Am I Being Too Picky When Job Hunting? (apply, find a job, companies)

[butterfly95]

When I first graduated three years ago, I was looking for a production assistant job in tv because that's where I interned. I saw classmates interning and finding those types of jobs relatively quickly, so I thought that would be the case with me.

Then I figured I could try to look for some stable income while I freelance.

Trying to find a job in any field in NYC is super competitive. I applied to NY Teaching Fellows, Made In NY (for production assistants for tv and movies), everything.

And I have a feeling that companies only call me when they feel like they want to fill a minority quota.

Three years later, I'm stuck in temp tutoring work that has no advancement opportunities. My family says I'm being picky about jobs even though I've taken everything I could find from holiday retail to telemarketing to direct care. I didn't sit down and wait for MTV to call me.

I feel like my peers are moving on and getting "real" jobs and I'm stuck.

Am I being picky?

[kodaka]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of armchair quarterbacks in this economy, who say stupid things without thinking, and without any special knowledge about the topic. You really just have to tune these people out and keep on trucking on your own. I know it can be lonely. See if you can find a support group or start one of your own, so you have the emotional support from people who understand, instead of relying on people who only want to criticize.

And no, I don't think you are being too picky if you are taking on whatever temp work you can find. Even if you hadn't taken these temp jobs, I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with being a bit picky. Laid off people are no less deserving of a rewarding job that pays what they are worth than the rest of the world that has been fortunate enough to escape the economic guillotine.

[SouthBound47]

I don't think you're being too picky, but I think that if you think that it would be very difficult to land these ultra competitive jobs even in a better economy that you might want to diversify, either in terms of position or location.

It sounds like you are looking at very specific types of work, if your well qualified, go for it, if you aren't at least in the top 50% look for a position that can gain you the requisite experience for that.

[Rutt Roh]

i don't think you're being too picky either. in fact, i strongly believe that you should find something that you're remotely interested in. the absolute last and worst thing you can do is find a job that you have absolutely no interest in and do not really care for, aside from it "paying the bills".

granted that things are extremely competitive in the job market, but you still have the ability as a jobseeker to pick the job YOU want to apply for. you shouldn't just get a job for the sake of getting a job because long term, that'll hurt you - either by experience (or lack thereof) or a non-logical flow to your resume which will always be screened out by HR.

i'm a firm believer of whatever your goals are, to always shoot for them and always give your 110%.

[FBJ]

I had the same interest when I graduated, a PA job at a tv station but then realized it would be difficult to find that type of job in a number 4 market like philly so I had to push it aside a bit and get a job to support myself while still trying to get that PA job. I can only imagine how difficult it is in NYC.

[annerk]

Something you might try--do some research as to the up-and-coming indie movie makers and send them your resume, indicating that you'd take any job they might be able to offer. See if you get any hits. You might need to relocate, but many people working in the entertainment industry do, I've got friends in their mid-30's who have moved cross country three and four times now for work, but each time they've gotten a better gig out of it.