Trying to Start Fresh

I am starting this blog to try and document my job hunt during this rocky time in our economic history. It also serves another purpose of helping me keep track of my job search.
I currently have one job working part time for a public library as a library clerk. I make good money per hour, but only work a maximum of 16 hrs per week, so it's not like I'm well off by any means. I definitely live paycheck to paycheck, have little in a savings account and do not have health insurance. I am not living on the streets but my standard of living is not what I would have expected for myself, especially at the age of 24 with a Bachelor's degree.

I started looking for a second job in December of 2009 when I knew I was going to be graduating from San Jose State University at the end of the month and wanted to have something lined up to fill in the hours that I would no longer be spending at school. I started out with only one real goal: not to accept anything less than $10 per hour. I figured this wouldn't be too hard; I am smart and would have a Bachelor's degree by the time of hire. I also have years of customer service experience as well as various computer and clerical skills, to name a few.

From December until March, I have applied for approximately 20 jobs, maybe even more than that. Some of those include library jobs at various public and private libraries, customer service jobs all of which I met or exceeded the qualifications for. Because of my desire to work with dogs, I decided to try and pursue that line of work as well, just to get some work experience with animals. After all, this was going to be a secondary job, and not my primary source of income, why not try something new and exciting?

Well, now it is April and nothing has come of the jobs that I have applied for. I've tried following up on the ones that don't specifically say "Don't call us, we'll call you" but nothing has come of it. I have even applied to places such as Peet's Coffee and Barnes and Noble (I know, they both go below my $10/hr minimum standard I set for myself, but I was getting desperate). Still, nothing. I was starting to feel the pressure as three months have gone by and I have no extra income to put towards my student loans when I have to start making payments in July. Then, to top it all of, I get notified on April 9th that I will be getting laid off in June. Happy Graduation To ME!

I honestly don't know what I am going to do, but the pressure is on. I'm trying to be positive and think of it as a new beginning where I can start fresh but I just can't help being bitter and frustrated. All I can say is, Times Is Hard...