It isn’t fair
Remember how it was hunting for that first job? The sweaty palms, stuttering answers, and shaky handwriting while filling out numerous applications. Then there were the interviews with questions such as why I wanted to be a dishwasher. Ummm..because I like clean things? Or I want to flip hamburgers at McDonalds because it gives me a sense of altruism to feed all those hungry people? Heaven forbid that I say it’s because I want to be able to buy that junker car so I can go out and party with my friends until the wee hours of the morning.
Lisa has never experienced the joy of the search. When we moved to Arcadia she went to the library in town every chance she got to check out books and movies. Summer time approached and the librarian asked her if she would like a job. Last summer we returned unexpectedly to Michigan and Lisa turned down the library job because we weren’t sure where Jeff was going to be stationed. But then he got a job that let us live in our old house, and the librarian from the next town called and wanted Lisa to work there. She was desperate for help.
This past Monday, since I knew we were going to be living in Marathon for the summer, I told Lisa she should get a job here. A friend told her to go apply at his place of work. Nervously, she rode her bike to the store, and before she even finished filling out an application they gave her the job and told her she started the next morning at 9!
Not that I’m complaining, but I hope she realizes that the world does not normally function like this.
Oct-Dec 2008
Jan-April 2009
May-Aug 2009
Sept 2009
Oct 2009
Nov 2009
Dec 2009
Jan 2010
Feb 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
I don’t know maybe that is how it goes for some these days in some areas.
I entered the work force in the early 1980’s. Massive unemployment, official rate well above 10% over 50% for my age group.
There were no help wanted signs in the windows even if a job was available. One store made the mistake of putting a sign in the window. Even though it was up for only a few hours at least hundred of us tried to get that job. At one point there were many more applicants in the store than customers, which would have been a good move but we were all broke. They didn’t put up another sign after that.
Not that I didn’t have a job I did, it paid $2.50 an hour. That got up to $3.50 an hour after a year but that is tough living in a big city where cheap rent was $250 a month.
I mentioned that to a co-worker from the East. He was less than 10 years older than me but said he had never worked for less than $8hr and never had a hard time finding a job.
That’s the difference region and time can make. I recall applying for summer student jobs and standing in line with people from his generation. They had resumes, experience, and some even a trade. A 20 year old with nothing but service jobs and life experience under his belt didn’t stand a chance.
I glad if todays generation of young adults do not have to go through that because studies show a recession generation never recovers. They can’t catch up to those in front of them and are easily passed by those behind.
Then again I suspect being both cute and smart isn’t hurting her job hunting skills.