Tough time to find a new job

I'm impressed in the development of and contributions to this thread. I didn't think it'd get this far when I started it. It's great to have people to chat with that understand my strife.

I set up a sit down Q&A session with a local marketing and public relations person this Wednesday. I did exactly what someone posted earlier on this thread and what a career counselor at the local U told me - I contacted someone who works in a profession that I want to get into. I simply said I'm looking for some information from someone in the know, as I'm looking to enter another career field. This isn't a job interview or anything. I'm pretty excited and am going to make a list of questions and talking points. I look at this as not only learning more about the field but also networking. I can't emphasize the latter enough - network, network, network.

 

If you can deal with that for 8 hours a day without cussing them back, you're a better man than me. Hats off to you.

 

i hope to be going back to school soon as well. no idea what path i want to take just yet.

 

I think when things shake out in this biz, there will be the same number of jobs for reporters -- you need content even for the web! -- but designers and copy editors will see their numbers shrink even more dramatically.

Whole chains will produce all their papers from a handful of sites with as few editors as they can manage.

 

Yeah, the call center thing can be taxing and I do miss real down time. I can barely do 8 hours, and one day a week I have to do 10. Seeing as using profanity or hanging up means an immediate sacking, I just have to take it. Frankly, 99.9 percent of the irate people I deal with have every right to be so. It's not my fault personally so it's a kill the messenger type of thing. The other percentile who are just asses...well, there are more subtle ways to deal with them. I just stare at the clock on the computer all day during calls counting down to first break....lunch...second break...and log off time.

 

Well, one of the freelancing gigs I lined up looks like it might be a pretty permanent thing for the near future. So I can count on at least $200 extra bucks a month. Which is good, considering my first student loan bill just came in. Gulp. That number's gonna have to go down, because I'm not making anywhere near enough working part-time to add that to my monthly expenses.

And I just got a rejection letter in the mail the other day. I was actually excited about it. I mean, it was nice they took the time to send one. Usually you don't hear jack.

 

Have you tried applying for an income-contingent repayment plan?

 

I admire you. I've done that before... jobs where you dread going in, stare at the clock and can't wait to leave. I honestly don't think I could do that long term.

And the call center thing, I mean if it's someone else's screwups, I'd really rather not get yelled at about it. I admit I've lost patience a time or two with credit card collection companies. I got behind on payments when I was laid off and I explained my situation patiently the first few times. Now I really don't have the patience to do the long story anymore.... especially when I have absolutely no clue whether I'm going to have to file bankruptcy or ever pay these people one dime. So, I feel for the human being on the other end of the line, but geez, I just couldn't do it.

 

Got a call today from a guy who helps run an e-commerce company he says works for about 1,000 different partners. Said I was referred to him by someone in the company who knows me and had my number, but I can't figure out who it is.

Company is based in Louisville, which may be too far for me to drive on a daily basis. But I'm going to call him tomorrow and see what the job entails, and go from there. Hopefully it leads to a second job, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

I'm probably averaging about a rejection e-mail a day at this point, but I'm far from done chasing. I've got a backup plan to open a bakery, and while I know I could be happy doing it, I'm nowhere near ready to give up on journalism.

 

I've fantasized about that sometimes. But all I know how to make is bread.

 

Just called the service number on the bill today and explained my situation, and the guy on the phone said I qualify for an unemployment deferment of six months. At the moment, that's basically my best option. Until I get the money for the upcoming freelance work I'll be doing (which will probably start rolling in within two months), I'm scarily close to being paycheck to paycheck as it is. So whenever those forms come in, I'll fill those out, send away and (for the time being) forget about all the money I owe for the degree that isn't doing me a lick of good.