The job search however, is brutal. Talk about punch you in the stomach, take away your confidence brutal. Myself, and I know other volunteers, have spent countless hours looking through job openings, writing cover letters, and updating our resumes, but at the end of the day, according to the corporate world, I'm technically "under qualified" for anything. I don't have two to three years of experience and unless you count my internships, I honestly don't even have one year of experience (internships should always be counted...just saying). Instead of throwing myself into the 8-5 job atmosphere of gaining professional experience right after college, I chose to teach in southern Africa where I could gain life experience: working with people from different cultures, figuring out a system I knew nothing about, and managing 90 individuals who barely understood me when I first walked in their classroom door. Sadly, this exposure so far has not helped me to land a "gig." Although I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about my year and several "oh my goshes," there are things you cannot put on your résumé to persuade future employers that you learn quickly and have experienced and grown far more in that year abroad than you personally would have if you stayed stateside. Here's a list of some of those things:
1. I am a bucket bath pro. Cold water or hot water, I can show you the proper technique to feeling clean after just using a bucket of water. Adaptable, or so I like to see it that way.
2. When needed, I can whip out Namlish, which is the changing of my voice, accent, and terminology, to make things clearer for non-English speaking students. I have experience working with different cultures and different languages, that should seem marketable, especially in Houston. Ability to work in a diverse team.
3. Spiders don't phase me. Big, small, if they're on the wall, they will most likely stay. Fearless. This could come in handy in an office space, right?
4. I'm a hitchhiking expert, which clearly makes me personable :) I spent most weekends catching rides with strangers who quickly became friends.
5. I can make food, toiletries, and $400 USD last longer than the average American. I'm talking a month plus. Hello, resourceful.
I know the uniqueness and struggles of my past year are and can potentially be understood by the corporate world, but I do wish that it was easier to find an entry-level position at this age in time. I'm not alone, I know. Hundreds of thousands of people are searching for a job as I type up this blog. It's just a little disheartening that I haven't had any bites yet. I'm praying for guidance though and trusting that as right as my Namibian job felt, that my future career will feel the same. I'm patiently, or trying to, waiting for someone to contact me and tell me they want to interview me, hire me, or guide me.
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