Re-re-re-re-evaluation

I've been busy salsa dancing like crazy, learning how to live gluten-free (the gluten test came back positive and a 'strict, permanent' diet is recommended), and trying to figure out what to do with my life.

Still no job.

I met with a very friendly, knowledgeable recruiter earlier this week and he advised me to keep my resume under wraps, saying no one looking at it would know what to make of me and that it's going to be hard to apply directly for jobs because I won't match the predefined qualifications. Fair enough. I know I've made this hard on myself with the decisions I've made. No sense crying (more) about it.

He encouraged me to focus on networking, finding mentors, and seeking informational interviews instead of applying for jobs. This is daunting. It's way easier to click 'submit' than to reach out and make personal connections, which is probably why most of us poor saps slog away at the former and wonder why it doesn't get us where we want to go.

The PhD candidate housesitting for my sister says I'm being too hard on myself, that I'm still really young, and that having a linear career path is overrated. I agree in theory, but I look at my friends from school who have 'Manager' and 'Senior' in their titles and much clearer job prospects and can't help but feel a twinge of ... I don't know ... irresponsibility? embarrassment?

She encouraged me to consider grad school because advanced degrees are even more prized internationally than they are here. It would also build a new skill set and the MBA students I've talked to say the network they develop (and have access to) is the most valuable thing they walked away with. I'm not so inclined toward an MBA, but a similarly 'actionable' Masters is a distinct possibility. Maybe this one: http://www.ic2.utexas.edu/mstc/

The 90% I just got on a practice GRE test suggests I haven't lost all my academic mojo, so who knows.

In the meantime, my parents have work I can do remotely for them and a client from Chile has commissioned me for some work, too. Paying the bills is good. Figuring out how to do that long term will be, well, priceless.