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I’m 27 year old male with a B.A. Architecture and History, M.A. History, and my life is going nowhere. I’ve been struggling to find a full time position ever since this recession began.
Just to give you a little background about myself: During my college years, I couldn’t afford to do unpaid internships so I chose to work at a call center doing data entry type work at first and eventually moving on to customer service. On the up side, working at the call center and attending a relatively inexpensive state school has allowed me to pay of my undergrad student loans very quickly, but on the down side, I never got professional historian or architectural experience from internships.
My intention had always been to become a teacher but just as I entered the certification program, the economy collapsed and a flood of new unemployed workers attempted to join the ranks of teaching. The problem has been made worse by hiring freezes and budget cuts at most of the local school districts that have only worsened.
I went to graduate school in order to improve my chances of entering teaching and finished this past fall. I still haven’t had any luck trying to enter teaching.
A few months ago, I finally found something. I currently work at home as a search engine analyst 20 hours a week. It pays decently enough ($13.50 hourly) but there is no room for promotion, no benefits, and no chance for a full-time position. Due to the nature of the job, there isn’t much communication with management either. I also sell refurbished electronics and other odds and ends I find it consignment shops, yard sales, or eBay. Last year I made $5,000 doing that on the side.
Somehow I have to leverage my teaching credentials and my work experience into something. I’ve tried applying for a lot of jobs including clerical/office administration, technical writing, bank teller positions, and entry-level corporate grunt work with no luck. I still try to break into teaching. It’s really starting to get to me. I fear my long period of unemployment during the recession is a huge red flag for HR people.
The isolation of my current job is starting to get to me. I’m worried all the time. I’m already so far behind. I only have $2,500 in saving. It feels like my chances of making it during my prime years are quickly slipping away. I’m terrified at the prospect of entering retirement having worked and saved so little. At this point, I’m tempted to give up and try something very different like subsistence farming or teaching English overseas.
If any of you guys have any advice, I’d appreciate it.
My advice to posters with college age children is to not have them bother with college unless they plan on going on to medical school or graduating in a lucrative engineering field.
Engineering field is not lucrative.. I am an unemployed 25 yr old w/ an M.S and B.S in two different engineering fields.
You can try to be a substitute teacher and do that along with your work at home job. I know in CA, it's just a $41 CBEST test. Getting calls to actually sub might be tricky if you don't know anyone. However, it is a way to build contacts for an actual teaching job once the education field picks up again.
Have you considered applying to the JET Programme? I was planning to take that route if nothing came through for me job wise. You work abroad teaching English in Japan, but it's one of the most reputable and well paying English teaching gigs out there (starting salary is over 30k). It might be a good way to get a solid start in teaching and the application process doesn't start until the fall, so you have plenty of time to research/consider it. And no, you don't need to know a lick of Japanese to do it.
I'm kinda in the same boat as you. Also 27, B.S. in Social Sciences. Worked full-time in the insurance industry. It paid well enough but has nothing to do with my major. With five years experience now, I feel like I'm stuck with that industry considering almost everything I'm looking at wants 3-5 years experience in that field.
Sub teaching and teaching aboard are great suggestions. I'm looking into college admissions now. It's pretty much a sales job but I want to get into a higher education job and with your work background, you might excel at it. If I could, I would teach aboard for a year or two. Get the experience on your resume and the life experience would be amazing.
@letmework - I've been having a lot of trouble even trying to break into substituting. School districts already have an extensive pool of subs who are former teachers with years of classroom experience.
@SecretSender6000 - Yes, teaching English abroad is definitely something I'm very interested in. Like Dub D said, I think the experience would look great on a resume. I've been looking to Korea and China. I had heard the JET Programme has had extensive cutbacks due to the recent problems in Japan.
So how hard is it to get into these programs and what is the best way to approach them? Are there similar reputable programs for China and Korea?
teaching English overseas don't make alot of money too. Still it was great experience for my friend who did taught in Japan for couple years. Mainly Japan is more expensive than US. He was able to get a teaching job after he cameback. he teaches ESL classes in college right now.
From what i heard, China pays very little. you should either go with Korea or Japan. Korea pay similar to Japan, but it's cheaper to live in Korea.
Even if it doesn't pay much, it's better than my current employment situation. The only downside is that I would have to leave my search engine analyst position if I left the country, and this company is notorious for not rehiring former analysts for any reason whatsoever.
The trouble I'm having right how is finding a reputable program for Korea. There are a lot of websites out that claim to be legitimate and I'm getting a lot of conflicting information. Most worrying, I've read a few horror stories where teachers are forced into situations and end up not be paid fully and forced to live off of their own savings.
@letmework - I've been having a lot of trouble even trying to break into substituting. School districts already have an extensive pool of subs who are former teachers with years of classroom experience.
@SecretSender6000 - Yes, teaching English abroad is definitely something I'm very interested in. Like Dub D said, I think the experience would look great on a resume. I've been looking to Korea and China. I had heard the JET Programme has had extensive cutbacks due to the recent problems in Japan.
So how hard is it to get into these programs and what is the best way to approach them? Are there similar reputable programs for China and Korea?
Have you applied as a sub? Most schools have a calling system. Call it, do not wait for it to call you! Get up at odd hours and check the system and accept the job. Become a regular, be good at what you do and offer to volunteer during your conference time. Let administration see your dedication, (sell yourself).
Find three or four schools that you really like and become a regular. Take any and all jobs and if possible take professional and para jobs.
Your post resonates a lot with me when I was younger in some ways. I totally relate to what you are talking about and had a very similar experience right out of college in my 20s.
For the most part, depending on your region, finding a teaching job in a public school in the US is very hard right now unless you are certified in math or science. State and local governments are cutting in schools in many areas. If you haven't thought of it already, you choose to work in at risk school districts as a sub, you could get your foot in the door, but that is a big challenge and requires lots of patience dealing with troubled kids. I tried it when I was younger and just did not have the patience, sad to admit it.
I would try to teach English overseas if you have that option to do it while you are young. It is a very unique experience to live overseas and I highly recommend doing it if at all possible. Since you don't have a lot of debt to limit yourself, definitely take the plunge to work overseas. You could try teaching (ESL) English as a Second Language in your city for a private vocational school. It generally does not pay well, but it is experience and possibly direction in a career. I would try to find someone who has taught English overseas already to get some advice.
I looked into teaching English in Japan and South Korea as well when I was around your age right out of college. The reason I could not was heavy student loan debt, I did apply to JET and similar programs.
I would not limit it to teaching English: right now young Americans also go to China and other parts of Asia to work. Definitely, look into it and go for it.
You could fall back on tech work (SEO) sometime later. Just keep your skills current. IT work is very hit or miss depending on your skill set, but you can keep up with some area you are interested in. You have more options than you think you are already thinking outside the box by selling stuff on the side.
Based on your posts, I think you will score something great with work sometime soon. Good luck to you.
Based on your posts, I think you will score something great with work sometime soon. Good luck to you. [/quote]
^^^ I am in agreement! Good luck!
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