I would like to preface this blog with a strong emphasis on the fact that I am, honestly, a very industrious person. I believe firmly in the philosophy of work hard and play harder- which means that I will push myself to accomplish a lot in order to feel entitled to relaxation. None the less I have acquired the habit of procrastination. Usually I procrastinate on things which I don't quite understand. When it came to homework as a kid I would gladly do my math homework first- it was self-explanatory back in the days of algebra and I could finish it relatively quickly. I always put off things such as essays and projects- I seldom had access to a library and I assumed that asking my parents for help on what to do would be synonymous with cheating.
When I know what I need to do I am able to walk into the fire and do what I must. Ambiguity is another story. This is not to say that I hate ambiguity in general- in fact I prefer life presented as a series open-ended possibilities. I have a hard time defining the steps of a task that is ambiguous- it's hard to evaluate progress. This is one of the reasons I fell away from writing. Finishing a piece in the terms of beginning to end is concrete, but editing is an organic process that lacks a definitive end point.
Job hunting has become a matter of procrastination for me. As I stand right now the only way I can pay my student loans back is get a better-paying job or take on a second job. It's more than the money though- I thoroughly desire a career. My issue is that I'm not really sure where to look. I feel as though no companies are wanting to risk it with entry level positions- everyone is wanting experience.
I feel as though myself and my generation have been denied a chance to prove ourselves. Few of my friends have careers even though the majority of us have college degrees and have dedicated ourselves to companies and industries. Mobility in the career world does not exist for the 23-29 crowd. We entered the job market during the recession. Now we are weighed down by our educational debt with none of the job prospects we had envisioned during our college years.
College has become, somehow, a symbol of procrastination. Education has been devalued to the point in which certain employers regard it as a way of avoiding life. Perhaps to some extent they are right. Yet, if we were to bridge the disconnect between theories we learn in college and practical applications we learn in the work force then we could fashion a more efficient and knowledgeable work force.
In the meantime I believe I (this one time) speak for my generation in saying that I am here, and I am ready. I have the skills, the drive, the integrity, and the flexibility to be an invaluable asset to a company- but I need someone to open the door and let me in. I need a chance to prove myself. Do not waste my education and my capabilities. Do not speak to me of inexperience- my generation walks older generations through software programs on a daily basis- I explain to people twice my age how to utilize resources at their disposal several times a week. We have taken our turn in showing you the way, now its your turn to show us the way.
Wisdom is to be shared. Wisdom that is not shared is not wisdom, merely gloating.
You speak for me at least. Our generation, those of us who learned well the constructive lessons of the internet, are faster learners than those before us, and our ability to deal with new information quickly and efficiently is probably unparalleled as of yet.
ReplyDeleteWell I may not go that far- that seems to be a little horn-tooting :) However, our generation does have a knack for technology.
ReplyDelete