One Year Later…

Posted in About Me | July 31st, 2010

I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been so bleh for the last few days and it just occurred to me that it was a year ago this week that I walked away from everything that meant something to me.  Well, maybe not everything, but at least everything when it came to my career.  I resigned from my position as a reference librarian and university archivist to follow my husband to a new job and, due to circumstances beyond our control, the new position didn’t happen and I was left unemployed.

I thought by now that I’d have a job, maybe not doing what I was doing before but I thought I’d be doing something.  But here I sit, a year later, and I’m still unemployed.  I’ve tried to blame the economy, the job market in this area, etc but now I have to think the problem is me.  It’s hard not to look around and say OK, what the heck is wrong with me?  And, quite honestly, it’s embarrassing to admit that I’m unemployed.  I have a Master’s Degree in History and Library Science and I can’t get a job.  What the heck?

To say my self~esteem has dipped lower than economy, would be an understatement.  A friend of mine, who I want to believe was trying to be helpful and supportive, said that I should stop being a snob and accept any job that comes my way.  Once I got past the stinging comment, I tried to explain that it isn’t a matter of me being an occupational snob, it’s a matter of me being in a catch 22.  Let’s see, I could lie about my education and then during the background check get found out and not get the job or I can put my degrees on the application and get rejected because I’m overqualified.  So what do I do?

I keep on smiling while inside a piece of me crumbles inside.

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I have the research skills of a librarian, the preservation skills of an archivist, the organizational skills of a mother and the domestic skills of a Stepford wife. I have the research skills of a librarian, the preservation skills of an archivist, the organizational skills of a mother and the domestic skills of a Stepford wife. Read more from this author

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  • Mylynka

    Wow, I can hardly believe it has been a year already! Time sure is speeding along! ACK! I feel for you, Dani. It is tough. Kevin had a similar problem when they first were back here from Korea. He applied for every thing, first jobs he wanted, then jobs he would do, then just ANYTHING to have a check coming in… and nothing. He couldn’t even get hired as a night-stocker at Target. Ultimately he decided to go back to school to get his MFA and then they left TX for VT. The only work he found while in school in VT was part-time at a local grocery store for $7/hr and Nahee couldn’t get hired ANYWHERE in their very small town (there was some anti-Asian racism at work there they think). They ultimately left VT after his 1st yr of grad school because he could work on his thesis as a “low-residence” student (i.e. elsewhere) and he could get a GOOD job in Korea right away. They had Xavier and couldn’t support themselves on $7/hr!! IT SUCKS! At least they are doing well, but they are on the other side of the earth. :( It is strange that as a foreigner Kevin has opportunities in Korea he cannot even get here! Did I tell you he was offered an adjunct job at a local university to teach cartooning?? (SO PROUD of my little Bro – *heart swell*)

    I am sorry you are struggling Dani, but I highly doubt is it you. There are just not enough jobs to go around and the ones that are there you are too good for (in their minds). They probably won’t hire you because they know you will leave once a better-suited job comes along. That is what I always told Kevin, anyway. I believe it! Why hire a double-degreed histolibrairaivist to run the register when you know they will be an awesome employee, but will eventually leave? It is an awful Catch-22, Dani. I know you can make it though! Hang in there! You know we

    • Daenel

      Mylynka, congrats to Kevin. I know I’ve said this before but he will always be shy little red~headed boy (so hard for me to reconcile grown, married daddy guy with the little boy). LOL

      I know about the anti~Asian sentiment (not ’cause I’m Asian but you know)… People don’t believe that kind of stuff still exists but it does. It’s sad and scary. I find it “funny” that Kevin could go all the way over to Korea and find such incredible opportunities. When I was there, I remember Korea being a little more open (I had several American friends who chose to stay there rather than come back here to the States). I’m proud of Kevin too. He’s doing so well and has a beautiful family. I mean, gosh, that baby makes my uterus jump.

      Tony keeps telling me to keep my head up and keep smiling but it gets harder with each rejection. Inside I know it’s not me but it’s hard not to take the rejection personal. Thank you for your support. I heart my nerd girls!

  • S

    My husband has the same problem and outsiders say oh it should be easy to find any job and just take anything you are offered. He’s applied to temp agencies, jobs doing manual labor, anything anywhere and nothing. He’s willing to do any work offered but no opportunities are coming through. You are certainly not alone.

    You could emphasize your pre masters education at the beginning of the resume and stick your masters under “Additional Education” further down the page. I wonder if that would at least get you more interviews?

    • Daenel

      S, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband. It’s crazy because people keep saying to just grab any job but if any job isn’t being offered, what do you do? I’m going to revamp my resume as you suggested and see what happens. It will get better, it will get better. Thanks for visiting.

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