Fear. Angst. Worry. I know those are all I've been blogging about lately (or it seems to be so). Despite the fact that it's spring here in Abilene, and we had a rip-roaring thunderstorm last week, and I am more in love with Highland than ever, and there are some fun things going on, I'm really scared. Searching for publishing jobs is an incredibly intimidating experience. So many of these job postings require years and years of experience that I don't have. And 90% of them are in New York, which scares me to death. I don't want to move to New York all by myself! I don't know anyone there! (Of course, I know a grand total of about six people in Boston, two or three in Nashville and a very few in D.C.) And they want salary requirements along with the resume and cover letter (and I'm TERRIBLE at writing cover letters). Salary requirements?!? I'd just be happy to get a job at this point!
I read something this morning that flatly denied the possibility of landing a New York City job (or any other big-city job) if you live anywhere else - namely West Texas. Does this mean I'm really going to have to move before I have a job? I'm the sort of person who likes to have everything planned out. That scares me sooo much. Of course, I'd rather not start out in New York - Colorado Springs or Oregon or even Nashville scares me less than New York. I DO NOT want to go back to Midland, or stay in Abilene past this summer, and I'd rather not go to Dallas either - although I'd be fine with either Austin or San Antonio, at least for a while.
Sigh. Three weeks to graduation and my life is still one big blank after May 14. Ideas, anyone? Advice? What did you do right after you graduated? (And don't tell me graduate school because you didn't know what else to do - I've basically ruled that out.) I could use some encouragement right about now. And a job would be even better.
3 Comments:
I would suggest finding employment locally in the short-term to enable you to take more time seeking something in the long-term. It's scary to graduate, believe me. But it's not the end of the world. In the end, you realize that who you are and what you have to contribute to the world after graduation are the same as what those things were before graduation. The difference is that you have to constantly prove it to the world. It also helps to see college not as preparation, not as getting ready for your real life to begin, but as a valid and important part of living in the real world. For me, at least, this helped take some of the pressure off that whole sense of entering the "real world," as if the last twenty some-odd years had just been practice and preparation. Hang in there.
That's a good idea...just try looking for any job to tide you over for a while. Most people need quite a bit more time to figure out what they want to do...ie: those grad-schoolers....so don't worry that it's taking you a bit of time to try something. I've also heard that internships help in the publishing business - to get your foot in the door. It sounds pretty intimidating and close to impossible to land a job right away, so maybe consider doing an internship for a while. If it's part time you could hold another job in your off times to make a little bit of money. Crazy, maybe...but just think about it as something to do for a year to help get your foot in the door. As for the salary requirements - you can get all that online. Do a search for average salaries and find out what an entry level "whatever position you want" should earn. It's probably going to be small though, so don't be afraid to ask for a little more. Also (sorry, I'm writing lots today!!) try going to ACU's journalism/English/business departments and ask if any of their graduates or alumni have gone into publishing - then call them and cash in the ACU card!!! I know it's tough, Katie. Hang in there...we're all praying for you!
I guess now is not a good time to tell you that I went straight to grad school.
When I was at Texas Instruments, somebody put printed rolls of toilet paper in the bathrooms that read, "Liberal Arts Degree - Use it wisely"
Dern engineers.
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