Waiting is the hardest part

by CmdrFire via Flickr

As I've mentioned previously, I am searching for a new job. I've been seriously searching since May, when I finished my masters. I haven't felt super pressured to find a new job immediately because I currently have a stable, full-time library assistant job. As I also mentioned previously, however, I'm getting rather sick of feeling stuck in an in between phase. I know in the grand scheme of things, an almost 3 month job search is not a very long one, considering the state of the economy and the state of librarianship, but I can't help but feel desperation growing inside of me.

It's not that I've been getting rejection letters. Since the start of my search, I've had one interview and two rejections. All of the other jobs have either just closed or are still posted and accepting applications. I can handle being turned down, but this not knowing is killing me.

I'm starting to reach a point where I'm considering some alternatives that I hadn't considered before. I could stay in the area and get a part time job at another local library or bookstore where I could work nights and on my days off so that I would be able to afford an apartment and student loan payments. Or I could apply for a better paying staff position outside of the area and get a part time job for night and weekend work if it doesn't pay enough.

I think what I'll do is wait until the new school year begins to shift into this desperation mode. Since many of the places I've applied to are universities, they are most likely looking to hire by or near the start the fall semester. If I don't hear more from potential employers by then, I think I'll let my nerves and anxiety get the best of me and start taking more drastic measures.

If you're also in libraryland, does this sound like a reasonable plan to you? How long was your job search?