So here it is:
I’m
23 years old and I’m sitting at home warming the furniture. I completed my
degree in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Journalism & Media
Studies and English from Rhodes University.
It’s
now 2013, and I have yet to find a job. Okay, technically, I do have a job.
But, it’s a part time one. I've been working as a secretary for an accountant
since July 2012. It started off as being a three month temporary position while
his usual secretary went on maternity leave. She then extended the leave and
thereafter I was asked to stay on to just ‘help her ease back into the working
process’. As of January this year I am called in for just two weeks a month to
help out during the VAT period. All I basically do is pretty much run around
the office helping out with odds and ends that the secretary cannot get to… I
answer the phone, take messages, and mostly just do filing. Now and then I may
get to do something really exciting – data capturing! Most of the time though I have to find work to do or create work for myself. As of May 2013 I now have a 'full time' job as a secretary - EXCITING stuff.
So,
yes, I got an expensive piece of paper stating that I have this ‘awesome’
degree to be a secretary’s assistant. Makes me feel real good about myself…
When
I first completed my degree, I was nervous about entering the working world. I didn't really know what to expect or if I’d make it… But, I was excited to do
so, to have a job. I guess I should have started looking for a job while I was
still studying, but I didn't think. So I only started looking for one in
January the following year. I thought I’d just look around for a few weeks and
be working in no time.
How
ignorant I was. Despite knowing all about the high unemployment rates in South
Africa and hearing all the stories about how difficult it is to get a job; I
thought because I had a degree and that too from Rhodes University (oooooo), that I
would get a job with ease.
So
I started applying for jobs. I initially started with just writing jobs, then
moved on to editing as well as I realized I’d prefer a job as a sub-editor and
could keep writing on my own. I applied for jobs in newspapers, and online, for
jobs in Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg – pretty much
anywhere and everywhere. The main problem is, when searching for jobs, most
places ask for a minimum of five years’ experience. If they’re not asking for
five years, its two… If a job position asked for two years or less experience,
I would still apply for it, because I’m that desperate. So I’d just send my CV
and in my cover letter I would state that all the vacation work, volunteer work
and work at student publications that I’d done during my studies adds up to
quite a bit of experience and hope for the best.
The
first response that I received was for a junior reporter post at a local
newspaper, I was to be called in for an interview, but I had yet to have my
licence, which was a must. So that fell through. My mum still goes around
telling everyone that I would have had that job if not for the licence issue –
it’s her way of feeling better, that it wasn't any fault of mine… If only I had
had my licence the job would have been mine, despite the fact that I was just
one of many being called in for the interview.
Thereafter
I had only being called in for two interviews, and had one interview over the
phone. My first interview was at an online motivational publication. I royally
messed up the interview. I’m very bad at the verbal and face-to-face
interactions, which is why the whole system screws me over even more. If only
everything were based from a dark room where no one could see me and I could
just be judged on my writing (or editing) I might stand a better chance. But
either way, the job wasn't suited to me, I’m not very big on motivational
nonsense, life is was it is, the end. The next interview came months later. It
was for a junior position as a sub-editor. I really got my hopes up for this.
The interview wasn't the greatest, but I thought I managed to stumble through
okay… I had to also do an aptitude test and an editing test. I eventually heard
back from them over a month later, after I’d already assumed that I hadn't gotten the position. I was politely told that the position was given to someone
with more experience, but that they were very impressed with me and my
application and I should keep an eye out for any future positions at the
company and keep applying. I realized that was all probably utter hogwash that
they just tell people to let them off gently.
After
these failings I’d just given up. I stopped applying for jobs or even looking.
I resigned myself to the fact that I’m just not good enough and that’s that.
I’d applied for SO many jobs, and only heard back from a few, and that too to
be turned down. Most places didn't even give me a rejection response. I wasn't even good enough to be rejected.
I
know that you have to keep trying, you cannot give up. But I've been trying for
over a year now and I’m just depressed. When people ask what I’m doing I just
jokingly say I’m unemployed or sitting at home or on sabbatical or something,
but every time I’m asked that question and forced to face it, I just get
depressed. I spend days just crying about it. I think of everyone I know, they've all got awesome jobs and are out there moving on and living their
lives, even the people who didn't study! That’s what hurts the most, I studied
and cannot get a job, yet someone who barely passed matric is living it up with
a top notch job. It’s extremely embarrassing that I still live with my parents
and have to rely on my dad for everything. I’m at the age where I should be
doing everything for myself and helping out my parents… not living off them.
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