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stevenaa

By stevenaa
in The Tailgate

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Bacon

Bacon

Posted
Posted

I'm feeling depressed as **** on Thanksgiving and I hate it. This is one of my favorite holidays.

 

Spoiler

 

Don't even know what to say, it's been such a whirlwind few months, but highlights:

 

1. The wife has a baby coming in 2-3 weeks

2. She's home on disability/maternity and my depression is starting to grate on her already

3. Our finances are about to take a big hit and I can't find work to supplement her time off. My work history is spotty and it's damn near impossible around the holidays to find work as it is

4. I got extremely close to a promising job with benefits last week only to be turned down at the end after a really strong followup interview

5. A lot of my friends have moved away over the past year, so I'm feeling really bored/lonely, and the one I was about to visit over the weekend got in a car accident tonight and broke his arm, which is just horrible

 

Like, I really don't know what to do or who to turn to. I feel like everyone is shutting me out. I've got a good amount saved up until the wife can go back to work, but it just ****ing galls me that I'm 27 years old with a master's degree and I can't land anything. I'm either overqualified, inexperienced or somewhere in between. Right now I can't contribute outside of being a house husband while we barely scrape by. I'm looking forward to meeting my daughter in December, sure, but I don't know why she would want to meet me. I'm just going to let her down.

 

God dammit, I'm not usually this negative all the time. I just need something good to happen. It takes next to nothing to cheer me up. Hell, even the Skins winning would be a boost, but I know that won't happen because it's a game a lot of people are watching. Sorry, y'all. I just didn't want to make a thread for this.

 

 

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Elessar78

Elessar78

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Bacon said:

I'm feeling depressed as **** on Thanksgiving and I hate it. This is one of my favorite holidays.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Don't even know what to say, it's been such a whirlwind few months, but highlights:

 

1. The wife has a baby coming in 2-3 weeks

2. She's home on disability/maternity and my depression is starting to grate on her already

3. Our finances are about to take a big hit and I can't find work to supplement her time off. My work history is spotty and it's damn near impossible around the holidays to find work as it is

4. I got extremely close to a promising job with benefits last week only to be turned down at the end after a really strong followup interview

5. A lot of my friends have moved away over the past year, so I'm feeling really bored/lonely, and the one I was about to visit over the weekend got in a car accident tonight and broke his arm, which is just horrible

 

Like, I really don't know what to do or who to turn to. I feel like everyone is shutting me out. I've got a good amount saved up until the wife can go back to work, but it just ****ing galls me that I'm 27 years old with a master's degree and I can't land anything. I'm either overqualified, inexperienced or somewhere in between. Right now I can't contribute outside of being a house husband while we barely scrape by. I'm looking forward to meeting my daughter in December, sure, but I don't know why she would want to meet me. I'm just going to let her down.

 

God dammit, I'm not usually this negative all the time. I just need something good to happen. It takes next to nothing to cheer me up. Hell, even the Skins winning would be a boost, but I know that won't happen because it's a game a lot of people are watching. Sorry, y'all. I just didn't want to make a thread for this.

 

 

According to my wife who is a mental health pro.

 

Exercise. Releases more of the good neurochemical (I forget dopamine? Endorphins?) than the heat antidepressants.

 

Go Volunteer. Helps you stop fixating on your own problems. 

 

As an aside, what kind of work are you looking for? What are your degrees in?

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Bacon

Bacon

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Elessar78 said:

According to my wife who is a mental health pro.

  

Exercise. Releases more of the good neurochemical (I forget dopamine? Endorphins?) than the heat antidepressants.

  

Go Volunteer. Helps you stop fixating on your own problems. 

  

As an aside, what kind of work are you looking for? What are your degrees in?

 

Thanks for the reminder. The nature of my work (such as it is) keeps me in front of the computer more often than not and I can get pretty sedentary. Back to LA Fitness.

 

My degrees are in writing/English and I pick up money here and there freelance editing/coaching/tutoring in that arena. I picked up a nice gig last year editing a psychologist's non-fiction book for $1500, but those opportunities are rare. I have a client now who pays me $25/hr to help with her memoirs, but I only see her a couple times a week. You get the idea. It's just not reliable.

 

Most of the stuff I apply to is pretty dreary copywriting/proofing staff work that I'd rather not be doing, but it would pay the bills. If I had a choice, I'd be working at one of the major publishing houses so I could get my foot in the door as an author. Those positions generally start as internships with stipends I can't afford.

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Elessar78

Elessar78

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, Bacon said:

 

Thanks for the reminder. The nature of my work (such as it is) keeps me in front of the computer more often than not and I can get pretty sedentary. Back to LA Fitness.

 

My degrees are in writing/English and I pick up money here and there freelance editing/coaching/tutoring in that arena. I picked up a nice gig last year editing a psychologist's non-fiction book for $1500, but those opportunities are rare. I have a client now who pays me $25/hr to help with her memoirs, but I only see her a couple times a week. You get the idea. It's just not reliable.

 

Most of the stuff I apply to is pretty dreary copywriting/proofing staff work that I'd rather not be doing, but it would pay the bills. If I had a choice, I'd be working at one of the major publishing houses so I could get my foot in the door as an author. Those positions generally start as internships with stipends I can't afford.

Might try branching out?

 

Any interest in writing ad copy? Or corporate content? Companies these days seem to be looking for a social media manager-that’s a lot of writing and generating content. We hire a writer to write articles for us and we submit them to trade publications who are always looking for content. 

 

I have ave more than a few friends who were English majors and it can be a tough slog. We all used to work at a non-profit publisher in DC. Now some teach, some work for the govt, etc.

 

i think there’s a market out there. My boss, director of marketing, spends most of his time writing-not really his strong suit. From experience, I don’t think he’s unique in that. Maybe start cold calling and networking events and offering your services? 

 

Trust me-I know it ain’t easy. I’m trying to generate some more income at the moment via freelancing and I have to put myself out there and I’m not comfortable asking people to throw me work.

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Enforcer_FFX

Enforcer_FFX

Posted
Posted

Sorry @Bacon for this rough patch. Have you looked at marketing firms/dpts of companies? They often are looking for content writers, and can be remote. Unfortunately, my org has our freelance spots locked up, but this might be another avenue to explore to pay the bills and build your network, until you land your dream gig! Good luck, man. And I think Mary had some great advice!

 

And happy thanksgiving to all the Rtt Crew!!

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Bacon

Bacon

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Elessar78 said:

Might try branching out?

 

Any interest in writing ad copy? Or corporate content? Companies these days seem to be looking for a social media manager-that’s a lot of writing and generating content. We hire a writer to write articles for us and we submit them to trade publications who are always looking for content. 

  

 I have ave more than a few friends who were English majors and it can be a tough slog. We all used to work at a non-profit publisher in DC. Now some teach, some work for the govt, etc.

  

 i think there’s a market out there. My boss, director of marketing, spends most of his time writing-not really his strong suit. From experience, I don’t think he’s unique in that. Maybe start cold calling and networking events and offering your services? 

  

 Trust me-I know it ain’t easy. I’m trying to generate some more income at the moment via freelancing and I have to put myself out there and I’m not comfortable asking people to throw me work.

 

I applied to three jobs tonight that popped up on Indeed and one of them involved a heavy degree of social media management to go along with the copy, which I've gotten used to. I run several social media accounts for my own projects, so it wouldn't be a big jump at all to help someone else's brand.

 

Most of my work lately has been in SEO content creation, which is highly in demand and not especially difficult once you get the hang of it. 

 

Good thinking re: cold calling. From my two years in journalism, I am familiar. Perhaps that should start with a PM to Burgold, as @skinsmarydu suggested. At the very least, I need to put some online ads out for my services. I know that works well for my friends who tutor. 

 

@Enforcer_FFX the job that just fell through for me was identical to what you described. It involved copywriting for an eCommerce company. I suppose getting close and falling short is more encouraging than not hearing back at all, so maybe I should pursue that area further. 

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Springfield

Springfield

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Bacon said:

I'm feeling depressed as **** on Thanksgiving and I hate it. This is one of my favorite holidays.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Don't even know what to say, it's been such a whirlwind few months, but highlights:

 

1. The wife has a baby coming in 2-3 weeks

2. She's home on disability/maternity and my depression is starting to grate on her already

3. Our finances are about to take a big hit and I can't find work to supplement her time off. My work history is spotty and it's damn near impossible around the holidays to find work as it is

4. I got extremely close to a promising job with benefits last week only to be turned down at the end after a really strong followup interview

5. A lot of my friends have moved away over the past year, so I'm feeling really bored/lonely, and the one I was about to visit over the weekend got in a car accident tonight and broke his arm, which is just horrible

 

Like, I really don't know what to do or who to turn to. I feel like everyone is shutting me out. I've got a good amount saved up until the wife can go back to work, but it just ****ing galls me that I'm 27 years old with a master's degree and I can't land anything. I'm either overqualified, inexperienced or somewhere in between. Right now I can't contribute outside of being a house husband while we barely scrape by. I'm looking forward to meeting my daughter in December, sure, but I don't know why she would want to meet me. I'm just going to let her down.

 

God dammit, I'm not usually this negative all the time. I just need something good to happen. It takes next to nothing to cheer me up. Hell, even the Skins winning would be a boost, but I know that won't happen because it's a game a lot of people are watching. Sorry, y'all. I just didn't want to make a thread for this.

 

 

 

I haven’t come to the RTT in months maybe...

 

Bacon, I just want you to know that I’ve never met you before but you’re one of the standout posters on ES to me.  Keep hammering at it.  You’re going to get what you need, one way or another.  I wish you the most joy in the next chapter of your life.

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LadySkinsFan

LadySkinsFan

Posted
Posted

When I started in the proposal writing/management field, I had no experience or even a four year degree, although I did have friends. 

 

Eventually I went the self employed route and it was feast or famine. Everyone needs writers, networking is the best way to land jobs. People want to hire someone they know or who is recommended. Good writers are golden. And once you get that first job, you get better known and the jobs will come.

 

I didn't start my career until fall of 1984 when I was 33 years old. I generally worked retail before that, and the job directly previous to my career was as a property title searcher in Montgomery County, which had a weird system. It was interesting from an historical perspective. No benefits either.

 

Good luck to you Bacon, and try not to get too discouraged. It's hard when you have some life changes coming soon. You will succeed!

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Renegade7

Renegade7

Posted
Posted

@Bacon your daughter is going to be more focused on your being her dad then your career as long as you are.  There may be a lot going on right now, but if nothing else try not to attach the status of your career to how good a parent you are, you can definitely be great at one and terrible at the other in either direction. Her dreams are more important then yours anyway now, so support them like you would want someone to support yours and it will work out exactly the way its supposed to.

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