Sigh.
razz51 has written 2 entries about this goal
Getting a little touchy. I have to listen to people look at me and say such things as, “Have you considered applying to _?” Fill it in with damn near anything and YES! I have applied. It’s facile to offer simplistic suggestions to someone who has turned over nearly every rock looking for something that doesn’t seem to exist. Hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed. We are all looking for work and companies are laying off, not hiring. Competition is stiff. And not everyone is qualified to do every job. I’ve been more creative than most, I think. I have my own pottery business. I offer my services as a tutor and as temp office help. I’ve worked since I was 14. I’ve taken care of two elderly relatives and raised two children as a single mother. I’m no slouch. But I’ve never experienced a market such as this, where competence, experience and skill are not enough to find work. Never. And I’m nearly 60.
If I sound defensive, it’s because I feel defensive. People have actually said to me, “You really should have medical insurance, you know.” No kidding? Really? Others have suggested I apply for jobs for which I have no credentials. Some have chided me for living on my 401K. Since I went through my savings in about a year, what was I supposed to live on? One acquaintance said there must be something wrong with me if I’ve applied for so many jobs and not gotten any. Huh?
I know people want to help when they make suggestions and in all fairness a lot of people add something like, “But you’ve probably thought of that already” which I appreciate. Some, though kind of sniff and act like if I would only respond appropriately to their suggestion I might get somewhere so obviously I’m not really interested in working. I also know I make people uncomfortable because if this could happen to me, it could also happen to them. And that’s just plain scary. So they have to make it about me, not forces that are out of an individual’s control.
Ok, rant over.
