*Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely NOT coincidental*
It all begins when you start to wonder what else life has to offer aside from freelancing and working a side job to pay your rent. So you begin to leisurely look through art job ads, only to quickly realise that you have zero experience. Soon the questions about what else your life could be consumes you, and then your search truly begins. Here’s a run down of what you might expect and some solace to let you know you will come out alive (I did).
1.Looking through art job ads
You will despair with the amount of amazing opportunities that you aren’t qualified to apply for, but your resilience will keep you going, you will find the right fit you’re sure. Desperation only becomes a reality later, for now you’re confident and happy.
2.Sending out a ridiculous amount of applications
Sometimes to places you dream of working at, sometimes places you don’t even know but pretend to when friends and family ask you. Your cover letters come out automatically and you feign passion, yada, yada, yada…
3.Replies start coming in: overwhelming NO
We regret to inform you, sorry to tell you, it is with sadness… please try again in the future. These little euphemistic phrases will become all too familiar. You won’t even read the rest of the e-mail.
4.Despair sets in
You start to consider other career paths, maybe you’ll become a sommelier, that’s a thing right? You love wine, this could be it. People start to give you useless advice and you start to convince yourself that your parents house isn’t so bad.
5.You get a reply for an interview with a place you don’t even remember applying to
And guess what, they’re offering you less than the minimum wage. Sure who needs to eat, I’ll have a shoebox size studio or room and live on rice.
6.Breakthrough: a friend tells you about a dream job
You apply even though at this stage you have run out of all hope, it’s a last ditch attempt but your best art girl is there to encourage you.
7.THEY WANT AN INTERVIEW???
You jump up and down and ring your parents to comfort them, because at this stage they’re wondering why you aren’t more like your cousin who did law and economics.
8.Skype interview prep
You’ll clean half of your room or office for this, only whatever will be in the film frame. Same goes for clothes: top half is a classy business shirt, bottom is beach shorts because it is July and after all you’ve just got back from the beach. You channel all you charm and find the best angle.
9.They want me???
‘So can you start in two weeks? You’d have to relocate, of course.’ You say yes as you check your non existent saving accounts, and have a little dance after the call is over.
10.You start a new adventure
Finally you can take a deep breath and close all the art job tabs on your browser.
This can take months but despair not, there are plenty of opportunities out there, keep applying.
Text by Bárbara
Image via pinterest,buzzfeed,seinfeldmemes
