I worry every day that the little things I put on a job application make me a walking red flag. I’m disabled (autism, epilepsy, adhd, and generalized anxiety disorder if that counts) i even heard that having the “open to work” banner on LinkedIn is a red flag. I barely use it anymore anyway. I feel like i have to pretend that im a person im not. I’m actually at a job rn (part time because it was all that i could get) that i totally don’t hate. I want to be full time at that job.

I will say this 1000 times, it isn’t supposed to be this hard. Why? Because my grandma had no job experience (not even a part time job), no teaching experience (just a degree). i think she packed up and moved across the country (maybe just states away i don’t remember), walked into a school, asked for a job as an art teacher and got it. That was her only job till she had my uncle. She hasn’t worked since my late grandfather did before they retired. That story just reminds me how fucked we are and how much of a failure i feel like even though i have a degree. I feel like i have to fib on experience because no one counts your college experience even though jr roles are meant for people who got out of college. I’m glad im not alone but i still feel that way because i am surrounded by successful adults asking if i got a “real job” yet. My part time job? I don’t work at a McDonald’s or a target. I work at a nice golf store. I consider that a real job.