My options

Roisy7

Hey all, looking for a little advice please.

I'm a 23 year old journalism graduate and in common with a lot of people, I'm unemployed and back at home.

I have kept myself really busy since September. I volunteer at the local community radio station, I do creative writing (including a creative writing course by correspondence), TEFL and I'm also learning to drive. I kind of think I'm after taking on too much, I'm not doing any of these things justice really. Oh, I also edit for a website.

I feel a bit stuck and panicked ATM. I failed my driving test this week (nerves) and there was a problem with my TEFL course on their end, which meant I had to get an extension. Since then I've lost all my motivation with it. Constantly arsing around on the Internet.

I hate being on the dole. I'm sending out cvs for journalistic jobs bit not even getting interviews. I'm thinking of getting a job in a shop at home (3 years retail experience) and saving for tefl in somewhere like Korea. Then coming back and doing a dip and then secondary teaching. Of course retail jobs aren't exactly plentiful in rural Ireland and I can't afford a car ATM.

Every time I think I want to give up on journalism I hear of another opportunity. Is it wrong of me to give up on my dream because I can see it will be hard? Life so far has been a bit of a struggle, poor background etc, and I'm tempted by the steady income of teaching. Also the hours would give me the chance to do what I want to do- write creatively.

Well done if you finished this stream of consciousness. I don't even know what I'm asking, just maybe help with my options?

R.D. aka MR.D

I'm a fellow journalism graduate teaching in Korea!

I finish my degree a long time ago though and gave writing a go and realised i wasn't able to put in the effort that it really requires to 'make it'.

Have you been in contact with your local paper?

Honestly, to do well in Ireland in the journalism field you really need a lot of connections, I'm sure that you know that already.
I think one of the best ways to go about a career in journalism is to move to london and work your way up from the very bottom. I have a few friends who are doing that now and are doing well.

I realised that i couldn't do it because I didn't have the commitment.

I really don't want this to sound mean but nothing will come and land in your lap. it is a difficult job that requires a lot of determination. If you can't afford to move or whatever then you need a job or you need to be saving all your money. You need to make it happen, no one else is going to do it for you.

skyfall2012

My husband told me about some writer once who sent off his manuscripts and kept getting rejection letters, he was at his wits end. He then decided to paste all the rejection letters to his bedroom wall and once the room was covered he would give up. Anyhow half the room was covered with rejection letters when he had his breakthrough and success soon followed (Not sure who the writer was). But the moral of the story is that sometimes one has to be absolutely unrelenting when they want to achieve their dreams.

Roisy7

R.D. aka MR.D wrote: »

I'm a fellow journalism graduate teaching in Korea!

I finish my degree a long time ago though and gave writing a go and realised i wasn't able to put in the effort that it really requires to 'make it'.

Have you been in contact with your local paper?

Honestly, to do well in Ireland in the journalism field you really need a lot of connections, I'm sure that you know that already.
I think one of the best ways to go about a career in journalism is to move to london and work your way up from the very bottom. I have a few friends who are doing that now and are doing well.

I realised that i couldn't do it because I didn't have the commitment.

I really don't want this to sound mean but nothing will come and land in your lap. it is a difficult job that requires a lot of determination. If you can't afford to move or whatever then you need a job or you need to be saving all your money. You need to make it happen, no one else is going to do it for you.

Thanks RD aka MR D.

What you say about commitment really struck me. Tbh I loved the element of writing, meeting bands etc when I was on my placement but tbh I didn't like doing press releases etc. I never have liked ringing up people out of the blue for interviews, it's always felt really cheeky. One of my friends on the course had to try and get an interview with a couple who had lost their son in a horrible accident and that has stuck in my mind, why is that necessary to be a news journalist?

I dunno now do I want this so much. I want to be a writer, not a journalist. I love writing opinion pieces, I love writing fiction. You mentioned your friends in London and I don't think I want to spend x amount of years starving in London to do well. I don't think I have it in me.

I am applying for journalistic things all the time, I write online and for locals, but getting nowhere with it really. That's how I feel anyway.

I have just applied for a job in Supermacs and will be throwing CVs into every door tomorrow so here's hoping I can earn a few euro sooner rather than later!

skyfall2012 wrote: »

My husband told me about some writer once who sent off his manuscripts and kept getting rejection letters, he was at his wits end. He then decided to paste all the rejection letters to his bedroom wall and once the room was covered he would give up. Anyhow half the room was covered with rejection letters when he had his breakthrough and success soon followed (Not sure who the writer was). But the moral of the story is that sometimes one has to be absolutely unrelenting when they want to achieve their dreams.

Thanks Skyfall... Again if it was writing fiction I wouldn't care about how many rejection slips I got, that writing is in me and I would keep going just for myself. But that is the attraction of teaching, I would still have the space to write creatively and not be worried as much about feeding myself.

skyfall2012

A lot of writers go down the teaching route, as the holidays give them a lot of time to concentrate on their writing. It is difficult to get a permanent job in teaching right now, but a friend of mine just qualified last May and has been kept busy with temp work. Good luck with that if that is what you choose to do, it is a good idea.

CBFi

Roisy7, to me it sounds like youre more a writer than a journalist as my experience of journalism (I'm in PR with some journalism experience and numerous journalist friends) is that national papers want relentless people who will hound the right people for interviews. Now that isn't the case with all of them by all means, particularly in local papers, but if you really want to pursue it, then doing a cadetship would be a good start.

Roisy7

CBFi wrote: »

Roisy7, to me it sounds like youre more a writer than a journalist as my experience of journalism (I'm in PR with some journalism experience and numerous journalist friends) is that national papers want relentless people who will hound the right people for interviews. Now that isn't the case with all of them by all means, particularly in local papers, but if you really want to pursue it, then doing a cadetship would be a good start.

Thanks CBFi, I think that's true. I should have mentioned that I did a four month placement with a newspaper which finished up in September. There were elements of it that I loved, but there was a lot of advertorial and so on. Our newswriting lecturer is the real stereotypical hard-nosed journalist (she is with a national) and sticking my dictaphone in the face of some politician- well it's not me.

The more I have done with the radio the more I enjoy the broadcasting, I love doing music broadcasting, music journalism. In my placement I covered for the entertainment editor while he was on holidays, that I really loved.

I have a few things applied for, Jobbridge, permanent jobs, and retail jobs. So we'll see, surely I can get something.... right???

Roisy7

skyfall2012 wrote: »

A lot of writers go down the teaching route, as the holidays give them a lot of time to concentrate on their writing. It is difficult to get a permanent job in teaching right now, but a friend of mine just qualified last May and has been kept busy with temp work. Good luck with that if that is what you choose to do, it is a good idea.

Thanks Skyfall If I look at it this way it seems a lot better. I would be willing to go to the UK to teach, alot of my friends have gone there. I have zero teaching exp, apart from a week as a classroom assistant when I was 16, but I think at least with the TEFL I should know if it's for me.

On the weekend TEFL course I actually really enjoyed planning and teaching lessons! :O

Roisy7

Hey guys, sorry to resurrect this thread, I just need to vent.

It's now February and still no job. Applied to the retail company I worked with for three years, got no reply. Both the vacancies are cover and I think my lack of a full driving licence is holding me back there (Test is rebooked for March). Rejection after rejection for Jobbridge, journalism internships etc. Perhaps I haven't been as proactive as I should have been but I walk down the street in my hometown and I see shops where I know people have been put on three-day weeks. I just think what is the point of handing in my CV to places where there is a snowball's hell in chance of a job?

I was thinking of offering my services for free to a pub some night so I can just learn to pull a pint, and put it on my CV, but that feels terribly cheeky.

I put in an ad in the local paper offering grinds two weeks ago (ad is to run for 4 weeks) and I haven't got a single call about it yet.

I signed up with Avon but I am terrified if I tell the SW they will take my dole off me, I'm trying to put away money every week but it usually just goes straight back into my driving instructor's pocket. (My mother doesn't drive and I can't afford a car). I know I will make only a small amount of money with Avon but a friend told me she heard of a guy giving horse-riding lessons to one person for €20 a week and the SW threatened to take his dole off him unless he stopped. At the same time I hate worrying about the dole, I hate being on it, I've always worked. >:(

I put up a profile for au-pairing in Europe, but the money's not brilliant and I'm worried that I'll get stuck in the French version of my own small town with no friends.

So that leaves the TEFL. I've finished the course now. I'm just scared of taking the plunge. Places like Korea and the Middle East sound brilliant because they pay your flights and accommodation, and god knows I can't afford a grand to fly to Asia.

I'm scared because I'll be going on my own more than likely. A few friends of mine are thinking about it but they're humming and hawing. I've lived abroad before. It's just I found college a hard enough slog to get through. Some of that was my fault (anxiety issues etc) others were outside (some pretty toxic friends). I loved my postgrad which was in a different city and made great mates there, but the course was shockingly badly run. (I worry that editors see that and are like, nope, heard about what happened there last year, we'll pick someone from DCU, but that's a different story).

My last experience abroad was more negative than positive, but that was more due to a lack of preparation and friend issues than the country itself. It also had fairly negative repercussions on the rest of my undergrad. So I'm just really, really worried that I'll end up in Abu Dhabi or somewhere living in a shed with no mates.

Sorry for the length. This stuff has been keeping me up for the last few weeks.....

skyfall2012

Hi Roisy, You can't give up you got to keep plugging away. Try doing a FAS course you get paid to do these and they are excellent courses. My husband recently got the job of his dreams after years of being out of work. He kept doing courses until he got a job. He was well qualified in his area, but there was no work in it, so he did courses that complimented his skills and experience. He did a business course through Springboard, and then he did a programming course through FAS, his original skills were in illustration and animation and he would be a good bit older than you. Good luck.

looksee

I can understand why you don't want to be a journalist in the traditional sense, and you are coming over as someone who is a bit too conscientious to do that. If you want to write you have to have things to write about, and you need both a bit of brass neck and creativity. What have you to lose by asking in pubs? Most of them will say no, but what harm? Yes its a bit cheeky, but that is a small price to pay for having something to write about.

Start a blog, create an identity and keep a blog about your job hunt. Not 'this is hopeless I'm getting fed up', but entertaining - inspiring or self deprecating or cynical or whatever. You write well but its rather bland, dig into yourself a bit and find your style.

Yes, you will have to find a job while you work on your real one, you may have to move away from home, you have to do whatever is necessary. I know someone with a 1st class hons degree and an MSc, and she is running three part time jobs in the UK at the moment while she looks for something in her field.

Any job is going to be boring routine stuff to start, someone has to write the holiday ads and recycle press releases into 'news' and to start with its going to be you. Everyone thieves from each other on the internet. Look up any town or attraction and see how many results you get with identical phrasing! Do a bit of research and figure out which firms have the most repeat stuff and send them a chirpy email talking pleasantly about copyright and originality and including a sample of your improved, non-plagiarised writing! Irish town descriptions on American/Australian travel sites, for example.

Good luck, hang in there!

Roisy7

skyfall2012 wrote: »

Hi Roisy, You can't give up you got to keep plugging away. Try doing a FAS course you get paid to do these and they are excellent courses. My husband recently got the job of his dreams after years of being out of work. He kept doing courses until he got a job. He was well qualified in his area, but there was no work in it, so he did courses that complimented his skills and experience. He did a business course through Springboard, and then he did a programming course through FAS, his original skills were in illustration and animation and he would be a good bit older than you. Good luck.

Thanks tho Skyfall, I really appreciate it.

I have thought about FAS, but the problem is with media is that I'm already qualified to do what I want to do. I did a FETAC course in community radio in October/November. Qualifications aren't really the problem.... My friend's boyfriend is doing FAS in programming and it sounds brilliant for that area, he said he'll be getting an internship and training afterwards worth a couple of grand. But for journalism... I already have a masters, not a very good one (a good grade, but the course was a joke). I only graduated in November so it's not a case of upskilling yet. I have been looking at Springboard and FAS, but a lot of it's geared to those in IT or tech.

looksee wrote: »

I can understand why you don't want to be a journalist in the traditional sense, and you are coming over as someone who is a bit too conscientious to do that. If you want to write you have to have things to write about, and you need both a bit of brass neck and creativity. What have you to lose by asking in pubs? Most of them will say no, but what harm? Yes its a bit cheeky, but that is a small price to pay for having something to write about.

Thanks for the reply Looksee.

The pub thing was because I wanted to enhance my employability (didn't even think of writing about it, but that's a good idea!). I have three years retail experience but no bar experience. I wanted to save money to emigrate, but I can't get a job...

looksee wrote: »

Start a blog, create an identity and keep a blog about your job hunt. Not 'this is hopeless I'm getting fed up', but entertaining - inspiring or self deprecating or cynical or whatever. You write well but its rather bland, dig into yourself a bit and find your style.

I've been blogging about this on a website that my friend founded. The site has taken off in the last year and I've been writing for it since its foundation. I also have my own blog, I'm writing creatively and started to enter competitions. I also have a monthly column with a local newspaper. You're right, it's not that I'm too conscientious, more I'm really, really, disillusioned with journalism in Ireland.

One of my lecturers is in trouble with the NUJ, just one of my class has a paid full-time job, others are working for nothing. Just saw on Facebook another of us is emigrating. Then you read stuff in certain papers and think, I could do better than that. I even sat down with a pen the other day and sub-edited an article in a broadsheet that looked as if it hadn't been even glanced at before publication.

(I am a lot better writer than my posts may demonstrate, I just fire off what's in my head here)

I know it sounds bitter but I just don't see the point.

I don't see the point of slaving away on Jobbridge (if I can even get one!) only to replaced by another intern in six months.

I've already worked in a newspaper and I could see the future right there. A subeditor having to virtually produce the entire thing by herself every week because the account mandarins think there is no need for another member of staff. I did her job for two weeks and I crawled into bed at nine every night because I was so exhausted. And she was a senior member of staff, practically breaking down because of her workload. I know the junior staff have to write all the advertorial guff. One day I wrote 14 articles and 80% were advertorial. This I could all put up with if the payoff in seniority was good, but it's not.

I don't see the point on wasting my youth in a small town in Ireland. And I am wasting my youth. I'm almost 24, single, jobless....

Right now the only way I can afford to move is with the TEFL. I want to have the balls to go for it, but I'm afraid to go on my own Like I said, took big chances before and hasn't always worked. (Well clearly it didn't, I'm back home with mammy )

I'd love to hear from anyone that did it and it worked for. A friend of a friend said they take on groups and it's easy to make friends that way, does anyone know about that?

IrishEyes19

Heya, in exactly the same position, just a different degree. Firstly are you happy living at home or would you prefer to be living in a city ect? I know personally even though my family were great, living at home after years of living away, nearly killed me emotionally, felt very cut off from the lifestyle I was used to.

Would you consider moving out, getting a retail job in an urban area and saving that way. Its not easy. But there are retail jobs in city that offer alright hours and you could do the dip while working.

Journalism is a hard job to get into here, as Im sure you already know. It's not impossible, it's just right now, there's a million and one people all competing for jobs there and very few getting them. Free lancing is a great chance to build up your portfolio. I wouldnt exactly say you need to go abroad teaching before coming back to do the dip. The Hdip is going to be a two year course after this year

Diziet

You are only 24. I am sorry to be blunt, but you won't get many options in a small town in Ireland. So take a deep breath, do your homework and move! To a big city or abroad. It's an adventure. Treat it like an adventure, a great experience and a learning opportunity and you will be fine.

We are all afraid to leave out comfort zone, but comfort zones are over-rated.

Roisy7

Well I had a conversation with my mother about all this last night. She doesn't want me to leave (she still sees coffin ships when she hears of someone moving abroad) but she said that she knew I couldn't stay here and rot away. She was enthusiastic about the idea of Korea especially as she said what an experience it would be, and she would love to visit, and maybe go down to Perth to see our cousins. As well as that, and this thread, I was talking to one of my best friends last night who seemed way more enthusiastic than I thought she'd be about going abroad. Another friend of mine is in the same position, she has done TEFL and most of her friends are nurses/teachers so they are either committed to Ireland or living in the UK. So I am thinking about approaching her with it. But if both of those friends are unwilling to commit, I think I may just go ahead and apply. This has all been a boot up the arse, even just seeing my classmate and how he just did the course, applied straight away and is leaving at the end of Feb while I've been hesitating is a motivator.

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

Heya, in exactly the same position, just a different degree. Firstly are you happy living at home or would you prefer to be living in a city ect? I know personally even though my family were great, living at home after years of living away, nearly killed me emotionally, felt very cut off from the lifestyle I was used to.

Hey IrishEyes, thanks for the reply. It's only me and my mother at home. Mam works and I make an effort to get out of the house as much as possible so it's not as bad as it could be. Mam also lost someone close to her while I've been home so I'm glad I was there for that time. She's been great, but yes, I feel very cut off at times, especially on weekend nights, which kill me. Don't have the money to go out and most of my friends are in cities/emigrated/up the country somewhere. Have two friends here who are still home, one lives 15/20 miles away, the other works full-time. I am starting to feel cut off alright. I'm also surprised how much I miss living in a city, the convenience of the shops, variety etc.

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

Would you consider moving out, getting a retail job in an urban area and saving that way. Its not easy. But there are retail jobs in city that offer alright hours and you could do the dip while working.

Journalism is a hard job to get into here, as Im sure you already know. It's not impossible, it's just right now, there's a million and one people all competing for jobs there and very few getting them. Free lancing is a great chance to build up your portfolio. I wouldnt exactly say you need to go abroad teaching before coming back to do the dip. The Hdip is going to be a two year course after this year

I actually live around 25km from a city so have applied for things there. However I would probably commute if I got something there. Was thinking
of going abroad to see if I like teaching more than anything? Like as well, I think I might regret just staying in Ireland. I am always happiest when I'm on the road somewhere. I know the dip is two years now but sure I may not even want to do it when I come back.

Diziet wrote: »

You are only 24. I am sorry to be blunt, but you won't get many options in a small town in Ireland. So take a deep breath, do your homework and move! To a big city or abroad. It's an adventure. Treat it like an adventure, a great experience and a learning opportunity and you will be fine.

We are all afraid to leave out comfort zone, but comfort zones are over-rated.

Thanks Diziet! That's a great motivational post

ViveLaVie

My friend did a TEFL course and moved to China when he was finished his BA. He went over alone and found it really tough for the first four months as he didn't know anyone and was really lonely. He is over there more than a year now and I fear I've lost him forever as I don't think he'll ever move back! He loves it! He has loads of friends and managed to get a job related to his career ambitions (not English language teaching) in the last few months. He makes good money and has a brilliant social life over there.

dellas1979

I sympathise with you OP.

But life isnt like a straight line. For 99% of us, opportunites do not fall into our laps. Weve got to make them.

At the height of the boom, I couldnt even get a job-wasnt picky-any job to pay the bills-after 5 years in college and 2 years of working. It took me years of jobs I didnt particularly want to be in and retraining/interviews, and even doing my own work experience while I was studying for an MA and working full time, to get into the job that I wanted. I just kept trying and finding a way.

This isnt directed at you personally, but I dont know why under grads etc feel they should just walk into their ideal/dream job. Its like it hits them after college that this isnt going to happen and they need to find a way in life themselves.

dellas1979

dellas1979 wrote: »

I sympathise with you OP.

But life isnt like a straight line. For 99% of us, opportunites do not fall into our laps. Weve got to make them.

At the height of the boom, I couldnt even get a job-wasnt picky-any job to pay the bills-after 5 years in college and 2 years of working. It took me years of jobs I didnt particularly want to be in and retraining/interviews, and even doing my own work experience while I was studying for an MA and working full time, to get into the job that I wanted. I just kept trying and finding a way.

This isnt directed at you personally, but I dont know why under grads etc feel they should just walk into their ideal/dream job. Its like it hits them after college that this isnt going to happen and they need to find a way in life themselves.

I'm sorry I'm going to be rude, but I for one am sick to death of people with your attitude. I think you'll find that today's job market is nothing like it was at the height of the boom. If you couldn't even find a job when employers were falling over themselves to take people on, what do you think it's like today?

If you actually read the OP's post, you'll see that she is being completely mature and realistic. I don't see an ounce of 'waiting for the dream job to fall into her lap'. Anyone who finished college after about 2008 is well aware that it's going to be a long, hard slog to do anything even related to what you want to do. OP has applied for what seems like anything and everything including unpaid internships. She's even thought of offering to work in a pub for free, for God's sake! I think people just love to complain about the 'youth of today' and how lazy and spoiled they are, when really, times are tougher for this age group than they have been in years.

OP, I'd forget about traditional print journalism if I were you, it doesn't sound like you're the right sort. There are lots of other things you could do - proofreading, website content, even copywriting? It's not the easiest career path to go down because of all the competition, but if you want to write for a living, I think you should go for it! Going abroad for a year would be a great experience too. My partner went to Korea and loved it, but do bear in mind that the work is hard (long hours, big classes) and almost always in the afternoon or at night. It can be very lonely at first as well - you have to make the effort to meet other teachers etc, but it's a great opportunity.

dellas1979

Mack Flaky Maze you were always like that bout my posts....your rudeness never changed!

Edit: Sorry izzy I couldnt get a job at the height of the boom, like other people. Im talking from experience. You are talking from your notions. And yes, there is also a notion that because you go to college, you should walk into a job/dream job. And if you are sick of people like me and our attitudes, obviously there are more out there with the same opinion.

She said at the start "I'm sending out cvs for journalistic jobs bit not even getting interviews." which is great, and fair play to her, but its not happening and its not going to happen. That is the reality. So she needs to plan now for her life and find another way.

dellas1979

dellas1979 wrote: »

Mack Flaky Maze you were always like that bout my posts....your rudeness never changed!

That's because they all reek of projection. The OP did not warrant your response. At all.

Edit: Sorry izzy I couldnt get a job at the height of the boom, like other people. Im talking from experience. You are talking from your notions. And yes, there is also a notion that because you go to college, you should walk into a job/dream job. And if you are sick of people like me and our attitudes, obviously there are more out there with the same opinion.

Could you be any more condescending? I'm 'talking from my notions'? Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps other people have valid experience and points of view as well? I don't know ANYONE who graduated in about the last 6 years who thinks you should walk into a dream job because you went to college. ANYONE. Yes, there are a lot of people with the same opinion and on the whole, it's unfair and unfounded.

She said at the start "I'm sending out cvs for journalistic jobs bit not even getting interviews." which is great, and fair play to her, but its not happening and its not going to happen. That is the reality. So she needs to plan now for her life and find another way.

How on earth do you know it's not going to happen? Just because you've failed or given up on your dream job doesn't mean that everyone else has to. You might think your jealousy and begrudgery isn't coming across in your 'advice', but it is. OP has studied journalism and has every right to think she could make a career out of it, or something similar. You don't get into your dream career by sending out CVs for a few months, not hearing anything back and then thinking, 'I'll just work in McDonald's, then."

There's a big difference between sitting on your arse and refusing to do anything except your 'perfect job' and thinking of other options and ways to earn money while you chase your dreams, which is exactly what OP is doing. She's been proactive and done her TEFL cert, which provides great opportunities to travel and brush up on grammar, she's applied for internships, bar work, all kinds of things.

Plenty of people do get into their dream careers, dellas1979. I know loads of them. Stop projecting the anger about your failed ambitions onto other people and telling them they should just quit. It's bitter, mean and not useful. I'm finally working in my dream field after two or three years of sending out applications and CVs. I was working other jobs the entire time. Why can't OP do the same? I've met plenty of people like you in my time, accusing me of having 'ideas above my station'. Glad I didn't listen to them.

Cut it out please and keep replies helpful to OP

dellas1979

OP-youve had a dose of reality is all of how hard it is out there/after college. Where there is a will, there is a way. I firmly believe that. You might go off in a different direction for a few years-what ever it takes, but if journalism is what you ultimately want to do, you will eventually find a way into it.

Roisy7

ViveLaVie wrote: »

My friend did a TEFL course and moved to China when he was finished his BA. He went over alone and found it really tough for the first four months as he didn't know anyone and was really lonely. He is over there more than a year now and I fear I've lost him forever as I don't think he'll ever move back! He loves it! He has loads of friends and managed to get a job related to his career ambitions (not English language teaching) in the last few months. He makes good money and has a brilliant social life over there.

Thank you Viva La Vie, that's the type of thing I need to hear! I tend to be a bit introverted, I mean I chat away and get on well with people but I don't trust too easily and I like my own company so I am worried about the social element.

I did think about China but I think the culture shock may be a little too great. I lived in a big country before (not as big as China mind) and I have a comprehension of massive distances but all the same, I don't fancy being stuck in an inland province miiiiiiles away from Beijing!

dellas1979 wrote: »

I sympathise with you OP.

But life isnt like a straight line. For 99% of us, opportunites do not fall into our laps. Weve got to make them.

At the height of the boom, I couldnt even get a job-wasnt picky-any job to pay the bills-after 5 years in college and 2 years of working. It took me years of jobs I didnt particularly want to be in and retraining/interviews, and even doing my own work experience while I was studying for an MA and working full time, to get into the job that I wanted. I just kept trying and finding a way.

This isnt directed at you personally, but I dont know why under grads etc feel they should just walk into their ideal/dream job. Its like it hits them after college that this isnt going to happen and they need to find a way in life themselves.

OK I don't want to reignite another row but I don't think I said anywhere that I should just walk into my dream job. My dream job is full-time fiction writing. In an ideal world, I would have a big rambling house by the sea, a book-lined study where I could bang out bestseller after bestseller while my dashingly handsome and creative husband did whatever he did and my charming children played outside with the dog.

I know this isn't gonna happen, there are a tiny percentage of authors that can make a living from it. Journalism is the most realistic way to make money from writing, and I'm not even sure I want to do it anymore.

I'm not in any way acting entitled and I don't think any of my friends are either. We're all doing different things than what we graduated in, apart from the teachers and nurses, and they don't have it too easy either.

I've only been in this situation for five months or so. I know that it's up to me to make my own opportunities and that's what I'm asking advice on....

Mack Flaky Maze wrote: »

OP, I'd forget about traditional print journalism if I were you, it doesn't sound like you're the right sort. There are lots of other things you could do - proofreading, website content, even copywriting? It's not the easiest career path to go down because of all the competition, but if you want to write for a living, I think you should go for it! Going abroad for a year would be a great experience too. My partner went to Korea and loved it, but do bear in mind that the work is hard (long hours, big classes) and almost always in the afternoon or at night. It can be very lonely at first as well - you have to make the effort to meet other teachers etc, but it's a great opportunity.

Thanks Mack Flaky Maze, I think I'd be able to handle the loneliness for the first while, and I'm not afraid of hard work so I hope I'll be ok.

I will be looking into Korea in the next few weeks or so, I have to stay in Ireland til March anyway so maybe in April or so I might head off!

solerina

Just said I would add a few lines, you mentioned teaching at the start so I said I would let you know that there are 3 major issues facing you if you do decide to eventually try this route.
1. Expensive PGCE which is going to be a two year course
2. No jobs, and getting less and less every year as the govt cuts funding (most older staff retired in the last yr or 2 so there wont be jobs either for the forseeable future).
3. Your degree getting recognised by the teaching council (they are very difficult to deal with so check your degree to make sure that you have a recognised teaching subject, and you really need 2 to have a decent chance of getting a job).
Good Luck whatever you decide OP.

IrishEyes19

I agree with Mack Flaky Maze, and I think graduates should feel cheated when after the hard work and money you invest into a degree with a good result, you're scraping pennies for ages afters and not able to to get work in your chosen field. Its soul destroying.

OP, most important thing you can do is move out I think. I know your Mam will miss you, but I think deep down she'll be happy for you, to see you satisfied with life. It can be very hard watching other people seem to thriving elsewhere and you feel stuck in a rut.

You really sound positive regarding going abroad. I say go for it. I dont know anyone who hasnt come back and said they didnt love it!!

Roisy7

solerina wrote: »

Just said I would add a few lines, you mentioned teaching at the start so I said I would let you know that there are 3 major issues facing you if you do decide to eventually try this route.
1. Expensive PGCE which is going to be a two year course
2. No jobs, and getting less and less every year as the govt cuts funding (most older staff retired in the last yr or 2 so there wont be jobs either for the forseeable future).
3. Your degree getting recognised by the teaching council (they are very difficult to deal with so check your degree to make sure that you have a recognised teaching subject, and you really need 2 to have a decent chance of getting a job).
Good Luck whatever you decide OP.

Solerina, thanks so much for your post. It's good to know what I'm up against. I would be willing to go to the UK to teach. I have a degree in English and Sociology, which would lead to English and CSPE if I'm right? Also, I would love to do history too, is there a way to link in with that?

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

I agree with Mack Flaky Maze, and I think graduates should feel cheated when after the hard work and money you invest into a degree with a good result, you're scraping pennies for ages afters and not able to to get work in your chosen field. Its soul destroying.

OP, most important thing you can do is move out I think. I know your Mam will miss you, but I think deep down she'll be happy for you, to see you satisfied with life. It can be very hard watching other people seem to thriving elsewhere and you feel stuck in a rut.

You really sound positive regarding going abroad. I say go for it. I dont know anyone who hasnt come back and said they didnt love it!!

Thanks again Irish Eyes! Here's hoping. Mam has become a lot better since I lived abroad before and I know she wants the best for me. Here's hoping that it'll all work out!

ViveLaVie

Roisy7 wrote: »

Solerina, thanks so much for your post. It's good to know what I'm up against. I would be willing to go to the UK to teach. I have a degree in English and Sociology, which would lead to English and CSPE if I'm right? Also, I would love to do history too, is there a way to link in with that?

In Ireland, you have to have a primary degree in a subject in order to be able to teach it - 55 credits over a minimum of three years (this is being changed to 60 in the next few years).

The UK system is very different though, so there is every possibility that a qualified English teacher could end up teaching History over there instead.

The UK is also much more flexible regarding completing the postgraduate qualification in Education and bursaries are available (only in England). Modern languages and the sciences garner the most significant sums unfortunately but a good English degree could get a few thousand. There are also loan schemes set up over there so you wouldn't have to pay all the fees up front. If you don't have a postgrad already, look into Scotland as a grant may be possible.

I have a friend who applied to be an unpaid teaching assistant in England and within a few days got given classes to teach on a regular basis. He is now employed in the school as a teacher and the school is paying for him to do his dip. next year.

Roisy7

ViveLaVie wrote: »

In Ireland, you have to have a primary degree in a subject in order to be able to teach it - 55 credits over a minimum of three years (this is being changed to 60 in the next few years).

The UK system is very different though, so there is every possibility that a qualified English teacher could end up teaching History over there instead.

The UK is also much more flexible regarding completing the postgraduate qualification in Education and bursaries are available (only in England). Modern languages and the sciences garner the most significant sums unfortunately but a good English degree could get a few thousand. There are also loan schemes set up over there so you wouldn't have to pay all the fees up front. If you don't have a postgrad already, look into Scotland as a grant may be possible.

I have a friend who applied to be an unpaid teaching assistant in England and within a few days got given classes to teach on a regular basis. He is now employed in the school as a teacher and the school is paying for him to do his dip. next year.

Thanks so much VivaLaVie, I knew the Irish situation was pretty inflexible. The UK is a definite possibility although I would prefer to raise a family (in the far off future) in Ireland. The sickening thing is I wanted to do English and History for my undergrad, realised too late that I couldn't in Arts (long story) I already have the postgrad in Journalism so Scotland is out