Recently, it seems as if a new word has entered the recession-inspired lexicon. First we had “staycation,” then came “frugalistas” and “recessionistas.” Now, there’s “funemployment”. Los Angeles Times and SF Weekly both published features on the trend (and I have several friends who are taking time off to do their own thing).
So while all the dismal jobs news makes me feel anxious about my career future, these reports help me feel like, well, the world wouldn’t end if one does not have a job for a little while.
Out of college, everyone (or so it seemed) wanted to “take over the world.” But this deep retrenchment may have given people – especially young, well-educated professionals in their 20s and 30s, a chance to reexamine their ambitions, priorities, and assumptions.
I wonder – if this dismal market has given people the chance to do something differently, chase their dreams instead of the next promotion. Having experienced or witnessed the massive disruptions to our identities as producers and consumers, how will we respond once the recession ends?
One 20something blogger I read is Molly of These Little Moments (who shares my penchant for shoes). She has been unemployed for 6 months after being laid off from her job in public relations. Today, she wrote a very honest post about her experience with unemployment, and how this stint outside the workforce has changed her view towards work and altered her career ambitions.
This recession has affected my thinking too – maybe not as drastically as it has Molly, but it definitely has on several fronts.
The recession has reminded many people – myself included – that family and friends are the most important things in life. My thinking has always been that true love and friendship are hard to find. So once you do you better hold on to them for dear life! I think for me, a rich and fulfilling life can be lived out in both the personal and professional spheres. This recession has reaffirmed in me the importance of financial independence, and my desire to have a career, not a job.
One alumna sticks out in my mind – she worked at several large companies domestically and internationally, graduated from a top business school, and now is in charge of marketing an entire brand in Europe. She’s maybe 35. She’s going to be a CMO or an EVP one day (maybe even a CEO), I can almost bet on it.
I’m impatient, and sometimes, on a bad day, it feels like I’m already falling behind. But I know I can get there.
Well Heeled Blog 
I’m in the same boat. My job is not very rewarding and not what I want to do forever. I long for that “career” that gets me out of bed in the morning and makes me excited to go into work. But at the same time I know this job has its purpose, if anything it will make me thankful for the next one. 🙂
I know that “falling behind” feeling. I just know that I can do something to make this world better, and while I’m on the path sometimes I think I’m not even close. Especially when I hear of someone younger than I am that is closer than I am. I have to remind myself to keep on going and that I’ll finally get there.
Thanks for sharing your reflections!
You know, it’s really nice to hear someone else who is young and ambitious as well. I always enjoy hearing your opinions about the life/career balance because they’re quite similar to my own. I do think that friends and family are by far the most important part of life but at the same time I think I would feel a bit incomplete if I didn’t have a rewarding career. I really like the example alum you used, not the exact same alignment but that’s totally the path I’d like to be on. And while my career isn’t exactly where I want it to be right now, I am positive of what I want to achieve. Perhaps it will take longer than I want, I’m a bit impatient, but I do believe I can accomplish it.
This will sound really strange, but when I was laid off 6 years ago, I was depressed and anxious for the first two weeks or so. Then, I started to realize that things would turn around. I spent a lot of time, of course, looking for a new job, but I also spent time outside (it was the fall, the best season here), met up with friends, ran errands at off times, went to the library, etc. And for some reason, during the two-plus months I was laid off, I’ve never slept better in my life. I mean, I was like Ben Franklin. It was early to bed, early to rise, and I felt great and even relaxed–like, I don’t-even-need-coffee great. When I did finally get a job, I asked to start a week later than they wanted. If you’re young, you will probably never get a chance to have that much time off at one time, and it doesn’t have to be a completely bad thing.
I’ve been laid off twice (not fired) in my career and I loved every minute of unemployment. It’s a lot easier when you are young, you have fewer bills and responsibility. I travelled, cooked and caught up on my reading. It was a wonderful time, but it couldn’t last forever. Now that I have a house I can’t afford to stay on unemployment, I would have to get out and get a job pretty quickly.
I thought about changing careers during my first lay off, but the promise of a bigger salary lured my back. I make too much doing what I do to really consider a career change, financially it wouldn’t pen out. Now I’m focusing on working and saving like mad so money is no longer a factor in my career/happiness decisions.
Forget about the other people. Everybody is different and nobody is equal to eachother. So, why bother with comparisons?
Having said that, I would recommend having numbers in your life, like making $100K/yr by 30, saving $20K/yr and having net worth more than $500K by 35.
Numbers are emotionless, objective metrics, and they can tell all kinds of stories, if you would like to listen, like you are saving too much or you have too much debt.
Good luck.
CD
“Family and friends are the most important things in life.” I work hard, but I play so much harder for this very reason. What good is all the work and all the accolades in your career if you can’t share good times with people you love.
Great post!