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I graduated from college a year and a half ago from a school with a great national reputation. I majored in graphic design because I have always been a talented artist/illustrator. Cynical old out-of-touch voluntary internet guidance counselors may chastise me for not studying nuclear physics, BUT other people I went to school with who majored in the same field as me have been getting good jobs. Maryland is the most recession-proof state but I am still competing with career veterans twice my age. After looking at some of my former classmates' profiles on Facebook, it makes me jealous to find out that many of them have found jobs. I have run into some of my former classmates since. Most of them who have jobs were able to get jobs because of their connections. I know plenty of my other classmates and college buddies who majored in the same thing as me who don't have jobs. Facebook makes life look so easy. In Facebook world, there are no setbacks, there is no struggle, there is no mental strain quarter life crisis or hardship, there is no bad luck, there is no economic downturn; just an easy road to success from what I see on my "friends" profiles. I've had at least seven interviews in the past year with no job offers. I've been unemployed for a year. I apply for jobs everyday. I've applied for many, many low-paying jobs as well leaving my college degrees off the resume. At 28, this is the longest I have ever been unemployed in my life and I've been working since my teens. I have over ten years of work experience and significant internship experience in my field. I have stared down my competition of seven or eight people in group interviews competing for one single position. I have been told by interviewers that I was competing with people with decades of experience. I feel like I am royally f*cked at this point. I live with my mother and my brother and my sister (both of whom are adults over 25) and NONE of us have jobs. We are living off my father's quickly dwindling life insurance money. Homelessness for me is very possible in the near future. Maybe less than a year. I've done everything "right" up to this point in my life but I will probably still be criticized anonymously in these coming comments for it. I might have to live like a pre-Malcolm X "Detroit Red" to survive soon. I think I would have a better shot at financial stability selling weed in California than trying to land one of the very, very few entry level job positions available in my field.
Last edited by goldenchild08; 08-13-2011 at 08:44 PM..
I'm sorry you and your whole family are having such a rough time, but it's not Facebook's fault that you envy your friends with jobs.
Turn the tables. Use Facebook to help you find a job. Could any of those friends that have connections help connect you?
Is there a graphic designers' group in your area you could tap into, either for mentoring or for connections? What about an unemployment support group -- at least that would help you feel less guilty.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,131,933 times
Reputation: 57755
Unlike this forum, people do not post on facebook to tell everyone that they cannot find a job. People use it more to boast about how wonderful their life is. If it bothers you, stay off of it. Graphic designers were the first people let go when advertising and marketing budgets were cut a few years ago, so there are probably more of them out of work, with great experience competing with you. The art institutes continue to crank out more of them every year to add to the numbers. Without a good portfolio it's hard to compete. Perhaps set your sights lower and look for a job at a sign shop,
screenprinting or embroidery place, doing rastor to vector conversion or converting artwork files to stiches. It won't pay as much but will give you some income and experience while waiting for the market to improve.
I know the place I work has budgeted for two graphic design positions in 2012, but they will require 3 years experience.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,933,539 times
Reputation: 9885
First of all, my heart goes out to you and your family. I'm in MD, too and this area IS tough. Based on my unofficial observations, most of the people who have jobs here are transferring in and not entry level. They earn the $ and then move on. I've lived here my whole life and I know many natives who are struggling here. I was in school in 2003-2006 and the job postings were unbelievable. When I compare that to now, it is depressing. Is it possible you could start your own business?
As far as facebook goes, ignore it. People tend to post idealized versions of their life.
Location: where people are either too stupid to leave or too stuck to move
3,982 posts, read 6,686,739 times
Reputation: 3689
yes thats how i feel about twitter,facebook, every other f**king social site, everyone seems so hapyp and successful..and i'm not! every second of the day is like this state of panick that i have graduated 8 months ago and nothing is happening for me. i feel like im going mad... but your in graphic design? have you tried mediabistro.com..they have a lot of offers for graphic design majors(wish i majored in it at least i'd have a skill), u may have to move to nyc/la where most of the jobs are but thats better than nothing right?
As far as Facebook making life look so easy, people have been fired from their jobs because of what they have posted on Facebook.
There is a thread on here about that now. Employers have also gone on sites like Facebook to check out job candidates and see if they have things like "party girl" before deciding to hire someone.
My experience with Facebook is different. I have several friends who love to talk about how miserable their lives are. I don't want to "unfriend" them because it would just give them one more thing to complain about, but I did hide their posts.
Seriously, for those who don't like it, just don't join. But to unilaterally condemn it--especially some of you who obviously have never even had a Facebook account--is very short-sited.
The income from a sale I made as a result of Facebook is paying for my vacation later this year.
When I was looking for a job 2.5 years ago, I made some connections that led to interviews through Facebook.
I guess Facebook sucks, huh?
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