So here's where I seek the sage counsel of ILE/ILX because I am starting to get worried about this whole "moving to South Central PA and commuting an hour to Harrisburg for work" thing.
I'm worried because I've been scouring the internet for job listings in Harrisburg (and Bloomsburg, and Hershey, and Williamsport, and Camp Hill, and Mechanicsburg) for a few months or so and, er, "it's hard out here for a proofreader (of classified government/military documents)." That's what I've done for a living (music writing is a sideline) for almost four and a half years; before that I was a full-time general assignment reporter for just over two years. But very few businesses in that area seem to be looking for a copy editor, or a proofreader, or an editor -- a few are seeking technical writers and editors, and I intend to vie for those positions. My current company has offices around here, and I'm looking to transfer if there's work I can do. As for publishers, the majority in this area are related to religious texts for some reason, and I don't know if I'm familiar enough with scripture to work for them (or comfortable with the whole idea anyway).
I guess my question to anybody reading this is -- aside from public relations, a career I've never had any interest in but may have to pursue if it comes down to it -- what are some professions a 29-year old with a B.A. in English Lit and the experience detailed above might investigate besides editing or proofreading? Does the PA state government have a publications department? Is working for state delegates fun and fulfilling? I really, really, REALLY don't wanna wind up working at a gas station or a mall or McDonald's if I can help it.
― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Sunday, 12 March 2006 16:36 (twenty years ago)
the us army war college is in carlisle; maybe they'd have something for you?
― mookieproof (mookieproof), Sunday, 12 March 2006 17:05 (twenty years ago)
Hershey Park. Penn National. Yuengling Brewery is not too far away.
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Monday, 13 March 2006 15:15 (twenty years ago)
so, wait, why are you moving to south central PA? couldn't you move closer to pittsburgh or philly? i imagine you have a reason, but your opportunities for employment will be much more appealing closer to either of those cities.
― killy (baby lenin pin), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:13 (twenty years ago)
my sister and her fiance live near gettysburg. they work in maryland, though.
southcentral PA is pretty dire.
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:15 (twenty years ago)
My wife's family lives in Selinsgrove, and she wants to live close to them after half a decade or so of living near (and totally hating) Baltimore, which is where I'm from. We're going to have a baby, her folks/relations will be able to provide free babysitting.
So I'm sorta stuck having to find some sort of gainful employment in Harrisburg as it's the closest big city. It's frustrating to search jobs in that part of PA and then finding stuff that looks promising and then realizing that most of these lil burgs I've never heard of are like 2-3 hours away.
― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:37 (twenty years ago)