Adventures in Job Hunting

I don't care what anybody says about our economy being great. It's hard finding a job out there. It's especially hard when you are 50 years old, and have a physical disability. Never mind that you have a college degree or two. Nobody cares about your willingness to work. It doesn't matter that you have spent thousands of dollars educating and re-educating yourself so that you could earn a living. To sum it up- you're screwed!

I'll tell you about this odyssey, this exercise in frustration that has been going on for about two months now. The first ad I answered was for a data entry clerk working for a private company at one of the local hospitals. I went to Employment Agency number one, filled out all their forms, took their tests and passed with some of the highest scores they had ever seen. I passed their reference check, criminal background screening and was offered the position. As I sat in the office with the spongy thing in my mouth for the drug test (which I also passed), I overheard a conversation between my employment counselor and the prospective employer. The upshot was that the employer had hired two people on her own (probably so that she didn't have to pay the agency's fee), and didn't need me. Oh, the people at the agency pretended that they cared. But "I'm sorry" doesn't pay my bills!

So, the following week found me in the office of employment agency number two. While I was waiting to be called back, I noticed that the receptionist was involved in calling people's job references, and trying to get the previous employers to say if that person was a good employee or not. This is illegal, so I thought it strange that a reputable agency would engage in this type of behavior, and that they would have the receptionist performing that task in front of anyone who happened to stroll into the office, instead of one of the employment counselors performing the task behind a closed office door. More paperwork. More computer tests, which I passed. During the interview, I noticed that the employment counselor, who was young enough to be my daughter, was acting a bit strangely when I told her about my back injury. Her method of questioning me was very assumptive: "So, bending, stooping, lifting- you can;t do any of that, right?". I was there after an office job, not a job in a factory or as an exercise instructor. I was truthful about my situation, because I figured that she would find out anyway. Plus, I've been a truthful person, even though the truth hurts. I finished the interview, was given a time card, a booklet, etc. Figuring that I would be called upon to go for a job interview in the next few days, I waited. Then, I saw that this agency had posted four new jobs; two of which I was extremely qualified for. I called them, was placed on hold, and then heard someone talking to my counselor in a language that I don't speak. Then, she came back on the line and informed me that because of my disability, they would not be sending me out on any jobs! I thought that was illegal, too, but this company apparently bends the law and get away with it! I noticed that this company has job openings for many county civil service jobs, so many the county in which I live is discriminating against the disabled, and using this employment agency as a front.

So, off I went to the Job Service, also known as the One-Stop Service Center. I was close to tears when I walked in there. One-Stop did not discriminate against me, but neither have they found a job for me yet. They did send me out on two interviews. The first employment counselor did not enter my work history properly in the computer. I found this out when I went to a second person, and was told that I was in the computer as a telemarketer. Yes, I have done that type of work for ten years, but I have also taught at the Secondary level; been a Social Worker (this is how I got permanently injured); had a career in outside sales for three years; was a medical assistant for a year and a half; and have done Customer Service work for three years. On my own, I have now sent out my resume about 90 times, answering job ads in the paper. I've gotten a few interviews that so far have not panned out.

What's the answer to all this heartache and shattered dreams? It's to start your own home-based business, run via the Web, and automate it as thoroughly as possible. Find a specialized niche, and then seek out or develop products and services to fill that niche. Then, you'll be working for the best boss of them all- YOURSELF!! Then, nobody can tell you that you're too old, too educated, too qualified, too outspoken, too disabled, too fat, too- WHATEVER! Such a business will reward you for your own hard work, instead of a greedy boss or corporation reaping the gold from your ideas and innovations. Plus, you will never be downsized and put out on the street.