The strange, eerily empty inbox, devoid of responses from the million of emails you sent with your resume and cover letter attached.
Your cellphone not ringing off its nonexistent hook either, nor are you in any pressing need to shop for interview-appropriate clothes.
No wonder you are so desperate you might just kiss a waiter hoping he would magically transform into your Prince Charming.
Why are some of your friends discussing about potential job offers with an enthusiastic lilt in their voices, their eyes shining with hope despite the depressing period of final exams looming right ahead? Some of us, like me, are already down the chute in Exam Hell. You realised, in acute horror no less, than you are faced with the very real problem that your predecessors who graduated one year ahead of you (and those ahead of them too) experienced. *Horror movie soundtrack plays* The possibility of…unemployment??
Okay, maybe you won’t be sitting on your couch playing Wii, which would be bordering on disrepair considering the way you would have utterly abused it in your times of destitution, nor painting your toes repeatedly because you have nothing to do. But surely all of us once had or still have lofty ambitions and beautifully painted dreams of that highly coveted cushy position in a skyscraper office right in the heart of the city. We want to wear a matching suit ordered from Banana Republic, clutching our designer coffee in one hand and a stylish document case in another, stepping out of the train (yeah public transport is cool because we are earth-loving) with nary a strand of a perfectly coiffed French twist out of place…as we breeze into the spacious lobby where everyone greets each other with a classy peck on the cheek and tilt of the hat.
Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein! I will burst your reverie into smithereens now before great expectations lead to suicidal disappointment. Well, unless of course you are that stellar intern queen, with ten internship notches on your belt and poised to sail into a posh office, albeit as an assistant editor or a human resource executive, of a brand-name company. Good for you, but we hate you.
All is not lost, ma cherie… Et non, you don’t necessarily need to be a Priceless-esque gold digger to get by. (Read on!)
I was depressed about the miniscule chances of working in a decent brand-name company in such dire economic times. But if you can forget about your TRESemmé hair products, shopping in H&M and Victoria’s Secret and having a mani-pedi every other week, there’s a sweet future at the end of this really deep dark tunnel.
Be an au pair.
Ever since reading about my dear Sweet Valley twins au-pairing in a French castle, I always wondered how it was like to move far away from home, to a far flung locale of a different culture, where alien sounds spill from exotic lips, to work for a family and live like a local. Well my time is here!! Many agencies and organizations don’t take au pairs older than 25 years old, so if I don’t seize this chance I won’t be able to.
Check out The International Au Pair Association for options.
Teach English.
You know English. You speak English. Now go teach English! You’ll be surprised that the demand for English teachers is extremely high especially in East Asia, Eastern Europe and South America. I might take a TEFL course when all else really fails.
Go WWOOF-ing.
If you want to stop sticking out like a sore thumb, then it’s time to flex that green thumb! Try your hand at being a farmhand and rough it out. The upside is that you get to spend some time soaking up sunshine in lovely countryside in countries like France, Australia and Ecuador. WWOOF!
Uproot yourself and just go!
I ALWAYS admire those who pack their bags and just move to a new city. Such courage brings tears to my eyes. If you already have some international living and working experience from before, and your study abroad experience shouldn’t count really, then you can go this adventurous route. Be forewarned that it might be a life of sleeping in roach-infested dingy motels, eating stale can food and couchsurfing until you get your big break.
Suddenly, even as I type this out, I feel that my future is no longer as morbid and hopeless anymore. So what if Merrill Lynch, Mckinsey and Ogilvy & Mather never got back to you? And so what if you cannot afford to take a Master in Water Resource Management or 3D Animation?
Life takes you to unexpected places, and don’t be afraid to go with the flow. :-)
So now, go kick some ass, enjoy (ahem, TRY to) the exams and let’s usher in the holiday season! ♥
Tagged: advice, au pair, College, ESL, experience, farm work, foreign cultures, future, growing up, internships, jobs, lifestyle, moving to a new city, opinions, overseas experience, student life, study abroad, teach english, university, working abroad, WWOOFF
