Welcome to the gutter of the rat race.
Two Januaries ago, I was lucky enough to score a paid internship in radio, my one major interest during college. I soon found out that it was a terrible job with a dismal future. As I had moved to New York for this opportunity, I was dismayed that I had little to look forward to each day. No potential friends, no skills to learn, nothing to do, really. I sure spent alot of time learning and writing German, which was never totally effective because I wasn't immersed in the language. I also answered emails with the crack of a whip, making myself to be a shining star in the game of correspondence.
There's a natural solution to this: find another job. But, thanks to my parents, my friends, and anyone else I could talk to, I got all the straight talk that said that my job prospects were rock bottom. It's not hard to see, here's my experience, which doesn't apply to corporate experience:
Algebra Teacher
Short-term African NGO worker
Language Student
Physics Lab Assistant
Corporate experience, the ability to do everything for everyone, talk to people like you're glad to see them from morning to night, and to promote yourself and all your endeavors, is only natural among those who have cardboard-flavored personalities. Happily for those bland unfortunates, they stand a good chance of getting a nice job because they give off an air of dependability. Unlike most movies, tv, and books, though, the flagrant, boisterous personality is not rewarded with a lifelong prize, such as a great job and a spouse, in real life. Instead, anyone with a healthy dose of colour can get stuck wiling away in a loathesome, subservient job, if any job at all, while dreaming of joining those he most resembles with a career in movies, tv, or books.
The exceptions are brilliant bulbs, those whose flair enwraps trend-following investors and lionizing journalists in their quest to become the top rock of them all. It should be clear, though, that this is a rare occurence, like a Beethoven pounding idiot savant or twins who are willing to do pornography. The differential is staggering: there are only a few stand-out CEOs, directors, and other leaders compared to the teeming masses cramped up in hip neighborhoods. Even those who make a small name for themselves, which is hard enough as it is, can be crushed within a few waves of fads.
These thoughts permeated my mood last year, eventually rendering it too difficult to apply for another job. I never received a phone call from any employer, save from an investment company that wanted me to sell questionable mutual funds for direct commission. I turned to esoteric comforts for my future, such as studying international politics in Berlin or becoming a teacher while attaining my master's degree. Both of these options are wrong because neither of them reflect the future I want.
My job only got better as my mood lightened up because I was surrounded by friends and a girlfriend. I also had fun earning money on the side by moving furniture in the city and deejaying on Monday nights. As I was basking in the glory of a great after-work life, though, I started to realize that I was still pointed towards the same dead end as when my job began. The same friends who comforted me were getting new jobs and promotions, and my girlfriend was working on her book with TV and movie options trickling in. America, especially in the go-go city of New York, is a terrible place to sink into apathy.
Therefore it's time to repeat what I did one year ago, apply for jobs. Nearly all online, of course, because in this city the are in skyscrapers and, because of 9/11, completely inaccessible by those whose presence is not pre-approved by the comapny. Online applications stream into these corporations by the thousands, so I would love to know how long it will take before someone picks mine for an interview. Last year I sent at least a hundred and never got an interview. Let's see if I send one-thousand-and-one.
No job will be out of my ability level or, for that matter, interest. This means strictly assistant and "associate" jobs (minor level above assistant) that do not require any significant technical ability because I am carrying a resume rendered from the humanities. Fortunately, New York, with it's multitude of publishing, PR, advertising, investment, and insurance companies has quite alot of opportunities for people like me. The only problem is, of course, that there are tons of people like me doing the exact same thing. What's more, many of them are older, in their 30's even, looking for the exact same entry-level position to start their career path.
With friends, though, I think I can make it through 1001 rejections, if need be. Then, it's off to Grad school.
The best person to read this is anyone beginning a Liberal Arts program. Remember, you should start your career now with summer internships! I chose to paint watercolors on Greek Islands in the summer, and look how I have to pay for it.
There's a natural solution to this: find another job. But, thanks to my parents, my friends, and anyone else I could talk to, I got all the straight talk that said that my job prospects were rock bottom. It's not hard to see, here's my experience, which doesn't apply to corporate experience:
Algebra Teacher
Short-term African NGO worker
Language Student
Physics Lab Assistant
Corporate experience, the ability to do everything for everyone, talk to people like you're glad to see them from morning to night, and to promote yourself and all your endeavors, is only natural among those who have cardboard-flavored personalities. Happily for those bland unfortunates, they stand a good chance of getting a nice job because they give off an air of dependability. Unlike most movies, tv, and books, though, the flagrant, boisterous personality is not rewarded with a lifelong prize, such as a great job and a spouse, in real life. Instead, anyone with a healthy dose of colour can get stuck wiling away in a loathesome, subservient job, if any job at all, while dreaming of joining those he most resembles with a career in movies, tv, or books.
The exceptions are brilliant bulbs, those whose flair enwraps trend-following investors and lionizing journalists in their quest to become the top rock of them all. It should be clear, though, that this is a rare occurence, like a Beethoven pounding idiot savant or twins who are willing to do pornography. The differential is staggering: there are only a few stand-out CEOs, directors, and other leaders compared to the teeming masses cramped up in hip neighborhoods. Even those who make a small name for themselves, which is hard enough as it is, can be crushed within a few waves of fads.
These thoughts permeated my mood last year, eventually rendering it too difficult to apply for another job. I never received a phone call from any employer, save from an investment company that wanted me to sell questionable mutual funds for direct commission. I turned to esoteric comforts for my future, such as studying international politics in Berlin or becoming a teacher while attaining my master's degree. Both of these options are wrong because neither of them reflect the future I want.
My job only got better as my mood lightened up because I was surrounded by friends and a girlfriend. I also had fun earning money on the side by moving furniture in the city and deejaying on Monday nights. As I was basking in the glory of a great after-work life, though, I started to realize that I was still pointed towards the same dead end as when my job began. The same friends who comforted me were getting new jobs and promotions, and my girlfriend was working on her book with TV and movie options trickling in. America, especially in the go-go city of New York, is a terrible place to sink into apathy.
Therefore it's time to repeat what I did one year ago, apply for jobs. Nearly all online, of course, because in this city the are in skyscrapers and, because of 9/11, completely inaccessible by those whose presence is not pre-approved by the comapny. Online applications stream into these corporations by the thousands, so I would love to know how long it will take before someone picks mine for an interview. Last year I sent at least a hundred and never got an interview. Let's see if I send one-thousand-and-one.
No job will be out of my ability level or, for that matter, interest. This means strictly assistant and "associate" jobs (minor level above assistant) that do not require any significant technical ability because I am carrying a resume rendered from the humanities. Fortunately, New York, with it's multitude of publishing, PR, advertising, investment, and insurance companies has quite alot of opportunities for people like me. The only problem is, of course, that there are tons of people like me doing the exact same thing. What's more, many of them are older, in their 30's even, looking for the exact same entry-level position to start their career path.
With friends, though, I think I can make it through 1001 rejections, if need be. Then, it's off to Grad school.
The best person to read this is anyone beginning a Liberal Arts program. Remember, you should start your career now with summer internships! I chose to paint watercolors on Greek Islands in the summer, and look how I have to pay for it.
posted by Wellsmus at
12:36 PM
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