The Effects of Rejection Piles Up

This morning on Morning Edition they continued their series on college grads who have been looking for work. Today they featured Melanie Singer who has been looking for work as an accountant for about a year.

Underlying the frustrations of looking for work is the damage to self esteem as the rejections (in many cases you never hear back) pile up.  "At the time, she said she always wanted to put the blame on herself when the rejections came. Was she not qualified? What could she do better? Did she do something wrong? Thinking about it now, 18 months later, Singer's eyes well up with tears."

"I feel like I've grown up now and become that independent individual," she says. "So it's a much better feeling than feeling like you're hopeless and living off someone else."

Searching for a job in this market is wearing. So many, like myself, have been underemployed or unemployed for a very long time. Employers can receive 100's of applications. Networking helps. So does a strong support group. Volunteering helps rebuild self-esteem. As do the many small jobs I've picked up. Those small jobs have come from networking and my support groups. But, nothing beats employment in the areas we've been trained for. 

There are other stories you can link to in this series.

Related NPR Stories

Aspiring Writer Questions Value Of English Degree June 1, 201

Study: College Grads Unprepared For Workplace May 28, 2010

Economy Seems Bleak For Graduating Law Students May 21, 2010

On-The-Job Training While Unemployed May 18, 2010

New Jobs For A New Decade Jan. 8, 2010

Diet and ADHD

NPR's Food Blog highlights a report from the journal "Pediatrics" about food and ADHD. Elimination diets were touted just a few years ago but, it has been found that elimination of junk food alone is not that effective. Diet can be complimentary to treatment. According to Benjamin Prince, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital tells us kids with ADHD usually need medicine and good diets.
There are three elements to a good diet:


Eat a protein-rich breakfast.
Cut back on sugary treats and processed foods.
Fish oil and omega-3 supplements.


You can find out more by linking to the blog (the salt) and, you can listen to the story. There's a link on the blog. It was aired on Morning Edition.


Stories about childhood learning and behavior are an interest of mine. I'm currently on the board of Focus Center for Autism. If you are too please check out their Facebook page and website. 


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