So it’s Labor Day, a lovely holiday for all of the people who have jobs. For the rest of us, that’s about 10% of the working population for those of you following at home, it’s a frustrating “week day” where nobody is going to call us with any job news, because everyone is out barbecuing something. It’s also a reminder that we don’t have anything to be “off” from, and our friends’ glee at not being stuck in cubicles seems callous to those of us who would cut off our right pinky to have a cube to sit in about now.
Last week, I had lunch with another classmate who is out of work. She told me that a third classmate has taken a job as a bouncer at a local bar. I am really not far off from doing something similar, just to get out of the house, if nothing else. Money isn’t really the issue these days; while more of it would be nice, I make enough from my freelance projects to get by. It’s more like…I just need something to do. Somewhere to get go, that requires getting dressed and putting on makeup and feeling like part of the world again. Some of the wealthier people I went to school with (and who am I kidding here, they were all “wealthier”) might be horrified at the bouncer gig, but I get it. At least he’s DOING something.
I think the hardest part of this situation is the lack of control. If I were starving, I could take matters into my own hands and get a job waiting tables or something, and at least take solace in the fact that I was doing the best I could. But at the current moment, “doing the best I can” means landing MBA offers, which means hustling to get interviews, and then giving up a lot of control to other people who will decide if I am a good “fit” or not. It means a lot of waiting around for people to decide my fate and then get back to me. As a proactive person, I am not so good at waiting around for other people to make things happen, but that’s what I’m having to learn to do. So, I guess this is a growth experience for me. Every conversation I had last week ended with a “let’s talk again on Tuesday”, so here’s hoping that tomorrow is a productive day with lots of responses.
