How My Job Search Has Been Going

by Katie Peoples

1. Weed through unpaid “internships” and “volunteer/experience” opportunities on Craiglist to find two postings I’m qualified for, would willingly do. Mood: Despondent.

2. Browse Mediabistro for jobs in San Diego, but most jobs are in L.A. Consider possibility of four-hour roundtrip commute. It might not be that bad??? Mood: Optimistic/crazy.

3. Contemplate sex work. Decide too old. Mood: Relieved.

4. Eat chocolate. (Love you, chocolate.)

5. Take a look at my resume to boost confidence. (I’ve had jobs and will have jobs again!) Mood: Confidence not boosted.

6. Contemplate selling contents of ovaries (“eggs”). Realize I AM too old. Feel biological clock ticking. Mood: Tick tock.

7. Send out desperate sounding email to well-connected family and friends letting them know I’m on the hunt. Get three responses back (two from the same person), none of them a job offer. Mood: Helpless.

8. Wonder why I majored in journalism rather than something sensible like accounting. Mood: Regretful.

9. Perhaps I can get by by working as a barista. Look up barista wages. Perhaps not. Mood: Crying.

10. Wine.

11. Repeat.

12. Start browsing grad school programs.

Katie Peoples lives in San Francisco, for now.

Support The Billfold

The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.