expensive as well. I hear more employers at my old jobs and church saying that they can’t afford to hire those people because they expect a certain about of pay for something that “should be easy.”
So it is either pay for some pretty letters at the end of my name that could price me out of the market or I need to go back to square one and figure out what I want to do with my life. Pardon me while I dance for joy.
“Find your Passion” Right
Now some people would say this is an opportunity to, “go find yourself.” Well, part of me found her in the short amount of jobs that I have done. That is why I studied what I studied. I found myself in my degree, otherwise, why would I do it? But now I got to find myself again? People keep saying, “I still haven’t found myself,” and those people are my parent’s age. Really gives me hope for finding a good job.
Looking in New Places
But sometimes I do find passions in unexpected places. I like working with people to help them get the word out about products I like. For instance, right now I am working with a great gaming company, Gut Bustin Games, and I love doing sales calls. Oddly enough I never felt comfortable before doing sales call but now I really like it because I get to tell people about a fun game that is silly. I get to be a geek at a job that I didn’t expect. Maybe that will go somewhere more.
Review Your Life
So, maybe go see what you like doing. It sounds cliche but maybe it is a cliche because it works. Take the time to look at the things that make you happy. If you think about what you are going to make for dinner more than your project then maybe it is time to become a cook. If you like talking to people about the earrings you just made or everyone is asking about the crochet hats you made for the holidays, it could be time to become an artist and open that etsy store. I had a friend do that and now she is getting asked to crochet specific high end projects.
But also, you could like the thrill of the RFP or the ability to helping a person’s computer get back to working order. Then, go out and find the career that feeds your soul, in whatever way works for you.
My full dream: To have a job I love so much I don’t really fell like I am working.
Geek Girl Discovery 