--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I needed a job. Now. I felt certain that…" description: "\"“I needed a job. Now. I felt certain that at some point I was going to have to apply for seasonal help at a department store or a waitressing job. But ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/erin-lyon-37851_higher-education_i-needed-a-job-now-i-felt-certain-that-a_2295314.jpg" --- # I needed a job. Now. I felt certain that at some point I… ![“I needed a job. Now. I felt certain that at some point I was going to have to apply for seasonal help at a department store or a waitressing job. But I had no waitressing experience. Irony. I’d managed to amass more than $100,000 in student loans and I wasn’t qualified for a waitressing job. Let’s…” quote by Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/erin-lyon-37851_higher-education_i-needed-a-job-now-i-felt-certain-that-a_2295314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/erin-lyon-37851_higher-education_i-needed-a-job-now-i-felt-certain-that-a_2295314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/erin-lyon-37851_higher-education_i-needed-a-job-now-i-felt-certain-that-a_2295314.jpg) > ““I needed a job. Now. I felt certain that at some point I was going to have to apply for seasonal help at a department store or a waitressing job. But I had no waitressing experience. Irony. I’d managed to amass more than $100,000 in student loans and I wasn’t qualified for a waitressing job. Let’s hear it for higher education!”” [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights the irony of high education leading to debt without practical job experience, questioning the value of such education. **In simple terms:** Education can leave you in debt without job skills. Key Takeaway Consider practical experience alongside education. Themes education debt employment irony career planning Mood critical contemplative Type personal social When to use this quote - job hunting - career counseling - financial planning - education reform Key Concepts student loans job market skill gaps Questions to Reflect On - What practical steps can students take to gain experience? - How can education systems better align with job markets? A Different Perspective Higher education may not guarantee employability without experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Higher Ed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-ed/) [Higher education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) [Waitressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waitressing/) ## Related quotes > [As an actor, I always have this thing where I can't plan ahead for holidays or a break because I don't know when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-o-connor/as-an-actor-i-always-have-this-thing-where-i-can-t-plan-ahead-for/) [Josh O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-o-connor/) > [I've gotten into such weird jobs just by word of mouth... Like I didn't try to be an accessory designer, but I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cowan/i-ve-gotten-into-such-weird-jobs-just-by-word-of-mouth-like-i-didn-t/) Nicolas Cowan > [“But my father needed a job so he could finish a play he was working on . . .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/but-my-father-needed-a-job-so-he-could-finish-a-play-he-was-working-on/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“He pulled the shade, climbed into bed, thought of the Replacements, a band from his hometown singing about needing a job and needing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/he-pulled-the-shade-climbed-into-bed-thought-of-the-replacements-a/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I was a hostess in a restaurant in New York when I was 21, and I was too good of an employee. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/i-was-a-hostess-in-a-restaurant-in-new-york-when-i-was-21-and-i-was/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I graduated high school and I didn't have a skill set and I didn't want to go to college. I needed a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/i-graduated-high-school-and-i-didn-t-have-a-skill-set-and-i-didn-t/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) > [I just needed a job. Before being hired as an usher at the CBS Theater, I didn't even know there was a show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-just-needed-a-job-before-being-hired-as-an-usher-at-the-cbs-theater/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [I moved to London when I was 21 and I needed a job. I'd just done a year working in Waterstones in Manchester and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-moved-to-london-when-i-was-21-and-i-needed-a-job-i-d-just-done-a/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [If I wanted to make it out of the hood, which I did, and do something fulfilling with my life then I needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keeley-hazell/if-i-wanted-to-make-it-out-of-the-hood-which-i-did-and-do-something/) [Keeley Hazell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keeley-hazell/) > [I was about 15 years old, and I needed a job, and somebody I know - I don't even know who it was -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/i-was-about-15-years-old-and-i-needed-a-job-and-somebody-i-know-i-don/) [Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/) > [I've worked every job under the sun, from waitressing in my teens, to clocking hours on a construction site in London (I have degrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/i-ve-worked-every-job-under-the-sun-from-waitressing-in-my-teens-to/) [Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/) > [I think with the people that they talk about who do waitress and who came from a small town and they hit it big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-good/i-think-with-the-people-that-they-talk-about-who-do-waitress-and-who/) [Meagan Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-good/) > [I've never been the smartest or most qualified for any job I've ever had, and I'm talking waitressing, babysitting, you name it. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/i-ve-never-been-the-smartest-or-most-qualified-for-any-job-i-ve-ever/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [You hear horror stories about scary mothers who just want their kids to be famous. I could be waitressing in a restaurant, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/you-hear-horror-stories-about-scary-mothers-who-just-want-their-kids/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [I love to cook. I'd have a dinner party, and someone would be like, 'Can you do this at my house?' So my catering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meta-golding/i-love-to-cook-i-d-have-a-dinner-party-and-someone-would-be-like-can/) Meta Golding ## More by Erin Lyon > [“I drove to my parents slowly, not eager to get there. Not really eager to be anywhere. So I hit the Jack in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/i-drove-to-my-parents-slowly-not-eager-to-get-there-not-really-eager/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“I smiled at her as she came closer to study me. “Damn.” “Thanks.” “You kind of look like a zombie.” “So I’ve been told.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/i-smiled-at-her-as-she-came-closer-to-study-me-damn-thanks-you-kind/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“I feel like a fool.” “You aren’t.” “I don’t want to be this person. God! I feel like you’ve been trying to pick me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/i-feel-like-a-fool-you-aren-t-i-don-t-want-to-be-this-person-god-i/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“No,” I said. “No, what?” “You know what you’re thinking.” “How do you know what I was thinking?” “I don’t know exactly. There is something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/no-i-said-no-what-you-know-what-you-re-thinking-how-do-you-know-what/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“As I suspected, Jonathan was already home when I got there. Deep breaths, Kate. Dignity. There will be no crying, whining, or punching anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/as-i-suspected-jonathan-was-already-home-when-i-got-there-deep/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“Whoa. Offsides. High-sticking. Hitting below the belt. And other such sports metaphors I could think of that express my feelings that he was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/whoa-offsides-high-sticking-hitting-below-the-belt-and-other-such/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“Jonathan wants to come here and try to pick me up. Not pick me up like a ride pick me up—like a take me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/jonathan-wants-to-come-here-and-try-to-pick-me-up-not-pick-me-up-like/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“Who would you be if you could have anything you wanted, whenever you wanted it? Sure, it seems like a nice idea, but I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/who-would-you-be-if-you-could-have-anything-you-wanted-whenever-you/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“When you found out I was gonna be single, you just flipped a switch and you weren’t into me anymore. Can you teach me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/when-you-found-out-i-was-gonna-be-single-you-just-flipped-a-switch/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“At about 11:45, I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. I did a quick stop by Mags’s desk again. “Meeting the ‘complication’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/at-about-11-45-i-grabbed-my-purse-and-headed-for-the-door-i-did-a/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) > [“Once I was back in the office, I stopped by Mags’s cubicle and rested my arms on the top of one of the walls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-lyon/once-i-was-back-in-the-office-i-stopped-by-mags-s-cubicle-and-rested/) [Erin Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) [Explore all 12 Erin Lyon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-lyon/) ## More Higher education quotes > [Because I've never had any higher education of any sort, I've never held in awe those who have had it or have a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/because-i-ve-never-had-any-higher-education-of-any-sort-i-ve-never/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The Republicans have chosen to neglect young Americans who need assistance with the costs of higher education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-conyers/the-republicans-have-chosen-to-neglect-young-americans-who-need/) [John Conyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-conyers/) > [The online education space, especially in higher education, is ripe for disruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-screwvala/the-online-education-space-especially-in-higher-education-is-ripe-for/) [Ronnie Screwvala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-screwvala/) > [I'm not dismissing the value of higher education; I'm simply saying it comes at the expense of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-not-dismissing-the-value-of-higher-education-i-m-simply-saying-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities of higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-strongest-reason-for-giving-woman-all-the-opportunities-of-higher/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [When women gain access to higher education and then suddenly start doing better at it than the men, that can really throw the prevailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-rosin/when-women-gain-access-to-higher-education-and-then-suddenly-start/) [Hanna Rosin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-rosin/) > [Higher education is confronting challenges, like the economy is, about the need for a higher number of more adequately trained, more highly educated citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/higher-education-is-confronting-challenges-like-the-economy-is-about/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Men we shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools - intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/men-we-shall-have-only-as-we-make-manhood-the-object-of-the-work-of/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [... the majority of colored men do not yet think it worth while that women aspire to higher education… The three R's, a littlemusic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-julia-cooper/the-majority-of-colored-men-do-not-yet-think-it-worth-while-that/) [Anna Julia Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-julia-cooper/) > [As a first-generation college graduate, I know I would not have been able to open all the doors Morehouse College provided for me if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/as-a-first-generation-college-graduate-i-know-i-would-not-have-been/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [If you're white and wealthy, Texas is a great place, however, no Texas governor Republican or Democrat is eager to raise taxes and without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-jillson/if-you-re-white-and-wealthy-texas-is-a-great-place-however-no-texas/) [Calvin Jillson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-jillson/) > [As countries embrace mass higher education, the cost of maintaining universities increases dramatically relative to an elite system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/as-countries-embrace-mass-higher-education-the-cost-of-maintaining/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [By making college more affordable for all and more accessible for minority students, the first new higher education authorizing legislation in a decade will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/by-making-college-more-affordable-for-all-and-more-accessible-for/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 406 Higher education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I needed a job. 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