So. Graduation’s knocking.
And I, much like esteemed colleague Abigail, am freaking out, man. The natural reaction, I think, to realize you’re graduating into a weak economy with a pretty little piece of paper that says ‘I write good,’ but what’s a poor professional writing major to do?
Ask you! Pretty convenient, isn’t it?
See, here’s the deal. I’m writing a lengthy piece on post-graduation employment opportunities for college kids of every stripe, but I need help. This is where you come in, silent reader, to save the day, or at the very least offer pearls of wisdom on what you did/plan to do/can’t believe you didn’t do whenever your turn came to strut across the stage.
I’m thinking things like the Peace Corps, Teach for America, the military, teaching abroad, and so forth – means of making a living post-grad that are useful and applicable to anyone with a degree, regardless of what they actually studied. If you have experience with any of these, or can even suggest something you did that wasn’t mentioned above, please drop me a line in the comment box below.
I’ll respond quick-like and probably move the conversation over to email, as I’ll be needing sources, quotes, the whole shebang. The proud results of all this will show up later on Unwind in some capacity, but the slick finished work will reach publication beyond the ‘net, though rest assured I’ll self-promote like you wouldn’t believe to get you to read it.
Thanks in advance! I’m going to subtly drop a link to this post in every future thing I write for Unwind, so you might as well speak up now, lest you keep clicking links and find your way back here every Wednesday.
P.S. Hello again! Hope you all had a wonderful break!
03/02/2010 at 9:58 am Permalink
I have an entire book called “Delaying the Real World” and it’s all about stuff like the Peace Corps and other opportunities to work for room and board. I will take a gander at it and get back to you! I was one of the lucky ones, I got a job post-graduation…
03/02/2010 at 9:58 am Permalink
I have a few friends who traded boring day jobs to teach English to kids in South Korea and they absolutely love it! There are a few job sites that aren’t as well known, like talentzoo.com and writejobs.com, that you might want to keep an eye on.
07/02/2010 at 2:26 pm Permalink
I am currently studying Spanish at an institute called “Bridge Chile” in Santiago, which is part of a broader company called “Bridge Linguatec.” I have been very impressed so far with the company in general, especially with their teaching methods. They have several different options for four week programs to get TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certified in many different countries, and in several of those you can take language classes at the same time. I would highly recommend that any of my fellow international studies majors or language students pursue an option like this if unsure of a career path – the language/cultural skills learned can be put to many uses. I plan on getting TEFL certified if I can manage to get the upfront funds together over the next year or so. They have a program for teaching English in Patagonia (wow!) that is very highly respected, in partnership with the Chilean government. You have to pay for the TEFL certification upfront but after that you get a stipend to cover living expenses.
They also have a program where you can go live with a family and teach them English about 15 hours a week in exchange for room and board.
10/02/2010 at 12:03 am Permalink
Thanks a lot, Cassie! Let me know if it’s worth picking up and I may just grab a copy for myself. Wish I could say I didn’t need it, heh, but graduation looms and the internship I was banking on just completely fell through.
That’s interesting that you mention that, Kam, as I’ve been kicking around the idea of teaching in Thailand after graduation. If your friends aren’t too busy, I’d love to ask them questions about South Korea. Either way, thanks a lot for the links! I’ll need to check them out.
And finally, Sarah – thanks for the detailed comment! Everything you just described sounds fantastic for the foreign-minded student, myself included. I have a couple of further questions for you, if you don’t mind, though I had trouble finding an email address on your site. Your contact page says to reach you @ sarahwarmker.com, though it seems to lack the first part of the address. 🙂 I’ll probably add you on facebook, however, and bug you there, so keep an eye out for me.
P.S. Your photos are gorgeous.