How the recession hit me

I think I’ve mentioned at least once or twice how I love my job at the Chamber of Commerce. I’ve learned a lot since I started working there. I’ve learned so much; about myself, the kind of job I want in the future, and about the kinds of work I want to do. (An ode to why I love the Chamber is in the works, just not for today.)

Last week, I approached my boss to ask for the week between X-mas and News Year’s off.  And was informed that my services would not be needed after Wednesday. This coming Wednesday.  Sadness (and panic), ensues.

I mean my boss was is awesome.  He made sure I understood why I’m being laid off. I’mbeing laid off because they can’t afford me, not because I suck as an employee.  He even said that I rock as an employee and he wishes he could keep me and he’s being talking me up to folks who may be in a position to hire me.

I can’t believe that I’m being LAID OFF, this is so weird.

Why I’m being laid off (a longer version):

You see, the Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization.  Their members are local area businesses. And in a recession, businesses make less money.  All the businesses, regardless of whether they are professional services, restaurants, retailers, bars, or financial institutions when they make less money, they cut stuff to preserve the bottom line.   And some (I don’t know how many, exactly) of the Chamber’s members are not renewing their dues. I know the real estate and development community has been hit pretty hard.

As the Chamber’s members tighten their belts, the Chamber has to tighten theirs. And the intern budget disappears.

So I’m jobless. And not because I did anything wrong. Which makes it so much easier and happier (you can tell by my use of flowers and smiley faces and exclamation points, how much I mean this)

How the hell did I not see this coming???

But I didn’t see it coming. All this time, I’ve been making fun of the Big 3 and how they failed to innovate or do ANYTHING really.

And I’ve been scratching my head about the financial crisis and have shaken my head in disgust in my policy class when we would learn about the greed of Wall Street investors and am incredulous that they could do the sh*t they’ve done and still be holding their hands out.

I still haven’t figured out what the fu*k is the problem with the banks and why the hell can’t they just LEND money.

I’ve rolled my eyes at folks who made bad mortgages decisions. I mean, when I was looking for a home at age 24 I knew enough not to get into a ARM or a Balloon or a variable rate mortgage, so how are all these other people stupid enough to fall for it?

Well, I’ve heard the Chamber’s Executive Director talk about how next year will be the hardest year for the Chamber, who over the past 10 years has experienced double digit growth, but for the first time ever will be facing a cut.

But I didn’t know that meant that I’d be history.

Basically, I was stupid.  I thought that if I did more than my job, took initiative (asked for more work), and stayed visible and engaged, I’d have a job as long as I wanted it.

I was wrong. Sometimes when you do everything right sh*t still happens. And since I’m the low man on the totem pole, I shouldn’t be surprised that I happened to me.

It is fu*king hard out there for a pimp. (and I should know, as I am a pimp)

And the more I’ve thought about it today, even as I made a list of all the organizations in the area that I’ve like to work for the next semester, places I’m going to call right after the holiday break, I realized that probably every one of those organizations is going through a hard time. And as organizations slash millions from their budgets I KNOW that hiring me is going to be a hard sell.

Then I read this offer on Havi’s blog today and it seemed like a dream.  So I applied. And while I didn’t get the offer, it has given me another angle with which to approach my next move. And it gave me hope that work does exist. And I mean work from anywhere in the world kind of work, which would be awesome.

I mean, I’ve been toying with the whole freelance copywriting idea since the summer, and even talked to Naomi about it. But I never followed up or through.

So I’m developing my pitch, which will highlight the fact that hiring me as a contract working is WAY cheaper than hiring a full time employee, the fact that I can research and write, and the fact that I know all the local players.  And one of my favorite local news sources has even mentioned the fact that I’m hirable.  And that gives me hope.

And Kelly gave me a whole list of sites that I can use, in addition to what Naomi gave me, to start seriously start copywriting. And I starting feeling a little better. A little more hopeful.

And I talked to the gf and shared my fears about never getting a job (now or before May) because this is like a replay of 2003 right after Bush bombed Iraq and all the job leads I had dried up (I wanted to be an au pair in France, but after the bombs fell and the whole freedom fries thing, French parents started specifying English, from England au pairs, not American English-speaking girls.)  That’s right the Spring of 2003 was the pre-cursor to Hell Year!!

And when I think about that I get nervous and I start to sweat and I get paralyzed and unable to do ANYTHING. Then the gf tells me that she believes in me, enough even, that I don’t have to believe in myself today. And that gives me LOTS of hope, because she’s pretty smart, and she wouldn’t have faith in me if I were a complete loser.

To all my fellow low men on the totem pole, I wish I had something uplifting and spiritual and sh*t to share with you to make you feel that your job is not  in danger.

Sorry, I can’t say that.

But I can say that even if the complete bottom falls out. I am NOT too proud to work at Target. I am NOT too proud to bus tables. I am NOT too proud to work at the mall. (and neither should you be)

But I don’t really want to work at any of those places (and neither do you). What I do want to do is convince organizations that they need my skills (even if they don’t necessary have the budget for staff) and that hiring me to work on projects saves them time and money, and helps them to check small-ish projects off their to-do list.

So I’m still tackling the list of organizations that I made earlier today, I’m just refining the way I talk to them. And I’m no longer panicked. I have a plan. A plan that I probably should have BEEN working on, anyway.

How are you recession-proofing your job?

 

Graduate School does not equal learning

This semester has been hell.  No, let me rephrase that. This semester has not been hell. I’ve already been to hell, which is why I’ve been able to survive this semester.  This semester has been more like that Greek myth where that guy has to roll the huge rock up the hill everyday only to have to rock back down.

Don’t get me wrong. I love graduate school, and I have learned a lot.

But I could have learned a lot more if I A) Didn’t have to go to class or B) Didn’t have to write papers.

Having to do both has been the biggest issue for me this semester; other than the fact that I overloaded classes and worked two jobs.

But we aren’t talking about that now. We are talking about making the decision between going to class or staying home and writing a paper.

There are so many cool classes and SO much to learn that I want to take EVERYTHING. (*said in my very whiny pouting voice while I stomp my foot)

And that is the problem with grad school. You can’t do everything. You have to pick and choose, and I don’t like to choose. I like to try a little of everything.

And even if you manage to take a reasonable amount of credits, it would still be easy to find yourself overwhelmed.

For the past few weeks, I have been extremely busy. But I try to maintain some normalcy, so I go to class and I listen with one ear. Why? Because I have too much st*t to do, so I listen and take notes for one class while I read articles and take notes for the assorted exams, papers and presentations that I’ve had to give.

Otherwise, I hole up in the library and work on all my papers.

I’ve been a little pissed. How the hell am I supposed to learn anything under all this unnecessary stress?  Or if I can’t come to class because I’m working on a paper?

I pick my classes with a theme in mind so that I will graduate with a portfolio that shows depth and breath, and writing papers and doing projects, of course, make up that portfolio. But I totally love the discussion and idea generation that happens in the classroom and it pains me to miss class. But sometimes I don’t have a choice. I can’t do everything.

I bet some folks are thinking, well you should have started working on your projects earlier in the semester. And normally, I would agree.  But this time, I haven’t really been procrastinating.  I’ve been working on this stuff like a mad woman (hence the metaphor of rolling the rock up the hill). The work has been unending. And most of it isn’t even useful.

Graduate Schools: Do a better job of marrying practice with theory.  Usually I like reading and analyzing theoretical models, but when students enter the real world, we have to actually know how to do stuff.  Assignments should be useful and relevant to what’s happening in the world. Get local companies to submit projects for student to work on, or let the local and national news inform student assignments rather than a static syllabus.

But in the meantime what’s a girl to do?

Apparently, when the papers and exams come due, I hunker down and get it done. Even if I am pouting.

Furthermore, I’ve taken pains to make sure that when I graduate, I will be able to clearly articulate to governments and businesses what the hell I’ve doing for the 2 years that I’ve been in graduate school.

Theory is good, but in the real world, substance is king.

Current and potential graduate students, make graduate school count. And I mean more than just the number of research papers written and regression lines modeled; HR managers don’t care about that. They want to make sure that you can actually DO stuff. So make sure that you can do stuff. Real stuff.