What do you do when you're burnt to a crisp?
October 16, 2014 3:04 PM Subscribe
I have major "failure to launch" syndrome and it's affecting my life big time. I have been in this situation for some time now and I can't see any way out.
I graduated in late summer 2008 from a very prestigious U.S. institution with a BS in the agricultural sciences. I was absolutely thrilled, especially since I was a non-traditional student who never thought I could graduate from college, let alone from a school of the ranks from which I did.
Enter the worst decision I have ever made in my life. Right after graduation, I moved to (arguably, but not so much) the poorest state in the country, not knowing about the poverty, lack of jobs, etc. I only anticipated being here for a year or two, max. I took a job in the clerical field thinking I could move up in a short period of time.
Enter the beginning of the recession in late 2008 when the economy tanked. Fast forward a couple of years, I'm still thinking I can advance from the clerical job I have into something more commensurate with my education.
Fast forward to October 2014, I am still stuck in the same clerical job from 2008 making 25k a year and have completely lost hope that I can advance from this job into something more commensurate with my education. I have applied to over 500 jobs in the interim and.......crickets. Absolutely nothing. And now my shitty job is in jeopardy b/c my boss notices that I am depressed and likely wants to fire me. Why would I be depressed?
I can't find a job in the state I live in that pays more that I am qualified for. Because there are no good jobs in the state I live in. I don't know how to get out of here. I have been trying to move to another state with the little bit of savings I have where there are more jobs in my field, but I haven't been able to find someone willing to rent to me without a job lined up. I can't get a job from 1000+ miles away without a place to move to and live. I also need to add that:
(1) the only family I have is my mother who has no money to help with and to move back in with her is not going to help me b/c she is mentally ill
(2) my best friends live in areas that are either extremely expensive (L.A.) or in places with no jobs in my field so they can't really help
(3) I've had severe, chronic depression that has been treated by a physician for years so new medication, therapy, etc. has already been tried and applied on this situation
I am past the point of burnout with this job. I am fried to a crisp. I fear that firing and/or hospitalization is next. My emotional, mental, and spiritual health is almost completely gone. But I don't have anyone to offer me a chance to start on the road to another life. And I feel completely worthless and that absolutely no one cares. 6 years being underemployed, underpaid, undervalued with no hope for anything better in the future. The worst part is I don't know anyone at all that has had to go this long without any evidence of impending improvement in their professional life.
How do I find hope that someday soon my dreams will come true? Or is it time to give up on them altogether?
Throwaway email: lookingforsomehope01@gmail.com
P.S. Apologies for the wall of text. I am at the breaking point.
I graduated in late summer 2008 from a very prestigious U.S. institution with a BS in the agricultural sciences. I was absolutely thrilled, especially since I was a non-traditional student who never thought I could graduate from college, let alone from a school of the ranks from which I did.
Enter the worst decision I have ever made in my life. Right after graduation, I moved to (arguably, but not so much) the poorest state in the country, not knowing about the poverty, lack of jobs, etc. I only anticipated being here for a year or two, max. I took a job in the clerical field thinking I could move up in a short period of time.
Enter the beginning of the recession in late 2008 when the economy tanked. Fast forward a couple of years, I'm still thinking I can advance from the clerical job I have into something more commensurate with my education.
Fast forward to October 2014, I am still stuck in the same clerical job from 2008 making 25k a year and have completely lost hope that I can advance from this job into something more commensurate with my education. I have applied to over 500 jobs in the interim and.......crickets. Absolutely nothing. And now my shitty job is in jeopardy b/c my boss notices that I am depressed and likely wants to fire me. Why would I be depressed?
I can't find a job in the state I live in that pays more that I am qualified for. Because there are no good jobs in the state I live in. I don't know how to get out of here. I have been trying to move to another state with the little bit of savings I have where there are more jobs in my field, but I haven't been able to find someone willing to rent to me without a job lined up. I can't get a job from 1000+ miles away without a place to move to and live. I also need to add that:
(1) the only family I have is my mother who has no money to help with and to move back in with her is not going to help me b/c she is mentally ill
(2) my best friends live in areas that are either extremely expensive (L.A.) or in places with no jobs in my field so they can't really help
(3) I've had severe, chronic depression that has been treated by a physician for years so new medication, therapy, etc. has already been tried and applied on this situation
I am past the point of burnout with this job. I am fried to a crisp. I fear that firing and/or hospitalization is next. My emotional, mental, and spiritual health is almost completely gone. But I don't have anyone to offer me a chance to start on the road to another life. And I feel completely worthless and that absolutely no one cares. 6 years being underemployed, underpaid, undervalued with no hope for anything better in the future. The worst part is I don't know anyone at all that has had to go this long without any evidence of impending improvement in their professional life.
How do I find hope that someday soon my dreams will come true? Or is it time to give up on them altogether?
Throwaway email: lookingforsomehope01@gmail.com
P.S. Apologies for the wall of text. I am at the breaking point.
Stop thinking "I'm too overqualified for this job".
These days, a bachelor's degree mostly qualifies you for an admin job. I do admin work, too, and yeah, I feel burnt out about it a lot of the time, because it was absolutely not my first choice. I, too, should have advanced further than I have by now, and worst of all, I recently had to take a downgrade in title in order to have any job at all.
This all sucks.
But you know what?
I like the day to day reality at my job (I work for an interesting company, my coworkers are great, the money isn't terrible, and while my work is boring, I don't hate it). I have plenty of hobbies and projects outside of work that I'm passionate about. I eat and drink well, have a lot of fun with my friends, and just generally enjoy my life.
Can you find a way to embrace the good side of the life you actually have, at least for the time being? Because that's probably the fastest way to make a difference in your quality of life.
I would also look very seriously into treatment for your depression, though it sounds like you already are or have been.
posted by Sara C. at 3:17 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
These days, a bachelor's degree mostly qualifies you for an admin job. I do admin work, too, and yeah, I feel burnt out about it a lot of the time, because it was absolutely not my first choice. I, too, should have advanced further than I have by now, and worst of all, I recently had to take a downgrade in title in order to have any job at all.
This all sucks.
But you know what?
I like the day to day reality at my job (I work for an interesting company, my coworkers are great, the money isn't terrible, and while my work is boring, I don't hate it). I have plenty of hobbies and projects outside of work that I'm passionate about. I eat and drink well, have a lot of fun with my friends, and just generally enjoy my life.
Can you find a way to embrace the good side of the life you actually have, at least for the time being? Because that's probably the fastest way to make a difference in your quality of life.
I would also look very seriously into treatment for your depression, though it sounds like you already are or have been.
posted by Sara C. at 3:17 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
For seven years, Einstein worked six days a week as a patent clerk.
He was kind of being blown off for his world changing ideas. I cannot readily find a timeline, but it took a few years for other people to get photos during an eclipse that supported his theories. The first attempts were foiled by war and bad weather, IIRC. A few years later, there were more teams trying to get the photos and one succeeded. Had the first set of teams succeeded, we might have never heard of Einstein because there was an error in his math. The intervening years gave him the chance to correct it. So, when they finally got the pictures, he became an overnight celebrity.
But for a time, he made relatively little money and lived in obscurity.
You could also read the biographies of people like Helen Keller (born both deaf and blind) and Frederick Douglass (born a slave but ultimately served as a U.S. ambassador). There are plenty of examples to choose from.
I will also suggest you start a food diary. There are studies about how different foods impact things like depression. Working on your diet may help with your depression.
Best of luck.
posted by Michele in California at 3:23 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
He was kind of being blown off for his world changing ideas. I cannot readily find a timeline, but it took a few years for other people to get photos during an eclipse that supported his theories. The first attempts were foiled by war and bad weather, IIRC. A few years later, there were more teams trying to get the photos and one succeeded. Had the first set of teams succeeded, we might have never heard of Einstein because there was an error in his math. The intervening years gave him the chance to correct it. So, when they finally got the pictures, he became an overnight celebrity.
But for a time, he made relatively little money and lived in obscurity.
You could also read the biographies of people like Helen Keller (born both deaf and blind) and Frederick Douglass (born a slave but ultimately served as a U.S. ambassador). There are plenty of examples to choose from.
I will also suggest you start a food diary. There are studies about how different foods impact things like depression. Working on your diet may help with your depression.
Best of luck.
posted by Michele in California at 3:23 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
I guess some of this depends on how much money you have and how likely do you think you will find a job in your field. If you have quite a bit of savings, you can rent short term, either like a long term stay hotel or an AirBnB at the location you want to move to. That does not require to be there in person and can give you a local address.
Also, consider doing couchsurfing or house sitting for people. Have you asked your friends in expensive cities if they can let you stay with them? If not, you should ask.
I would also get a Google Voice phone number for the area code you plan to move to. Apply with that phone number and you will seem more local.
The bad news is: The longer gap you have since your graduation, the harder time you'll have.
The good news is: Once you move to your new location, you can take on jobs outside of your field in order to make your money stretch. My husband got an B.S. in mechanical engineering form a good university and he worked construction odd jobs for a while to make ends meet, after he moved to our city.
In the larger scheme of things, you seem to identify quite a bit with your job/career situation. Do you have other hobbies and accomplishments? I prefer not to identify so much with my career, so that if I lose or quit my job, it does not affect me as much psychologically (obviously, the financial aspect would still affect). So, do more things besides your career and identify more as a person with interests than a person who does X.
posted by ethidda at 3:25 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also, consider doing couchsurfing or house sitting for people. Have you asked your friends in expensive cities if they can let you stay with them? If not, you should ask.
I would also get a Google Voice phone number for the area code you plan to move to. Apply with that phone number and you will seem more local.
The bad news is: The longer gap you have since your graduation, the harder time you'll have.
The good news is: Once you move to your new location, you can take on jobs outside of your field in order to make your money stretch. My husband got an B.S. in mechanical engineering form a good university and he worked construction odd jobs for a while to make ends meet, after he moved to our city.
In the larger scheme of things, you seem to identify quite a bit with your job/career situation. Do you have other hobbies and accomplishments? I prefer not to identify so much with my career, so that if I lose or quit my job, it does not affect me as much psychologically (obviously, the financial aspect would still affect). So, do more things besides your career and identify more as a person with interests than a person who does X.
posted by ethidda at 3:25 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
It sounds like a job with a temporary agency in a location where you have friends might be an option for you. Could you stay with friends for a week or two once you have work there? During your stay, find a room to rent and move to it. Save until you can afford an apartment. Temping can be a good way to gain exposure to new organizations and new professional contacts, and it will give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to others in a new way if you want to.
Good luck!
posted by summerstorm at 3:31 PM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Good luck!
posted by summerstorm at 3:31 PM on October 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's not impossible to get a job in another state without a place to live there. I've done it three times in my life, and one of those times I had almost no savings. It is hard, but it's not impossible. So I don't think you should give up so easily on that.
posted by primethyme at 3:38 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by primethyme at 3:38 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
First, of those 500 jobs you've applied for, are you clear that they are jobs that you want and are comfortably qualified? Do you have a clear vision of what you want to be doing and where you want to live? Because I've found that when I'm in the midst of my worst depressive episodes, I can often only think "I just don't want to be HERE. I have no idea where I want to be."
I promise you that you won't make much progress that way. You'll just be spinning your wheels.
Are you sure that your treatment for depression is working? No one ever believes this when he/she is depressed but it makes you think everything is wrong, there's no way out, etc. And that's never true. Talk to both your psych and your therapist about this in detail. Tell your therapist what you'd like to do. See what he or she says.
-- Is there any one of your friends in even the expensive places that might let your crash for a few months while you look for another job in your field? Even in L.A., you might make enough to get a couple of roommates and have some semblance of a success.
What about rooming with someone you don't know that you find through your college's alumni group or Craigslist?
-- Are you trying to get out and do something, anything exercise related in your town? I mean if you get up an extra 15 minutes earlier and stretch or walk or just get out of your head for a few moments, it makes a world of difference.
-- Are you making connections via LinkedIn in professional groups in the field that you're interested in?
-- How about a second job where you are now so you can boost those savings you have?
posted by nubianinthedesert at 3:45 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
I promise you that you won't make much progress that way. You'll just be spinning your wheels.
Are you sure that your treatment for depression is working? No one ever believes this when he/she is depressed but it makes you think everything is wrong, there's no way out, etc. And that's never true. Talk to both your psych and your therapist about this in detail. Tell your therapist what you'd like to do. See what he or she says.
-- Is there any one of your friends in even the expensive places that might let your crash for a few months while you look for another job in your field? Even in L.A., you might make enough to get a couple of roommates and have some semblance of a success.
What about rooming with someone you don't know that you find through your college's alumni group or Craigslist?
-- Are you trying to get out and do something, anything exercise related in your town? I mean if you get up an extra 15 minutes earlier and stretch or walk or just get out of your head for a few moments, it makes a world of difference.
-- Are you making connections via LinkedIn in professional groups in the field that you're interested in?
-- How about a second job where you are now so you can boost those savings you have?
posted by nubianinthedesert at 3:45 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
Nthing the advice to ask your friends to let you couch surf for a few weeks, or look into sublets or people looking for roommates in your desired city/state.
I know nothing about agricultural sciences, but can you connect with people working in your desired field via linkedin and do some information interviewing to find out their path or companies that like to hire people with your credentials?
Also I would work on reframing "the worst decision of your life". You've held a job for several years, not a negative thing at all to future employers or for you. Worse would be a string of low(er)-paying jobs. You'll need to reframe this so that you can do well in interviews where you'll talk about how much this experience has helped you and all the valuable skills you gained, on top of proving you're a loyal employee.
posted by lafemma at 3:47 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
I know nothing about agricultural sciences, but can you connect with people working in your desired field via linkedin and do some information interviewing to find out their path or companies that like to hire people with your credentials?
Also I would work on reframing "the worst decision of your life". You've held a job for several years, not a negative thing at all to future employers or for you. Worse would be a string of low(er)-paying jobs. You'll need to reframe this so that you can do well in interviews where you'll talk about how much this experience has helped you and all the valuable skills you gained, on top of proving you're a loyal employee.
posted by lafemma at 3:47 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
I spent seven years with what an outsider would see as no professional achievement and no improvement in my career. I then had a major breakthrough and levelled up, followed by seven more years of no professional achievement. I then had another major step up and am working at the top of my profession now, not high ranking, but doing extremely well.
Are you saying you have applied for 500 jobs in the past six years? That's... not a lot. In the private sector, in 2008, I had to make about 50 applications for every interview and 20 interviews to get a job. 500 applications sounds like a goal for six months, not six years. But that's applying online to major job sites, of course; in my current sector I rarely make more than 10 applications for every job I get, and I usually get two offers as well. But, out there in the real world, hundreds of applications are the norm.
posted by tel3path at 3:49 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
Are you saying you have applied for 500 jobs in the past six years? That's... not a lot. In the private sector, in 2008, I had to make about 50 applications for every interview and 20 interviews to get a job. 500 applications sounds like a goal for six months, not six years. But that's applying online to major job sites, of course; in my current sector I rarely make more than 10 applications for every job I get, and I usually get two offers as well. But, out there in the real world, hundreds of applications are the norm.
posted by tel3path at 3:49 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
Oh and. I know it's not what you want to hear, but you're not doing badly at all. You have held down a job since college and you actually have some savings. That puts you way ahead of probably most people in your position.
If I wanted to look at it that way I'd be bummed that most people in my cohort have published at least one novel and those in my cohort and sector have mostly published a weighty academic text. Actually, now that I think about it... once you get into a negative view of something, it's hard to get out of it. I'd go and eat chips to comfort myself, but I don't have any.
posted by tel3path at 3:53 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
If I wanted to look at it that way I'd be bummed that most people in my cohort have published at least one novel and those in my cohort and sector have mostly published a weighty academic text. Actually, now that I think about it... once you get into a negative view of something, it's hard to get out of it. I'd go and eat chips to comfort myself, but I don't have any.
posted by tel3path at 3:53 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
My general advice is going to be talk to your friends in LA and see if any of them is open to an offer of labor and extremely polite gratitude to a) one preliminary visit, b) probably multiple-month floor-related accommodations until you have some paychecks and stability.
I say LA because yes it is big and full of people but there's also lots of admin work (even interesting admin work) and it is (to my own surprise) pretty nice here. It is 100% guaranteed to be nothing like where you're coming from, too.
But if you have a background in ag, you might also just do some pretend job-searching in the Sacramento/Central Valley areas to see what kind of jobs there are that might be a good hop for you.
Use the gmail account you made for this to create a Google Voice number with a SoCal area code. You do not need an address, just don't use one if you submit any applications, just put "Los Angeles, CA" on it (or whatever, something close to the job). Later on you can invent a partner or sibling waiting on you to get a job in the area so you can join them.
I emailed you, too, in case I happen to know someone who can be useful to you.
Do what you can to reframe. If the worst mistake of your life is a too-conservative job gamble straight out of school, you are doing fantastic. It sounds to me it's more like "What have you got to lose?" and "Couldn't have been a better time for a big leap of faith." It sounds like you've got no dependents and few obligations and a degree and a steady job history - you couldn't ask for a better starting block for You: The Next Chapter.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I say LA because yes it is big and full of people but there's also lots of admin work (even interesting admin work) and it is (to my own surprise) pretty nice here. It is 100% guaranteed to be nothing like where you're coming from, too.
But if you have a background in ag, you might also just do some pretend job-searching in the Sacramento/Central Valley areas to see what kind of jobs there are that might be a good hop for you.
Use the gmail account you made for this to create a Google Voice number with a SoCal area code. You do not need an address, just don't use one if you submit any applications, just put "Los Angeles, CA" on it (or whatever, something close to the job). Later on you can invent a partner or sibling waiting on you to get a job in the area so you can join them.
I emailed you, too, in case I happen to know someone who can be useful to you.
Do what you can to reframe. If the worst mistake of your life is a too-conservative job gamble straight out of school, you are doing fantastic. It sounds to me it's more like "What have you got to lose?" and "Couldn't have been a better time for a big leap of faith." It sounds like you've got no dependents and few obligations and a degree and a steady job history - you couldn't ask for a better starting block for You: The Next Chapter.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I got a degree in useless and spent about 8 years underemployed (doing waitressing, admin). The most promising path out of this was for me to take a short, specialized diploma course at a technical school, one with more or less guaranteed employment at a higher salary at the end of it. I chose IT, although I considered accounting at the time. It worked. And even though I don't use my degree in useless, I think it has helped me to land jobs. I make a salary now I would never have dreamed of. I'm doing pretty good.
Do you have any credit you could draw on? I think you really need to move to a place with the best employment prospects possible --> take specialized course/diploma that you could get a student loan for (ideally close to your field for the sake of your own happiness, but maybe not) --> land new job, start new career. Or, if you're in a poor state maybe education is cheaper where you are right now and you should do steps 1 and 2 in the reverse order I've listed.
posted by kitcat at 4:03 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
Do you have any credit you could draw on? I think you really need to move to a place with the best employment prospects possible --> take specialized course/diploma that you could get a student loan for (ideally close to your field for the sake of your own happiness, but maybe not) --> land new job, start new career. Or, if you're in a poor state maybe education is cheaper where you are right now and you should do steps 1 and 2 in the reverse order I've listed.
posted by kitcat at 4:03 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
Contact your university's career services department -- they often have programs to help alumni with job hunting and placement; it is to their advantage to have grads in prestigious, well-connected jobs. Sometimes they have a whole person (or two!) devoted to helping un- or under-employed alumni with job searches.
Network with your alumni association in your current state/city AND in your targeted states/cities. Alumni networks are valuable and you may get someone willing to consider you who wouldn't otherwise.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:18 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
Network with your alumni association in your current state/city AND in your targeted states/cities. Alumni networks are valuable and you may get someone willing to consider you who wouldn't otherwise.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:18 PM on October 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
Not sure if this would be any more stable, but farming is something several of my friends with BAs and creative degrees have done. In the meantime, they've taught themselves more employable skills like coding, but I think the farming is rewarding in its own right.
posted by neil pierce at 4:23 PM on October 16, 2014
posted by neil pierce at 4:23 PM on October 16, 2014
When I was wracked with anxiety about my job search (admittedly under different circumstances from you, but it was still really stressful to me), here's what I found helpful:
- Mindfulness meditation. There are good apps, so you don't have to spend a lot of money on classes.
- 30 minutes of exercise every day. The app "Bodyweight: Your body is your gym" was super-helpful here. Let me do it at home (where no one could see what a dork I looked like, and I had no excuse for not doing it), tracked the exercise each day (I didn't want to break that beautiful streak of red on my exercise history). Helped me feel I had accomplished *something*. And I have pretty nice upper arms now!
- The book "the two hour job search". It offers a systematic approach to identifying contacts and having productive informational interviews. (The "identifying" piece is what takes 2hours, btw.) The structure was very helpful for me in overcoming some of the anxiety of the process. While the book is written for new MBAs, the principles are broadly applicable. It will help you get some use out of the fancy college education -- alumni networks are awesome
Good luck. Hugs.
posted by CruiseSavvy at 4:39 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
- Mindfulness meditation. There are good apps, so you don't have to spend a lot of money on classes.
- 30 minutes of exercise every day. The app "Bodyweight: Your body is your gym" was super-helpful here. Let me do it at home (where no one could see what a dork I looked like, and I had no excuse for not doing it), tracked the exercise each day (I didn't want to break that beautiful streak of red on my exercise history). Helped me feel I had accomplished *something*. And I have pretty nice upper arms now!
- The book "the two hour job search". It offers a systematic approach to identifying contacts and having productive informational interviews. (The "identifying" piece is what takes 2hours, btw.) The structure was very helpful for me in overcoming some of the anxiety of the process. While the book is written for new MBAs, the principles are broadly applicable. It will help you get some use out of the fancy college education -- alumni networks are awesome
Good luck. Hugs.
posted by CruiseSavvy at 4:39 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I totally agree with the people who say move to a bigger city. The thing that's hard to accept, but totally true, is that with fairly little money you can move to almost any major city in the United States and live and work off almost right off the bat if you're willing to work scut jobs and live in Skeezy places.
Take my city, for instance, Long Beach, CA. There are rooms to be had for around $400 a month. Not great neighborhoods, but they're there. And even a fast food job can afford that, and man can you get a fast food job.
But once you're in the city you have easy access to the temp agencies, the networks, and the "hard to find on the internet" jobs, that let you do better pretty fast. Sure it's an agricultural science degree, but it's a degree. That'll shoot you to the front of the line for call centers which are a lot easier than fast food and pay better as well.
Want to get in IT? Take one of those specialized diploma courses. Now, at worst, you can get a help desk job. Once you're in there it's a few years and you're in operations if you can handle it at all. That can be a salary in the mid 40's.
And this plan? That'll work for you in almost any large city. You can do it NYC. You can do it in LA. You can do it Seattle.
LA, is, in fact, one of the better cities for doing this in that I've lived in. The city is so big and spread out that it's filled with strange opportunities. I'm constantly meeting people who have jobs I never imagined.
You're not trapped. I know it can feel that way. But you're not.
posted by bswinburn at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2014 [11 favorites]
Take my city, for instance, Long Beach, CA. There are rooms to be had for around $400 a month. Not great neighborhoods, but they're there. And even a fast food job can afford that, and man can you get a fast food job.
But once you're in the city you have easy access to the temp agencies, the networks, and the "hard to find on the internet" jobs, that let you do better pretty fast. Sure it's an agricultural science degree, but it's a degree. That'll shoot you to the front of the line for call centers which are a lot easier than fast food and pay better as well.
Want to get in IT? Take one of those specialized diploma courses. Now, at worst, you can get a help desk job. Once you're in there it's a few years and you're in operations if you can handle it at all. That can be a salary in the mid 40's.
And this plan? That'll work for you in almost any large city. You can do it NYC. You can do it in LA. You can do it Seattle.
LA, is, in fact, one of the better cities for doing this in that I've lived in. The city is so big and spread out that it's filled with strange opportunities. I'm constantly meeting people who have jobs I never imagined.
You're not trapped. I know it can feel that way. But you're not.
posted by bswinburn at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2014 [11 favorites]
The ag service company guys I meet are always complaining that they can't find any willing or remotely qualified applicants. Are you applying to ag-related jobs in rural areas where farming is booming? I doubt starting wages are enormously more than you are earning now ($30s, maybe low $40s?) but it would be in your field and with advancement for anyone who does well.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
BS in the agricultural sciences
I'm very surprised that you're having a hard time finding work with this degree because from what I've seen it's actually a very in-demand field. Have you tried contacting recruiters instead of applying to companies directly on your own?
If you still have problems finding traditional paid employment in your field, there are a zillion farm internships / co-ops / WWOOF volunteer positions etc. that include room and board at the farm even when the monetary compensation is otherwise low (or nothing). That would be a good way to at least start gaining experience and references in your field while staying housed and fed.
If owning/operating a farm of your own someday is something you'd like to do, there are also beginning farmer programs that match wannabe farmers with soon-to-retirement farmers who want their land to continue to be farmland after they retire/die. You take some free or low-cost courses on business planning through the program and they match you with a farm. You intern at first and then gradually buy the farm out (usually with the retiring farmers holding the note, so you don't have to worry so much about obtaining financing). Google your state's name (or the names of the states where you'd like to move) + "beginner farmer program" or "new farmer program" or "future farmer program" and see what's offered. With your BS in Agricultural Sciences, you're already WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better qualified than the average applicants to those programs so I think you could do quite well.
And I feel completely worthless and that absolutely no one cares.
I care! All of the people answering your question and favoriting others' answers in this question care!
You're not worthless, you just made an understandable mistake (moving to an economically depressed location based on lack of information) and have had some bad luck. All of this is fixable. Don't give up.
I moved to (arguably, but not so much) the poorest state in the country
By this, are you referring to Mississippi or West Virginia or ...? If West Virginia, please MeMail me -- I live in Central Virginia and could try to point you to some resources for agricultural careers in Virginia. At least those potential interviews and networking opportunities would be within driving distance of where you live now.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:34 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
I'm very surprised that you're having a hard time finding work with this degree because from what I've seen it's actually a very in-demand field. Have you tried contacting recruiters instead of applying to companies directly on your own?
If you still have problems finding traditional paid employment in your field, there are a zillion farm internships / co-ops / WWOOF volunteer positions etc. that include room and board at the farm even when the monetary compensation is otherwise low (or nothing). That would be a good way to at least start gaining experience and references in your field while staying housed and fed.
If owning/operating a farm of your own someday is something you'd like to do, there are also beginning farmer programs that match wannabe farmers with soon-to-retirement farmers who want their land to continue to be farmland after they retire/die. You take some free or low-cost courses on business planning through the program and they match you with a farm. You intern at first and then gradually buy the farm out (usually with the retiring farmers holding the note, so you don't have to worry so much about obtaining financing). Google your state's name (or the names of the states where you'd like to move) + "beginner farmer program" or "new farmer program" or "future farmer program" and see what's offered. With your BS in Agricultural Sciences, you're already WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better qualified than the average applicants to those programs so I think you could do quite well.
And I feel completely worthless and that absolutely no one cares.
I care! All of the people answering your question and favoriting others' answers in this question care!
You're not worthless, you just made an understandable mistake (moving to an economically depressed location based on lack of information) and have had some bad luck. All of this is fixable. Don't give up.
I moved to (arguably, but not so much) the poorest state in the country
By this, are you referring to Mississippi or West Virginia or ...? If West Virginia, please MeMail me -- I live in Central Virginia and could try to point you to some resources for agricultural careers in Virginia. At least those potential interviews and networking opportunities would be within driving distance of where you live now.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:34 PM on October 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
I graduated around the same time and have had several friends in similar situations. The thing that sucks is that you might have to just jump off the cliff and make a change without a sure thing lined up.
But, chances are pretty good that if you're willing to do that you'll end up at least changing your situation. You don't need to sign a lease to move somewhere. If you have friends in a city you're interested in, ask if you can crash for a week while you make the rounds at every temp agency you can find. See how that goes. You might get a gig that day, or it might take a week or two.
If you don't have friends you can stay with, save up and take a vacation in a city you like and make the rounds at the temp agencies.
Look for sublets with roommates or in group houses. You won't need to commit to a full year, you'll have some new friends, and it'll be way cheaper than trying to get your own apartment.
Don't sniff at temp jobs. A ton of very prestigious organizations use them and it's a great way to try out difference fields, make contacts, and even get hired directly.
I'd also say that if you didn't even get an interview out of 500 applications then there might be some issues with your resume or application materials. You can contact your college's career center to see what they can do to help you and they may have some good job advice as well.
posted by forkisbetter at 6:56 PM on October 16, 2014
But, chances are pretty good that if you're willing to do that you'll end up at least changing your situation. You don't need to sign a lease to move somewhere. If you have friends in a city you're interested in, ask if you can crash for a week while you make the rounds at every temp agency you can find. See how that goes. You might get a gig that day, or it might take a week or two.
If you don't have friends you can stay with, save up and take a vacation in a city you like and make the rounds at the temp agencies.
Look for sublets with roommates or in group houses. You won't need to commit to a full year, you'll have some new friends, and it'll be way cheaper than trying to get your own apartment.
Don't sniff at temp jobs. A ton of very prestigious organizations use them and it's a great way to try out difference fields, make contacts, and even get hired directly.
I'd also say that if you didn't even get an interview out of 500 applications then there might be some issues with your resume or application materials. You can contact your college's career center to see what they can do to help you and they may have some good job advice as well.
posted by forkisbetter at 6:56 PM on October 16, 2014
(Anonymous: MeMail me if you want a link to the jobs page of the local ag service company that is hiring -- you may well not be interested in relocating, but the description and keywords might be useful.)
posted by Dip Flash at 8:55 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 8:55 PM on October 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
OP, I think if you take a small risk (ie, stay with a friend for a few weeks, etc.), you can absolutely move on to a job that is a better fit. Instead of looking at this with a negative light, I would view it as you learned an approach that did not work and now picked a new direction and you will get there.
I think many other people already gave great recommendations/suggestions (ie, Alumni, info interviews, crashing on a friend's couch), but there are 2 things that I have not seen suggested yet.
One of them was: Have you checked out jobs for the federal government? I put agriculture science in as a search term, and many jobs throughout the country came up. The application process is a bit odd for fed gov type jobs, but talk to people who have those jobs, and I think your background would be a perfect fit for many of those jobs.
The other thought was that I believe that a university would scoop you up as a research tech/associate, blah blah. The one warning about working for universities, however, is that the salary is low, although I would bet that is a little higher than you are earning now.However, it could give you experience in your field, free tuition, and don't stay there forever, just a couple years and move on.
Also, I haven't seen anyone suggest this, but I did this when looking to change a career/job/whatever for various reasons. Do you have a really good friend who knows what you want and will remind you of it? Because I would stray and start applying to do X, Y, and Z, when those were not the jobs that I wanted. But a friend who can be an accountability buddy can remind you of your original goal and to hold out for that job.
You don't mention what your vision is for an ideal job or particular job, etc., but if I were in your shoes, I would do that instead of applying for more admin or applying for everything in the universe. Focus on the top few things that you want from this new job.Talk to as many people as possible who got the same type of job and go for it.
posted by Wolfster at 10:31 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think many other people already gave great recommendations/suggestions (ie, Alumni, info interviews, crashing on a friend's couch), but there are 2 things that I have not seen suggested yet.
One of them was: Have you checked out jobs for the federal government? I put agriculture science in as a search term, and many jobs throughout the country came up. The application process is a bit odd for fed gov type jobs, but talk to people who have those jobs, and I think your background would be a perfect fit for many of those jobs.
The other thought was that I believe that a university would scoop you up as a research tech/associate, blah blah. The one warning about working for universities, however, is that the salary is low, although I would bet that is a little higher than you are earning now.However, it could give you experience in your field, free tuition, and don't stay there forever, just a couple years and move on.
Also, I haven't seen anyone suggest this, but I did this when looking to change a career/job/whatever for various reasons. Do you have a really good friend who knows what you want and will remind you of it? Because I would stray and start applying to do X, Y, and Z, when those were not the jobs that I wanted. But a friend who can be an accountability buddy can remind you of your original goal and to hold out for that job.
You don't mention what your vision is for an ideal job or particular job, etc., but if I were in your shoes, I would do that instead of applying for more admin or applying for everything in the universe. Focus on the top few things that you want from this new job.Talk to as many people as possible who got the same type of job and go for it.
posted by Wolfster at 10:31 PM on October 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
Let's put this in perspective: You're in America, you have a degree, you have six years of office experience, you have savings, you don't seem to have serious debt or financial responsibilities (I feel like you would have mentioned if you did), I think you're under thirty, and you have connections in a major global city.
Now recognize that you probably live a few streets away from someone who is older than you, has three kids, no degree, no social contacts outside of her city, and a diminishing level of marketable skills. You think you have "no way out", but think of all the avenues available to you that are cut off to them.
It may not feel like it, but the world is WIDE OPEN for you. You are actually swimming in opportunities that most people do not have. Look alive and take advantage of them.
posted by Smallpox at 7:23 AM on October 17, 2014 [8 favorites]
Now recognize that you probably live a few streets away from someone who is older than you, has three kids, no degree, no social contacts outside of her city, and a diminishing level of marketable skills. You think you have "no way out", but think of all the avenues available to you that are cut off to them.
It may not feel like it, but the world is WIDE OPEN for you. You are actually swimming in opportunities that most people do not have. Look alive and take advantage of them.
posted by Smallpox at 7:23 AM on October 17, 2014 [8 favorites]
The question is:
1) Are you suffering from depression because of your situation?
2) Or are you in this situation because of your depression?
Or do the two form a vicious cycle, spiralling ever downward? This is usually the case.
You have to break the cycle somewhere. It sounds like you have tried the medical route without much success. Medication and therapy didn’t break the cycle (keep working on it though; always keep trying new medications, therapies, meditation, exercise…)
The place you can break the cycle is in your situation. While moving to a different state and getting a better job will not be a panacea to make you a happy person, it will start the process of putting you in an upward spiral. Better situation=less depression. Less depression=even better situation.
So follow the practical advice given by the many kind people on this page. Move to another state even if it means sleeping on someone’s couch. Take a chance. Take a leap. As the saying goes, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting”. You need to shake things up.
I wish you all the best.
posted by LauraJ at 11:44 AM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
1) Are you suffering from depression because of your situation?
2) Or are you in this situation because of your depression?
Or do the two form a vicious cycle, spiralling ever downward? This is usually the case.
You have to break the cycle somewhere. It sounds like you have tried the medical route without much success. Medication and therapy didn’t break the cycle (keep working on it though; always keep trying new medications, therapies, meditation, exercise…)
The place you can break the cycle is in your situation. While moving to a different state and getting a better job will not be a panacea to make you a happy person, it will start the process of putting you in an upward spiral. Better situation=less depression. Less depression=even better situation.
So follow the practical advice given by the many kind people on this page. Move to another state even if it means sleeping on someone’s couch. Take a chance. Take a leap. As the saying goes, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting”. You need to shake things up.
I wish you all the best.
posted by LauraJ at 11:44 AM on October 17, 2014 [3 favorites]
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Your situation sucks, but it also reads like the depression is talking.
posted by oceanjesse at 3:11 PM on October 16, 2014