20
Motivated. Results-oriented. Jobless.
Commentator Sarah Klenakis
To view this content, Javascript must be enabled and Adobe Flash Player must be installed.
TEXT OF COMMENTARY
TESS VIGELAND: Last month's unemployment figures did contain a ray of hope for recent college grads who may be wondering what, exactly, that diploma will get them in this economy.
Figures show the unemployment rate for high school graduates is 9.4 percent. For those with a college degree, it's only 4.7 percent. Still, that's small comfort to commentator and new graduate Sarah Klenakis.
SARAH KLENAKIS: "Easy for you to say, you've got a job."
I said this to President Obama recently, after he declared that, despite high unemployment rates, things are getting better.
My beef isn't really with the president, but when you spend all day surfing job boards, even an image on TV can come under your wrath.
When I decided to pursue a Master's in writing, I knew I wouldn't get the job security of an MBA or CPA certificate. But I'd worked my way through grad school at a small P.R. firm, so with four years work experience, I assumed that even in a rough economy, I was a viable job candidate.
But the exciting prospect of a new career soon morphed into full-blown exasperation. I've built professional profiles online and asked everyone I know to "keep their ears open." My vocabulary's swarming with phrases like "highly motivated" and "results-driven." The objective atop my resume has been changed more often than a newborn.
Cover letters clog my desktop, each one highlighting why I'm a perfect fit for the online magazine in Manhattan, the copywriting team in San Francisco, the think tank in D.C., the nonprofit in Boston, even the retailer in Maine.
Four months and 50 applications later, I haven't had a single interview, only nightmares of moving back in with my parents.
That's when the panic starts.
Like an insecure girlfriend, I'm filled with questions: Did I do something to turn off my potential employers? Was I too anxious? Soon, I'm reliving every dance I never had a date to.
I want to believe President Obama when he says things are getting better, just as I want to believe all the effort and money I sunk into my education will eventually pay off. But what happens next? When I'm my parents' tenant, with a resume that remains unnoticed? When will these "better things" finally trickle down to me?
Until then, I'll keep applying. As a highly motivated and results-driven individual, would you expect anything less?
VIGELAND: Sarah Klenakis is a recent graduate of George Mason University's creative writing program. She's still looking for work.
What's your recession job-hunt story? Did you succeed or are you still looking? We want to hear about it.
Pages
Like Corey, I was surprised to see so many misreadings of this wonderfully-crafted piece. While I'm sure the writer must be grateful for all of the tips to work harder, network more, and get used to the "real world," these sentiments show an utter disregard for the content in the essay. For didn't Sarah say that she was in graduate school full time while working a part-time job when beginning the job hunt? Having worked part-time while attending graduate school, I know that this does not leave one with nearly enough time to find and fill out all the applications some of you have deemed necessary to "increase your luck." The "real world" references also seemed quite unnecessary since she said she had worked for a PR firm throughout graduate school. And, as for the Imperatives that tell the writer to "suck it up," I agree with David: This essay is a prime example of this recent graduate not only "sucking it up" but creating her own luck while inspiring others who may be in similar situations.
newborn? don't you mean more often (in the cumulative|past tense|sense of your resume (analogy source)) than a 6month old?
anyway 4.7% is prolly better than the average rate of the whole 20th century.
employers are schiz. they want technical skills (thereby the poopooing of "Classic Assyrian Lit majors"), yet employers snub techies for "lack of communications skills" (despite the employer's writings often being less readily intelligible than the techie applicant's writings).
Related advice: make your sell|resume BRIEF. employers are too harried (and too marginally literate) too read much.
the longterm underlying problem is that the USA has been hijacked by salespeople (increasingly since the 1970's). real work is almost illegal (unless done by illegals). and sadly, TRW too-closely resembles high school (RW adult backstabbing is slightly more effete).
btw, "wining" refers to alcoholic beverages brewed from fruit. "whining" or "whinging" refers to high-pitched low volume throat noises. and "whinnying" is a more lively vocalization :-)
My guess is that she probably applied to more than 50 jobs... but didn't say so for two reasons:
1) She doesn't want to come off as too unwanted, and
2) She doesn't want to fully discourage others sharing her writing background or alma mater
500 apps, as opposed to 50, with no call-backs would accomplish both.
I think it takes a lot of courage to take the risk and pursue a career in a field that doesn't have the security of an MBA or CPA. And it appears that you are making yourself stand out from the crowd- I don't know too many recent grads that have been highlighted on NPR's Marketplace. Here's hoping that this will be just to trick to snag that dream job to make all of your hard work pay off. Wish you the best of luck in all that you pursue- you've definitely inspired me.
Only 50 applications? I had an MBA when I graduated & I contact over 200 employers before getting going. I didn't go to Harvard but I had good grades from a good school. Social Media sites? What a joke. There is nothing like personal contact & meeting face to face. There is no reason for anyone it "invest" in you if you don't invest your time with them. I think you're expectations were a bit high. This is the real world now. Where everything you do needs to pay for itself. Suck it up. I probably contact over 800 people before I got 4 offers & the job I wanted.
I've found that most of the "jobless" have degrees in liberal arts and it would be interesting to do a piece on people with professional degrees. In an economy like this, sometimes it takes a degree that is in demand to find work faster. Don't give up Sarah, but having a degree in an area with a shortage of talent is probably a wiser bet.
I thought Sarah's comments about her job search in the midst of our deep recession hit exactly the right tone. To the critics, I say, "When were you last heard on a national broadcast". Getting her story in front of millions of listeners(and employers)has got to be a pretty good way to market yourself. Good writing, good idea, good luck
Four months and only 50 applications? What type of job search is she pursuing? At her level with solid writing talents, Sarah should be able to submit 50 applications per week via the job websites in addition to meeting people directly when she's out and about. Moving back in with her parents is what she should do, as it will teach her valuable lessons.
As a career coach, I am frustrated when I hear applying for jobs as a primary job search strategy. Research shows that one in five people find their jobs through ads. The "insecure girlfriend" in you asks if you did anything wrong. Start there. Phrases like "highly motivated" and "results-driven" might be next. You may well ask if 20% are finding jobs through ads and phrases like "highly motivated" aren’t the answer -and are not working for you - what does work?
First, have an idea - a specific idea - of where you are heading; you may not be able to get there right away, but you are not a generic "highly motivated" and "results-driven" employee. People are not interested in generic employees and you will not be hired as one. People are interested in people who are heading somewhere. This brings us to the second thing you need to do.
Talk to people. Don’t ask them for a job. The people you talk to will probably not have a job for you; so don’t ask them for one. Ask them about what you are interested in. See if they know someone who might know someone who does know something about your interest. Through this process, you will learn more about jobs where you might fit in and be satisfied.
Finding people to talk to can be hard work, but it is not impossible. Start with your parents. They might be interested in saving their daughter from a nightmare situation.
Win Sheffield
www.WinSheffield.com
Pages
