So
where am I?
One semester over, and ten weeks or so remaining to grad school graduation. Technically I'll be a qualified archivist.
Last semester they had me sitting up late with SQL. I didn’t mind that so much, although my lack of any sort of IT background or spatial reasoning ability made it a battle.
This semester things seem to have reverted to the same old essay writing shuffle I’m good at and which is familiar to me from my BA and B-Teach. Today I found myself writing a paper and seriously considering using the phrase ‘inextricably intertwined’.
I’m 27, and I’m irrationally, unavoidably, adamantly critical of myself for being a full time student and not having a job. I would love to have a job- to jump on my bike in the morning, to go into work, to see the same people each day, to come back home and hang out with the friends my status as a gainfully employed member of society will hopefully make it possible for me to find.
I find it difficult to initially connect with people without working or at least coming into some kind of structured contact with them on a regular basis, the current result of which is that as things stand I don’t socialise much at all.
It's not that I'm not trying. I’ve spent long, long days crafting intricate applications for so many jobs I would have been great at, only to spend months waiting on electronic form letters that bring bad news.
‘Unfortunately at this time your application….’
Seriously, I would make the best assistant policy officer, if just someone would give me a desk and a computer and set me to work.
Technically, there are still a few applications pending for graduate programs which would be wonderful, but it’s not looking likely.
I graduate in June, I’m 28 in September- and things spiral downward.
A lack of a job has stopped my life in its tracks, and without a job I don’t think I can get it started again.
I don’t know.
‘Thankyou for your interest in the Department of Whatever. The standard of applications we received was very high. Unfortunately at this time...’
Fug.
So it goes, again and again.
So here’s what I’m saying, if anyone out there in Australia, New Zealand or Europe (all the places I can legally live and work and am willing to go) knows of a 9 to 5 job that could use a dedicated, fairly articulate, fast typing, widely travelled, literate, over educated young Australian with an excellent knowledge of useless stuff, from June I basically offer myself.
I’m a friendly, hard working bleeding heart with a highly strung personality and a ridiculous desire to be Kurt Vonnegut (though on my own time)
I’m also technically a qualified teacher, historian and archivist (though I can't stand doing the first and have never been taught how to do the last), but if someone’s willing to show me what to do and be patient while I spent the first two weeks screwing it up, I can do pretty much anything. I have a fanatical work ethic that probably derives from a host of neurotic character flaws, but hey, I’m never late to work.
Project officer, records officer, research officer, admin officer, correspondence officer, these are the sort of things I imagine myself doing. Universities, libraries, museums or, failing that, any office that’s not too far out in the suburban waste land, are the places I'd like to be. The aim is to work 9 to 5 and, hopefully, get a life before I’m too old and wrinkled.
I’m insecure, not in any obvious sense most of the time (though internally self doubt tends to be eating me alive most of the time) but enough that job security is very important to me. Casual/short term temp work is something I can’t do, it would have to be a contract of a year at least.
So there it is, that's what I'm putting out there, that’s how desperate I’m getting, but it's also what I have to offer to any potential employer, and given a chance I think I'd be a very good employee.
Seriously people, if you know of any leads or job openings help me out and message me, I'm willing to send out CVs, or at least listen,
SwimmingMonkey
...
19th May: I got one, and it's good. What did it in the end was nothing but my own dumb luck, but still thanks to everyone for all the kind words and sympathy that came my way after I posted this.