What Its Like To Find A Job In Your 20s

Finding a job out of college is difficult, but finding one after a year of work should make it easy...right?

Yeah, no, let this be a reality check. It's called the Hustle, and baby face, it's so real.

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You begin applying to jobs about two months before you want to start. You think, "yeah I'm totally being proactive and responsible, and recruiters will take me seriously." You wake up in the mornings eagerly checking your emails for interviews, cause you've been working, you've put in those hours, and it gets better...right?

But then a few weeks in, it hits you

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that job you've been working in that you hated, but got through with the glimmer of hope that in a short year, you would be able to move forward to a job that you might actually like 50% of the time.

That might not happen. And so you suddenly go buck wild applying to any and everything you're qualified for because moving home with Mom and Dad isn't an option, and you'd rather have something than nothing at all

So you fill out some more apps

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And they have the audacity to expect you to upload your perfectly crafted resume and cover letter, both edited for this job that you do not want, with filling out the same exact information on another page of a crappy taleo website.

No shade, taleo. But get it together

And then you get to the end of those unbelievably long applications, and they ask, "in 150 characters or less, what is something unique about you?"

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UGH

You also need to start messaging people like a creep, and literally werk the network

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So you do a casual search on your university's linkedin page for established alums with jobs you want or companies you want to work at. You craft a cute and sassy message, hoping they answer. It's a 50/50 shot, honestly.

But one morning as you arrive to work and as the no job panic sweats kick in, you receive the email

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Someone wants to interview you! So you research the company, the position and schedule it right away

And when the HR rep talks to you, you're like

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Cause you're confident as hell, and you got this. I mean, you have to, right?

Sometimes they'll ask about pay, and you'll just

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I mean you don't want to suggest something comically small, but you want enough to live successfully. A wise friend once told me, research and consider your worth, and then add 5k to that number. If you can say it with a straight face, then that's your number.

But still. I've had more tests than I can recall about reoccuring themes in various books I read for school, but nah negotiating pay isn't important.

Regardless, you'll be fine

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Why? Because you only need to get through this small period of time in your life. Do you remember the 3rd grade? Me neither! Because life is so so much more than work. And if you're surrounded by friends, family or interests, than you'll succeed in life. Just keep on forth with it, y'all.

And when in doubt, you can always check out my seasonal cocktail list for fun drinks