It's hard to find a job. You think all those years of studying will lead you to finding your ideal career. For some, that's true: They take the right classes, make the right connections, and end up getting a signing bonus that's more than your entire savings. I was
not one of those people.
As an English major at SUNY Binghamton, I was constantly asked what I wanted to do after graduation. Usually it was followed by, "What are you going to do -- teach?" Yes, teaching is a noble profession, but I didn't want to teach. (I didn't even like school the first time around!) College definitely had its moments, but those moments usually had nothing to do with the classes I was taking. I was an English major because I liked to read and write, and I wanted to get into publishing. (Well, maybe it was because I was good at writing, so I figured a major in English would be the easiest way for me coast through classes.) But after taking a few writing and editing classes, I discovered that being an English major was actually something I enjoyed.
So I wanted to be an editor. Or a reporter. Or anything that would allow me to read and write for a living. What I didn't realize was that all other English majors who didn't want to be teachers also wanted to be editors or reporters. The competition was stiff, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to find a posh editing job after college. So, I went on a string of interviews, and took various jobs and internships. Some were in my field, some were not. Some were good experiences, some were definitely not.
