Unemployment Hits the Big Time.

Soooo, Hollywood...I've just graduated...and my life has taken quite the turn. Want to rub it in?

Sweet!

If you've recently graduated, have had to move back in with your parents, are having a tough time landing a decent job and find yourself with too much time on your hands, this movie seems to have been made for you. "Post Grad" is about a girl moving home and experiencing the "Real World" for the first time in four years. It's being put out by Fox Searchlight, which tends to release the indie-flick types of movies I love, but stars Alexis Bledel (AKA "That Gilmore Girls Chick") who I usually find a little boring. Okay. A lot boring.


A movie about a girl moving back with her weirdo family as she tries to get a man, a job, and an idea about where her life is going might turn out to be a cheese-fest...OR might turn out to be just be the thing I need right now. We'll see on August 21 - right as summer starts to draw to a close and it truly starts to sink in that nope, I REALLY won't be going back to school this year.

Stay tuned for a lengthy review, kids!

LC

A Little Whine and a Tip

It's been a quite a discouraging day of applying for the perfect job. For starters, it's at my alma matar, which I love, with people I know, in a department I completely embodied as an undergrad. I spent 4 hours perfecting my application, resume, and cover letter, only to recieve a message at the end of all of it saying "Thank you for you interest in this position. Based upon your response to the supplementary application questionnaire, you do not meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Please do not let this discourage you from applying for other positions that interest you."

Translation: Sorry, on the question where it asked if you have a master's or are enrolled in a master's program, you clicked 'no'. So nope, we're not even gonna look at your application.

Let's just say, a great amount of patience is the reason I still have a computer to post this blog update on. It was almost out the window.

At any rate, that's not what today's post is about. No friends, instead I am here with a fUN-employment tip! That's right, a fun thing to keep you busy when you aren't banging your head against the wall of jobs that you can't get!

So here it is: In So-Cal there are a million aspiring photographers, because there are so many pretty people and things to take pictures of. Chances are, you're pals with one of these friendly photogs. Enter fUN-employment tip- Trade your photographer friend a free meal (or other legal service) in exchange for having them do your pictures. It's fun, you get dressed up, you pick a cool location, they get food and experience, and it's free!

Also, if you live in the LA/or Hollywierd scene like some of us RamenDiary gals, they're asking you to send a headshot with almost all of your resumes these days. While I personally think it's bizarre to submit a full body shot of myself to be able to sell vacuum cleaners, or make a venti chai latte, you're one step ahead of the game if you've already got some great professional pictures on hand.

Best of all, if they're really good, or you're really good-looking, maybe one of you gets famous!

Word to the wise though, be careful how much creative direction your artsy photographer friend gets with the pics. I recently vetoed a request to do a shoot wearing fishnets. Remember, pictures say a thousand words. And usually, pictures of you in fishnets don't say the words "I'm responsible, smart and hardworking, so hire me."

~JR

Gettin' in to that Unemploymentality?

I said I'd give myself a week.

One week, one glorious week of nothing but sunbathing and catching up on trashy TV...a celebration/self-reward for four years of 18-unit semesters and triple-job weeks...and that week quickly started looking like two when I realized that this is supposed to be the real world now. That means that unless I get into career mode, I'm going to be unemployed and homeless forever. While it seems like fun now, down the line: uh, not so much.

So I hit the streets (or electronic streets) looking for a job. In doing so, I've noticed what a lot of people have probably been noticing.
1) there aren't very many jobs out there
2) what jobs there are, SUCK
3) I can't survive in LA on what any business seems to be willing to pay
4) because there have been so many layoffs, hiring managers seem to think that jobs that were once entry-level can now require "3-5 years experience". Which is SO COOL for me. (Ugh.)

Head up, though, it's only been a month. Sure, I haven't even gotten a phone-call response thanking me for my interest in a position yet, but maybe I've just been too picky. I'm in The Zone now. There's gotta be something out there for me. For all of us grads! Dream big!

Go, Team.

LC

Mini Pani

Mini Pani: "Miniture Panic Attack". To be used when life's stresses do not completely overwhelm you...but are...shall we say..."whelming" you.
This phrase stems from several recent freak outs had by the ramen diary bloggers. A quick and easy term was needed to ensure that all parties understood immediately what the "mini pani" victim is feeling. Some examples:

Sentence: "I am writing a 20 page paper that is due in two hours. I only have 10 pages written. MINI PANI."
Sentence: "I have a final in an hour and I am still drunk. MINI PANI."
Sentence: "Wait...the paper was due today? MINI PANI."
Sentence: "I am graduating in 15 days. MINI PANI."

Love it. Use it.

~KN

Good Morning Hollywood!

In an economic slump where Hollywood seems to be taking the easiest hit, is it really fair for them to capitalize on the suffering of mere mortals? Take the following examples:

1. FILM: Unemployment (Avail. for rent NOW) - two out-of-work actors go out looking for work after their landlord threatens to kick them out if they can't pay. Apparently hilarity should ensue...but doesn't. Maybe it just hits a little close to home?

2. TV: Canned (FALL 2009) - a new workplace comedy in which a group of friends are fired on the same day as part of a corporate shake-up. Love her, but to me there's just something about Amanda Bynes playing anyone down-on-her-luck that I just can't believe.

3. TALK: The Daily Show's "Unemployment Report" - Okay, actually it's funny...oh, Rob Corddry...but still, a few bit roles in a few blockbusters, and I think I'd remain quiet, even if it was for the sake of comedy.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Unemployment Report
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Come, now, Hollywood. So long as you're still hanging out in your Beverly Hills Mansions and Malibu Beach Houses, let's go easy on the unemployment stabs, huh? This is my (future) life you're laughing at.

I'm hurt.

Kinda.

LC