My Cousin Is Living A Crappy Life, Or So She Says......

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>So, my cousin graduated from a state university one year ago, majoring in French and minoring in Museology. She now works at a car wash, where she makes $7.00 an hour for 9 hours per day for 6 days per week. She still has to live with her parents, because she obviously can't afford an apartment or house in the city she lives (Seattle). My cousin knows some classmates that majored in more lucrative majors (such as Chem, Bio, Math, etc.) and they have great jobs and don't have to live with their parents.</p>

<p>This is upsetting her. She thought that college was a time to what you love (for her French and Museum stuff) and not doing something just for a career. Now, she thinks people go to college just to find a good job in the future. She is soooooooo disappointed that she cannot find a job that is related to French and Museums. She can't afford to go to college for another degree or get a boost in those two areas in graduate school.</p>

<p>What does she do?</p>

2

<ol>
<li><p>If your parents aren’t rich, then you should be attending college with the end goal (a career) in mind. This is kinda her fault for not picking a more marketable major that also interests her.</p></li>
<li><p>She can work doing something in French (translator or teacher maybe?) until she saves up enough money to go back to school in some form, or she could find out what interests her and try to get a job in that as either an internship or unpaid. She could use this experience to transition to a full time, paid job.</p></li>
</ol>

3

<p>She tried. In high school, she went through job market websites and the Bureau of Stats website to see what were the most marketable jobs were and what were their corresponding majors. She took math, business, science, social science, etc. classes in high school and college and hated them. That’s why she decided to major in French</p>

4

<p>Join the military - seriously.</p>

<p>She could join the Army as an Officer. It provides an incredible life. She will make a good salary and most of her expenses paid for. Plus, she will get to travel all over the world. I have a couple friends (including one female) who did this and it has done wonders for them. The female is currently living in Germany and travels all through Europe. Since your “cousin” majored in French and Museums, I assume she enjoys traveling and going to museums. Well, how much more perfect can you get? Does she speak French? If so, the Army (or another branch) could use her as a translator - which is a great skill/credential to have.</p>

<p>To let your “cousin” be scared of the Army/Military. Not everyone is in combat situations. You get to select what you do for a living and if you chose, can get comfy office jobs or get as challenging as you want. Yes, you will have to be deployed but that doesn’t mean combat.</p>

<p>It’s a 4 year contract and you can travel all over the world, be apart of something incredible, and gain valuable experience.</p>

5

<p>My cousin speaks fluent French and Vietnamese. </p>

<p>The problem is she is not really athletic and very short (only 5 feet tall). She says she would love be in the army or be a police officer, but she thinks that her abilities and physical attributes are going to be put her at a huge disadvantage.</p>

6

<p>Try the CIA – seriously. They value those who know other languages and you don’t need to be athletic. French is great, plus Vietnamese is even better.</p>

7

<p>You don’t need to be athletic to be in the military. You need to be fit.</p>

<p>The military won’t ask, oops…I mean your cousin to play basketball, hit a baseball or play soccer. They WILL demand that you be in shape and hold yourself to fitness standards.</p>

<p>Anyone can be fit, giving they have the dedication and desire. </p>

<p>Tell your “cousin” that there will always be a reason why NOT to do something, but to get ahead in life you need to learn to take on challenges.</p>

<p>If the Army seems to intense, check out the Navy or Coast Guard (Air Force usually requires technical degrees to be an Officer, but having a language may qualify). Either way, great opportunities exist in ANY branch. You can gain working knowledge, have your student loans paid off, serve your country and travel all over the world.</p>

<p>Think about it? You’re into museums right? Well, what would be better than living in Europe and getting to travel across the continent, visiting museums, cathedrals and other monuments for th enext 4 years of your life? Of course, you will have your responsiblities, but that’s just being an adult.</p>

<p>My buddy is a 2nd Lt. in the Army. Every month I see new pictures on his facebook page from all over the world. Belgium, Italy, France, Amsterdam, Austria - you name it. </p>

<p>If your “cousin” is using her size/atheltic ability from holding her back - she will never succeed in life, because she will always be looking for a reason to fail.</p>

<p>Be a winner, go to talk with a recruiter, find out where you need to be physically (and where you are at now) and make it happen captain. Go join the Army/Navy, use the military, don’t let the military use you. You like traveling? foreign culture? Art? How would you like to live in Germany? Travel via the Channel Tunnel to Paris on the weekends, meet a great guy and have a romantic kiss ontop of the Eiffel Tower, drink coffee in front of Notre Dame, go to the Louvre. Take the train to Belium, go to Bruges and spend a weekend drinking the best Beer in the world. You can do all that, and also have a job that will make a difference in peoples lives, allow you to be a part of something very special and build immense character.</p>

<p>Here is a great link for your cousin:</p>

<p>[World</a> Languages : Arts & Education : Careers & Jobs : Navy.com](<a href=“http://www.navy.com/navy/careers/arts-education/world-languages.html]World”>http://www.navy.com/navy/careers/arts-education/world-languages.html)</p>

<p>The only thing that will be a disadvantage to her is HER ATTITUDE. If she thinks she can’t, she won’t. But with dedication, she will surprise herself. </p>

<p>She doesn’t need to be athletic. She does need to be in shape. Most of the activity is running, which can be done by anyone with practice and dedication. Everything else can be done with will.</p>

<p>Sure beats working at a car wash for less than minimum wage and living with your parents.</p>

8

<p>You can try the CIA, but that isn’t something to count on.</p>

<p>I work as an analyst and I’m familiar with this stuff, it’s just nothing to give your hopes up for. It’s not a job you get right of college.</p>

<p>However, the CIA does higher an immense amount of former military, especially ones with language backgrounds.</p>

9

<p>Still, what if my cousin is only 5 feet tall, 100 pounds, has like a 20/100 vision? the army doesn’t seem likely.</p>

10

<p>Well, then it looks like your cousin is looking for a reason to not to do something. Because your cousins size isn’t a barrier, just the negative attitude.</p>

<p>I hope your cousin enjoys the carwash and her parents basement - I have a feeling she will be there for a long time.</p>

<p>People fail when they find a reason to.</p>

11

<p>No, I did not even talk to her about the army. She has always be told by her counselors, teachers, and even her parents, and friends, since 7th Grade that she cannot go to the army because of her height, weight, vision, etc. That’s why she hasn’t tried enlisting. She would have done ROTC if other people haven’t been so negative about it to her. It’s going to be super hard, if I even convince her, because she was just brought up that way.</p>

<p>I guess this is her life. She’s always be told this and that and could not do this and that. All the things she wanted to do (like army or French) she’s been told that she just can’t do. All the things she hated (like math and science) she’s been told she should do.</p>

12

<p>Can she obtain a teaching certificate?
-Schools
-Have she tried the French Alliance, Berlitz…The largest Alliance fran</p>

13

<p>Teach for America. Peace Corps.</p>

14

<p>I know people who majored in languages who do all sorts of jobs. International corporations value people who can speak other languages. Having both French and Vietnamese in particular is a marketable skill if you find the right fit. I suggest searching for Vietnamese companies that have an office here in the US who can use a translator and who want someone who knows US culture or US companies that want to do business in Vietnam. Some ideas of types of companies that might be good fits: importing companies, clothing companies. Being on the west coast is an advantage but Seattle might be very limiting - SF or LA would have more options.</p>

15

<p>Not to put her down any more, but her naivete is really upsetting. </p>

<p>Find work as a live-in nanny or au pair? Does she live near an affluent area? Her bilingual skills would help her out with that. But she definitely needs to get a grad degree in something <em>useful</em> and pre-professional or else she’ll be stuck in minimum wage positions for a looong time.</p>

16

<p>Well, she does have some experience.</p>

<p>In high school, she was a store clerk at a gift shop. In college, she worked on a farm. Almost all of her “grown” life she has babysitted her younger cousins.
She did intern at an art museum, but they weren’t able to hire her, because all positions were filled.</p>

<p>She did get a 4.0 at UW in Seattle. Grad school is definitely reachable, but she can’t afford it. That’s why is working for less, instead of just doing nothing.</p>

17

<p>ohhh please!!! This tread is pathetic. It’s going nowhere. Let it die already!</p>

18

<p>I was in the military, not athletic at all and I had one of the most physical jobs you can get…</p>

<p>Less is expected of women and 5 feet was the minimum height for males. I don’t know if it’s less for women but it’s certainly not more. You are generally expected to do physical tasks which are based on your weight. Push-ups and pull-ups, especially pull-ups, are easier if you are a pipsqueak. The USAF or USN are really easy anyway…</p>

19

<p>She needs to get out and start pounding the pavement. Those majors are pretty pathetic for actually getting a job. Any type of sales position doesn’t require a lot of college level work. There are a lot of good paying industrial sales jobs out there that she could do. Scientific equipment might be one area.
She is making excuses for just not wanting to step up and realize that being grown up is a real pain a lot of times. Make sure that she has to pay rent, to try to force her to get moving.</p>

20

<ol>
<li><p>Move from Seattle to wherever the jobs are. I don’t think Seattle is dense with jobs in either French or Museum work. </p></li>
<li><p>Before moving, make contacts with potential employers in different areas. I suspect that SoCal and the box defined by
Boston-DC-St. Louis-Chicago is going to be where she will find
the most opportunity. Though for French/Vietnamese, an export/import firm in San Francisco or Los Angeles might bear some investigation.</p></li>
<li><p>If need be, offer to intern…i.e., work free, to get in the door
at a place that looks good. </p></li>
<li><p>If #3 is necessary, accumulate some cash to live off of. Or borrow from parental units but have an iron clad moral commitment to pay it back. Make cost-effective choices: living with roommates as opposed to having one’s own apartment, eating at home instead of out, bring your lunch instead of fast food. If she lives in a city with good public transport, avoid having car & insurance.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>===</p>

<p>I don’t subscribe to the go-to-college-to-get-a-job theory. But anyone without slam-dunk employable majors should have evolved a plan and been working with the career office for more than a year before graduation. What crevice did she have her head tucked in?</p>

<p>Packers, there’s nothing wrong with those majors that some planning and getting butt in gear wouldn’t have solved.</p>