The only way to go...is up!
It’s a shoddy economy. You can’t get a job without experience & can’t get experience without a job (not that there are many jobs anyway). It’s a vicious cycle & it’s easier than ever to become run down, frustrated & defeated. Chin up, macaroons!
Don’t give up on your dreams. Realize that no magical force is going to plop your dream job, apartment, wedding whathaveyou into your waiting lap. Don’t rely on Fate. I have learned well that Fate can only take you so far, macaroons, & the rest is up to you. Every baby step you make now will only lead you closer to achieving your goals.
♠ Take on an internship in a relevant field. Wait tables on the side if it’s unpaid until you’ve added enough bulk to your resume to put in for something entry level. You might even luck out and get hired off your internship!
♠ Take a class that will make you more marketable. Does every job description demand InDesign proficency? Photography skills a plus? Knowledge of the German language? CSS? HTML? RSS? WTF? A lot of community colleges offer really affordable classes in computer software, languages (spoken & computer), arts & sciences. Not only will you be more marketable, you’ll feel pretty good about yourself for learning something new!
♠ Start a blog about your obsessions. Set deadlines for yourself & hold yourself to them. You’ll stay focused on your goals & through researching your interests, you’ll learn more about them. Extra knowledge about your specialty is never a bad thing.
♠ Open your own business! Whether it’s a coffee shop or an etsy store, it will be a huge opportunity to test yourself. More new businesses have opened around here in the past 3 months than ever & no one I’ve talked to has had any complaints. The only way to go is up!
♠ Design your own business cards. Hand them out to anyone who mentions anything halfway related to what you’re looking for. Looking for a great apartment and someone at a party mentions their friend is looking for a roommate? Give them a card. Seated at a restaurant next to a table full of editors? Bam. Now you’re on their mind & in their pockets! Keep your cards simple- Name, brief title (writer, dogwalker, apartment hunter), email & website/blog or whatever if most relevant. Just make sure they have a way to contact you and can tell what you’re about from your card.
Keep plugging away, macaroons. What are you doing to stay focused?
