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I would at least try to remain here for a year if financially possible. Even try moving to a lower cost area to open up a little more money for living, Harlem isn't that cheap. ......................
I think HarlemNewbie convinced us in earlier threads that she has a pretty good deal with her living situation financially by way of a dirt cheap own room in a shared apartment.The neighborhood sounds like a nightmare though and it is that aspect that might be putting extra stress on her.
I doubt she can actually find a lower cost living situation but she would probably be able to find a safer and more peaceful neighborhood, near a park and without a lot of visual and auditory pollution.
I am debating whether or not I should stay here in New York City, or if I should move back home to Michigan. I came here in April, after completing my bachelor's in psychology and getting paralegal certification. I have been waiting tables since then, making about $2K per month after taxes. My living expenses are about $1250 a month total, but I have no quality of life and am basically just "scraping by". I keep applying for paralegal positions, executive assistant positions, etc. and have been on about a dozen interviews. I had one offer, for the princely sum of 20K a year, no benefits, at a real estate firm downtown. Yes, I am not making this up. 20K a year for a job that requires education in the most expensive city in the country. I am just really sick of waiting tables and living this miserable, half-assed lifestyle where I'm not sure how much I'm making from one week to the next, having uppity Manhattanite women look at me like I'm scum on the bottom of their Manolos. I miss my family. I miss my dog. But there are no jobs in Michigan either, so I really don't know what I would be going back to. I just feel so... lost. Hopeless. What should I do?
I'm the type of person who belives that, if you want to live somewhere, you're going to make it work no matter what. Doesn't sound like you want to live in NY bad enough seeing as how you've only been there for a few months and are already thinking about giving up. If all you really want is to work in the field that you got your education for then maybe you should be willing to relocate to wherever that type of work is available instead of just NY.
If what you really want to do is live and work in NY, however, then maybe you should be looking for ANY type of work that is available in NY that pays better than waiting tables until you can get that paralegal job.
I can tell you this, though: No matter where you end up working, you're going to have to start at the ground level so don't be expecting some great salary right out of the gate.
Another one bites the dust.
It ain't all fun and games here.
Do yourself a favor and leave.
This place works for some people, but fails for most.
Good luck-
Forget about it and move on.
HarlemNewbie has the courage to put her story out there. The truth is that this is a common occurance in NYC at this present time for many college grads, unless they have a degree in an area that is in high demand at this time.
Most jobs are now offering the young and inexperienced low pay and no benefits. The NY Times has had several articles on this in the past few months. It is the reality of our economic times. Some college grads have the advantage of NYC being their home town, so they can still live at home, while they get started on their career paths.
Bravo to HarlemNewbie for living your dream, coming to NYC, for getting out there finding some type of employment so far, and for finding an affordable place to live. You are a winner already, it doesn't matter if you decide to stay or leave, you are giving it your best shot, in a tough ecomomic climate to boot.
Since I am one that is on the interviewing team at my place of employment, I can say that all of the advice given so far is excellent. I would add another tip. Once the resume is considered acceptable, and we do a basic check, when we actually have an interview, we know the standard answers that most people are told to give, we listen to what the person is saying, but more importantly, how they are saying it.
We also want the person to try to engage us in conversation, to not only try to fit in our mold, but to see if we fit theirs. We want to feel like we would enjoy working with the person, but to also know that they are trying to feel if they would enjoy working with us. Ultimately a person that is happier at work, is more willing to learn, and participate. It cost an employer a lot to train new people, and even more to train the inexperienced, so a person's willingness to learn, and good attitude is very important. You only have a few minutes to show this in an interview, and we can usually tell if the person really has that.
The person that comes in with all the rehearsed answers usually doesn't. It is ok to rehearse and prepare, but try to really think of things that are important for you to know about the employer, and ask those things as well.
Also start asking your questions by stating something that you know about the company, and build your question on that. Do your homework, and find out as much about the employer as possible before coming to the interview.
HarlemNewbie, in the future, take all possible job offers seriously. The 20k job offer to you, with no benefits, didn't sound too great. But did you ask about possible room for advancement or if there was a specific probation time after which they would consider giving you benefits? I've worked in many places, where I've seen admin assistants or similar lower paying positions work their way up to great jobs, either in the same company or through a coworker who has connections at other companies. Of course, this is after they have proven themselves to be reliable and hardworking individuals.
I say, don't give up until after a year of living in NY. Good luck!
Bye bye yuppie!
Back to the midwest for you!
If only more yuppies would move back to their midwestern suburbia instead of driving up prices here.
This is incredibly obnoxious and I really hope no one answers your post on your other thread where you need help with something. It's all about you, isn't it?
This is incredibly obnoxious and I really hope no one answers your post on your other thread where you need help with something. It's all about you, isn't it?
Im probably gone to. Its not just her you know..
Still figuring out were to go but unless a miracle comes im gone.=
So, what's the draw to NYC? Go home, get your bearings and realize that there are thousands of places to work. You are at the stage of your life where you can afford to bounce around until you find your niche.
After you have a fuller resume, if you still feel like going to NYC you can. Then you will have a leg up on others since you have learned your way around the city and the way it works. Sometimes, we need to let fate determine the direction we take.
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