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Wrong turns
I’m signing myself up for some information about getting into teaching as a career, but I’m dubious about it. I’d be a history teacher, and the problem there? History isn’t exactly an essential subject as far as the curriculum is concerned, so I’m worried about the competition for places on training courses, and even the potential competition for jobs after that.
I don’t know what I want to do with my life anymore. For ages I just wanted to stay in academia, teach at university level, do my own research and things in the world of archaeology and things. What changed? Did I change, or did the world around me change?
I’m not a people person by nature, but I love to talk about history of all kinds. I love to tell people things they never knew, to help people understand things they never actually thought about much before. I love to give people a perspective on current events by looking at the past. Does this mean I’d be a good history teacher for 11-16 year olds? Or does it mean I just like to be a know-it-all?
I feel like I’ve missed the boat so many times in my life; through my own stubbornness, a lack of perspective, or simple circumstance making it too hard for me to want to take those opportunities. It’s hard to know where to start in trying to make sense of what’s happened between, say, graduating with my BA and the ‘now’ - 3 and a half years later.
I want my independence, and I want to do something I can be passionate about. That’s got to be possible, right?
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I just started my new job in graphic design, after 5 months of applying & going on interviews. Don’t give up! I applied to every job in SE England and went on terrible interviews for crap companies before being headhunted for my current position. Its just a shitty time for finding jobs in design. And while I loved going to uni for design, a majority of the people I graduated with have recently been made redundant and have had a hard time finding work.
My advice: Put your resume on EVERY website. Put it on Monster, and make sure you fill out the entire profile section. I didn’t have this filled out before, and response tripled after I did.
Work on your portfolio everyday. This will help build your skills, plus enhance the quality of work you are showing. Also, I have several friends that haven’t really any professional experience who have been interning at agencies for free, just for experience.
Most importantly, just don’t give up. Remember that as long as you have the skills, most jobs will come down to personality, so it’s just waiting for the right fit.
Anyhow, I just wanted to say hang in there, because lots of employers and recruiters in the past few months said that I wouldn’t find work because I was American, didn’t have UK work experience, cause I didn’t have the right experience, enough experience, too much experience, didn’t live close enough to London, etc, and in the end, they were wrong, and it didn’t matter in the least.
Good Luck!
I really needed to hear this, thanks so much :)
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I didn’t get the job
Because I don’t have enough experience on my CV for these past 5 years. I’m disappointed, especially as I could have done the job really well.
I know I’m supposed to suck it up and move on, but to be honest, there aren’t going to be any more opportunities like that where I live for 6 to 12 months (if I’m lucky!), and I’m not able to move away to chase another (for my mother’s well-being and safety I will not leave her right now).
I’m stuck in a sort of limbo now. I’m too qualified to work half the jobs I apply for, and the other half I don’t have the requisite experience. What am I supposed to do?
How do you get the experience if no one will give you a chance? Can I afford to go back to university (again!?) and do another BA (in graphic design this time)? Do I want to start my career at 30? It’s bad enough trying to start at 25.
I’d bake a cake if I thought it was going to make a real difference, but I don’t think Cakeology is likely to support two people any time soon, so I’m still stuck.
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A catalogue of what used to be me, on request. Excuse the poor quality photos, all I had for years was a piddly little webcam. These are all from about 2003/2004.
(I really miss the half-shaved/fake dreaded look.)
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I am very excited
about this graphic design job interview on Thursday. Very excited indeed. So excited that I really hope it goes well and I get it, because it would be awesome.
I may just sit here and burst in the meantime. (Non-sexually, of course.)
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Proud Mother?
The vet said my dog was a “clever chap” with a “lovely temperament” as she examined him and he pretty much just let her pull his eyelids and his mouth and feel his willy and the place where his balls used to be. He didn’t even flinch!
He was so very well behaved, and even gave her a lick on the hand (his regular ‘thanks!’ gesture) after she gave him his injection.
