The Unemployment Report: Week 3

First of all, thanks to everyone for your expressions of support, sympathy, well wishing and everything else. It really has meant so much to me, and helped me keep my resolve.

I was amazed by how many people shared similar frustrations about their own jobs (isn’t it funny, no matter how many times we learn it’s not true, we still feel like we’re the only ones with the same problems) and were contemplating a similar move (or already had made one). Job frustration is not something that shows up on the post-INSEAD employment surveys we all get fed, so I think it came as a shock to many of us. For those of you who love your jobs, congratulations and continued happiness. Yours is a rare gift it seems. For those of you who don’t, I’m sorry. I hope things come right…and trust your instincts.

Well, I’m starting to get vaguely excited about job search 2.0. As I’m fond of [only half-sarcastically] saying recently, being single, unemployed, living with my parents (well for another 4 days), and turning 30 this month, SOMETHING needs to change. Many people like to tell me that persistence is crucial to solving life’s problems. I think for the job, that’s probably true….more effort yields more results, but as all of us who found our first post-MBA jobs to be not what we expected now know, it needs to be an elegant, sensitive persistence, not a beating-on-doors persistence.

As for persistence being the cure for single-hood, my mind is mixed. I do think most people end up with the person they end up with either because they chase after them and wear down their resistance, or are chased after and likewise worn down. You need the supreme effort on behalf of one party to establish the weight that ultimately anchors the relationship (the one side is unwilling to give up their hard-won prize, and the other, once won over, realizes how much effort went into the courtship). In my case however, I don’t think persistence is the answer. I’m not really one of those people who slowly let their personality out (as Chris Rock puts it, in most cases when you go on a first date with someone, you’re not meeting them, you’re meeting their representative). If you like me on day 1, you’ll like me on day 1000. On the other hand, if you don’t really like me on day 1, it’s not gonna get any better no matter how hard I try to convince you.

Anyway, I’m not looking for an immediate desinglization. With my luck, I’d meet someone who didn’t like snow and ruin the only concrete plan I have right now.

As for turning 30, well, I’ve explored the alternatives, and I’ve decided to just go ahead with it.