From Dear Prudence. Or: Are you kidding me?
Dear Prudence,
I am a recent university graduate and am underemployed. After finding my field devastated by the economic collapse and jobs scarce, I started working as a clerk in a grocery store. The company is family-owned and offers excellent health benefits and a generous starting salary. I enjoy the work and have become friends with my co-workers, many of whom have made this their career. My problem is, when co-workers or customers find out about my diploma, I am inevitably asked what I am doing bagging groceries. This is a constant query as I frequently see former classmates and the occasional professor at my station. How do I explain that this job isn't for me without coming off as arrogant? I don't think I am better than my new friends at work, but I worked hard for my degree and am sometimes embarrassed not to be using it. How do I explain this without coming off as an elitist jerk?
-Underemployed
Dear Underemployed,
You're employed! For a recent college graduate, that's quite an accomplishment, especially if you were hoping to find a job in, say, the automotive industry, or finance, or journalism, or real estate, etc. The fact that you are grateful for the work and enjoy your colleagues must surely come through. And you say your co-workers know that this is just a temporary stop for you before you find something else, so they have probably been pleasantly surprised by you. So just answer people honestly, "Of course I'm still looking in my field, but until things turn around, I'm lucky that I found such a pleasant place to work so I can support myself." When you see classmates or professors, do remind them to let you know if they hear of any opportunities. And don't think of this time as wasted. (Here from the Forbes 400 list is someone who turned a job as a grocery clerk into a multibillion-dollar fortune.) You are learning many things that will be valuable to you when you move on in your career: being a reliable employee, getting along with your co-workers, and knowing what it feels like to stand on your feet all day so you can pay your bills.
-Prudie
Dear Underemployed:
You're happy to be a clerk in a grocery store? Assuming you're a real person writing this, please tell me you aren't searching for better work as you're doing your bagging.
Just remember, Al Bundy once thought being a shoe salesman was a cool opportunity too.
--Dazzababe
P.S. A generous starting salary? For bagging groceries? Either it's the writer's own family that owns the place or this letter is definitely made up. I'll guarantee if I'm bagging groceries at Publix, I'm not going to get anywhere near a liveable wage.
Alright, I promise next entry will be more positive. Apologies for the negativity; I've been stressed and depressed all week. :(