thegradstudent

I am graduating and thus searching for a job at just about the worst time. I knew this of course; businesses large and small are collapsing all around me as reminders of how bad our economy has become. What will be left by spring? According to http://www.cnbc.com/id/28582844 however, it may be even worse than I thought. Apparently various econ studies have found that people who graduate from college or grad school during a recession don’t just suffer during the short term but have poorer earnings for a decade or more. I know nothing about economics of course, but I imagine people trying to find jobs during a recession have more difficulty starting a career that will serve them well in the long term and end up trying to work their way up in mediocre jobs with mediocre salaries for years while continuing to accrue debt that hangs over their heads for decades. Sounds delightful.

I’m fortunate enough to not be carrying student loans right now; I owe my parents money instead but they tend to be more forgiving about interest. I also owe the credit card company money but fortunately it’s nothing exorbitant. Even though I’m better off than most graduating students I’m not financially secure enough to be unemployed upon graduating. Basically I’m scared shitless.

The other day I signed up to be a substitute teacher in the local school district in the hope of gaining experience in the classroom, a line on my resume, and some much needed extra money. After filling out all of the paperwork and paying the fee I discovered that over 650 people are signed up to be substitutes. Great. I can’t wait to compete for teaching jobs in a very limited geographic area.

Maybe I should have applied to PhD programs after all…