So I graduated college...

[coinich]

When the fuck does life begin? I'm sitting in my parents basement, and I feel like I'm in the damn doldrums of life. Nothing is happening. I work part time at home, and have never been really successful finding other employment. I see friends once a month.

How the fuck do I kick-start things?

[wiggin]

Good question! In my (limited) experience, I would try to be goal-oriented. What kind of job do you want? Secondarily, what kind of job are you qualified for that can work towards your desired job? I'd then apply to anything even remotely related, though focusing your search as much as possible to avoid getting overwhelmed. It also helps a lot to network (you'd be surprised how many people are in related fields who you or a family/friend knows), and it may be worthwhile to consider geographic flexibility as well. Try to set a goal for X applications per day; you'll feel like you accomplished something worthwhile while at the same time not overwhelm yourself.

Outside of the job hunt, I've found it's useful to develop a community of like-minded people and do activities with them regularly (rather more often than once a month, I should think). It could be structured around any activity - sports/outdoors, LARPing, religious worship, whatever (Meetup may be useful for this if you don't already have a group). Having that kind of regular social interaction helps with networking (see above) as well as keeping your mind engaged. Meeting new people is always a plus as well in my experience - I don't know your romantic situation, but that may also be an opportunity.

I'd also use the opportunity to better yourself. College may be over, but there's a lot more to learn, and those skills can be useful both in life and in your job hunt. Learn a language, read the classics you never had time to look at, use free online courses to expand your knowledge base (e.g. MIT, Harvard, Stanford, et al). The world is a pretty amazing place, and there's lots to keep you occupied - most of it free.

Lastly, I'd consider doing some sort of volunteering activity (could be coupled with the social interaction above). If you are forced by unemployment into relying on your parents, you can at least use your time productively to help others while you try to find the right job. Tutor some kids, become a mentor for someone, cheer up some senior citizens, help the poor/hungry, visit a hospital, coach a sports team, etc.


Just IMO, of course, but I think this is similar to the problem faced by people who retire after 4 decades of working. It's easy to fall into a 'doldrums' if you will and not have anything to do with yourself. But the key to enjoying things is to keep yourself involved in stimulating and interesting activities.

[Wraith]

Wiggin LARPs?

coinich: I think wiggin has the right of it, mostly. Keep sending out your resume. Create a linkedin profile if you haven't already - I get a constant stream of job offers from there. Its usefulness probably varies by field, but it can't hurt. Also talk to college friends who found jobs and see if their employers have any other job openings. Getting to the interview part is the tricky part, and knowing people on the inside - even if they haven't been there long - is often a shortcut in that process.

What degree did you wind up with?

[wiggin]

Wiggin LARPs?

Hey, I figure that I had a lot of people covered between sports, LARPs, and religion. Not really my particular activity of choice, but the point is to be involved in something you enjoy.

Agreed on linkedin, it's a fantastic networking tool.

[Timbuk2]

When did you graduate?

What's your field?

Do you have any cash available to attain some professional qualifications?

Do you want to start straight away in your chosen career, or bum around, travel, see the world, work casually, find yourself etc, first?

How old are you?



EDIT: What's LARP ?

[Timbuk2]

EDIT: What's LARP ?

[Steely Glint]

wiggin religions?

Anyway, I had good experiences with volunteering.... though I've heard horror stories as well.

[wiggin]

wiggin religions?

I was actually wondering whether LARPing or religion would get the first comment. I figured LARP would edge out religion just because it's still a rather more common form of community, but we all know you Brits are godless heathens anyways.

[Hazir]

wiggin religions?

Anyway, I had good experiences with volunteering.... though I've heard horror stories as well.

He's American, religion is something socially acceptable overthere. Otherwise he's not wrong, forcing yourself to get out of the house helps a lot in improving your options.

[Wraith]

Live Action Role Playing. Like D&D, but with added dress-up. I've decided that wiggin LARPs as a cleric, and wears a yamaca on top of his mitre.

[Timbuk2]

Oh that stuff.

Yep that's big over here too. Occasionally see geeky types shuffling about in armour with swords when I head out on country walks in the woods at my Dad's.

They've recently done a huge re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings (William the Conqueror's invasion of Britain, and subsequent defeat of King Harold in 1066) which was in the news.



[/tangent]

[Aimless]

Oh yeah, if your field of study/interest lends itself well to that sort of thing, keep studying it and learning more about current thoughts on its real-world applications. Blog, evernote

[Ominous Gamer]

Oh that stuff.

Yep that's big over here too. Occasionally see geeky types shuffling about in armour with swords when I head out on country walks in the woods at my Dad's.

They've recently done a huge re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings (William the Conqueror's invasion of Britain, and subsequent defeat of King Harold in 1066) which was in the news.

[/tangent]

Maybe its cause I'm buried under the south, but I consider LARPing and reenactments to be seperate things. But maybe thats because they take the Civil War reenactments around here very very seriously. When someone says LARP, I think something along the lines of Roll a D6.



As for the topic at hand, I'd say it start by just getting out more. Find a local group via a website like Reddit (if thats your thing), go network and socialize outside your monkeysphere.

[Aimless]

Excellent tips above. My only advice: don't stay at home unless you have to and if you can avoid it. If you have a laptop, take it to a pleasant fairly brightly-lit public wifi-equipped place and sit your ass down there if you must. If you don't have a laptop, get good books. One of the worst things about these phases in a person's life, from a social/psychological/behavioural standpoint, is that you really easily get used to living an unstructured grey unexciting shade of a life and the faculties that help you live start to, er, atrophy.

Go someplace that's fairly brightly lit during daylight hours (better yet, see some daylight). Make sure you walk around a couple of hours a day unless you're doing actual "work". Make sure you do a few things every day that require prolonged concentration. Shun tv-show marathons and video-games. Eat well and regularly (which might be easier if you're living at home). Wiggin's tips about eg. volunteering somewhere can help with all these, although that may keep you from also using this time to freely pursue fun self-improvement (so don't let the volunteering become too much of a job). These things may not help you get a job in and of themselves but they will def. kick you out of your doldrums.

[Loki]

I'm going to go against some of the conventional wisdom: sending out online job applications is a waste of time unless you're in a high-demand field. If you send out 100, you'll be luckily if one of them gets read.

I'd recommend a three-pronged approach: improve your resume, network, and join a temp agency. If your field has any special credentials, get them. If learning to use some software would help in your job (even if it's Excel), learn it. Have your resume itself looked at by someone who knows something about resumes and/or your field. There are all kind of red flags that first-time applicants aren't aware of. For networking, attend any kind of job fairs that are remotely relevant to what you want to do. Anything you can do to get your resume past the first cut is a good thing. If you can get the email address or phone number of anyone responsible for hiring decisions, contact them. Even if they won't hire you (they probably won't), they will occasionally be willing to give you relevant career advice. And while you have nothing better to do, join a temp agency and try to get work that's at least somewhat close to what you want to do, regardless of how poorly it pays. The goal is to get relevant job experience and to make a good impression on employers who might eventually have a permanent position open up.

In terms of not going insane, I'd recommend joining the gym, and going regularly, as well as finding some social activity to get involved in (as mentioned by everyone else here). The worst thing you can do is let your health and your social skills atrophy while you're looking for a job.

[GGT]

Congrats on the degree!

Just IMO, of course, but I think this is similar to the problem faced by people who retire after 4 decades of working. It's easy to fall into a 'doldrums' if you will and not have anything to do with yourself. But the key to enjoying things is to keep yourself involved in stimulating and interesting activities.

wiggin is wise. Even though I now envision him LARPing around in clerical robes and a yarmulke, singing yiddish folk songs.

1) Treat your folks and their home with respect. Act like their tenant, not like their child. This is very important. Not just because they're willing to help you out with low/no rent, but because you're now -- officially -- an educated young adult. Talk with your parents, so everyone knows what's expected. That means they shouldn't treat you like a kid with chores, but you shouldn't act like a kid who needs to be asked (or told) to do things, either. Sit down and negotiate, just like you would with a landlord (who might cut your rent in exchange for mowing the lawn, that kind of thing). If your family is known to manipulate things, get it in writing, but do it cordially.

2) Act as if you already have a job, because you do. That "job" is the work and time you expend, to seek and find gainful employment. Try making a schedule and sticking to it. I'd suggest leaving the house at regular, designated times....instead of staying home and using the internet or cell phones/skype. Too many distractions. Plus, it might give your folks the impression that you're 'available' to mow the lawn or whatever, when you're really busy working.

3) Be open to all sorts of possibilities, even if they don't seem to fit with your degree. Don't sneer at starting out below your expected ability, or pay scale. Use fresh eyes to look around your immediate environment, and figure out what's needed or in short supply....then find a way to match your skills to those needs. You could be an entrepreneur, a self-employed small business guy, or contract worker, before you'll be hired by someone else.

4) You're young and just beginning a very long journey, one step at a time. <insert Confusius quotes>

[Loki]

By the way, unless you're really short on cash, don't get a job for the sake of getting a job. The time spent working a dead end job is time not used to improve your odds of getting a good job. You should be willing to accept a job with lower pay or a step below where you'd like to start, but no one's going to be impressed by the McDonald's or Wal-mart line on your resume.

[Lewkowski]

By the way, unless you're really short on cash, don't get a job for the sake of getting a job. The time spent working a dead end job is time not used to improve your odds of getting a good job. You should be willing to accept a job with lower pay or a step below where you'd like to start, but no one's going to be impressed by the McDonald's or Wal-mart line on your resume.

Depends on the field you are in... TBH spending a year at Wal-Mart and actually making your way up to a position with responsibility can give you something to talk about in an interview. A lot better then talking about what you learned in school. Again depends on the field but having *some* practical work experience proves that you have a work ethic and aren't a lazy bum.

[Loki]

Depends on the field you are in... TBH spending a year at Wal-Mart and actually making your way up to a position with responsibility can give you something to talk about in an interview. A lot better then talking about what you learned in school. Again depends on the field but having *some* practical work experience proves that you have a work ethic and aren't a lazy bum.

You're not going to work yourself up to a position of responsibility within any reasonable period of time. Employers don't want bums, but they also don't want people with zero ambition. More importantly, they want people who have relevant skills and experience. You can pretend that what you learned in Wal-Mart applies in corporation x, but with thousands of job applicants to choose from, they're not going to buy your argument.

[Lewkowski]

You're not going to work yourself up to a position of responsibility within any reasonable period of time. Employers don't want bums, but they also don't want people with zero ambition. More importantly, they want people who have relevant skills and experience. You can pretend that what you learned in Wal-Mart applies in corporation x, but with thousands of job applicants to choose from, they're not going to buy your argument.

The guy working and still looking for a job has more ambition then the person not working and looking for a job. Nearly anyone with a pulse can get an education. (Higher education more difficult but still absurdly easy to do. Exceptions exist but don't look for it at a public university). Proving you are a responsible hard working individual is never a downside.

[Khendraja'aro]

The guy working and still looking for a job has more ambition then the person not working and looking for a job. Nearly anyone with a pulse can get an education. (Higher education more difficult but still absurdly easy to do. Exceptions exist but don't look for it at a public university). Proving you are a responsible hard working individual is never a downside.

Actually, it is. If your resumé shows that you only had low-skill jobs after college I as a recruiter would ask myself: "Why didn't this guy manage to find something at least marginally related to his area of expertise?"

Blindly taking any job can hurt you as much as taking no jobs.

[Loki]

And while you spend 8 hours a day lifting boxes and then the rest of the day recuperating, someone else is hitting up the job fairs, learning relevant skills, or doing temp or unpaid work in relevant job.

[Lewkowski]

And while you spend 8 hours a day lifting boxes and then the rest of the day recuperating, someone else is hitting up the job fairs, learning relevant skills, or doing temp or unpaid work in relevant job.

Unpaid work is still work... and perfectly acceptable. Not doing anything but "looking" for a long period of time is going to cause difficulties.

[Loki]

Unpaid work is still work... and perfectly acceptable. Not doing anything but "looking" for a long period of time is going to cause difficulties.

When did I say that you shouldn't try to get work? I said that you should find a job that's as close to your ideal job as possible, even if it's part-time or unpaid. Your objective should always be to improve your career prospects, not to take the best job you can get at the moment.

[Timbuk2]

I said that you should find a job that's as close to your ideal job as possible, even if it's part-time or unpaid. Your objective should always be to improve your career prospects, not to take the best job you can get at the moment.

Worked for me.

My first 'real' job - ie not working part-time serving drinks in a diner as a teenager/20 yr old - was maintaining a simple flat database for a tiny company, on a tiny £10k contract for a year. That served as the springboard for a career in IT, which has since led to other things.

All I knew then is that I wanted to work in IT. Getting a job on the very bottom rung of the ladder enabled that.

[Loki]

Worked for me.

My first 'real' job - ie not working part-time serving drinks in a diner as a teenager/20 yr old - was maintaining a simple flat database for a tiny company, on a tiny £10k contract for a year. That served as the springboard for a career in IT, which has since led to other things.

All I knew then is that I wanted to work in IT. Getting a job on the very bottom rung of the ladder enabled that.

Exactly. If I'm hiring for an IT position, I want evidence that you know IT, not evidence that you're desperate or that you can work full-time on some completely unrelated task.

[Ominous Gamer]

I don't think he would have to worry about getting a full time job at a place like WalMart. They have people on their rolls for years waiting for full time hours.

[ar81]

When the fuck does life begin? I'm sitting in my parents basement, and I feel like I'm in the damn doldrums of life. Nothing is happening. I work part time at home, and have never been really successful finding other employment. I see friends once a month.

How the fuck do I kick-start things?

1.Look in the yellow pages for the kind of company you may dream to work for.
2.Deliver at least 100 PRINTED resumes (one per company, of course).
3.Resend every 6 months.

If you have not done the first two, you have not done enough to look for a job. If you already did, it means the location where you live was hit hard by the crisis you did not cause (bankers did), so I would recommend to move to another place or country where unemployment is far lower. Right now unemployment is about 22% (very similar to Spain) and debt vs GDP of US is 7th worst in the world while Spain is not among the top ten. Methodology used by US underestimates unemployment, so it looks like it is under 10%.

US and UK have the higher risk of hyperinflation according to UBS, not immediate, but a risk after all, so earning a wage in foreign currency that does not sink, may help you to repay your student debt.

I also may recommend you to watch Youtube videos on "personal branding".

[Wraith]

From what I heard, I don't think anyone docks points for low-skill jobs early in your career. If anything, it at least shows that you can hold down a job - which is something that apparently not everyone can do these days (still shouldn't be more than a line or two on your resume). Gaps in your work history are far more suspicious to recruiters. But that doesn't mean that you need to run out and get a job at Wal-Mart or wherever, unless it's been a pretty long time since you've had work. A 6 month gap won't matter to anyone, but 2 years would.

[Loki]

The employment market has changed quite a bit in the last 2 decades.