Not feeling so well and not sure what to do...what is the job market in qualitative/social research like?

[Ilikekitties]

Hey all. I have three grad programs that I have yet to hear from, one of which is a waitlist at my top choice PhD program. Assuming that grad school doesn't happen this year, I'm gonna have a decision to make about my current job.

I'm currently teaching English at a university in China. I like the job, but I don't think that I want to teach ESL forever. My contract with the university expires in July, but I do have the opportunity to renew my contract and teach again for the next school year.

I'm kinda stuck. There are serious pros and cons to teaching in China. I've been here since September and I miss the variety American food, which is a con. I have dietary restrictions that make eating in this part of China pretty difficult (basically I must limit carbs for medical reasons, and the province I'm in is known for its wheat production). It's a small city, so imported foods are hard to come by and expensive. Full on Nescafe haha. This, along with air pollution and career track relatedness are the biggest cons I think. There are also some serious pros, like designing lessons in the comfort of my apartment as opposed to being in an office all day, time off, creativity in lesson planning, hanging out with students, being able to afford to eat out, living alone, etc.

But, I also wonder what my chances are of finding a job in an anthro-related/research-related field in the US.

I have a BA (2016) in anthropology with an emphasis on cultural anthro. I have academic research experience and TA experience as an undergrad, but most of my jobs in college were things like tutoring. I do have a museum collections internship that I did for one summer, but it's not relevant for my research experience or interests. I mean...what are the chances? I don't have any "connections" that are no doubt needed to get a job these days. Any advice?

Edited April 3, 2017 by Peanut