Where Have All the Young Professional Gone?

I live in Washington state. I really love it here. Honestly, I do. I am about two hours outside of Seattle surrounded by water, trees, and mountains. It's a beautiful place. I have always wanted to live here. There is only one major problem here: the lack of job opportunities. Here's the deal. There are jobs available, but they all require years of experience. If you are in your 20s, like me, you don't have the experience, especially if you are like me and have been out of college, or graduate school as the case is for me, for a few years. How can you gain experience if no one will give you a chance? That is the problem I face. I was a high school teacher for a few years, but it wasn't my calling, so I became a librarian. I received many job offers in my home state, but my husband is in the Navy; he joined a few months after we married, and then we moved. Right around the time to move, I received many offers to be a librarian, so it's not as if I'm not qualified.

Out here, so many professional jobs are occupied by people in their 40s+. Jobs I've interviewed for have been given to those who are a decade plus older than I am. I've worked with those people, and so many of them have the experience but no longer have the enthusiasm or joy of the job. They aren't friendly, they don't talk to others they work with unless they are in the same title position, such as a librarian. They just go through the motions. It is so discouraging for me to be passionate and knowledgeable about my profession but get overlooked due to lack of experience.

I have looked outside of the librarian, and the problem is the same there. I didn't have this problem in San Diego or in my home state. It's a Washington state thing. I can't tell you if it's different in Seattle; I hope it is. If you are thinking about moving here, be sure you have a lot of experience before you do.

Does this happen where you live? Let me know!