When graduating from college, most individuals struggle to find a job in their chosen field. There are either not enough opportunities or too many opportunities asking for long years of experience that recent graduates have yet to build. It is not easy to find an employer who will trust your knowledge and hire you to give you the required experience. I was one of those recent graduates not too long ago, struggling to find a job that would allow me to convert my passion into an income. However, I was one of the lucky ones who found employers who trusted she could get the job done. Now, I find myself growing in a new job during the pandemic.
Getting a new job through Facebook
As the pandemic became more severe and we began making changes to our day-to-day lives, I packed my life in my car and moved states. So, as lockdown hit, I found myself in a new state, job hunting while the world turned upside down. I had no idea what would happen, and I was afraid no one would risk hiring a new employee as an unknown virus was affecting more and more people. Still, I didn’t give up and continued to apply to those jobs that seemed fitting, and I knew would make me happy.
That is how one afternoon I came across a Facebook ad about Otter PR hiring writers. I had little experience as some of my articles had been published in digital magazines, and I had graduated college two years ago. I was eager to learn and ready to take on any writing tasks that came my way. So, I messaged the company, did a writing assessment, met with one of the founders, and was lucky enough to get the job.
However, I knew that at the same time as I was celebrating my new position, many were struggling because they had been laid-off, their jobs had temporarily closed, or they still could not find a job. These job losses grew between February 2020 and August 2021. Low-wage jobs were down 5.7%, while high-wage jobs had gone down 1.2%. All in all, there was a 3.5% decrease in several industries. People were struggling to pay rent, feed their families, and keep a roof over their heads. Covid is no joke and has been affecting everyone for over a year.
A little bit of hope
Most individuals became hopeless as the employment situation got worse. But contrary to popular belief, there still is hope, and there are some great opportunities. When I started at Otter PR, there were two other employees besides the founders. In a little over a year, I watched the team grow, giving employees with different backgrounds and experiences a chance. Among us, you can find tech experts, women with Higher Ed backgrounds, men who have worked with politicians, and dogs that will have you smiling all day.
When I joined the company, I worked at a table in my bosses’ apartment and communicated with two employees. Nowadays, we have two offices, 30+ employees working all over the country, and a long list of clients we want to see succeed. Although the last year has been highly challenging, it has been an experience that caught me growing in a new job during the pandemic.