I know how difficult it is to accept that the degree you worked for, went into the debt for, isn’t a quick return of investment. Some of you have put in the work, though. The job came right out of college. That’s a great feeling, and those left out of that promise we’ve shown for years are sort of happy for you.
The reality is that not all of us acquire the job we want. Or sometimes, we don’t acquire a job at all. The hard truth is some professionals see a liberal arts degree as useless. They don’t say the word useless. They’ll phrase it as “not practical.” In some way, the professionals and employers are right. Some of the liberal art degrees don’t fit in the day to day in the workplace.
You have the degree. You have a part-time job to go along with it or maybe a side hustle. The asterisk putting more pressure on you are rejection e-mails, no-call backs, and money.
When you feel that pressure, start putting your energy into special interest. If you’re a novelist, start writing. Transform yourself into a mill of fiction or nonfiction. Create a vault of pages whether they be ideas or stories you wrote just for you. Consider publishing those stories after they’ve fleshed out. The idea is to create something, you may be creating something impactful and lucrative.
Although it’s an expensive hobby, photography is a great skill to add to your arsenal if you haven’t done so already. Learn the basics, watch some YouTube tutorials, and post your best work on a stock image site.
But why do this? Surely, I don’t want you to give up on your aspirations in the pursuit of a great career. Nothing is useless, especially not years of hard work to get a degree. Some of us went into debt to get educated. We went full speed ahead to achieve that goal. While you’re waiting, create the career you want.
For English majors and aspiring writers, I can tell you that freelance writing and editing is the way to go. There’s enough work for everyone. I’ll say to anyone out there stuck in limbo, keep creating and keep trying. It’s not over. The storm of failure and uncertainty won’t last. We will have our time. Press on and be faithful. We will succeed.
