I've been unemployed for more than a year; depending on when you start counting, maybe a year and a half to two years. Prior to that I was already underemployed. I've been in school for almost six months at the local community college, specifically directed to getting a job in broadcasting. And it looks like that isn't going to happen. The jobs just aren't there, it seems.
This is something I've wanted to do for much of my life. Till my senior year, when I finally learned basic social and speaking skills, it was impossible. Asperger thing. But taking a Public Speaking class in that year made a huge change for me. And I turned out to be good at it. Depending on who you ask, it is very common and highly unlikely for an Aspie to be a good public speaker. There are reasons it's a good option for an Aspie. I think I've explained them before, and if not, I'll explain them later.
And people keep telling me "you have a great voice, you should be on the radio," and so on. I believe that. I think so myself, and other people agree, so it's not just me. When my employers packed up and left the state, I became a Displaced Worker and I figured I had a very special opportunity, a shot at this work I've wanted to do for most of my life. And I figured by not choosing the jobs that everyone else would be going for, I'd have a better chance.
What often happens with these programs is that some study decides there will be 100,000 new Registered Nurse jobs. So they train 300,000 people, and 200,000 are trained but there are no jobs for them. I figured going for a different job -- which happens also to be my dream job -- would keep me out of that mess.
But...
It doesn't seem like I've learned anything new that'll make me more capable of the work. Perhaps I came into this with too many capabilities and it just hasn't had the impact it should have had if I didn't. I did spend more than 3 years podcasting, so I'm comfortable with a lot of audio stuff. Video isn't a big strength for me, but I don't particularly want to do video. Aspies simply aren't particularly visual, or at least I'm not.
Anyway, I'm looking at broadcasting work and wondering if they'd really want to hire me. I still have the voice and the talent. Do they want that? I might have learned new stuff in an Internship, except I didn't get an Internship. So I'm stuck where I am.
And if they do want me, how do I let them know that they want me?
And what do I do if they want me, but can't afford me? What if there simply -isn't- a broadcasting job for me?
Then six months in school were unproductive, and over a year of unemployment becomes ... more unemployment? Don't my benefits run out sometime in here?
I think I will somehow manage to graduate. And then what?
This is something I've wanted to do for much of my life. Till my senior year, when I finally learned basic social and speaking skills, it was impossible. Asperger thing. But taking a Public Speaking class in that year made a huge change for me. And I turned out to be good at it. Depending on who you ask, it is very common and highly unlikely for an Aspie to be a good public speaker. There are reasons it's a good option for an Aspie. I think I've explained them before, and if not, I'll explain them later.
And people keep telling me "you have a great voice, you should be on the radio," and so on. I believe that. I think so myself, and other people agree, so it's not just me. When my employers packed up and left the state, I became a Displaced Worker and I figured I had a very special opportunity, a shot at this work I've wanted to do for most of my life. And I figured by not choosing the jobs that everyone else would be going for, I'd have a better chance.
What often happens with these programs is that some study decides there will be 100,000 new Registered Nurse jobs. So they train 300,000 people, and 200,000 are trained but there are no jobs for them. I figured going for a different job -- which happens also to be my dream job -- would keep me out of that mess.
But...
It doesn't seem like I've learned anything new that'll make me more capable of the work. Perhaps I came into this with too many capabilities and it just hasn't had the impact it should have had if I didn't. I did spend more than 3 years podcasting, so I'm comfortable with a lot of audio stuff. Video isn't a big strength for me, but I don't particularly want to do video. Aspies simply aren't particularly visual, or at least I'm not.
Anyway, I'm looking at broadcasting work and wondering if they'd really want to hire me. I still have the voice and the talent. Do they want that? I might have learned new stuff in an Internship, except I didn't get an Internship. So I'm stuck where I am.
And if they do want me, how do I let them know that they want me?
And what do I do if they want me, but can't afford me? What if there simply -isn't- a broadcasting job for me?
Then six months in school were unproductive, and over a year of unemployment becomes ... more unemployment? Don't my benefits run out sometime in here?
I think I will somehow manage to graduate. And then what?
