the sta interview: min jin lee

Min Jin Lee’s debut novel, Free Food for Millionaires, tells a story many of us can identify with. Casey, the daughter of working-class Korean immigrants in Queens, goes to Princeton and then returns home to New York thinking she’ll land a job in no time–only to discover that an Ivy league degree doesn’t go as far as the ‘right’ last name. The book is based on Lee’s own experiences navigating the work world, and she agreed to sit down for an interview with Save the Assistants. Even cooler, she has also offered to give away two free copies of the book to lucky STA readers. To enter, send an email to contact@savetheassistants.com by Friday, July 27 with the subject line “Free Food for Millionaires.” We’ll choose two winners at random.

STA: What was the worst job experience you ever had?

MJL: Right before I quit being a corporate lawyer, I worked seven days a week, for well over twelve to fourteen hours a day for a solid month. The work in of itself was fine enough, but I think, ideally, no one should have to work in such quantity for whatever kind of money. After that month, I tendered my resignation. I am not sorry that I did.

STA: What should recent college graduates focus on in their job searches, particularly if they have to choose between a creative pursuit and a desk job?

MJL: Recent college graduates should be attentive to health care, retirement plans and managing a low overhead if they choose certain creative pursuits. There are creative pursuits that might lead to greater financial security, but poetry, fine arts, literary fiction, dance, most music, inter alia, will most likely not. None of this is news to us. Therefore, I think if you need a day gig and a night passion, then I would encourage you not to waste time on self-destructive behavior(s). Here’s my list of things to avoid if you have very little time because you have really two jobs (the one that pays and the one that is likely to never pay): drugs, excess drinking, excess financial expenditure, romantic partners who are unavailable or unkind or unsupportive or generally asses, and people who enervate you (enervate is this great word that should be used more, meaning weakening of one’s vitality), and whenever snarky folks drain you and your dreams, I would suggest that you put them on top of the list of no-no’s.

Obviously, if the one who enervates you is your BOSS, keep in mind that this gig if temporary, and if you want, it is within your powers to change your situation. But do bide your time, we must mind our manners, and plot well.

STA: Casey, like many of our readers, thought that a college degree was supposed to automatically get her a job, and quickly finds out this isn’t the case. How can you cope with the feelings of inadequacy or inferiority? 

MJL: I think most people handle problems by either getting depressed or feeling anxious. I tend to feel more anxious than depressed. I don’t think either camp is superior to the other in terms of emotional responses to troubles. Both responses are physically and mentally taxing. Having said that: when I feel inadequate or inferior, and I do feel such feelings often, I try to claim ascendancy over the situation by taking lots and lots and lots of action. So for example, if I were looking for a job, and if I were not getting results, I would not only read up on writing better resumes, go to any kind of available career counseling, practice mock interviews, study cover letters, and make lots of cold calls, I would probably also read every book I could find on how to get this job or go to as many classes as I could afford in terms of time or as funds allowed.

However, I am very bad at asking people to help me. It is not because I am private (another matter entirely), but because I fear that they will say no. For it is one thing to be rejected by a stranger (i.e. the potential employer), it is another thing to be vulnerable to a social acquaintance or a friend, and to risk intimate rejection. Every career counselor in the world argues for networking, and I’m sure they are absolutely right, but I have found that aspect to be the most difficult especially when I am already feeling inferior and inadequate. I think I am also a very proud (I do not mean proud confident, but you know, like the sin of pride) person, and it has likely hurt my career. Sad, but true. Hubris is just plain awful.

STA: Did you feel pressure to take a more conventional career path? Can you talk about how you managed to balance your practical needs with your creative pursuits?

MJL: I feel the pressure to take a more conventional career path right this second. But as I mentioned before, I often have intense anxious feelings, and I do feel inadequate and insecure, but this is what I have learned after having gone to law school and having been a lawyer: My life is made up of days, and I do not know how many I have. My time must be spent doing work that is worthy of my attention. I hope you will always do your work whatever that may be with great dignity and with a high level of integrity. Obviously, you have to take breaks and take pleasure, too, but our time is finite.

Put another way, mortality is the most sobering and most freeing thought even in the face of anxiety. As for balancing the practical with the creative, I try to do both, and I try very hard to eliminate the nonsense from my life. If you take an icy, hard look at the way you spend your time, you will see that there is some room for you to take at least a few daily mincing steps toward your gold dust covered fairy wishes. I hope you will endeavor toward your good wishes for all of our sakes. In short, I believe that you should not expect too much from others, but do a lot within your control, be ethical, and persist beyond reason.

STA: Casey’s father kicks her out of the house because he disapproves of her choices. What advice do you have for other young people who want to follow their dreams but don’t want to alienate their parents?

MJL: I like the word honor more than the word like. Honoring your parents is good, but you may not always like them, or agree with them. I would argue that for the most part, parents wish their children greater security and therefore are vociferous in their arguments against the so-called artistic life. They just don’t want you to be hurt or homeless or both. So, make a plan, have the day job and the night passion (in whatever order), and be serious about your life by not wasting time on the Mickey Mouse stuff (you know what I mean). Forgive me for sounding like a mom, but try to avoid the unnecessary diversions and especially, try to avoid that which will harm you and others. But this is where I won’t sound like most mothers: It is absolutely necessary to fail, and failure will happen. Probably more than once. And when it strikes, do have a good cry. Then promise me you’ll get up again, and start your work.

STA: Is there any hope for jobseekers who don’t have rich parents with tons of connections?

MJL: YES, by gum. I sure hope so. If it is any consolation, I know of people who have rich parents with tons of connections, and they still have to make sex tapes to become somebody.