One thing that really bothers me is when people talk about how tough times are and how hard it is to get a job. How tough was 1929? I never heard my grandparents say “times were tough, we couldn’t find a job,” and they lived through WWII. They just got up, got to work, grew a garden, and kept some animals to be mostly self-sufficient, all while raising seven kids on one salary and food ration tickets. There was no such thing as blaming the economy and collecting unemployment checks.
Fast forward to today, and my 34-year-old classmates from one of the top 10 French business schools are either underemployed or unemployed because “it’s hard.” One is getting their third PhD just to avoid leaving the comfort of student life and facing the real world. Another floats between six-month contracts and 18-month periods of unemployment, citing reasons like not getting along with their boss or feeling too stressed.
We are a generation of entitled individuals who don’t want to put in the effort. The reality is, if you really want to find a job, there are plenty available. Some might say, “But I’m a philosophy major.” Well, if you chose that path knowing the employment prospects, you can’t blame anyone but yourself. Have you reached out to all the schools and universities within a 50-mile radius? Considered moving to teach elsewhere? There are a lot of degrees that don’t lead directly to jobs. For example, a “Tourism” degree often seems pointless to me. College is valuable for professions that require passing exams, like lawyers or doctors, and maybe for business. But if you chose a less practical degree, the best thing you can do is take any job and work your way up from there.
Some might say, “But I can’t live off my art.” Then why did you study art? If you’re truly talented, why go to college for it? And if you’re not, why go to college at all? In the meantime, get a minimum wage job close to home; they aren’t so bad.
Others might feel, “But I deserve six figures.” You do—if you work hard and prove your worth. It might take a few years and perhaps further education if you chose a low-paying field, but with hard work and dedication, you’ll get there. Not by spending three hours a day playing games.
Complaining about the economy or recession doesn’t help. Why not learn a trade? Electricians, mechanics, plumbers—they all make a good living and never run out of work. You can even work for yourself if you don’t want to thrive in a corporate environment. It’s just about adapting. Essential services, like healthcare and mortuary work, always need employees, but many avoid these fields because they seem too hard.
When you studied at your expensive private school, you might have been told you were special and deserved six figures for not doing much. They lied. If you haven’t held a real job related to your field of study five or ten years out of school, maybe the problem isn’t the world; maybe it’s you.
I don’t think I’m particularly lucky, but the only time I’ve been unemployed is when I chose to quit my jobs to travel for 6-12 months. Before returning, I sent out dozens of resumes (not just five) and lined up at least a couple of interviews. I prepared for these interviews and was offered all the jobs I interviewed for face-to-face. There’s no secret to it; I’m not exceptional. With persistence and hard work, you can succeed, even despite “the economy.”