You cave. All your friends are doing it. It’s the conventional way they tell you. No one finds anything worth trying for without going online. Don’t be scared — it’s safe. Just don’t be too pick they warn. Angels sing as you see pages full of potential.
Looking for a employment is a full time job stocked full of insecurities and major let downs. I mean how sad does it get when you see the same job posted to twelve job sites and you still apply for all of them? I won’t even go into the fact that not one of them winked, nudged, flirted, tweeted or acknowledged your existence. Why me you scream? I have experience. It’s not so much the lack of communication that gets you but the fact that you are now applying for anything and everything. But why? Maybe it’s time to let go of the all-of-the-above and really look at what you want. Trust me, like jam bands it’s not worth it — not even to pay your bills.
Back when I was still laid off — it was only like two weeks ago, thank you — I vowed to take this time in the land of unemployment and soul search. Granted by the end I was nearing the end of my sanity and was close to applying for High Fidelity- like employment at the local record store — whether I’d even get hired is not being debated at this point.
When I was right out of college I was a all-of-the-above job seeker. Benefits? Check. Paycheck? Check. Blood and plasma donations? Sure! I can do that for a quick $50. I would apply for anything under the umbrella of media, TV and film. I wasn’t paying attention to what I wanted. My life goals would change depending on who I met and what I thought they could do for me. That’s a fabulous skill to have by the way, the realistic lie. Really. People love it when you run back into them and they find out you are not saving the world but have accepted a job in radio. Honesty, the new best thing since sliced bread.
I have to say my career thus far has been interesting, unique and shaped me but it might not have been the path I would have taken had I seriously looked at what I wanted. Ok, so I was 22 and I chose to move to Austin, Texas. Can you blame me? I had kinda picked a cool city over really learning about myself. It’s ok, kids. I wouldn’t change it but that doesn’t mean I want to continue making the decisions the same I was before.
My time in unemployment allowed me to focus on what skills I had and what I needed next. Even if selecting all-of-the-above got me more options that didn’t mean they were all qualified leads. I know it’s hard. And right now finding a job that pays bills is what most people need. Just look out for what you want in the long term because one of the greatest thing is now I don’t have to pretend to like drum circles.
