The following story is a VERY typical tale of woe that millions of college graduates can relate. It is a brief read, so no need to give a summary here, but it is a classic example of the NINJA Generation and gives an insight into why we are in an economic depression, not a recession that our friendly government wants to proclaim. Oh, wait a minute… The government says the recession officially ended in the Summer of 2009.
We are in precarious times and the following story could be repeated by millions of college graduates around the country. I feel for this person, but it is a classic example of how, many times, a college degree isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.
Here is the story of Margaret…
One of the shocks of applying to the harsh post-recession job market has been learning that not even low-skilled, entry level jobs are easy to get. I am a University of Chicago graduate, with a background in Middle East and Arabic studies — including a year spent abroad furthering my education in Syria. When I graduated in 2008, I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to go about looking for jobs — but I didn’t expect that I would not even be able to get a job at a Starbucks.
I returned from Syria in the fall of 2009, dreamily expecting that with such good experience, I would have my pick of jobs when I returned to my hometown in Washington state. Because of my background in Arabic, I started out by applying to government jobs at the FBI, the NSA, and so on. All the applications were online and I never spoke to anyone by phone. Time passed — no replies. With no way of contacting the employer in some sort of human form, I was unable to speak to someone who could explain why I wasn’t getting replies. I did want to improve my application and learn what I should be doing differently.
I eventually started applying to local jobs. I filed an application with the local library and sought out the managers at multiple Starbucks locations. After again not receiving any reply, I called the manager at one Starbucks outlet and asked why I hadn’t got the job? It turned out they had transferred in workers from another Starbucks location. So despite advertising that it was hiring, the company was actually only shifting people about.
Finally, nearly a year later, a Catholic elementary school took me on as a part-time teaching assistant. This has been a great experience for me, and after the Christmas break I was brought in on a more regular basis to help with the classes.
But it’s still only part-time work. For me, a good week is being able to work 20 hours. I still want to get a full-time job with a fixed salary. So I am now thinking about grad school, or taking night classes to get teacher certification.
I am my own biggest critic, and with hindsight I can see things that perhaps I should have done differently. I know there are applications I wish I’d filled out sooner. Part of what might have held me back was the idea that ‘I’m a U of C grad, I shouldn’t have to be a waitress or work at Borders.” Maybe I should have swallowed my pride.
I know that the elementary school took a chance with me. I’m just grateful that I was able to find work that I believe I can turn into a career — even if it’s one I wasn’t expecting.
You can contact Margaret Robinson at: mrobinson212@gmail.com.
Original Link: http://www.frumforum.com/i-could-not-even-get-a-job-at-starbucks
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None of my friends have a career with benefits, there all doing an hourly wage job, on and off between full time and part time. They are told if they work full time they cant collect benefits, if they ask for anything there hours are cut. Its modern communism. I myself graduated with a degree in criminal justice. Government budgets are frozen, state and local budgets frozen. Opportunity fatally wounded it seems. I am in talks with military recruiters. At least its a full time job with benefits. Not what I would have picked first, but life doesn’t adapt to you, you must adapt to it. Best of luck to my generation, don’t let anything get ya down, keep ya spirits up.
Jonathan,
Good luck with your career search. Unfortunately, your situation seems to be the norm.
Most of my friends are engineering or science graduates and all are desperately trying to network into any job. And wait, I thought Boomers said science was in such demand? Through calls and networking the common thread is that even connections can only take a candidate so far when there is a dearth of demand for the company, no employee turnover (layoffs usually) and corporate cash hoarding.
And how in the world can you pay for student loans or be independent with such abysmal wages? This country is done.