The Part-Time Problem

I've been saying I was going to write this post for a while...and my brain is just done with teacher things for the moment so here it goes...

When I say I was going to write this a while ago...I mean I was going to write this before I had a full time job...because I was experiencing the part-time problem...

You get out of college...YAY I GRADUATED....you think...NOW I'M GOING TO GET A REAL JOB AND MOVE OUT OF MY MOM'S HOUSE AND BUY A CAR AND BUY MY OWN GROCERIES AND DECLARE MYSELF INDEPENDENT ON MY TAXES...and many more wonderful thoughts...

But the job market stinks
And you don't have enough money to move all of your belongings
or buy the car needed to move your belongings

so you move back in with mom...

there is no shame in this. You are not a failure because you have to move back in with mom...but you do need to be doing something with your life...

so you continue to apply for jobs and look for jobs and find something that relates moderately to your degree...COME ON THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING...but there really isn't...

so you go part time...those loans will need to be repaid eventually...and that phone bill needs to be paid now...sooo you start filling out part time applications...until one day it happens

you get an interview...

you are so overqualified for the job and yet (for some strange reason) still willing to work for minimum wage...that you get hired right then and there...YAY YOU'RE EMPLOYED...part time...at minimum wage...doing something a high schooler could do...

but you are grateful for this job...its just for now...right? ya, just for now.

You go to work.
You hate it.
You come home.
You research jobs that actually relate to your degree...

you get discouraged

Eventually you just stop looking for jobs...I've got this for now...just for now...and in the spring when the rest of the world graduates and people are actually looking for new grads I'll look for a job again...

you've become comfortable in the part time world...sure you hate your job, but you've convinced yourself that it is only temporary...even though every minute it feels more and more permanent...you feel more and more trapped...but it is ok...because you've got a degree...right? I mean, you'll get out of this somehow...

This is the problem...becoming comfortable...giving up...working part time...YOU HAVE A DEGREE...If you couldn't tell all of the you's ...refer to me...I did those things...I HAVE A DEGREE...and it was really dang hard to do anything with it...

It is discouraging to look for a job and that is a huge part of the problem...

People just get stuck...they feel like there is no way out so they do something they hate just to make not enough money to pay off the large sums of debt they've accrued during college...

do I have an answer? Nope definitely not...I cannot change the job market...nor do I have any money to give you to get you started...all I can say is this...

DON'T GIVE UP

I know it stinks to be turned down...but eventually you'll find a job...yup starting off is hard...you'll be pretty poor...I mean, I'm planning on eating Ramen for the rest of my life at this point...but it can be done...just keep looking...keep working...but keep looking...don't be comfortable...part time is not where you belong...keep trying...