I’m graduating in two days (although then I take another class so I really don’t finish until the 22nd. Boo). And I don’t have a job. For the first time, I’ll be standing in my cap and gown with no idea what I’m doing with my life.
Sure, my husband has a job, so I know we’ll be supported, where will live and all that jazz. But if we’re just looking at *me* and *my life,* I don’t know what I’m doing. And while the general chorus is “don’t worry, you’ll be fine!” if the tables were reversed and I had a job and the husband did not, let’s be honest, people wouldn’t be saying, “it doesn’t matter – your wife has a job!”
I want a job. I went to graduate school for two years not only to satisfy my intellectual curiosity, but to help me further a career in working with marginalized people of society, and particularly their health needs. If I don’t get a job immediately, it’s no biggie. I paid for graduate school myself, in cash, and helped support our little family while doing it. We aren’t out any dough. But still. Whenever that conversation turns from “congratulations!” to “what are you doing next?” I hate answering with “any suggestions?”
I’ve filled out four job applications, sent cold-call cover letters to four other places. I’ve gotten one call back with a “we will keep you in mind for a job we might have opening up.” I’ve polished my Linked-In profile. I check the school career center, Montana NonprofitI’ve passed my resume along to several family members, and had some networking opportunities, which have also mainly ended with “we’ll call you if the stars align and something opens up.” So it’s not completely dead ends, but no “when can you start?” either.
I don’t know at what point you start setting you sights lower, as several people have told me to do. To volunteer, to do Americorps (not again!), to take an hourly wage, entry-level job that only requires a high school diploma or equivalent. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud. I’m willing to work my way up, to do the grunt work, to earn my worth. The thing is – I’ve already done that. I’m experienced; I’m educated; I’m qualified.
I listened to this talk today:
It makes me wonder about the advice I’ve been getting. Don’t worry – your husband has a job. Take a job you’re vastly overqualified for. Sell your self short. Would we be telling that to a man? Probably not. And that’s why men succeed. The career world is already tough on women. Any job I apply for, they’ll see a woman in her mid-twenties, married, and think “is she going to have kids?” But we don’t think that with men. And you know what? Men have kids at exactly the same rate women do.
I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated that I’m already applying for jobs I’m over qualified for (not vastly overqualified, just as in they are looking for 1-2 years work experience and a BA and I have 3-4 and an MA) and I haven’t heard anything back. Not unusualy when it comes to state jobs I hear, but still, frustrating. I’m frustrated that I can’t even get a “no thanks, we’re not interested” from places I cold call. I’m frustrated that the job market where I live now is miniscule compared to where I came from. New jobs in the non-profit world are posted every few weeks, not every few days here. I’m frustrated the economy is terrible and that my generation is graduating into a significantly bad job market. And, yes, I still plan on voting for Obama because voting for a party that wants to defund the public sector, you know, pretty much the only people who do public health work, doesn’t make sense either. I know there are many people who have been looking for work much longer than me, but I am still frustrated.
I’m smart, I work hard, and I’m ready to get started.
I wondered at some point about how you were going to get a job in your field in the (small, right?) area where you planned to live. I didn’t think much about it because there are all sorts of connections, but in general it seems that if you want to pursue a specific career you have to be willing to move for it. And that always stinks when you are dealing with two people pursuing their careers.
I think that you are right that we treat men and women vastly differently. And that is a problem.
But I do think that, if anything, men have pressure to take any job, whereas there is this idea that women can study subjects which will never pay, and then step out of the workforce if they can’t find something fulfilling. But men “have to” consider future career prospects when making academic choices, and then have to deal with stupid jobs just because it is so not acceptable for them to be waiting around for something more than money.
I’ve never had a job that was more than just a job, mostly because I didn’t know how to get it, but partly because I reject the idea that it is okay for me to just focus on my dreams while leaving the financial concerns to Josh. But I see plenty of privileged couples who approach life that way. And they don’t have the same patience for men studying “fluffy” subjects and holding out for a position that actually utilizes their skills.
So, at least they are treating you a bit like a man in expecting you to sell yourself short. 😉
If you’ll forgive me for being a bit over-dramatic, I think that beyond gender issues, our entire cultural setup for both education and employment simply isn’t working.
I hope that you find what you want, and that your marriage is able to take what it has to in order to support both of you in your chosen careers.
I’m looking for something in the public health field. We do have a public health department (even in Montana!) and it’s decently sized. There’s just not a lot of second options (like non-profits). So there are jobs out there, just not like there would be in DC or something.
I did choose my academic study with my career in mind. And if I get one of the jobs that I applied for/am qualified for, I’d be making about the same as my husband. I’m talking about not wanting to do the $10 an hour jobs. I mean, if I’m unemployed in several months I would take one – we need the money. I’m willing to do something outside of my field to suppor the family, too. I’m just amazed at how quickly people’s advice has turned to me volunteering or taking a minimum wage administrative assistant job. I don’t think anyone would tell my husband that if he didn’t have a job right out of law school.
Ha! I didn’t mean that you didn’t have a public health dept, I just thought you already had a very small geographic location chosen because of your husband’s job, and it is always tough when you have one small area to find a job and the more advanced your degree the fewer jobs there are suited to it.
I don’t mean that you shouldn’t push for the sort of job you want and are qualified for, or that we shouldn’t support men and women equally in pursuing appropriate work. And one of the biggest things that helps privileged young adults advance is that they have the privilege to hold out for something which sets the up to advance. So take advantage of whatever you can!
Oh Jackie, the women’s job is in the kitchen, classroom, bedside, or front desk! Though, I’m not really one to speak – took an admin assistant job during tanked-economy days. I did get promoted to a more relevant position fairly quickly, within 6 months or so. In such a small and stagnant economy as where you are (give me a break – I live in DC and have a very distorted view about job variety and availability), taking an entry level job at a place where you would like to work may be the way to go. Most companies hire internally first, and you’d have your foot in the door. Volunteering also leads to that. I know for quite a few government organizations, you have to volunteer, and then you get an internship, and then maybe a paid internship, and then you get hired into the government. FEW people get hired straight out of school and in to a laterally appropriate for their education level position without putting in some internship or volunteer time first.
And help your reader audience out – what are some example jobs you’d like to have?
Yeah, unemployment is definitely higher in DC. But there are more than a handful of jobs too! But we don’t have federal agencies here, so there aren’t internships available. And (I don’t mean this to come out bitchy) but you took an admin job with a BS. I’ll have a MA, plus applicable work experience. And I’m guessing you aren’t gonna look for an admin job next year either, are you? 🙂
This is the job description of the last job I applied for:
Duties:
This position is responsible for administering grant-funded local health programs throughout the state, including responsibility for individualized program planning, management, and evaluation; and coordinating outreach, training, and related functions in support of ongoing program operations and activities.
Competencies:
Knowledge of principles and practices of public health education and disease prevention; grant/contract/budget administration; program planning; governmental procurement procedures and requirements; youth, adult, and community education principles; business, technical, and media communications; and federal/state/department regulations and requirements pertaining to public health programs.
Skill in assessing community needs; analyzing, interpreting, and applying regulatory and contract requirements to unique situations; operating standard office technologies and software; developing and delivering public presentations and outreach materials; and excellent oral and written communication.
Ability to work as a team member; be a self-starter; have commitment to the department and the program; and use reason and logic to identify and solve problems.
Education/Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in public health, education, behavioral/social/clinical sciences, or communications related field AND one year of job-related work experience, including grant writing, grant management program monitoring and compliance, and providing training and presentations.
Oh we hired a front desk person with an MA. Don’t think that doesn’t happen all the time. Especially in DC, where there are a glut of people with Masters (it’s the new BA you know). Of course, they were soon relegated to a more appropriate position. But once again, I concede that DC is a bit of a bubble when it comes to typical employment and hiring opportunities.
Where’d you disappear to?
I will tell you right now!
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