A Recent Graduate's Predicament: Lacking Work Experience

I would like to admit one thing before I begin this article - I am lazy. However, because I feel the majority of people are at least moderately to extremely lazy I think that this is still completely relevant. Overachievers may stop reading here.

I do not have any "professional" writing experience. I have written, like many people, for as long as I can remember. As soon as my father set the old computer up in the laundry room running Windows 3.5 I was there and I was using Write (that's right, not Works or Word) to create different worlds far away from Alexandria, Virginia. In high school I took IB English (later dropped due to laziness) and Creative Writing was my favorite class. Naturally, this progressed into majoring in English at a university. Then I graduated (Or will, within a matter of two months). The fluffy dream of a writing career waiting for me as I threw my cap into the air soon crashed into an unpleasant realization that without any internships or experience, no one wanted me.

I understand that it's possible to gain experience while in college. But honestly, how many of us actually realize that at the time? I was more concentrated on not failing irrelevant classes like Physics rather than buffing up my resume for future employers. It occurred to me intermittently - "Maybe I should see about writing something for the school newspaper." This was usually followed by "When would I have the time? I'm full time in school and I have a part time job. Even if I could squeeze something into my schedule I sure as hell wouldn't want to." Ah, laziness. This is what separates the college grads who get the jobs from those who do not. Me being the latter, of course.

Probably the most frustrating thing about the whole mess is that I know that I can write decently. I'm not saying I'm the next Poe or anything, but I know how to put words together and make them not suck. But how can I convince someone of this when I have nothing to show for myself?

I know this must be a common dilemma because I can name ten people off the top of my head who are lazier than myself. In fact, none of my same class level friends are graduating with me but staying at least another full semester. So while a lifetime of Netflix-ing anime and scouring eBay doesn't sound like the worst time ever, I would probably pass out from hunger before I could enjoy said activities due to lack of money which means no food. Extreme example, I know.

So far the job hunt has been pretty frigid. I've applied to at least 10-12 companies/employers and have gotten three rejections and one write back asking me why I wanted to work for the organization and informing me that I addressed her last name incorrectly. (I promptly responded with an apology and explanation). I've even spruced up my cover letter and resume writing skills with one of my last classes at the university.

Ultimately, I believe a B.A. or B.S. is completely irrelevant unless you've got some serious extra cirriculars/internships under your belt. My choices now are to take a job I'm overqualified for (i.e. very low pay, possibly a return to retail) which continues the cycle of not having experience for what I want to do, or wait for something moderately relevant and move back in with my parents. C'est la vie.