On the Job....

I've been referring to this "in between" period of my life as my "funemployment" stage. An optimist probably 'til the day I die, I was living in lala land and I don't think it hit me that I didn't have my "big girl job"until I walked across the stage at graduation. I mean- let's be honest here- people with master's degrees should be able to find a job- right? The key word here being "should." Maybe when journalism was in its prime and we were all blissfully ignorant about the actual state of our economy, but not now. It's scary and it's sad.

It's sad because there are some very intelligent, college educated people out there who have found themselves unemployed- mere victims of the economy. Then you have your whole new wave of college graduates about to jump into the workforce every May and December. So what you have is a big problem- too many unemployed/college grads and not enough jobs. You have fresh talent competing with seasoned professionals- for the same jobs. Not looking good for the newbies. On the other hand- this could mean tough luck for the seasoned professionals- because they charge too much. Realistically speaking, companies are looking to lower their operating costs, so it might make more sense to hire the recent college grad who will take just about any salary. That being said- people are having to be more innovative and flexible than ever when looking for jobs right now.

I have kind of known all along that I would like to stay in Austin- either that or go back to California. So I did the math in my head. Austin's economy is faring WAY better than Cali's- and I probably couldn't afford to live in California anyways ( I would probably be living with my parents- love ya'll- but I'm sure you wouldn't want me back at home either). That left me with one option: Austin. Lucky for me, Austin is actually riding this economic wave fairly well. We have new businesses still popping up and the older ones haven't been hit as hard. God bless Texas!

So, I met up with my Career Counselor in March. We went over my resume, re-did my resume and then I started networking like crazy. I started reaching out to old bosses from past internships, I started talking to employees from the companies I have interned with here in Austin and I met with another old boss to discuss my options. Come April, I had gone on several job interviews- one with Facebook (because I thought it would be fun) and one with San Antonio magazine (not sure if I would move to SA). I also had the editor of the magazine I am interning at right now- tell me I could freelance for her and that she would send my resume out to all of the companies on my "job wishlist." Okay- so in April I was feeling pretty confident I could secure a job by graduation.

Then school happened, and my master's report was in full swing by this time. So, kiss any free time/job hunting time goodbye. I had to put the job search on hold. Oh well- first things first right? I think it's important to mention that I was not strictly tied down to a journalism job. Yes, my master's degree is in journalism, but we learned a TON of skills that can be translated to many professions. Especially helpful when my background is in PR and I have some marketing internship experience under my belt.

Long story short: Once I graduated, I resumed the job search. I also think it's important to note that I was selective. I wasn't taking anything that jumped out at me. Let's be honest- I want to ENJOY my job. I would read through the descriptions, decide if that particular job would make me happy and either apply or discard. I came across this job, it's a woman-owned Austin start-up and they had a position open for a writer. Not just a writer. Someone that can wear a lot of hats, someone that has a creative side, someone that can use XY and Z programs annnnd someone that can write. Yes please.

So I applied, didn't think I would get it, got called in for an interview, went in for the interview and got good vibes from the woman interviewing me, decided I reallllly wanted the job, hoped, wished and prayed that I would get the call. And Wednesday morning, bright and early, she called me and I got it. I start next week- and am excited for the experience. I think it will be perfect for me. I can use my writing skills- I'll be writing for some of their clients like Adobe and IBM- as well as some of my creative side- in storyboarding and implementing new ideas. Annnd the icing on the cake: they do a TON of work with non-profits. The CEO makes it a point to support some of the local non-profits with both manpower and funding. 

My ultimate goal is to help people, to make a difference, to make someone's life a little easier. And I can still do that. I can do that through my freelancing, I can do that through volunteering and I can even do that through my job. I do have mixed feelings about the end of my funemployment, but I'm excited for the next chapter in my life (which came in it's own time). Thank you Jesus.