FIRST PERSON | It took you at least four years to get that piece of paper that says you've actually learned something. But wait a second. Something seems off.
Despite the optimism by our politicians that jobs would surely be on the rise for the young adults in 2012, a report from an organization called YoungInvincibles, entitled "No End in Sight? The Long-Term Youth Jobs Gap and What It Means for America," says the opposite is true.
According to the report, the jobless rate for young workers stands at 16.5 percent, double the 8.2 percent national average. Instead of landing jobs, more young people return to their parents' homes as they wait out the disappointing ugly truth that is the current American economy.
Sadly, this is the situation I'm in today. I'm 26, live in Washington state and despite having my master's in communication, I'm living at home. As much as I want to say I'm an independent adult, I'm very much dependant on my family as I look for work. I make some money as a freelance writer, but not nearly enough to strike out on my own at this point in time.
And even though I keep answering numerous ads for writers that I've seen on various freelance writer databases, most of the time I'm lucky if I hear back from anyone who has a serious offer. With my credentials, I already have one foot in the door of academia and have considered becoming a professor if I continue to have difficulty finding journalism work.
I'm not bitter. This is a tough market for everybody involved. Even though I haven't found my dream job yet, I'm still writing because I know that it's my passion. Even though life seems hard now, things have to get better down the line. The real trick to becoming a winner even in times of economic hardship is to be the guy who never gives up even though it seems like things are impossible. It's still a difficult economic reality but those who preserve will survive.
