Let me tell you, my occupation bounces around more than an out of control high bounce ball. I haven’t worked a full time permanent position since early 2012. A series of (un)fortunate events has led to this. Husband has paid all of the bills since about that time, so the pressure to take a placeholder job has been low. I need a job. I need to contribute. I have student loans after all. I also very much want to help. However, the location for Husband’s job directly conflicts with my ability to find a position in either of my occupational fields. And so I remain unemployed.

Some of my responses when people ask “What do you do?”

I don’t.

Stay-at-home dog mom.

Professional job seeker.

Amateur job seeker.

I volunteer a lot.

Freeload.

While I joke about it to the people I encounter, the cold hard truth is, we are drowning financially. Are we a lot better off than a lot of other people? Yes. But we should be in a lot stronger financial position. I take full responsibility for my student loans, and don’t regret them. I can do some pretty cool things after all.

As months go by and I do not contribute financially to my family, I worry more and more. I know Husband worries too, but between us, we are a mixed bag of reactions.

As the saying goes “Sometimes you gotta spend money to make money.”

I’m a volunteer for a large disaster relief organization. A major resume booster for me will be national deployment. I need requisite training for that. That training is nowhere near where I live, and I will not be reimbursed for traveling for training.

I’m also trying to get a temporary position in a different state that will require unreimbursed training and commuting.

Both options take money that we simply do not have.

When I approached Husband about these issues I was very surprised by his response. And this is my advice to you fellow amateur career seekers:

Keep trying until something sticks!

Don’t give up.

But I’m tired of spending money in hopes of making money. Haven’t I spent enough on training? There is no way I’m paying for a bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, or PhD. I know I would be great at this, that or the other thing, but every time I try I fail. I’m tired of rejection letters. I tried once and got fired. No one is going to want me. No one does want me. The job market is still horrible.

Keep trying until something sticks!

Today I’m making zero dollars. I’m going to continue to make zero dollars if I don’t keep trying until something sticks.

Read more about my unemployment adventures at I’d Rather Eat a Cookie.