Hi
I have wanted to write comedy professionally for a while and it is not until recently that I found another career path I think I'd find rewarding. Since realising that there are options, I'm actually writing better and more frequently because I'm putting less pressure on myself, which is great!
But we all know it's extremely hard to make a career out of writing so I do want to get myself a day job that I find rewarding.
So far, I have only ever found one other rewarding. I was volunteering as a press officer for a charity, which meant talking to people about their experiences, writing about the values of the charity and going on radio to promote the charity's work. I loved it because I believed in the cause and I felt like what I was doing could actually help someone. The cause was basically just volunteering. Students, graduates and NEETs can all benefit massively from free work experiences, because nowadays internships and apprentices are far and few between. Taking time while still in eduction or unemployed to work for free could set you up for life.
So I've applied to be an employability officer at my old uni. I know graduates aren't exactly a vulnerable group, but I remember how depressing it was to come out of uni with no direction, no job and no idea of how to get a job that I would feel comfortable in. If I get this role, I will help students find something before they leave university, I will give them advice on how to prepare and hopefully stop them going through a time of disappointment and confusion following three or four years of hard work - only to go nowhere at all.
But this is a stepping stone. I want to work in the third sector but I'm not particularly interested in ground level stuff. I would fine case working with the truly vulnerable stressful and would prefer being behind the scenes where I can use my skills to make a difference - my skills being communication, promotion and the art of persuasion! When I'm enthusiastic about something, I know I can infect everybody with it. It's one of the skills I'm most proud of that I am somehow (I don't know what I'm doing exactly) very convincing. Or so I've been told. I think it really just lies in my enthusiasm. I am also good at public speaking and presenting information, teaching, explaining things etc. I had at first thought about being a lecturer, and this is something I have been advised to do because my skills match, but I don't have the money to do a PHD!
I am also very interested in politics and when things come up in the news I am itching to something about it but I know I can't. So what I want to do is some kind of campaigning role. There are press and communication roles in charities but I know this doesn't include the bits I most want to do. I eventually want to be the person that meets up with officials, speaks to MPs, liases with people who make things happen and persuade them, as best I can, to really make a difference. I want to be involved in left wing politics to bring about meaningful change but, due to my uncompetitive nature (Competition makes me feel very uneasy, because I just want SOMEONE to win and it all be over and would gladly self-sabotage to make that come true!) I don't actually want to be a politician. I just want to talk to politicians about what can be done and feel like I might be persuading someone to make a meaningful change in my country. I want to be involved with identifying actions and policies that could make that change and then I want to negotiate terms - see how far we can get through discussion and debate and try to encourage others to put things into action.
The only thing is, I don't know what this job's called! I don't know what I'm aiming for here! Does this position even exist? How do I get there? I haven't got time for free work at the moment but if I had more time I would certainly put the hours in.
Anybody got advice on how I get to this point? I have media experience, I work as a professional writer at the moment, I have PR experience for charities and I have a first-class degree.
I AM NOT GOOD at organising things on a practical level. I am good at analysis, coming up with meaningful actions, debating and getting people on board. But I can only think up actions, I cannot follow through, because I lack common sense.
EDIT: I just want to add that I am a TERRIBLE schmoozer. I cannot network at all! I am not good at self promotion, I find it embarrassing and rude (unless I'm in a job interview or explaining my skills in this post where it is necessary). I am not good at small talk or making instant connections with people. I am good at talking about specific subjects and bringing people round to think about things differently, but I am not good with just general blather. The other thing holding me back is that I'm quite socially anxious and I find it very difficult to feel comfortable around people I don't know and because I'm so uncomfortable, it makes them uncomfortable. I can make myself do this, though, I've learned a few tricks. It sounds cheesy, but if I visualise myself being master schmoozer and give myself a bit of a peptalk, I can put it on. I can just walk through a party and speak to everyone with a big smile and seems like "life and soul" but inside I feel very uneasy and all I want to do is get out of there! I feel like this is REALLY going to hold me back on what I want to do. I can't keep up the act for that long, you see, I get tired and then the discomfort starts showing through. I want to be able to present information, speak about specific topics, promote, but I don't want to network or be in charge of charming people - I can charm if I put my mind to it, but like I said, I find it very taxing and uncomfortable. Does this mean I can't do the kind of work I want to, do you think?
I have wanted to write comedy professionally for a while and it is not until recently that I found another career path I think I'd find rewarding. Since realising that there are options, I'm actually writing better and more frequently because I'm putting less pressure on myself, which is great!
But we all know it's extremely hard to make a career out of writing so I do want to get myself a day job that I find rewarding.
So far, I have only ever found one other rewarding. I was volunteering as a press officer for a charity, which meant talking to people about their experiences, writing about the values of the charity and going on radio to promote the charity's work. I loved it because I believed in the cause and I felt like what I was doing could actually help someone. The cause was basically just volunteering. Students, graduates and NEETs can all benefit massively from free work experiences, because nowadays internships and apprentices are far and few between. Taking time while still in eduction or unemployed to work for free could set you up for life.
So I've applied to be an employability officer at my old uni. I know graduates aren't exactly a vulnerable group, but I remember how depressing it was to come out of uni with no direction, no job and no idea of how to get a job that I would feel comfortable in. If I get this role, I will help students find something before they leave university, I will give them advice on how to prepare and hopefully stop them going through a time of disappointment and confusion following three or four years of hard work - only to go nowhere at all.
But this is a stepping stone. I want to work in the third sector but I'm not particularly interested in ground level stuff. I would fine case working with the truly vulnerable stressful and would prefer being behind the scenes where I can use my skills to make a difference - my skills being communication, promotion and the art of persuasion! When I'm enthusiastic about something, I know I can infect everybody with it. It's one of the skills I'm most proud of that I am somehow (I don't know what I'm doing exactly) very convincing. Or so I've been told. I think it really just lies in my enthusiasm. I am also good at public speaking and presenting information, teaching, explaining things etc. I had at first thought about being a lecturer, and this is something I have been advised to do because my skills match, but I don't have the money to do a PHD!
I am also very interested in politics and when things come up in the news I am itching to something about it but I know I can't. So what I want to do is some kind of campaigning role. There are press and communication roles in charities but I know this doesn't include the bits I most want to do. I eventually want to be the person that meets up with officials, speaks to MPs, liases with people who make things happen and persuade them, as best I can, to really make a difference. I want to be involved in left wing politics to bring about meaningful change but, due to my uncompetitive nature (Competition makes me feel very uneasy, because I just want SOMEONE to win and it all be over and would gladly self-sabotage to make that come true!) I don't actually want to be a politician. I just want to talk to politicians about what can be done and feel like I might be persuading someone to make a meaningful change in my country. I want to be involved with identifying actions and policies that could make that change and then I want to negotiate terms - see how far we can get through discussion and debate and try to encourage others to put things into action.
The only thing is, I don't know what this job's called! I don't know what I'm aiming for here! Does this position even exist? How do I get there? I haven't got time for free work at the moment but if I had more time I would certainly put the hours in.
Anybody got advice on how I get to this point? I have media experience, I work as a professional writer at the moment, I have PR experience for charities and I have a first-class degree.
I AM NOT GOOD at organising things on a practical level. I am good at analysis, coming up with meaningful actions, debating and getting people on board. But I can only think up actions, I cannot follow through, because I lack common sense.
EDIT: I just want to add that I am a TERRIBLE schmoozer. I cannot network at all! I am not good at self promotion, I find it embarrassing and rude (unless I'm in a job interview or explaining my skills in this post where it is necessary). I am not good at small talk or making instant connections with people. I am good at talking about specific subjects and bringing people round to think about things differently, but I am not good with just general blather. The other thing holding me back is that I'm quite socially anxious and I find it very difficult to feel comfortable around people I don't know and because I'm so uncomfortable, it makes them uncomfortable. I can make myself do this, though, I've learned a few tricks. It sounds cheesy, but if I visualise myself being master schmoozer and give myself a bit of a peptalk, I can put it on. I can just walk through a party and speak to everyone with a big smile and seems like "life and soul" but inside I feel very uneasy and all I want to do is get out of there! I feel like this is REALLY going to hold me back on what I want to do. I can't keep up the act for that long, you see, I get tired and then the discomfort starts showing through. I want to be able to present information, speak about specific topics, promote, but I don't want to network or be in charge of charming people - I can charm if I put my mind to it, but like I said, I find it very taxing and uncomfortable. Does this mean I can't do the kind of work I want to, do you think?
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