Unemployed Newlywed

I don't mean to bring anyone down....but I really need to vent.
If you find that what I am about to say is similar to what you are going through, please send me a message...I would love to help you through this time too.
I married two years ago and also graduated from graduate school the same weekend. Things seemed to be going just as I had dreamed they would. I had high hopes of starting my career and soon starting a family. But then reality hit me like a ton of bricks
I happen to choose a very difficult career, School Counseling. It is extremely hard to find a position that is open and when you do, there are about 1000 applicants applying and most have the experience that I do not. So here I am two years later and still not doing what I have desired to do. My husband is a wonderful support but its gotten to the point where I am jealous of him and his success. I even get angry that he has a lower education level than I and is doing better than I.
I have become so miserable that even he has become miserable too. I feel like such a failure all the time that I am unable to contribute financially since all I can get are silly part time jobs that barely pay for one cc bill.
I don't have much hope anymore for getting my dream job and I even wish I could start over, but reality is that school costs too much, I don't have the desire to go back and I need to start working full time asap or else we will end up in the dog house!
I just wanted to be working, happy and possibly starting our family now. Instead I am miserable broke, unemployed and depressed.
Has anyone gone through this????
Do you have any suggestions???
Thanks anyway for letting me vent a little...its really tough since I feel bad always crying on my hubbys shoulder.
Pam

My MOH is going through the same thing - she received her masters for school counseling last spring and she's had the hardest time finding a job. She's been making ends meet by substitute teaching - luckily, they've called her in nearly every day but I know she's also really frustrated by how few positions are out there. Good luck! I'm sure that something will come up

School counseling is tough....have you thought about working in higher education? Several of my colleagues have a school counseling degree and are now working in either academic advising or career counseling. Good luck
Please FM if you want more information about how to search for jobs in higher ed.

Many to you.

Is there any way your graduate school career center can help? If not I also suggest you try doing something like academic advising. You can make decent money and you'd be helping people.

Sorry you're having a tough time.... I have somewhat of a similar story...

When we got engaged, I was unemployed... 2 weeks after getting married, I was unemployed again (I had a temp job for 6 months)... when we moved to NC, I was unemployed for the first 3 weeks we were here. My DH never ever said a bad thing and encouraged me - and even told me to relax, something will come along - the entire time He was very supportive.

Like you said, you entered a difficult job market... but maybe you should look outside of that market and get a job that is something you can do. SO MANY people get a job that doesn't relate to their degree... it amazes me. But LI is a limited job market and it's not easy.

Good luck and stay positive There are worse things in life then not having a job, but don't let it get you down Keep a positive attitude and things will get better.

I want to thank those that have replied to my post.
It makes me feel good to know that there are people, unfortunately, that are going through similar feelings and experiences. I guess when you feel like you aren't the only one feeling a certain way...it makes it a little easier to swallow.
To answer some of the questions: Unfortunately my graduate school career center is not useful. For this particular position they can't do anything.

I have tried applying as a college counselor, academic advising, admissions counselors, and even outside private counseling agencies.....no luck. I am constantly told that I am not experienced enough!

Thanks ladies for the support...you know what...I do feel a little better!
Much Love
-Pam

Have you considered doing counseling in a different area until something in a school opens up? I work in counseling & I'm finishing more graduate work at NYU this spring and alot of my friends and coworkers work as counselors in schools. They've all shared the same advice with me, get experince working with adolescents in community agencies OR if you can handle this area - teens/college age & substance abuse. I had dinner with a friend of my parents who handles all new hires for a number of schools in Nassau and she said substance abuse counseling and prevention is one of the biggest issues facing the kids in schools (even elementary ) today so it's what she looks for on resume's in addition to work with kids of all ages. If you want to talk feel free to FM me!

Trust me, if anyone knows what you're going through, it's me. I got my master's in '98 and my PD in '99 in counseling. My school placement was also useless.

I worked as a permanent sub and was passed up for a guidance position in the school for the following year so they could hire 3 people who spoke spanish/creole.

I ran an after-school program in an elementary school where the guidance counselor actually died during the school year. I was passed up for the position because the principal felt it would be easier to replace her position than mine.

I ran a church youth group.

I was a mental health counselor at ground zero for 9 and a half months, while there got involved in the labor union and worked as a 'flag girl' for quite some time to pay the bills.

I got a job in guidance in a private school in '04 where they used me as a one-to-one para (you can do this out of high school).

I finally got a leave replacement in '05 in a public school where there were 4 opening for the following year in the guidance department. They hired 4 minority men. lucky me, i'm a white girl!


So now, I finally have a 'real' full-time job as a guidance counselor in a private school (I much prefer public as they actually follow state rules and don't make them up as they go along) I feel like this is finally what I needed on my resume to get the 'normal' public school, L.I. job i've been dreaming of for the past 8 years. The kicker is that now i'm preggers...yay! but due at the end of sept. and wondering how i'm supposed to get a job for next year and then go out on maternity after 1 month at a new job. so, I may have to stay where I am for another year.

Anyway, enough about my ridiculous journey...the moral of the story here is that I lost count of how many times I've wanted to give up and spent the night crying myself to sleep in self-pity. Feeling like nobody understood what it was like to go to school for 7 years and have it be worth 'nothing'. But eventually something has got to give. Keep plugging away. Getting a leave replacement, although not a permanent job, is your best foot-in -the-door. Substitute teaching is also another way of making contacts and you never know what will happen in a district. Some friends of mine also broke through working as a recruiter for a college. The pay is not great and there's a lot of traveling to different high schools, but public schools love that you're so well versed with college requirements and the application process in general.

I wish you all the luck in the world. Keep at it, don't give up your dream!!!!! FM me if you need anymore advice.

Debbie

I know what that feels like. I was unemployed for 5 months last year and it's true, you do get depressed. I didn't want to settle, and neither should you. But in the mean time you need to get some type of experience in the educational field to show future employers what you are capable of. I don't know much about teaching, but you should probably look into substitute teaching and avenues like that, which will get your foot in the door. You have to approach this as working your way up. Get into any school district doing anything. You need to build experience.

Good luck!!!! It will happen if you make it happen.

I work in higher ed counseling and everyone who works with me has the masters in counseling from LIU and were unable to find jobs. It seems like they should really warn people before they start the program that the chances of getting a LI job are slim to none. Anyway, I'd say try to get into a low-level college job. You won't get any that are not entry level without experience, but having a gap on your resume with part-time jobs isn't perfect either. Good luck!