Hard Work, No Pay

The New York Times ^ | October 3, 2009 | JENNIFER WILLIAMS

[cpdiii]

I have a master’s of fine arts and spent two years in the Peace Corps. All that looks fine on my résumé. But there are also gaps in my work history: long empty months punctuated with only temporary periods of employment. I have had lots of opportunities to practice glossing that over for potential employers.

In 1966 I had nothing except a strong back. I worked on the drilling rigs each summer to pay for University. I flunked out but came back later after another 5 years on the rigs, and graduated in geology. I made a great deal of money until 1983. Oil went to 7 dollars a barrel, and that really sucked for a Geologist. I sold my house and airplane and went back to university and now have a degree in pharmacy.

In reference to the original poster on this thread, if you look in the dictionary you will find the word sympathy some where between the words sh-t and syphilis.

Go get a job a McDonalds, they always have openings for someone with your set of skills.

[the anti-liberal]

Actually, he might be in the front running to join 0's Youth.

Next thing you know, he'll be knocking at your door wearing a powder blue uniform with an "O" logo, demanding your guns and forcing you to take an injected inoculation against something or other.

[cpdiii]

My comment was meant for The New York Times ^ | October 3, 2009 | JENNIFER WILLIAMS

Not you grey whiskers

[radiohead]

<People don’t hire you just because you have a nice resume. You have to have some skills

Many years ago, I got placed by a temp agency as a paralegal in a company. I was a new lawyer in town and looking for any legal-related job I could get, so I was happy to have it.

I found out that I got the placement because the other ‘paralegals’ thought they were too good to do word processing and/or had no typing skills and they wanted someone to churn out a bunch of documents. So, a really nice long term temp job went to me instead of someone else because they were too good to type.

btw - since I was a lawyer, they eventually gave the project to me and made me full time in-house counsel. I worked there for 4 years.

[utax]

it’s OK to have fun during your college years.

just don’t expect a big financial payoff after graduation!

[Recovering_Democrat]

HUSSEIN: NO WORK, LOTS OF PAY

The liberal way.

[ottbmare]

Devoid of any discernible artistic talent. It’s sad when someone devotes her career to an area at which she has no ability.

[ottbmare]

Go get a job a McDonalds, they always have openings for someone with your set of skills.

Ha! Not anymore. Now in order to get hired at a fast-food restaurant you need to be young and have an excellent command of Spanish (assuming, of course that they're hiring at all, which is unlikely). As I posted here some months ago, my daughter worked at McDonald's in her teens and was an excellent, efficient, hard worker, but she could not get another job in fast food because she has only a little high school Spanish.

[BlueLancer]

"A series of illustrations created by Jennifer Williams and Babs Abdul Rahman, a Ghanaian artist, about children who live in a chiefs palace, and the stories they make up to tell each other while they ... wait to be eaten".

There --- fixed it.

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RESISTOR

Swear allegiance to the flag, whatever flag they offer;
Never hint at what you really feel.
Teach the children quietly for, someday, sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stood still.

Der Elite Møøsënspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmändø (EMØØK)

[perez24]

Amen from a communications major. I had minimal career prospects after college but I stuck with my summer job until I was able to land a real job and have done fairly well since then.

We’ve taught our kids to think that they’re too good to do jobs AND, worse yet, not taught them that there can be opportunity in anything. I think the latter is worse than the former.

[JimRed]

I have a master’s of fine arts and spent two years in the Peace Corps.

That's nice, but can you actually DO anything of value?

[Ciexyz]

An MFA in the arts, such as writing, gives you the credentials to apply to teach college. Assuming you get picked up at a small college somewhere, part time of course, maybe working on a doctorate, you then have your foot in the door. Helps to have grant money, family money, or a spouse to support you as you build your career.

Bottom line with MFA's: you're an entrepreneur working on your own creative enterprise. Only so many museum and non-profit jobs to go around.

[redgolum]

She “followed her heart”, without realizing that it isn't a way to make a living.

The last few generations of college kids have been lied to. You can't study what you want and make a living off of a art degree. Take a trade, and learn about art on the side.

Just wait till you see similar articles about MBA’s.

[chris_bdba]

I didn’t want to say it first but yes I’d expect a lot more from an art degree. I can draw/paint better than that and I didn’t spend the money on the degree!