Wed 27 Jan 2010 – 15.31
Scott is joined by Craig Ward and Lisa Edwards, English graphic designer/typographers in who are now living in New York. Together they eat ice cream, drink tea, complain about customer service, and discuss life as an expat on both sides of the Atlantic.
Sorry, this episode is unedited, and includes no theme music, bookmarks and, you know, editing. I may add that stuff in time, if there is demand for such (hint hint)
Grey New York
Shakespeare Cafe
PG Tips
Ghostbusters Tour
Hook and Ladder 8, TriBeCa
Friends and Seinfeld, filmed on a soundstage in Burbank
Häagen-Dazs
Keith McNally’s show(s), XO and Ham Radio
Campfire Noises
Early episodes of twentyhood
How the UPS website should look
layoffs with UPS, bad experiences at the UPS Store
Chinatown(s) and the death of Little Italy
The Lower East side’s rich history
Studio Culture by Adrian Shaughnessey and Tony Brook
This Ain’t No Disco, website to see design studios
Leave your comments below
Listen Now
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Download Episode 039 (.mp3, 1:03:47, 79.2 MB)
posted by Scott in life,podcasts,relationships.
Thu 07 Jan 2010 – 15.52
There is a feeling of rage mixed with exhaustion mixed with disappointment that comes from realising your own job prospects are dim. It’s almost a state of mind, where you view yourself in the third person, weighing events with both rational and emotional views, yet not being able to govern yourself with either faculty.
What can be done when you’re laid off, facing an impossible job market and ruthless competition? How can you come to grips with your own self-worth when the world around you says you are worthless? And how does one pay rent?
Recently, a friend relayed to me these feelings, in not so many words. She had been laid off from a job she didn’t exactly like, but now faces the task of finding something new. Being a middle twentysomething, it is difficult to assert expertise in a given field, but holding a degree (in her case, a Master’s too), you can’t market yourself as a penniless learner.
I, and she, have both found ourselves previously in such terrible job situations that we’d rather have no job at all. In my case, I quit this job in favour of the generally unfavourable lifestyle of a freelancer. In hers, she was laid off as a gesture of professional half-mercy, finally cutting her free from a job that was more trouble than anything else. (although the pay was good). But neither of us are eager to jump back into a job that we know isn’t brilliant. Or rather, we can’t tolerate that level of frustration again at such a critical time in our lives and careers.
Being a working twentysomething is a powerful thing. We are energetic and eager to learn, we don’t have personal baggage (mortgage, kids) so we can move from city to city, we don’t mind the late hours and enjoy making connections with co-workers, we’re plugged into the latest technology and can spew knowledge of all subjects in a manner unlike our parents. We have a lot to give. But in return we do have some requirements — simple requirements — for a fulfilling, or even tolerable, worklife.
We need to be taught. Resourcefulness can only bring us so far, especially when we are new to a field of specific role. We need to find a rhythm, even if that rhythm is a sort of managed chaos that may come from certain professions like journalism, (or blogging). We need to be led, for there is nothing worse than a spiteful boss who is constantly monitoring you, telling you what you’ve done wrong. We wouldn’t mind an industry-appropriate salary and maybe even a day off. And we need to know that there is, in fact, a tomorrow — that every step brings us forward. These requirements are somewhat philosophical, but with these in place the rest is just details.
What do we do now?
Should we just quit our jobs and hide out until the economy gets better? Should we travel or live on a farm? Should we move back with our families and write a book? Should we go back to school? (I would advise against that, though, unless you’re studying to be a nurse or engineer)
In the 4+ years since finishing grad school, I haven’t been able to shake these feelings. I haven’t managed to find the instant answer to finding workplace happiness and the general answer to career happiness. I don’t have iron-clad advice for weary friends and I don’t know how to un-fuck myself from the current situation. The feelings persist.
And yes, the title of this post is inspired by the James Taylor lyrics to “Shed a Little Light”… there is a feeling like the clenching of a fist / there is a hunger in the center of the chest. …
posted by Scott in careers,education,life,personal finance.