I graduated in 2011 shortly after the shit hit the fan in '08. I remember moving back home and trying to get my shit together. My mom starts hounding me about needing to go back to work (I had worked as a cashier at a grocery store seasonally while getting my degree) I told her I wasn’t going back to that job n wanted to get a career job. After a month of not getting said career job in the worst economy since the depression she threatened to kick me out if I wasn’t working in the next 2 weeks. So I went back to that shit ass retail job… For 4 fucking years.
I worked at the grocery store, got a promotion and still made next to nothing wage wise. After a couple of years it was a real hindrance in interviews. I would get questions like "you graduated 2 years ago, why are you still working at a grocery store? Eventually a friend got a job working in an office at a limo company. I was able to piggy back off him to get a job there. It was shady, and I had no healthcare, or benefits compared to my previous employer, but it was a desk job. I was only at the limo company a little more than a year before I managed to get a career job elsewhere and work my way up. I sincerely think that having that crappy retail job on my resume was holding me back.
It pisses me off that I wasted 4 years on a retail job when I absolutely could have/ would have/ should have been in a better job. I have told new grads multiple times not to fall into this trap. Don’t get a bridge job if you can avoid it. It’s going to suck up all your time, and having the work experience isn’t going to help your career. You’re better off just quitting and pursuing your career in any way you can. Unless you absolutely cannot make rent and will be homeless, fucking don’t do it. Also, now with driving Uber / door dash as an option, I’d recommend it before doing retail. You can actually network driving Uber and talking to folks.
I graduated in 2011 shortly after the shit hit the fan in '08. I remember moving back home and trying to get my shit together. My mom starts hounding me about needing to go back to work (I had worked as a cashier at a grocery store seasonally while getting my degree) I told her I wasn’t going back to that job n wanted to get a career job. After a month of not getting said career job in the worst economy since the depression she threatened to kick me out if I wasn’t working in the next 2 weeks. So I went back to that shit ass retail job… For 4 fucking years.
I worked at the grocery store, got a promotion and still made next to nothing wage wise. After a couple of years it was a real hindrance in interviews. I would get questions like "you graduated 2 years ago, why are you still working at a grocery store? Eventually a friend got a job working in an office at a limo company. I was able to piggy back off him to get a job there. It was shady, and I had no healthcare, or benefits compared to my previous employer, but it was a desk job. I was only at the limo company a little more than a year before I managed to get a career job elsewhere and work my way up. I sincerely think that having that crappy retail job on my resume was holding me back.
It pisses me off that I wasted 4 years on a retail job when I absolutely could have/ would have/ should have been in a better job. I have told new grads multiple times not to fall into this trap. Don’t get a bridge job if you can avoid it. It’s going to suck up all your time, and having the work experience isn’t going to help your career. You’re better off just quitting and pursuing your career in any way you can. Unless you absolutely cannot make rent and will be homeless, fucking don’t do it. Also, now with driving Uber / door dash as an option, I’d recommend it before doing retail. You can actually network driving Uber and talking to folks.