[I]Totally Lost Not Sure What to Do Next.......[/I]

[Franti]

-Hello out there fellow crisis sufferers. Man where to begin with my story and make it interesting enough for people to read it......

Okay, I'm Evan and when I was 22 (2 years ago) I finished college at a big university with a telecom degree. Basically I just wanted to work in public radio or audio recording. During school I busted ass had 2 internships, 2 career related jobs, studied abroad, and almost graduated with honors. One of the internships I worked as a volunteer producer on a nationally syndicated show, and booked some major interviews.

Naturally I thought I had it made and would get an interesting entry level job no problem like the world owed me one. I moved out to Califronia (still my dream place to live Northern only though) with no job but a free place to crash for a while. Then I found that still all I was being offered were internships. I could not get any offers for full time work, and all the public stations were so crammed with volunteers that I would have to get in line. Despite this I stayed out there working as a bartender, and didn't want to spend all my free time working for someone for free AGAIN and AGAIN. So I started a band in San Francisco playing my folky reggae blues music that was really sucessful at gettting places to play but not making money. Then I went flat broke after being wrongfully discharged from work and am now back in the bitter cold midwest living with good ole ma and pa, depressed deflated and kind of bitter.

I have applied for NPR postions all over the country and still don't even get calls for interviews for the ones I am qualified for. My old college prof who is supposedly one of my references wont respond to my emails, and my university wants money to help me with any kind of job search. I'm not sure I even want this anymore. Do I keep applying and trying or do I become a teacher or a nurse and just go back to California reform the remnants of my band and be the balding guy at all the open mics, and gigs I can get in town cause it makes me feel alive?????

Anything you guys could offer would be great.

Peace,
Evan :confused:

[tina1979]

Hi Evan!

Welcome to the boards! I'm sure you will find lots of support around here.

[i<3jngl]

Hi!

Do you leave all of your internships on good terms? If so, then perhaps they could help you obtain fulltime employment with their company or with other connections they may have. If not, then maybe there's something you can change about yourself to make the process more deneficial to you.

[Franti]

I did leave everything on good terms but the studio I interned at is so small, and doesn't need any additional help. As for the Public station that I interned with the nationally syndicated show no longer runs, and they haven't had any other openings there for which I would qualify.

[winneythepooh7]

I know someone in your field, and from what I hear, it is particularly hard to break into. I would start looking into Plan B at this point. You need to make a living, and the more time that goes by without actual paying work on your resume, potential employers are going to wonder "what is wrong" that you can't get an "actual jobby-job". Welcome to the boards!

[kris10e]

hey evan
that is so crappy. i wish i had advice to share with you, however as someone in a similar spot i am somewhat confused right now. the job market is nebulous, and frustrating. and it seems as though without sufficient luck, and tapping into those 6 degrees of separation that there appears to be no hope.
i really hope something works out for you soon... it is such a difficult (and unexpected) place to find oneself.
kristen