It's hard not to get down with the economy and the challenges I'm facing, the same ones a lot of friends and peers are dealing with, too. For a long time, I was all *headdesk* *facepalm* lie-in-bed-eating-candy corn-and-watching-all-three-seasons-of-Arrested-Development down.
But now that I started temping, I realize that there's a definite silver lining to the job market fiasco, at least for me. After being out of the country for two years and doing very different jobs than I was used to, I'm using this time to get back into the groove of the American workplace and the office, which is enormously helpful to me. It's things like dusting off skills with certain computer programs, or something as simple as re-learning how to sit in an office chair for eight hours. Plus, I'm getting new and extremely valuable experience that's hopefully going to make me more valuable as I continue to look for full-time jobs. I'm learning new programs and skills, which is fun and incredibly useful.
Eli, for his part, got his employment authorization very quickly (thank you USCIS!) and started working as a bartender, since he'd taken a course this summer. While he eventually wants to work in something like marketing or business, he was well aware of the job market and on top of that, the reality of being a new immigrant, and he really did the right thing, considering how fast he managed to find a job. He's working really hard, about 45 hours a week. And even though it's not always rainbows and sunshine there (to put it mildly), he's getting New York experience, learning new skills and seeing how the industry works.
The point is that while it's really difficult not to get blue, especially if you're completely unemployed, this terrible time is in its own way giving us opportunities--or rather, forcing us--to do something different. Whether it's traveling, or volunteering, or trying out a part-time or temp job in something you might not have otherwise considered, it's all going to work out in the long run, and we might as well take advantage of this strange time to get something out of it.
Hi, Rachel.
Thank you for your wonderful posts. As usual you write beautifully and I always learn something new with you despite all my years in here.
Anywhow, I just wanted to say you inspired me to search for an internship. I've been delaying that in the hopes of getting a ft position but since there is nothing on sight, I might as well learn something new.
Again, wish you best of lucks!
SP
Posted by: twitter.com/brazilinyc | October 13, 2009 at 05:52 PM
My husband has been laid-off from his last job and has been looking for work for almost 6 months now. When we first came to Canada, it only took him 2 months go get his first job here, but this f* crisis is really ruining lots of dreams.
Fortunately, the market is starting to warm-up now, so I hope he can find a job very soon.
In the meantime, he is improving his programming skills.
Posted by: Jeanne | October 17, 2009 at 06:44 PM