For many people a job is more than an income - it’s an important part of who we are. So a career transition of any sort is one of the most unsettling experiences you can face in your life. ~Paul Clitheroe
Well, let’s take a moment to look at some of the things going on in my life right now. I could have cancer again so, that’s a bit unsettling. There’s my husband, if you read Saturday’s post and besides wanting to hurt him, it’s unsettling. Then there is this career transition I’ve been going through…it’s been nothing short of most unsettling.
Currently I’m working for pennies because I took a job out of necessity on the fly. I had to go back to school because I can’t afford to pay back my loans. The second I stop going my loans go into repayment. I owe $100,000 in student loans and you can’t pay that back making $10.00 an hour. However when you work full-time and go to graduate school it doesn’t leave time to look for another job. Well, it doesn’t leave any energy.
I never score the big job interviews anyway. And the two that I did score recently resulted in no job offer. Those two interviews have shattered my confidence. Plus the only reason I got those two interviews was because I knew someone. Today it’s all about who you know. Very rarely does anyone get a good job because of their resume and cover letter. I’m not being pessimistic…it’s just the way it is.
I’m a realist and with that I don’t believe that anyone would hire me for an executive level position. In believing that some might say that I’m making it a self-fulfilling prophecy. No, not at all. I’ve never had an executive level position, never made a lot of money and never applied for such a position. When someone in my graduate class asked me if I need a job and basically begged me to come interview I wasn’t going to consider it.
I asked my classmate to send me a job description because I didn’t want to embarrass myself if I wasn’t qualified. He sent me an email that he couldn’t find it on their intranet. So, I played with the idea of sending my resume all weekend. I stared at it. It looked pathetic. It just didn’t tell the story of my career. It didn’t sound like me.
After an hour of rewriting it was done. It’s not the resume of someone who should make six figures because let’s be honest…I don’t have that kind of job experience. Could I do the job? Most likely. Hell, I took a chance and emailed him my resume. At worst he tells me that I don’t have the experience and skills he’s looking for.
But at least tonight I can dream about what it would be like to make six figures, what it would be like to pay off my debt, and what it would be like to save for my kids’ education.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Danalyn 03.17.08 at 3:38 am
Good luck! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!
I’d just be happy if I could make over $30K again. :S
It’s embarrassing when you look at the poverty line…then look at your paycheck…and yeah, there you are…below it.
Stupid job market.
Lisa 03.17.08 at 6:39 am
Danalyn, Oye…I’d be happy if I’d make over $25K again.
What the hell is wrong with this fucked up country? Does anyone else see this disparity?
In 1964 my father’s little bio in his senior yearbook says that he wanted to be successful and make “$30,000 a year”. That was 40 years ago.
My take home, be it the cash…is $19,000 a year. I’m not sure about anyone else but I for one can not live on that.
My yearly gas expense is $2,500 alone.
My yearly medication expenses are $1,200.
My yearly car payments are $3,800.
My yearly student loan payments will be $15,000.
The rest of my mandatory bills are $10,000 a year.
This doesn’t include any incidentals like food, clothing, or emergencies.
So I need to bring home at least $35,000 cash to live minimally.
That totally sucks.
Danalyn 03.17.08 at 6:54 am
Yes, it doth sucketh.
I have nooooo idea how we did it, but when Kyle was going through school, he stopped working. At the time, I made $10/hr. He was getting money from his GI Bill, but that mostly went to school (although he did have some left over for spending). I think there was a lot of borrowing money from dad-in-law going on back then.
Of course eventually, I ended up making more money, and he took a night security job (which worked out great for his grades).
But now, I’m making $12K less than I did when we left Texas…but at least 1) Kyle’s income hasn’t changed since he essentially has the same job (transferred within the company), 2) instead of driving 36 miles one-way for work, I’m driving 5 (he drives 3), and 3) our rent is cheaper here in OKC.
Oh, I could go on and on about work and jobs and money…but this comment is long enough…
Lisa 03.17.08 at 7:22 am
Danalyn, Your story is very similar to mine. I’m making $12K less than I was two years ago but I’m 7 miles from home. Dude works from home but makes five times the amount of money that I do yet we are still strapped with a lot of bills. Cancer will do that to you…thanks hospital and doctors. Our mortgage saves us because we pay less a month than a renter pays for an apartment.
It’s days like this that I want to pray that I’ll finally get a lucky break…like my classmate offering me that interview…but then reality hits me, ya know?
I need a part-time job but I’m not healthy enough yet to handle it. I guess I should wait to find out if I have cancer again first. Yeah, that’s a good idea…LOL.
Avitable 03.17.08 at 8:47 am
I try to start off everyone who works for me with at least $10/hour, even if it’s just entry level. Higher jobs are usually $15-20/hour. I just can’t fathom paying anyone minimum wage.
Avitable’s last blog post..Creme Egg
Lisa 03.17.08 at 12:57 pm
Avitable, the issue I have is that I am far from entry level as I am sure Danalyn is as well. Ten dollars an hour yields about $350 to $360 net pay depending on federal witholding in your state. In any state $10 an hour should be considered the new minimum wage if we want to keep in pace with inflation. As the mother of two children I couldn’t keep a roof over their heads on what I make even if I had no other bills.
The disparity of income in the United States is shameful. I got an education so that I could provide my family with a better life and all I did was provide them with huge debt.
Ten dollars an hour for an educated woman with 20 years of experience is a crime.
Colleen 03.18.08 at 1:01 am
The worst thing he could say is no. The best is, “you are hired”. If says the first, you are no further back than right now. If he says, “you are hired”, then life just got a whole lot more interesting.
Life is calculated risk. This is easy.
Lisa 03.18.08 at 6:40 am
Colleen, That’s all very true. I emailed him my resume but haven’t heard anything. Not even an acknowledgment that he received it.
I don’t expect anything to happen.