Starting in NYC is HARD. It’s hard for anyone. I moved here seven years ago, and after searching unsuccessfully for a job for months, I was dejected.

To make enough to survive and stay, I was working as contractor for WNYC a couple of days I week. I also did temp work with a commercial real estate agency answering phones. Boring work, but I appreciated the paycheck.

Then one night, I met up with a friend from Missouri who had also moved here without a job and told her I was thinking about moving back to Kansas. I thought it might be easier. I was struggling to find a full-time job and cobbling together these part time opportunities was really exhausting. It was also so tiring to go to networking events every night trying to meet someone to help me out in my next job. I was simply annoyed and fed up of NYC not realizing how awesome I was.

She told me “This is New York. It’s worth the stress. It’s fucking New York City.”

Wow. It was a simple statement but powerful. She encouraged me to stick it out a bit longer, and I’m so happy I did. I wasn’t ready to give up on it. And the relationship with the city takes time to develop. It’s not easy, it will kick you down time and time again, but if you’re here, you can find a way to make it work. Three months later, I found my first full-time job.

So if you’re feeling dejected from your full time job search, just remember — it’s freaking NEW YORK CITY. This is where the greats got started. It has everything — art, culture, media, food, life, tenacity and more. The people are incredibly hard working and it’s a place if you work hard, you will thrive. You will find your tribe. Everyone finds their tribe here. They find their job here. It just takes time. The only limit to what you can achieve is what you are focused on. 

If you want to be here, you will find a way to make it work. You will. Because your talents with your determination, you’re unstoppable.

So go kick ass in NYC.

Xx

Laura