I really need advice

[Underground Man]

Just reading the thread it seems really obvious what you really wan to do. Hint: It's the one that doesn't end with "to no avail" or "I don't want to do this".

But I think the choice is rather clear. Go with the one where you obviously don't sound hesitant about and one you don't end with "I don't want this" >.<

This sounds almost too logical to be true, indeed.

I'm going to keep spamming resumes for as long as I can. I started seriously looking for jobs in December of 2009, but by now I'm just getting disillusioned with the economy and really, America in general. I sort of want a break, and the teaching job would be for 1 year.

 

[Gitty101]

Wow, what a situation.

Personally, I believe that you should continue with your first option. Keep applying for jobs, use the time you are unemployed to learn new skills (to make you more employable ^^) and keep splitting rent with your Brother (especially since he has agreed to take on a larger share of the rent). It may not be what you envisioned when you first graduated, but it's reality at the moment. Plus, moving abroad is a BIG risk. From what I've heard, the job market is pretty much the same worldwide so you may be risking it all for nothing.

Sorry I couldn't be more positive, but I hope this helps ^^

 

[scienceguy8]

Come over here to the UK. Jobs market is not so bad at the moment compared to the US, we especially need more good teachers, and even if you can't find a job you can take advantage of our nice juicy welfare state.

Your country looking for Electrical Engineers?

 

[spartan231490]

This is going to sound pretty pathetic, but I don't have any friends to ask and my family is making my confusion even worse. So, random strangers I don't know, please lend me some of your wisdom.

I've been unemployed for more than year now, aside from a short one-week stint (an epic failure) as a waitress, and three months as a government contractor before I got laid off. I moved all the way out to DC to get that contracting job. I've tried to do freelance work as a writer, but that's going nowhere fast.

As I see it, I have three options:
1. Stay where I am mooching off unemployment and trying to write, while splitting rent with my brother until I run out of money. Keep applying for jobs to no avail.
2. Move back to mother's house and get one of my neighbors to find me some lousy job I know I'll hate. I don't want to do this.
3. Move to Taiwan to teach English.

I'm inclined to move to Taiwan. I miss living overseas and the job market in the US right now sucks big time. However, it's big risk and I will have to give away my precious pet birds. My mother keeps encouraging me to go, but my brother keeps telling me I should stay (he'll agree to cover a larger share of the rent if I can't afford it, and wants to use my unemployment as an opportunity to get equity housing. Plus, he is going to Afghanistan for three months and needs someone to watch his cat/stuff).

Going to Taiwan would be really selfish of me, since it will cause my brother a lot of inconvenience, but I've been unemployed since I graduated, and I know if I stay here I'll just keep living the typical, useless NEET lifestyle playing video games and wasting my 20s.

I've been tearing my hair out over this for months. I just can't decide what to do.

Why not continue with option one for now, until either A) you get another job and there you go, problem solved, or B) you run out of unemployment. When you run out of unemployment, just go with option 3, since you seem to want to do it so much. That seems like the logical conclusion to me.

 

[Underground Man]

Well, I already have all the paperwork I need for a tourist visa. Basically, if I can't find a job in 60 days, I would just have to go back home. I've moved and traveled a lot in my life, so it's not like I'm not used to living outside of the states. So going there would be like an extended vacation that mother would help me fund, since she'll be there anyway -- for three months.

I really have nothing to lose. I'm broke, 25k in debt from student loans (which I keep deferring), and the Taiwan opportunity just sort of fell into my lap. But I have to do it now, since if I wait past September, I won't have anyone to go to Taiwan with.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Come over here to the UK. Jobs market is not so bad at the moment compared to the US, we especially need more good teachers, and even if you can't find a job you can take advantage of our nice juicy welfare state.

Your country looking for Electrical Engineers?

What do you mean exactly? As in household electrician, or more like heavy duty, power station kind of work?

 

[xochiquetzal]

What standards do you have when applying for a job?

if you just want something to pass the time you could try baby sitting or dog walking.

with your BA in history you could teach children while you babysit.
and if that does not appeal...
with your minor in archaeology you'll be great at scooping up dog poo (just kidding)

Can you speak taiwanese?

if so, you should go...

because doing something to help yourself is one thing,
but being able to help a nation in development while you do it is even better.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Ok, I was laid off twice, and unemployed for a year each time, so I say with some authority that being unemployed for extended periods really, really messes with your ability to think straight. It kills your self esteem, makes you irrational and overly emotional, and generally inhibits your ability to make sound decisions.

Here's my best advice - if this was a pal of yours, in the same situation, what would you tell them to do? We often are more able to make a sound decision when we remove ourselves from the equation. Picturing what we'd urge our best mate to do can help us realize what we really think we should do, but are resisting for whatever reason.

 

[Underground Man]

What standards do you have when applying for a job?

if you just want something to pass the time you could try baby sitting or dog walking.

with your BA in history you could teach children while you babysit.
and if that does not appeal...
with your minor in archaeology you'll be great at scooping up dog poo (just kidding)

Can you speak taiwanese?

if so, you should go...

because doing something to help yourself is one thing,
but being able to help a nation in development while you do it is even better.

I've even posted ads on Craig's List offering to be a maid. Really, no one wants me. I apply mostly to secretary/research jobs, but I've also sent applications for freelance writing, security guard jobs, retail, and I worked waiting tables for a week.... that was really, really bad. I kept getting groped and stingy tips. Probably didn't help that I was constantly messing up the orders XD.

To pass the time I've been writing a book. I'm going to toss it up on kindle in the next few weeks, but it's really not very good.

Ok, I was laid off twice, and unemployed for a year each time, so I say with some authority that being unemployed for extended periods really, really messes with your ability to think straight. It kills your self esteem, makes you irrational and overly emotional, and generally inhibits your ability to make sound decisions.

Here's my best advice - if this was a pal of yours, in the same situation, what would you tell them to do? We often are more able to make a sound decision when we remove ourselves from the equation. Picturing what we'd urge our best mate to do can help us realize what we really think we should do, but are resisting for whatever reason.

Unemployment really does mess with your head. On one hand, its nice to be free from commutes and whatnot (mine was 4.5 hours each way), but on the other, it feels really pointless.

Thinking about it objectively is a good idea. I was hoping that posting on here would get some outsider opinions, and it has. I'm really happy.

 

[F'Angus]

I have a BA in history with a minor in archaeology.

It's pretty useless for getting hired and I regret choosing a subject because I liked it instead of for its practical value. I did have a history-related job here in D.C. Totally won the job lottery...until my company lost the government contract.

Bummer, I'm just going into the third year of my BA Ancient History Course... Good to see what the future holds XD (though knew there were no jobs when I took that course)



I suggest staying where you have a home at the moment and keep searching.

 

[bdcjacko]

Hmmm, is there any way you would consider going back to school and getting training to do something else. I mean we all want to do something we love for work. But sometimes you have to do something you can put with so you can make a living and afford to do thing that make you happy.

 

[Boletes Net]

1. Stay where I am mooching off unemployment and trying to write, while splitting rent with my brother until I run out of money. Keep applying for jobs to no avail.

I take it that writing was/is your dream and you're thinking about the can't do so teach type of thing? Well don't. You should know these things don't come easy and sure maybe you're running out of time but you gotta suffer for the art sometimes. I really think that if thats what you wanna do with your life then thats what you should be doing. Give it everything you've got

 

[Thyunda]

Personally, I say go to Taiwan. Not many of us can boast of that opportunity, and I reckon after you've been there for a while, you'll be glad of the experience. But, I won't turn down an opportunity to travel. So, maybe that's just me.

 

[rutger5000]

Yeah you really ought to be a bit selfish here. Going to taiwan will be a life changeing experience. And sooner or latter it will be a change for the better.
Also you're brother is way more selfish if he keeps you where you are, so that you can watch his stuf.
Really go to Taiwan, go.

EDIT: How the f*** do you get a commute of 4.5 hours each way? That's insane! How did you go to your job, there must have been a faster way.

 

[dcrane]

Been there, done that, but my wife made me get rid of the T-shirt a long time ago.

I was there back when Taiwan was a dirty, polluted, dog-eat-dog manufacturer of an Asian tiger. Things have changed radically. Most of the dirty industry has moved to China, resulting in vast improvements environment- and social policy-wise, but economically, things have gone pretty steeply downhill.

Taiwan is still a nice, safe choice - enough of a cross between West and East to offer a new cultural experience without seeming totally alien (similar to Japan, but if you really want an adventure, go teach English in rural China .

Advice:
- Sign a contract for as short a term as you possibly can - you'll make more money tutoring
- Some Bushibans are run by assholes - do your research before you go
- Don't go for the cash grab - you'll work yourself silly and not enjoy the experience at all. Rather, plan to take Chinese language courses, delve into the culture and you'll find the experience a life changer (which is something you sound like you need right now)

Best of luck!

 

[Underground Man]

Hmmm, is there any way you would consider going back to school and getting training to do something else. I mean we all want to do something we love for work. But sometimes you have to do something you can put with so you can make a living and afford to do thing that make you happy.

I think I've already cast my lot as far as school goes. As the education system is now (over-priced, crowded, grade inflation) I think that anything else I want to learn, I'll learn independently. At least until the standard model changes or some amazing company hires me and agrees to pay for more.

Phew, my brain hurts from mulling this over so much. I guess I'll sit on it for another month until it's time to order plane tickets (or not). In the meantime, I have another book idea I want to start on.

Yeah you really ought to be a bit selfish here. Going to taiwan will be a life changeing experience. And sooner or latter it will be a change for the better.
Also you're brother is way more selfish if he keeps you where you are, so that you can watch his stuf.
Really go to Taiwan, go.

EDIT: How the f*** do you get a commute of 4.5 hours each way? That's insane! How did you go to your job, there must have been a faster way.

Haha, well. I can't drive so first I'd walk to the police station/bus stop. Then I'd wait. Then I'd ride the bus to the metro, then I'd get stuck in traffic for a while. Then I'd get on the metro and ride that. Then I'd walk the rest of the way.

The mornings were usually a lot faster than the afternoons. Once I got stuck in the snow and had to walk home from the middle of some highway over a mile away, lol.

 

[bdcjacko]

Hmmm, is there any way you would consider going back to school and getting training to do something else. I mean we all want to do something we love for work. But sometimes you have to do something you can put with so you can make a living and afford to do thing that make you happy.

I think I've already cast my lot as far as school goes. As the education system is now (over-priced, crowded, grade inflation) I think that anything else I want to learn, I'll learn independently. At least until the standard model changes or some amazing company hires me and agrees to pay for more.

Phew, my brain hurts from mulling this over so much. I guess I'll sit on it for another month until it's time to order plane tickets (or not). In the meantime, I have another book idea I want to start on.

What about a trade school? Like learn to weld, fix a car, cook or something like that?

Also am I to take it that you majored in English or Literature or another related degree? That might be why your tastes have soured to going back to school. I'm not saying you can't get a job with one of those degrees, I am saying it gets to be very hard. For every one person I have heard of making it with one of those degrees, I personally know 3 that are underemployed with the same arts degree.

 

[Underground Man]

Been there, done that, but my wife made me get rid of the T-shirt a long time ago.

-snip-

It's really nice hearing from someone who has actually been there. I haven't even lived in that part of the world since I was in middle school, so I'll take your advice to heart.

What about a trade school? Like learn to weld, fix a car, cook or something like that?

I've thought about it, but I've never been mechanically inclined. In any sense -- things like cars and pipes are all mysterious to me. Maybe that's something I should change. I've been very sheltered in that regard. Like most Americans, my world has been white-collar and middle class.

As far as cooking goes, if it isn't in a can or a box I don't recognize it as food. I remember in high school I once went 5 days without eating because I was too dumb and lazy to stick something in the microwave.

 

[MrPanda_94]

Your country looking for Electrical Engineers?

From what I've been told the UK is in dire need of engineers so finding that kind of work over here shouldn't be that difficult. It's mostly in energy production such as nuclear power or wind farms. If you meant construction electrician, again I'd say there's probably still a good market for well qualified people for those jobs.

OT: I'm only just looking at universities so I can't give you much advice...

This however:

Ok, I was laid off twice, and unemployed for a year each time, so I say with some authority that being unemployed for extended periods really, really messes with your ability to think straight. It kills your self esteem, makes you irrational and overly emotional, and generally inhibits your ability to make sound decisions.

Here's my best advice - if this was a pal of yours, in the same situation, what would you tell them to do? We often are more able to make a sound decision when we remove ourselves from the equation. Picturing what we'd urge our best mate to do can help us realize what we really think we should do, but are resisting for whatever reason.

... seems to be great advice. Look past the pros and cons and think about what you really want to do. I'm sure if you explained things to you brother he'd understand. Maybe you could help arrange something with regards to looking after his cat and stuff.

Other than that the only advice I (as somebody who isn't in the employment market yet) can give is what I'm told repeatedly by teachers, careers advisors etc. : widen your skill-set ie volunteer/ do work experience. I'm not sure whether that's really done that much in the US but it's always a big factor in employment here in the UK.

Good luck =)

 

[bdcjacko]

What about a trade school? Like learn to weld, fix a car, cook or something like that?

I've thought about it, but I've never been mechanically inclined. In any sense -- things like cars and pipes are all mysterious to me. Maybe that's something I should change. I've been very sheltered in that regard. Like most Americans, my world has been white-collar and middle class.

As far as cooking goes, if it isn't in a can or a box I don't recognize it as food. I remember in high school I once went 5 days without eating because I was too dumb and lazy to stick something in the microwave.

Well, it sounds like this is opportunity knocking. Knocking on a window you didn't know you had, but knocking none the less. If I was stuck like you in unemployment for a year, I would axe myself, is there something I am missing? I've explore every avenue here, maybe it is time I get out of this metaphorical neighborhood and try something new. Maybe I will discover I like cooking, there is meaning in motor or whatever. Maybe you will discover you still can't understand the mysteries of baking or cars are still confusing as hell, but you will get a new outlook on writing and be able to bring your art to a new level.

When the familiar is a trap, it is time to brave a new world.