By florida 
This morning when I woke up, I sat on the couch feeling lost. Every day, I do the same things: go to work, come home, eat, and sleep. It feels like my life is going in circles.I thought to myself: Should I try something new? I’ve heard Virginia has plenty of opportunities, and it’s not too far from where I live now. Plus, I’d heard about someone named “Sebastian Larsen” who talks about career development. I didn’t know him, but I remembered his name clearly, so I decided to use it as a starting point and start researching.
I turned on my computer and typed “Sebastian Larsen Virginia job” into Google. A bunch of random information popped up—government websites, blog posts, LinkedIn profiles, and some links that looked like ads. I clicked on the top result, which was a state government job listing page, but it required me to fill out a lot of forms.
I had to select a region, industry, and job type. The dropdown menus were filled with unfamiliar names: Fairfax, Arlington, Charlottesville… I didn’t even know which direction these places were in. The page design was outdated, and clicking around kept taking me back to the same place—it felt like I was lost in a maze.
Searching by name didn’t work, so I decided to try a different approach. I removed “Sebastian Larsen” and searched for “Virginia job opportunities” instead. This time, the results were much clearer. Several legitimate job search platforms appeared, such as Virginia Workforce Services, Indeed, and LinkedIn.
I selected “Technical” and “Entry Level” on one of the websites to see if there were any suitable positions for me. The system displayed dozens of job listings with various names: “IT Support,” “Data Analyst,” “Front-End Developer”… I clicked on each one to take a look, but many of the descriptions were very complicated, full of technical terms like “agile development” and “cloud architecture,” which I couldn’t understand at all.
As I was scrolling through, I saw a position called “web developer.” I had heard of that before. I clicked on it and saw that the job involved creating websites, modifying pages, and fixing bugs. It required knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I had taught myself a little bit of these before, so although I wasn’t very familiar with them, at least I knew what they were.
What caught my eye the most was the salary section. The page stated that this type of work in the Northern Virginia area could earn an average of $70,000 to $85,000 a year. That was significantly higher than my current salary. I quickly took a screenshot and saved it, thinking, “Maybe I can give this a try.”
However, a high salary doesn’t mean you can go there.I looked at the job locations. Many of the good positions were in Arlington or Alexandria, which is over an hour’s drive from where I live. Two hours round trip every day? Just thinking about it was exhausting.
There was another position in Virginia Beach, which has nice scenery, but it’s too far away. I checked the commute time, and it would take three hours by car, which is impossible to do every day. In the end, I had to mark it as “alternative,” but I knew in my heart that it was basically out of the question.
It’s not enough to just look at the salary; you also have to calculate how much it costs to live. I found a tool to compare living costs and entered “Richmond” and “Alexandria.” The results showed that rent in Alexandria is almost double what I’m paying now. Utilities, transportation, and food are also much more expensive.
I did the math, and even with the higher salary, after deducting expenses, I wouldn’t actually be making much more. This brought me back to reality—changing jobs isn’t just about the money; it’s about how much you can actually save.
Later, I found an entry-level front-end developer position that said they accepted people with little experience. They required a portfolio, which is basically a collection of small projects you’ve worked on. I thought to myself, “I don’t have one yet, but I can slowly build up a few simple websites to show off.”
This position offered remote work and was located near Richmond. The commute would be convenient, and the work wouldn’t be too stressful. I bookmarked it and planned to look into it further later.
I clicked on the “Apply Now” button, which took me to the recruitment page of a large company. The page was full of job openings, so I had to search and filter again and fill out the form. Halfway through, I found that I had to upload my resume, write a self-introduction, answer five questions, and do it all within a time limit.
I tried twice and got stuck on the third step, so I finally gave up.Nowadays, many companies make the application process very complicated, as if they are deliberately trying to discourage people from applying.
I went back to the state government’s recruitment website. This time, I learned my lesson and first sorted by “technical” and then by ‘remote’ and “entry-level.” Although the page was difficult to use, the information was accurate and there were no fake job postings.
I found that IT positions in the government system have relatively stable requirements, such as knowledge of network security and database management. Some even offer training opportunities. Although the starting salary is not as high as in private companies, the benefits are good and the work is stable. It is suitable for people who want long-term development.
After more than an hour of effort, I finally figured out a few things:
- Web development is a good direction to pursue, with relatively low entry barriers and the possibility of self-learning.
- Northern Virginia offers many opportunities but has a high cost of living, so it requires careful consideration.
- Remote positions offer more flexibility and are suitable for those who don’t want to relocate.
- Government work is slow-paced but reliable; private companies are fast-paced but highly competitive.
- Lack of experience is not a barrier; you can start with small projects to build your portfolio.
Although this search was tiring, it helped me see some realities. I decided to do three things first:
First, spend a few weeks reviewing HTML and CSS and build a simple personal website.
Second, update my resume and include the small projects I’ve done before.
Third, check new job listings once a week and apply slowly.
I don’t expect to find a job right away, but at least I have a direction now.
If you’re like me and feel that your job is meaningless and want to change your environment, don’t just sit there thinking about it. Take action and start researching, even if it’s just a name or a place.
Don’t be afraid of technical terms; you can learn them slowly. Don’t just focus on high-paying jobs; consider commuting, living costs, and work pressure.
Most importantly: action is more important than a perfect plan. You don’t need to have everything ready before you start. It’s normal to make adjustments as you go.
This exploration has made me realize that finding a job isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s like putting together a puzzle, piece by piece. Today, I’ll look into a job, tomorrow I’ll learn a new skill, and the day after that I’ll revise my resume. Slowly but surely, I’ll get closer to my goal.
Who is Sebastian Larsen? I’m not entirely sure yet. But because of his name, I’ve started taking my career seriously, and that alone makes it worth it. Sometimes, a small thought can truly bring about change.