The amount of joy these two words can bring a human being is immeasurable. I went for my first interview in NYC this week, and I was hired. Crazy right!? She didn't actually say the words "you're hired." I think she said something along the lines of "we'd love to have you work with us," which is even more pleasing.
But let's rewind. I've sent in A LOT of emails and applications to different firms and companies in Baltimore and DC, and some in New York. This was actually the first job I applied to in New York, and my first call for an interview, and subsequently my first job offer. Before that I was wallowing in a world of self-pity and desperation feeling rejected at every turn. This is way different from college applications. The average person applies to 10 schools max I think (I applied to 15 because I was unnecessarily paranoid). You have your reach, attainable, and safety schools. Unfortunately with jobs, a "safety" job may not necessarily give you the ability to pay the rent, eat 3 meals a day, and have running water. So you have to aim big. Not to mention, you didn't spend 4 years struggling through hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of lectures and exams not to attain that "reach" job. You've worked hard, so you want the best benefit you can manage. Also with school applications, your rejection seems more finite because you receive a rejection letter. If a company doesn't want you, most of the time you just don't hear back from them. I didn't hear back from DSW, and I won't lie, I was a little offended haha.
I was offered a job working with a marketing firm in Manhattan, and needless to say, I was ecstatic. But then reality set in and I was forced to employ adult decision making abilities. Even though this position seems that it could be a perfect fit, being able to support myself on my own is very important to me. If my parents have to support me for the first 2 months that I am living "on my own," I feel that that would essentially defeat the purpose. New York is an extremely expensive place to live, so if I choose to live there, I think it's my responsibility to make sure I can live there, not my parents or anyone else's.
That being said, I have decided that I want to live in New York, so I'm going to work very hard to make sure it can be a reality. Being offered a job in such a vast, vibrant city that I'm so excited to explore, has given me the confidence to persevere through my search in the hopes of finding a job that I will love and will give me ability to support myself.
I still have a lot of avenues to explore. Finding a place to live, then finding a job that will support me living in said place. I'm doing my best to exhaust all of my resources. I typically like to be a self sufficient person and maintain my independence. But now is not the time. This is the time for networking, asking for favors, and letting people help you. It's crazy how much people can actually want to help you. When I went up to New York this week for my interview I stayed with two friends, one from college and one from AmeriCorps. They gave me food and shelter and invaluable lessons on how to use the subway. Another friend printed and brought my resume to a bar in a manila envelope because I forgot to handle it before I left home. Life saver, that girl. I'm forever grateful to these friends, and the ones who have helped me in the past, and those who'll help me in the future.
I've still got some stuff to figure out, but I honestly feel like I'm finally on my way, and that's such an exciting feeling! But for real, adult/life decisions are no joke... I'm gonna do my best.
