I am a 21 year old senior in college that’s graduating this spring. I was hanging out with my good friend(f23), Franny (I’ll call her Franny because she reminds me of Francine from Arthur).
Franny moved away after graduating and now does PR and Social media for this big drink company. She loves her job a lot, and It’s a really exciting job. She works with influencers, goes on work trips, and gets into special parties and stuff. She also makes a good bit of change for straight out of college.
I was talking about how I’m kind of nervous about entering the job market, especially because I want to move out of state to a nicer place. We were both communications majors and Franny told me they were looking for a someone to fill a new position on the team and she’d recommend me to her boss.
She said “We could live together or at least be in the same city again!”
I said “Thanks but I don’t think I’d like working there”.
She asked why not. I explained that I really want to work somewhere that i think makes a good impact and is important or else I wouldn’t care about it. She said they do a lot of outreach and charity work as well.
I said “That wouldn’t really be my day-to-day and I just don’t think the other stuff would motivate me,”
I noticed she’d taken offense and i tried to explain further I just wouldn’t be as good at the job as she is. She said she felt like i was accusing her of being shallow, but I told her I don’t think she’s shallow at all. She kind of brushed it off with a“ Beggars can’t be choosers” and changed the subject.
I feel really bad because I didn’t mean to come off ungrateful or pompous but i also didn’t want her to go through the trouble just for me to turn it down. I asked one of our mutual friends and she said I didn’t have to be honest but I really didn’t think she’d react that way. AITA?
Gently YTA
Intentionally or not, you insulted your friend, her job, and an offer to be roommates in one go. Apologies would go a long way to repair.
It takes years to build relationships and seconds to ruin them.
YTA
> I explained that I really want to work somewhere that i think makes a good impact and is important or else I wouldn’t care about
This is a bad case of putting your foot in your mouth. You all but stated that she’s not doing important work or makes an impact.
Also yes: Beggars cant be choosers. A lot of new graduates find it really difficult to get jobs due to it being the start of their careers. For you to go: “well I dont want to do this and I’d rather go do something important” while someone is offering to help you what a lot of people in your position would love, comes across as kind of clueless and low key obnoxious.
>Beggars can’t be choosers
Yeah and it’s a *really* shitty time for the global economy, so being this picky about jobs right now probably isn’t going to end well for OP. Especially for communications majors (speaking as someone with a comm degree).
OP, if the drinks company is Red Bull, TAKE THAT FUCKING JOB. Best company culture of any place I’ve ever worked. Do it.
YTA. You insulted your friend and also turned down a job in your field. In this job market? Not very smart.