Looking for a job sucks. I live outside Norfolk (small-town Nebraska); and while I do have a job, it's only part-time, plus I want to move to a city. Ideally Omaha, but Lincoln would be OK too. I have a degree in Mass Communications. I got a job at a local radio station several months out of college, and I've been there nine years. Yes, nine years, and I'm still part-time. That sucks, but I enjoy the job. Anyway, my degree seems to be pretty much useless. I've been applying for jobs where a Mass Comm. degree might at least sound useful. I've been looking since mid-August, and I've applied for:
- a phone-answering job in customer service at Nebraska Furniture Mart
- Reservationist at Embassy Suites
- some phone-answering job at Triple A
- Communication Specialist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (I thought I had a chance at that one)
- various secretary jobs with schools in Omaha and Lincoln
- a sales position with Best Buy
- a position in the Office of Records and Registration at UNO (still waiting to hear on that one)
- Student Services Assistant at Metro Community College (still waiting on that one too)
I got an interview for the first job I applied for (the Furniture Mart job), which seemed like a good sign; but I haven't gotten a single interview since then. Most places couldn't even be bothered to send a rejection letter. But here's what really bugs me: everyone wants prior experience. I can't for the life of me figure out how a person GETS experience, because any job that would give me experience REQUIRES experience. It's a vicious, infuriating circle. How does someone get his foot in the door? Some people might say "networking," but I don't happen to know 1000 different people, who each work for a different Omaha-based company. And even if I did, without the experience they all say they want, I wouldn't be of any use to a company anyway.
I had been holding off on applying at Target, because I saw that as my fallback. I figured if no one else wanted me, I could still get a job there. I finally applied there a few weeks ago. I did get a call-back for an interview; but they were only offering seasonal positions, with no guarantee the job would be there after the holidays. Plus, they were offering $.7.75 an hour. Now, I know Omaha is supposed to be one of the most affordable cities, but $7.75 an hour? I don't really want to live in my car, thanks.
So what do you do when your fallback falls through? It's looking more and more likely that I won't make it to Omaha. Not for a while, anyway. I guess I'll apply somewhere in Norfolk after the holidays (probably still Target). Maybe if I can work my way up to a management position, I'll actually get a living wage, and maybe be able to transfer to Omaha. I guess I'll have to wait a little longer to be an adult with a real job, my own place, and the kind of life everyone my age has been living for several years. I've waited this long, what's a little longer, right? =/