Birthday Blues

Ugh, I've got a serious case of the birthday blues. I turn 33 one week from today. Bleh. I feel fat & unaccomplished. I'm the only person I know who is still an AA (administrative assistant). All of my friends have actual jobs, with titles and assistants. And they all make considerably more than I do. We all went to the same school. We all have the same kind of degree. A couple of my friends have masters, but most don't. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for my friends, I'm just trying to understand what they did right & what I'm doing wrong.

I like my job the majority of the time. What I don't like is being referred to as a "secretary" a hundred times a day. First of all, you NEVER say the word "secretary". It's either administrative or executive assistant. Secondly, I have 2 name plates in my office that say "legislative assistant". It's infuriating. I have a Bachelor's Degree & I'm a year away from a Masters in Public Administration. I am not a secretary.

I'm starting to wonder if I missed my window. If you're 23 & you're an assistant, it's assumed it's a stepping stone job & you're on your way up the career ladder. If you're 33 & married, it's assumed you've chosen this as your career & are perfectly happy with where you are.

I am very good at my job, but it's not challenging. I want a job with responsibility. I want to use my brain. I want people to rely on me. Are these really unobtainable goals just because it's taken me until now to figure out what I want?

I digress. My main problem is not knowing what I'm going to do once I graduate in Dec. 2010. I can't be a "secretary" with a masters. There aren't really any jobs here, so I'd probably have to look at going to a department, which will be tricky because we also get a new Governor in 2010. If we get a Republican Governor, will I have a hard time finding a department job because I'm a Democratic staffer? Maybe it won't matter, I certainly hope not.