I frankly hate applying for jobs - not that I believe anyone actually enjoys the grueling and tedious process which makes you question everything about yourself as a useful and contributing member of society. Just to provide you some background;

I graduated from University of Wisconsin - Madison where I got a B.A. with a major in psychology and minors in LGBT Studies and Women's Studies. Well .... I don't really want to do anything with my psychology major. My friends tell me that in another life, I should have become a therapist because I would have really been good at it and would have enjoyed it. I politely disagree. I might be good about analyzing and translating the stupidity of men to my girlfriends, but I think if I had to work in an office all day listening to the trials and tribulations of strangers ..... I might go crazy. So sadly, that path is not an option. Well ... now what does one do with minors in LGBT Studies and Women's Studies .... if someone figures out the answer to this question could they please let me know as soon as possible. I do not want to get my Master's in Women's Studies nor do I want to be a professor of Women's studies or really do anything that involves Women's Studies. I was in Women's studies courses for three years of my education and though I am proud to say I am feminist, most feminists scare the shit out of me .... or frustrate me with their annoying language of binaries, patriarchal institutions, and the "true" meaning of womanhood. I am all for female empowerment ... but take the jargon elsewhere. Unless, I have the opportunity to play Women's Studies Bingo as you talk, I don't really want to hear it. So again, I am not quite sure what to do with that in terms of translating it to marketable skills.

Last, but certainly not least, how do I translate drag queenary as desirable skill sets for future employers:

"Yes, hello, my name is Miss Ginger Devine. I am very outgoing, good at crowd control, hilarious and witty. I often hit on all of the attractive single men in the room and have been known from time to time to flash a boob. I have an extensive knowledge of Broadway Theater and American Motown and Pop Divas for the past 40 years ... oh and did I mention I am excellent at working with press on nails?!?!?!"

That would be interesting conversation to have. But back to the discussion at hand - applying for jobs. I feel completely and utterly untalented whenever I am applying for jobs. Especially in today's cutthroat economy, I find myself competing with professionals that have had decades of experience, with impressively long titles behind their names, and a wealth of professional jargon to throw in the face of any interviewer. I do have some impressive work experiences in the past, but I also have some work experiences that are ... dare I say questionable on paper. I worked for a number of years at an LGBT campus center and a number of years at a Sexual Health Organization called Sex Out Loud. I am proud of these experiences and proud to have been a part of these organizations, but these jobs have caused more than one eyebrow to raise in my past. I hate this is a potential reality, but it is one that cannot be ignored.

It's a weird experience to have to talk about yourself, highlight your strengths, and prove to a complete stranger that you are worthy of a phone interview or to come in for a one-on-one interview.  You then need to struggle the line between confidence and arrogance when it comes to talking yourself up. Have many strengths, admit that you have weaknesses, but make sure that those weaknesses could be interpreted as strengths in a specific light. That is just so tiring, but I am plugging along none the less, sharing in the trials and tribulations that many people around the world struggle with every day. So hopefully something will turn up or I might reconsider that whole sugar daddy plan that I had.