Posts tagged unemployment

As a waitress, and a very good one, I’d like to dedicate this post to all the shitty tippers out there who do not deserve to eat in a restaurant.

A waitress is a hard worker, they are on their feet all day, carrying hot plates, lifting heavy things, dealing with your annoying children, making sure your food and drinks are correct, and giving you your dining experience.

They deserve at least a 20% tip off your bill. You calculate it like this: look at your total, move the decimal to the left once, then double that amount.

If you can’t afford to leave that much don’t step foot in the restaurant. If the waitress is bad, then leave less. If the food is the problem then complain to the manager but do not take it out on the waitress. The only reason a waitress deserves less than 20% is if they are rude or if they mess up your order to a point of it being un-salvageable.

Your waitress deals with a lot a shit from the kitchen and managers. They make less than minimum wage and usually get ‘void’ paychecks. Every cent they make is based on what YOU tip them.

They bend over backward to make sure you have a nice dining experience. Reward them for there efforts. You wouldn’t like it if your boss cut your pay for a week because he didn’t feel like paying you what you deserve, right. Don’t stiff your waitress. They work a lot harder than you and they don’t get paid time off (they rarely get time off).

Also, being a shitty tipper is a huge turnoff.

Peace and Love,

Jade

Dear Friends,

STOP asking me about how the job hunt is going.  STOP asking me about my future plans.  When I have a job I will tell you, until then MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!

Peace and Love,

Jade

There is a strange thing that happens from transitions.  It is common in both the high school - college stage and the college - rest of your life stage.  You forget about people.

I am not saying this is a bad thing, I actually find it really interesting.  Think back to high school, when you were gossiping with your friends about your classmates (we all do it), there is that same group of names you always mentioned.  How many times in college did those same names come up in conversation? For me it was close to zero.  Sure there was the passing conversation with that friend from high school who went to the same university, or the occasional Facebook chat, but mostly the names that were mentioned in college discussions belonged to a different group.  To me, this was kind of nice, I really did enjoy not hearing about high school peers as much as a loved meeting new people and making friends.  But the change of names that leave your lips is an interesting phenomenon relating to the transitions in your life. 

Now I am going through this again with my college friends.  I see the Facebook statues hear little facts, but soon the same thing is going to happen and these names that I am accustomed to  hearing are going to disappear.  It is scary to think about, but I know one thing is for certain, the names that stick around will be the people who stick around.  These are the people who will be with you through the transitions, the most important people in your life, your best friends. 

Peace and Love,

Jade

Today is July 1st.

I have been unemployed for over a month. 

I still live at home.

I have not accomplished anything since graduation.

I am nobody.

I used to be somebody, a go-getter who threw herself into everything.  Now I spend my days sleeping, eating, working out, and applying to jobs.  I miss school, classes, friends, clubs, bars, and my independence.  I miss being somebody.

July 1st marks two months until my cut off.  My goal is to have my own place and a real world job by September 1st.  I want to reach this goal so badly, but what do I do if July and August are like June?  What do I do when all my peers are becoming somebodies and I am still nobody?  How do I handle being left behind?

Stop.

I can do it, I have a great resume, GPA, and degree.  I have the motivation and the ambition.  I can do this, I can make it, I will do this, I will make it.  It is time to focus on the future, focus on getting a job, focus on moving out, focus on joining the real world.

Rejection makes you tougher, stronger, and more hard headed than ever before.  It is time to keep going and making July count.  I will make July count.

Peace and Love,

Jade 

Phone interviews are both really great and really awkward…

They are great because you can have they companies website right in front of you while you’re on the phone, you don’t have to wear a business suit, and you can type up some of your typical responses in advance. It’s nice to have your “leadership qualities” and “where you see yourself in five years” bullshit right at your fingertips and ready to go, and when asked “what do you know about the company” the blurb on the website can always help. No trying to sit up straight in business attire or worrying about your handshake. The best part: no uncomfortable shoes.

On the other hand, phone interviews are incredibly awkward. My last one had me and the potential employer talking over each other because we could not see the signals. There was so much inturpting and awkward pauses. You can never tell what the person on the other end is thinking because you can’t see their face. most importantly, you never know when to stop talking!!

While it is always nice to get an interview, phone interviews are a blessing and a curse. But, as long as you answer the questions honestly and correctlly the awkwardness may not matter. So good luck to all in this stage.

Peace and Love,

Jade

After 4 years of freedom and independence it kind of sucks to move back home…

I am very blessed to have a home to move back to and people to take care of me but still, it kind of sucks. I miss having time to myself, choosing my own meals, and not having to worry how to get anywhere and who even to hang out with. I’m tired of being told to do things by my parents and being stuck in my house all day. I miss being free, independent, and having all of my friends close to me. Summer is supposed to be fun, instead I am 21 years old and being treated like I am 16.

I know I am lucky, no bills, a roof over my head, food on the table but it’s time be a grown up. Hopefully soon il begin to live my big city dreams, until then I have to make sure the dishwasher is empty before my mom gets home.

Peace and Love,

Jade

Friends is on Nick at Nite. 

Nick at Nite, the station that is supposed to show Gilligans Island and the Brady Bunch is showing one of my favorite teenage shows. What’s next, Everybody Loves Raymond on TV Land… oh wait. 

Hannah Montana is engaged.   

I haven’t had a serious long term relationship in my 21 years and Hannah Montana is engaged? This is more disheartening than Jamie Lynn Spears’ teen pregnancy.  Hell even Snookie is having kids and I am home along watching Friends on Nick and Nite. 

The kids who were freshmen when I was a senior in high school are done with their first year of college.

Need I say more here. 

I no longer shop in the juniors section.

After I graduated my mom took me shopping for what we call “interview clothes.”  They are all from the boring older women section of the store.  In fact, I have no reason to buy the fun little outfits of my past—although I refuse to give up shopping at Forever 21, I am still a 21 year old until this fall!

My peers are entering the real world.

I have friends who have just signed the lease for their first apartment, friends who are engaged, and friends who are having kids.  Granted most of these friends in the latter two categories are merely high school peers who I keep up with via facebook but it still makes me feel old. 

My student ID expired. 

I can no longer rush broadway shows, get discounts at Charlotte Russe, or get free checking at Bank of America.  The harsh reality that I am no longer a student hits me every day with the student ID that I keep in my wallet.  Back to school shopping is not important anymore, no more dropping way too much money on textbooks (yay!), or figuring out who is bringing what into the dorm room. In six months, I have to start paying back my loans as well, I’m getting old way to fast.

Peace and Love,

Jade

If you asked me who One Direction was two months ago I would have asked “what direction?”

Now “What Makes You Beautiful” is my favorite song on my running playlist.  

You see, two months ago I didn’t care about music or pop culture, two months ago I had a life.  Now I work out to this adorable teeney bopper group and secretly love them, although they will never be a “Call Me Maybe.” 

Something I noticed about my college self is that I never really cared about pop culture, I didn’t even watch TV.  When I am home, the majority of the conversation around me is about what Lindsey Lohan did last night or who beat up who on the Real Housewives.  At school there is no need for the radio, it is all Spotify and Youtube, at home every long car ride leads to me “discovering” these catchy pop tunes that have been around since January, some of them are even pretty good.  

This has all led me to One Direction, and I am not going to lie I LOVE their music, it is upbeat, catchy, and fun.  Who knows, maybe I will turn into a creepy 21 year old fan girl of those 18 year old boys. There is my embarrassing confession of the day. 

Peace and Love,

Jade

Jane Doe EMPLOYED!!!! MOVING TO NYC!! SO EXCITED

200 people like this  40 comments 

Is it just me or do these status updates make you want to punch your computer. Although you very well know that once you get that coveted job you are going to the same thing, and people are going to want to punch you.  

These updates send me on an emotional roller coaster, and with job searching occupying by brain 100% of the time, I certainly need a hobby ASAP.  Here is what goes through my mind when I see these updates:

Ohhh, I wonder what her major was… Where are she is working?… Oh that’s nice, you aren’t going to post the name of the place, it’s just for “private messages” (gag)… How did she even get a job anyway, my GPA was better than her’s… Does she know people in the business or something… Ugh I should have interned there… Whatever, good for her…  No really, good for her, maybe soon there will be hope for me.

Then the next status comes… repeat, repeat, repeat. 

Yes, I’m incredibly selfish and can’t be happy for other people, and my jealously is clearly taking over, but hey at least I know it.  

Peace and Love,

Jade

In May 2012 I did what every college senior dreads more than anything, I graduated. 

I entered into the world of the unknown. A scary place where I was no longer surrounded by the comfort of my friends, a place where Thursday is considered a (gasp) weeknight. A place of unemployment. 

I should be grateful, embrace the plethora of free time, but with every facebook status update I read about a peer getting employed my heart breaks a little and I think, when will it be my turn.  It becomes common to cross your fingers every time you click “submit,” and to check your email every five minutes to see if a potential job wants to talk to you.  It also becomes common to feel like nothing, your brain turning into mush without the excitement of academia, reruns of “Friends” and “How I Met Your Mother” have replaced the nights at the bar and house parties, your daily text message quota decreases exponentially as you have nothing to say.  

Being in the town you grew up in, with your friends scattered around different states, can begin to suck the life out of you.  Which is why I am taking my sleepless nights and am turning them into something useful: this blog.  This blog will be about that transitional year into the real world, getting a job (please), moving out (pretty please), and starting life.  Who knows if I even get a reader, but hopefully I can find other people out there like me who are just trying to figure it all out and see what the future hold. 

To my fellow graduates, best of luck on all your endeavors.  To the current college population, embrace these years and don’t hold back, because you are going to miss it more than anything the day you receive that diploma.  

Peace and Love,

Jade