Landing a job + finding a home in New York City

Yes, you’re reading that correctly. I haven’t written since June. I know what you’re thinking: “How could she be this lazy? She is so behind in her personal life. I think I’m going to die if  I don’t read a piece of her writing soon.” Well fear not, people, I am back in full effect.

I also had a completely legitimate reason for the lack of writing, in that I’ve been attempting to pull my life together. Because believe it or not, picking up and moving to New York City isn’t actually enough to get your whole life started and on track, it takes all of this… Ugh, time and effort. I have a whole list of things that need to be taught during that last semester of college but hey — that’s a rant for another day, Ball State.

My two biggest hurdles when I uprooted here were simple: Landing a job and finding a home.

Landing a job

Leading up to graduation, I (literally) applied to 97 jobs. 97. JOBS. Guess how many interviewed me? Six. Guess how many offered me a job? All of them Zero. (These are super encouraging words to all of you soon-to-be graduates, I know. You’re welcome.) So as I sit in my NYC office, day in and day out, with clients like Warby Parker and Karlie Kloss and free lunch on Thursdays, I often wonder how in the world I got here. Here’s how I think I did it.

Pre-grad: Also referred to as undergrad, I know, but before graduating I had 4 internships, a writing portfolio and a ton of extracurricular activity involvement dealing with my major. At those internships, I learned everything I could (from making coffee to sending pitches to making lists) and made sure all of my bosses knew it.  This worked out well for me, apparently. My first job I landed in New York was a full-time paid internship, that I was suggested for by an old boss (without applying) and practically handed after one phone call.

Post-grad: So after being given this job, I was “totally loved it, omg Instagram every part of my desk #neverleaving” obsessed with it. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else and couldn’t believe I got to work at this huge, insane agency! And then I took a step back and realized how unhappy I actually was there. The work, employees and atmosphere made me dread going to work and I couldn’t believe I had to work at this huge, insane agency. So I reassessed, and began the search for something more.

Pre-dream-job: I applied to three new jobs, all three wanting to interview me (a fact that I can ONLY credit to me living in the city).  One job and I clicked, and when they asked me questions like  “Why do you want to work here?” and “What didn’t you like about your last job?” I did something any smart post-grad, 21 years old wouldn’t ever but always should do — I was 100% honest. I talked about the negativity of my management and the lack of excitement I felt walking into the office; about how I didn’t believe in my clients work and spent my days watching every hour minute tick by.  And I was lucky enough to find a job that actually listened.

Mid-dream-job: Okay, “dream job” is a stretch considering it’s my first, but as far as first jobs go? I am living the dream. And after getting through 4 interviews and a lot of explaining just how funny I am, I deserve it. My company is unbelievably  smart, bright and fun. We work with clients we actually like and I work with arguably the greatest people on earth. We get free lunch on Thursdays and our office has red wine, white wine and beer on tap. ON. TAP. PEOPLE. Dreams do come true.

So the point of my rambling? Mostly so that when distant relatives want to know what I do, they have an explanation. But also to let all my great college senior humans know that landing the first job can happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay there forever.

Well since that’s all taken care of, I had to move.

Finding a home

I would like to start this by saying NEVER MOVE IN NEW YORK CITY. Not “don’t move to New York City,” because moving here once is tiring and expensive but completely doable the first time. But once you live here? Stay. Stay wherever you are. Because finding an apartment within your budget, in the area you want, with a correct move-in date, with a broker fee you can afford, with normal roommates, with an elevator or less-than 5 floor walk up? That’s like looking for your husband on Tinder. (As in keep dreaming, but like we can still have our fingers crossed because ya know, it happens sometimes right?)

Apartment #1: Harlem, 151st St. & Broadway
This was a great first apartment, considering I never saw it in person, it was dirt cheap and came with all furniture included. Things that were not great? 5th floor walk up. 45 minute train ride to work. Near NO ONE my age. My room was the size of a closet (No exaggeration, a literal closet). So I looked for a new place! Here are the highlights of the near 20 places I saw.

• Potential New Apartment: #1: Upper East Side, 84th and Lexington
  • Gave the room away to someone else the day after telling me I’d probably have it.
• Potential New Apartment #2: Washington Heights, 109th & Broadway
  • Put down a deposit, never found a roommate. Thank goodness I got the deposit back.
• Potential New Apartment #3: Brooklyn (That’s all I know)
  • Was intended to be with roommates who bailed, broker also seemed like a serial killer.
• Potential New Apartment #4: Upper East Side, 103rd & Lexington
  • Told me I got the room in the apartment, were so excited to live with me!
  • (18 minutes later) “Hey Serria, this is super awkward but we actually didn’t save anyone’s number in our phones and we texted you by mistake. You actually don’t have the room, sorry…”
• Potential New Apartment #5: Lower East Side, Broker’s Office
  • Pretty sure there were Russian slavery deals going on in the back of this place. Felt like a genuine episode of Law &  Order SVU.
• Potential New Apartment #6: Hell’s Kitchen, 47th and 8th
  • Was intended to be with roommates, who apparently “found other arrangements” the day after we saw the place.
• Potential New Apartment #7: Washington Heights, 111th and Broadway
  • Went with another apartment applicant. (Sure, ok. Didn’t even want details here.)
• Potential New Apartment #8: Upper West Side, 82nd & Amsterdam 
  • They hired a cleaning lady twice a month and all went to the gym 5 times a week — was this really going to work out?

Apartment #2: Chelsea, 29th St. & 9th Avenue
I now live with one fantastic roommate, Lisa, an Alpha Chi Omega from Berkeley, who is the shining star of my life and works at NBC. 2nd floor walk-up. 15 minute walk to work. Minutes from everyone at my job and current friends here. Room to walk and dance and be merry in my room. Groceries, restaurants and bars all within walking distance. That’s right. Just go ahead and let that all soak in. THAT. HAPPENED.

Turns out working and living in New York City CAN be done. It’s not simple, clear, fun or normal, but it is definitely doable. Soon I’ll deal with finding furniture of my own and tackling the whole “gym membership” commitment, but let’s settle down there.

So for all the post-grads losing their minds like I was about pulling it together: Don’t worry! It takes time and a whole lot of patience but it will happen. And to all the pre-grad seniors (also) losing their minds: Brace yourselves, because you couldn’t be prepared if you tried. (But I totally swear it’s worth it.)