Penguin

I can very much relate to this – being a graduate and heading for an industry where the competition is fierce and there is no job stability in it whatsoever (I graduated in illustration and I’m more than likely going to end up doing my masters next year). I would very much like for illustration and art to be my full time job but it’s not possible at the moment – I was making very little money from it, I’m burned out from making art and it takes time to establish yourself as an artist. I’m looking for any kind of job that I can do until I start my course next year.

I’m not sure what jobs you have applied for but have you tried applying for any retail or customer service jobs at the moment? The thought of working in retail terrifies me (I’m not really much of a people person, especially the outgoing trendy type!) but it’s around this time that all the shops are going to be taking on seasonal staff for the Christmas season so it might be worth a shot? You could try the local bookstores to see if they have any vacancies? They might be hiring at a nearby library? Are there any jobs going at the university for campus staff?

As for long-term goals, have you maybe considered the possibility of teaching?

You are NOT worthless. There are many people in the same boat, myself included – graduates not knowing what to do with their lives and being out of work. Some of my classmates whom I graduated with 2 years ago, they still haven’t been able to find work. I’m not saying this to scare or discourage you, I’m just saying this to let you know that you are not alone. It’s best not to focus on everybody else, you just focus on you. I know how easy it is to feel discouraged from applying for a job because it seems like an exercise in futility (lots of people applying for the same job).

I hope this helps, and I hope you will find something soon.

Take care

Joe