<p>My son graduated last year with a degree in journalism and media. He got a good entry level job in his field with a large media company. He is bored. He wants to “do something more, something that matters”. He is living at home because the cost of living in NYC is so high. I told him to suck it up and spend the money on an apartment so he is where all the acton is. Unfortunately, his friends are stuck in the past and all they want to do is drink and party. He went to Israel last year with people from all over the world and loved the intelligent debates and conversations. He misses it. He is looking for guidance as to what to do. He considered the military, but is fundamentally opposed to war…so probably not a good idea. I don’t even know what to suggest. He just looks so lost. Any ideas?</p>
<p>First, he must realize that most entry level jobs in any area are boring. Learning the ropes is never any fun. Too many kids assume that once they get that degree they’re going to start at the top. Doesn’t happen - he needs a lesson in reality.</p>
<p>Second, “something more” is too amorphous, and really doesn’t mean anything. He can’t make an action plan based on “something that matters.” What exactly does he think that is? Have him contact his college’s career center for some aptitude testing and career counseling, so he can figure out what he wants to do. Then remind him that, at the beginning, he’s likely to be bored, and that “what he wants to do” is where he’ll end up, not where he starts.</p>
<p>Lots of people go into journalism thinking they want to “make a difference”. It’s a problem since that’s not what journalists by definition are supposed to be doing. An entry level job with a large media company is awesome. Many would be very jealous. Good luck to him!</p>
<p>I agree with both of you. He has to pay his dues. That’s why I told him to just get an apartment in the city. We live in a boring town and I think that he would be happier in the city.</p>
<p>First of all, he’s lucky that he even has a job in his field. Journalism is a dying field, sad to say, as papers and magazines fold left and right. I got shut out years ago and make more money as an administrative assistant, while H went to the dark side in PR. Your son has two problems-in a large organization he will take some time to move up to where he’s doing anything of great import, but in a smaller one he would get to “make a difference” at the cost of a living wage and the constant threat of the paper/magazine shutting down.</p>
<p>I assume he’s a good writer-there are many options for writers-but many former journalists vying for the same jobs. Non-profits all need development/communications people, governments and government agencies from local town halls to national offices need writers. Businesses need PR/ spokespeople. And so on.</p>
<p>But he could also look into teaching LA, advertising, marketing, or technical writing. If what he really wants is the Bright Lights Big City experience, he should move out on his own and find it.</p>
<p>I miss local community news. I don’t mean opinionated blogs written by people with an agenda, but community papers about people you might know. I know that in the time I got to write for one, I DID make a difference for some people. I don’t think most blogs can do that-and they certainly don’t pay. Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>It is not only career life that emerges post-grad, but for many, an entirely new social scene to navigate. Grads can miss the ease of the familiar rhythm of school, the way socializing is more readily available, and the chance to move on from less interesting courses after 16 weeks. Additionally, who you connect with can change once people are not in such close proximity and are entering the “adult” world at different paces. I wonder if any of this is impacting his perception of his job. In addition to the living at home issue, having some pursuits outside of work and ways to connect with more like-minded peers could help. It is hard to know where the point of least compromise is as you start out in a particular field with your first job. Time usually brings perspective. </p>
<p>Now, if he is mopey and down all the time, showing little enthusiasm for anything, that’s a different discussion. Best to all. We have a journalism grad also and it is a particularly challenging time for the field.</p>
<p>There must be many ways he can do something that matters, on the side, while building his resume. Start with volunteering in whatever capacity is needed and increase his role; agree, non-profits (or political or social causes) often need savvy writers and people who can quickly get to the heart of an issue, present their case. This doesn’t have to be a full-time job to have an impact.</p>
<p>Agree, lots of first jobs are far less exciting than we envisioned- and getting away from home, if he can afford it, gives one a better sense of living life.</p>
<p>If the people he went to school with only want to drink and party, and he isn’t happy with that, he needs some new friends. Participating in activities with a higher percentage of interesting, involved people would help. Volunteering is a great way to do this.</p>
<p>Has he thought about going into the Peace Corps?</p>
<p>You mentioned military, so how about the Coast Guard? Those guys/gals make a difference every day, in many humanitarian and environmental areas.</p>
<p>Im assuming you are aware members of the Coast Guard have been deployed overseas, although not all the supports for other branches of military families are available to members of the Coast Guard.</p>
<p>Family members are serving. You must put in for these competitive over seas billets. Odds are you will serve stateside. Unless you posses some very unique/needed skills. Small service, to be sure. Doing lots on little, often with assets the Navy deems too old to be useful.</p>
<p>Work is boring. That’s why they have to pay people to do it.</p>
<p>There can be kind of a lull after graduation. There is so much build up to it and then when you get there it’s sort of like, “… is this it?” for a little while. I would have experienced it, too, but I broke up with my boyfriend of 4 years my first week on the job so those first few months I was so busy and distracted I only noticed some of the post-graduation weirdness. Has he made any new friends at work?</p>
<p>He needs to make some new friends, which can be hard for some to learn to do without the structure of school. It sounds like moving out would be good for him, too, I think your instincts are right. But, some of what he is feeling is normal. It’s an adjustment transitioning to the “real world” after just hearing about it for 20 years and setting your expectations too high. (That said, I now love post-college life WAY better than any other time period in my life, but it took some time to learn the ropes.)</p>
<p>Have him volunteer for a political campaign, the young people I have worked with are always having lively conversations. It renews my spirit when I listen to them! See if there are any local NGO’s or environmental groups that could use some help. The major political parties and the working families party all have young people that share like minded views.</p>
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<p>Not all work is boring- you just have to find a job that you love. I love what I do. I don’t even think if it as work. Obviously it is easier said than done and take a long time to get there.</p>
<p>You are right, he should move out of the house, of course he is stuck. It doesn’t have to be so expensive if you pick the right area to live and live with roommates. Once he lives on his own, he can find meaningful volunteer work and find new friends. It sounds that he might be depressed?</p>
<p>I am, and have seen something similar with one D. She also spent last year in Israel, doing meaningful work, living with interesting young folk, interacting with immigrants from all over the world. It was a dynamic and busy time, and she certainly came away loving her experience there. </p>
<p>From my time in the the Rotary Exchange world, I do know that the readjustment year back to the home country can be more challenging psychologically than the year abroad. Coming home can make young folks call many routines and cultural norms into question. </p>
<p>The other issue I see with my D, is that college is communal living, Israel was communal living. But post graduation, living, even in a group house, is no longer so group centered, and just intrinsically not as fun. Better for us individualistic Americans perhaps, but it calls upon different strengths and needs. </p>
<p>Has he considered taking the foreign service exam?</p>
<p>" He considered the military, but is fundamentally opposed to war…so probably not a good idea."</p>
<p>You’re right, it is a very bad idea. Everyone entering the military should understand that they may be called upon to fight and die for their country. It is very likely, given the last couple of administrations proclivity for jumping into wars, that this will continue, and military folk will keep on getting deployed to war zones. As a former military officer, even when I was pretty young, I realized that the basic job of the military is to “kill people and break things,” though sometimes you felt more like you were doing rescue and humanitarian missions. People fundamentally opposed to war should never, ever, enter the military and then say, “I didn’t know!”</p>
<p>But some great suggestions here. He needs to do some foreign travel, peace corps, some sort of international work might be fascinating for him. I wonder if there are many new graduates out there struggling with this. I never felt that, because as soon as I graduated, I felt way over my head with pressure and excitement, whether good or bad. So many times, all I wanted to do is sit on the couch and watch tv, or have a beer with my friends.</p>
<p>Tell your son to go to work during the day and so he could have his intellectual discussions with his friends at night/weekend. I work with so many programmers who are musicians. They practice/perform when they are not working. </p>
<p>Of course graduation is not what it’s quacked up to be, it means after graduation they are responsible for their own destiny. OP - you can do what you want, but I would kick him out of the house so he could whine to his peers.</p>