I know there are a lot of people out there who say, “The economy is getting better. The economy is getting better. The unemployment rate is down. The consumer is spending more. The quality of life is good. What’s not to like?â€
I have been out of work for years, in effect, since I graduated from college in June of 2001. Oh sure I had jobs. I worked for Waldenbooks store for 7 dollars an hour. I worked for Home Depot for 11 dollars an hour. I worked for my Dad at his copy shop in NYC for 16 dollars an hour and for now I work for Staples for 11.75 an hour.  It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
The American dream I so desperately wanted seems to have past me by. I have a BS degree which really is B.S.! It’s in Journalism and yet no one will hire me as a journalist.
Oh sure I have screwed up a story or two, technically not factually. I wrote a previous story with MS Publisher and had a hard time copying it into this writing program. Sorry. But what I guess I am saying is. The thing I most want to do, write, I hardly get to do. I am a father and now my time is scarce. Especially working the hours I do.
My dream job would be to have my own office and just write a syndicated column for major newspapers. I once got into a heated discussion with a major journalist about wanting to do this. He said it took years and hard work. Well I have the years and I have paid for my career choice by working some good jobs and some bad jobs. I don’t mean to complain. But, if this is the best, the Bush administration can do, then I am glad I never voted him into office. I dun no, is it too much to want to use my degree for something good?  Sure, you say, I am writing here. I have a voice. I can even get paid for it.
But it’s not the same. I have like I said a family. They would never understand my desire to read tons of newspapers, looking for that one story that I could write religiously about for or against. They just want me to participate in life with a regular job Home Depot, Staples, and just get by in life. But I have this to say. I am miserable. I played by the rules. Go to college. Get a degree. Get a job; and love to go to work instead of dreading it.
To be fair, I have gone on interviews, a few times for journalism jobs but did not get the job. I either did not have enough experience or did not fit the criteria of the person they were looking for. I was so full of spirit. So full of passion and then the real world landed on me. Saying, “You and a million more like you want this job and we will give it to the one who deserves it most.  See the problem is not how many unemployed people there are. It’s how many satisfied employed there are. I should be making $35,000 a year and I am making $21,000 and I have had to apply for welfare. I do not blame any of my proceeding employers or current ones. They after all are not newspapers or companies that can afford to give out lavish salaries and after all I am just a customer service specialist and cashier.
I just feel I got a raw deal and slipped through the cracks of our golden society. So whenever I hear someone one say “Why don’t you make something of yourself?†All I can do is sigh and say, “At one time I thought I was.†I am too old at this point to go back to college. I know what it is I want to do and that is write. It’s hard to find the time like I said. I wish I could just write like I did back in college for the local college newspaper. Once a week come up with something to write. Hopefully intelligent and powerful and just go into that writing trance. You writers know what I mean. You watch the screen or your fingers typing and beautiful thoughts come on to the page. And you think, man am I lucky to have a job like this. Man am I lucky to be a journalist.
3 users commented in " The economy has not gotten better. And finding a job has only gotten worse. "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHey, hang in there. Everything in every field takes time and the paying of dues. Even for someone who gets a top school MBA or JD. Who knows, maybe if you’d stuck it out at Home Depot, and kept working hard and smart, and kept making allies in management, you’d now be some type of manager or supervisor making $50,000 per year.
You are also never too old to go back to school; especially, in your case to get a Master’s Degree, like an MS in Journalism. After getting one though, and then getting a job, you will still have to ‘pay your dues’ in order to move up from there. Or to put in some solid time at some little paper or mag let’s say, and get some articles and stories under your belt, and then move to a bigger paper that will pay more for an experienced journalist who ALSO has an MS in Journalism. Sure, it’s harder to do with a family, but you chose to have a family; God bless you and them. You can still do it though, many people do.
You don’t have to blame yourself, but blaming Bush is a cop-out. If you would really like to see a worse employment situation then vote for one of the socialists running for president. Try Hillary, Obama or Edwards.
Also, try writing a book on the drudgery of cubicle life in customer service. Fiction or non-fiction, or whatever. Self-publish on Lulu to start with, go for it. You can do it. Just keep writing, maybe start your own blog and cross post with this one sometimes. It’s up to you. Just Write, write…
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
always raise taxes
keep promising free handouts
drag everybody down
if you’re MAD
punish America
– VOTE for Hillary
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3b7y2m
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You have a useless degree in journalism? So it’s Bush’s fault that the NYTimes won’t hire you for $35,000 a year? I think I’m missing something here.
Go back to college for two years and get a degree in nursing. You’ll always find a job. My step kids are artists, but both have nursing degrees.
Or you could try working hard. Most businesses have opportunities for their workers to work their way up into management with time. And if you work for a larger company, you get contacts and recommendations. Many businesses have small newspapers with news about who is promoted, who had a baby, and about new products they are promoting… Start one at your store. Or find if they need a technical report writer at the head office.
Did you ever get a better job?
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