Job Application Jitters

What’s the biggest goal for a recent college graduate? To get a job! This is the most important and most daunting task in front of those of us trying to enter into the adult world. Over the past several weeks, I have been applying to jobs left and right, just praying someone will give me at least an interview. As an English major with less than 2+ years of experience in my desired field, it’s hard to get a company to notice you, among the myriad of other people applying for the same position. Sometimes it seems unfair that your experience doesn’t add up to a company’s expectations simply because education has been your main source of experience.
   
Another problem I’ve come across is that many of the jobs and internships I am qualified for are unpaid, something that is ill suited for someone trying to jumpstart a life. Unfortunately, making money is the only way to keep going in this crazy world. Some would say in the digital age, there are ample jobs for creative types, or at least more than there used to be. However, it’s difficult to sift through everything out there for just one that will give you a chance over hundreds of other applicants. It’s so hard to know how you can make yourself stand out from the rest in a resume, references, and experience. I suppose we all just have to put our best foot forward and hope someone out there will take notice.
   
This entire process can be extremely nerve-racking and at many times unrewarding. However there is an important lesson for us in this time of struggle. Even if you apply to a hundred jobs, it doesn’t matter that you don’t get ninety-nine of them, you only need one company to say yes to you. Although I’m not there yet, I know that I have to keep working towards my goals and never stop until I get there because there is no other way to achieve. Even when you’re exhausted and want to give up, don’t because hard work will always pay off in the end.

We Got This...Right?

So you’ve graduated college. Now you should be prepared to be in the “real world” and know everything there is to know about being an adult, right? I don’t know about other recently graduated individuals, but I know that when it comes to knowing how to adult, I’m far from having it down. All I’ve ever known is how to be a student, to learn, to observe, and honestly how to just screw around. One day maybe I’ll know exactly how to do my taxes, how the stock market works, and what jobs give me the best security. Right now, I’ll settle for someone who hires me despite the fact that I don’t have two plus years of experience because I’ve spent nearly my entire life in school.

    As a recent college grad, sometimes it’s hard to navigate where I’m supposed to be in life. I haven’t landed a job yet, and although it hasn’t been that long since I’ve been out of school, I still don’t feel as accomplished as I would like. Job aside, there are so many things that come with growing up, and it can be difficult to know exactly what those things are until we are faced with them in our own lives. This blog will be my journey through adulthood and where ever that might lead me.

    In the past year, I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about growing up as I studied abroad in Italy and traveled around Europe. Life changing events like this can make you stop and think about who you really are and what you actually want out of life. As for me, I want nothing less than to seek out adventure in all that I do, to chose the life that I love and never let anything get in my way, and to cherish what I have and not dwell on what I don’t. Saying this is all well and good, but sometimes, it can be difficult to not let our emotions cloud our judgement. For instance, as much as I embrace being a strong and independent woman, I can admit that this path can be lonely at times. As great as I am at being alone, I don’t want to be doing it forever, and that desire has only grown with age.

    Being a woman in today’s society, there are so many things thrown at us through social media, television, and other individuals in our lives that can mold or skew our perspectives of what we want or what we should be. Shows like Say Yes To The Dress, the myriad of wedding posts on Pinterest, and people you know getting engaged every other day on Facebook causes us women, especially those of us without a significant other, to not only long for those fairytale wedding moments, but at the same time makes us feel inadequate about what we don’t have in our own lives. Let’s be honest, we all want to be loved and we all want to be able to have our special moments, but the truth is, it doesn’t happen all the time, especially with half of marriages ending in divorce these days. It can be difficult to be a young and independent woman in this day and age, no matter how much #Girlboss support there is out there now.

    Dealing with things like this is just a part of being an adult and trying to do it right. Honestly, there is probably no right way to adult, but then again, how would I know? I’m only getting started.