Losing Patience by Degree

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I am a 28-year-old female with a master’s degree in public policy. I am bilingual, well-traveled and am damn passionate about improving our city. … And I have been unemployed for 10 months.

I quit my job last August due to an extremely hostile and unhealthy work environment. I figured that with my background, advanced degree and connections here in Los Angeles, I would easily find a job. I did not take into account the worsening economy and impacted job market full of professionals with years more experience than me whom I would be competing against.

Over the past months, I have applied to 81 positions, interviewed for 21 of them and been the infamous “first runner-up” for seven of them. (Which only means that losing hurts more and that the “celebratory” bottle of champagne my husband bought was pushed farther into the back of the fridge, until finally, last week, it moved to the garage.)

At this juncture, it is essential to explain that I am not “milking the government.” Since I quit my job and wasn’t laid off, I cannot receive unemployment benefits. In fact, I do not handle being idle well. I am a type A, outgoing, vivacious, driven woman who wants to contribute and work on issues that most people run from, such as improving the juvenile justice system and pushing for education reform. To keep myself busy, I have published a book chapter, volunteered for political campaigns and landscaped my front yard … so I guess one can rule out “lazy stay-at-home wife” from the equation as well.

Ten months is a long time for someone as hyperactive as myself to have the free time to think about her predicament. Every time I go to an interview, get a call back, go to another interview and then get an “I regret to inform you” e-mail telling me that the job was filled by a 45-year-old lawyer with 20 years of experience, I am more frustrated and confused by this city.

I have not given up looking, applying and vying for jobs, but I have become pissed off with the lack of foresight within our city! I am not naĂŻve enough to blame the economy, or mayor, governor or president for my situation. Instead, I blame the culture of Los Angeles for being complacent, for giving up on change and failing to invest in the future.

If I were willing to move to D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco or any other policy-loving city, I would have had a well-paying job nine months ago because those cities invest in policy-making, evaluating and research in order to improve.

However, here in Los Angeles, a city many speak of as riddled with violence, failing schools, traffic congestion, homelessness and other policy challenges, we do not have the foresight to invest in policy positions that can improve the issues that trouble our city. There are dismally few policy positions here in Los Angeles and the positions that are available are shuffled between those already in policy positions, thus pushing newly trained, energetic, innovative minds to leave and improve some other city.

Of the 47 students in my graduating 2010 UCLA master’s in public policy class, only four remain here in Los Angeles due to a lack of jobs. Sure, this is a down economy, but come on! Improved policies translate to cost-effectiveness, which in turn translates into an improved economy, which in turn leads to an improved quality of life. So what are we waiting for?

Oh, and if you are interested in hiring me, I can be reached at [email protected].

Jessica Nolan Daugherty lives in Los Angeles and is unemployed.

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