Your souls are empty

Joyce is unhappy her daughter doesn’t have a job, and is mad at people who don’t show enough sympathy (at a discussion about jobs) which had posted a job search story tongue in cheek:

Okay I know this write up is absurd and makes fun of something that is NOT funny. I have posted many times. My daughter graduated from a real library school. She has had library internships, and worked for a college archivist while an undergraduate. She has put out a tremendous amount of applications. Had a librarian help her with her resume. Had an expert help her with her resume. Taken 15 extra credits toward archives. Is now working on a certificate for web design. Is willing, and has applied to anywhere, anyplace. I do not find this amusing. This is bullying and elitism. There are bright motivated people who cannot find work. I think you all need to be ashamed and annoyed and think you are annoying. She is currently working as a paraprofessional. It is not funny. And you should all look in the mirror and ask yourselves what kind of people you are and what are you…your attitudes mirror your souls and your souls are empty.

And an unidentified, unemployed library student lets her have it:

Joyce, the truth is that no one owes your daughter a job. From your description she sounds motivated and qualified, but the market is so glutted with librarians right now that she is indeed lucky to be working in a library at all. Furthermore, the post is indicative of the moronic and anti-social behaviour that a lot of library school students (and librarians!) exhibit. This kind of behaviour and attitude has no place in a professional work environment. It ain’t elitism if it’s true. Also, your comment loses all credibility with the “your souls are empty” bit. Calm down, helicopter parent.

And Jean levels another plan for Joyce's daughter:

Hi Joyce – your frustration about pursing librarianship after the arc of the profession began to descend is clear. My concern for you and your daughter is that in pursuing a certificate in web design there’s a high chance you’ll be disappointed again. I’ve worked in the tech field for 30 years and have seen many trends and technologies come and go. Anything termed “web design” and offered at a certificate level is already passe. Web development today involves sophisticated platforms and rich systems/business process integration — and while there are jobs within this ecosystem, introductory training in markup languages, scripting and graphics probably won’t be enough to position someone for a job with stability and growth potential. Another thing to be aware of is that the job market is so horrible that loads of experienced, unemployed tech folks are taking lower level jobs and they’ll also be competing with your daughter.

The fact is, all college professors from law to library school to social work, have to suck in more students to keep their jobs. Only when they graduate do they discover the difficult truth. . . there are no jobs where the students want to be. Maybe there's something in Bucyrus, Ohio or Jefferson County Tennessee . . . but don't count on it. Library Science has the fourth highest unemployment rate at 15% and the fifth worst median salary at $36,000.

This is from Annoyed Librarian, who was a lot more fun before she went over to the dark side (Library Journal).