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seretogis · 05-23-2003, 02:16 AM

Background: I'm 21 years old, and graduated when I was 17. I've worked full-time at various local ISPs and Web Development companies since a week after I graduated from High School. After two mergers and three massive lay-offs, I lost my job about eight months ago and I've been having a lot of trouble finding a similar job around my area. I quickly ran out of cash from paying rent with no income, and quit EQ / sold my accounts in order to be able to keep my balance in the positive. I'm now living at my dad's, paying him a meager amount ($300) for room and board each month. In the meantime, I've been working on my website and a roster management system in order to keep the web-dev side of my brain active. I have three possible freelance projects starting soon, but nothing full-time, or even part-time.

Dilemma: Well, again, my savings balance is going down down down, with no "real" income. My job search is still turning up empty, and I'm getting pretty frustrated. I've applied at General Dynamics for a "pc tech" position but I haven't gotten a call back yet. My dad's second job is at a local video store, and he's trying to convince me to work there (as a cashier, basically, for minimum wage..). Now, I did this kind of thing when I was 15, and I'm afraid of doing it again because it feels like the work that I put into my web dev career is a waste. I didn't go to college because I convinced myself that I would learn more in the workplace (and I did, imo) but that will be for naught if I start a customer service job. I didn't make much as a programmer, but it was something that I enjoyed and that I felt I was good at. The only thing other than web programming is writing, and as far as I know poets are notorious for being poor. :P

Should I hold out and see how the freelance jobs do before I make a minimum-wage decision? Should I quit whining and be happy that I can get a job that pays $5.25/hr, regardless of how much of a failure it would make me feel?

05-23-2003, 02:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
seretogis Huggles, sir? Location: Seattle	unemployed, or unemployable? Background: I'm 21 years old, and graduated when I was 17. I've worked full-time at various local ISPs and Web Development companies since a week after I graduated from High School. After two mergers and three massive lay-offs, I lost my job about eight months ago and I've been having a lot of trouble finding a similar job around my area. I quickly ran out of cash from paying rent with no income, and quit EQ / sold my accounts in order to be able to keep my balance in the positive. I'm now living at my dad's, paying him a meager amount ($300) for room and board each month. In the meantime, I've been working on my website and a roster management system in order to keep the web-dev side of my brain active. I have three possible freelance projects starting soon, but nothing full-time, or even part-time. Dilemma: Well, again, my savings balance is going down down down, with no "real" income. My job search is still turning up empty, and I'm getting pretty frustrated. I've applied at General Dynamics for a "pc tech" position but I haven't gotten a call back yet. My dad's second job is at a local video store, and he's trying to convince me to work there (as a cashier, basically, for minimum wage..). Now, I did this kind of thing when I was 15, and I'm afraid of doing it again because it feels like the work that I put into my web dev career is a waste. I didn't go to college because I convinced myself that I would learn more in the workplace (and I did, imo) but that will be for naught if I start a customer service job. I didn't make much as a programmer, but it was something that I enjoyed and that I felt I was good at. The only thing other than web programming is writing, and as far as I know poets are notorious for being poor. :P Should I hold out and see how the freelance jobs do before I make a minimum-wage decision? Should I quit whining and be happy that I can get a job that pays $5.25/hr, regardless of how much of a failure it would make me feel? __________________ seretogis - sieg heil perfect little dream the kind that hurts the most, forgot how it feels well almost no one to blame always the same, open my eyes wake up in flames