Okay, so lately my adventures have been weird to say the least. I started off on my job hunt and lo and behold my old bosses asked me back. I thought it was the answer to my prayers. I had always really enjoyed working with them and I was ready to come back.
Ooops, I sighed a sigh of relief too soon. Because their business is cyclic and connected to show business (can you say writer’s strike?) things were slow that first week. It made me worry and I resolved to ask them what was up on Monday.
Well, it wasn’t good news – not at all. So, once again I find myself on the job market. Which really makes me feel like a week old steak on sale in the clearance meat section.
I don’t know what it is about looking for a job that is so depressing and demoralizing but man does it get me down. I have to promote myself to strangers and try to convince them that they would be a fool not to hire me, when in fact, I often wonder if I really even want to work at their establishment. It’s a quandry – one must work in order to survive in the basic sense and yet working for others is about the last thing in the world I want to do. Am I lazy? Maybe. I’ve been reflecting on that a lot lately. But I’m thinking that isn’t really it. I think the real problem for me is that I’m just sick of office politics and being at the mercy of another person for my survival.
I have often considered starting my own business but can’t really come up with anything that seems feasible enough to generate enough income and frankly it’s confusing and overwhelming. I am in awe of those who do manage it though. I mean, how do they come up with this stuff? It makes me feel as though I am missing some vital brain cell or initiative gene because I can’t seem to do it.
The multi-level marketing thing is a no-go – aside from it smacking of being a scam, I just can’t see myself doing it and feeling right about it. The scams are everywhere and one starts to feel wary of most of it. Still, I do have a set of skills that should be marketable and should be able to be parlayed into some sort of going concern.
So, I ask you, dear readers – any ideas? Any tips or tricks you care to share with me?
A befuddled and confused WC.
Anita Rodgers Mystery Writer 
Er…I dunno but I am absolutely transfixed by the stinkin giraffe…
LOL – as am I. 😉
WC
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I’m looking for that same answer myself. Sorry. But if I find it, I will be more than happy to share with you.
No worries, Teens – if either of us come up with anything, we’ll share – otay? 😉
WC
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Well WC I say stick out your long necked giraffe neck and start your own business. Seriously. I KNOW you can do it. You’ve got talent, pure talent!
You may be right – thanks for the vote of confidence Free! 😉
WC
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Hi WC,
Not knowing what your job qualifications are, I’ll give you only general advice; start a consulting business. It really doesn’t matter what you consult about, as long as you have contacts in that business community, can do a halfway descent job, and don’t feel bad when you get blamed for the failure of a project. That last part is, by the way, the secret to consulting. While the managers who hire you are happy if you can actually contribute something useful to a given project, your real purpose is to be the fall person when things go wrong. Thus, you still get paid, the manager who hired you gets to keep his/her job, and everyone except the stockholder/taxpayer is happy. If you go the extra mile and do your best to take the blame to your employer’s bosses, your reputation in his/her circle of friends and peers will grow quickly, insuring you a long and lucrative career. You must, however, avoid the trap of taking a permanent position at any place you consult for, since they’re just saving you for later sacrifice. Oh, and consulting for any level of Government is best, since most of them have severe restrictions on hiring long term workers, and are hesitant to do so anyway because of the difficulty they have in firing poor employees. Another advantage of this path is that the startup cost is, basically, having some business cards printed.
Go for it girl and, once you’re rich, I expect you to swing by Memphis on your private jet and buy me a fancy dinner 😉
On the other hand, if you want something steady and safe, I highly recommend Government service. City, county State, or Federal, it doesn’t matter. They all have job postings at their actual seats of power, and most have them on the Internet. The secret here is to take any position you can get. The reason for this is that, once on the inside, there are usually many more job positions that are only open to internal hiring. Plus, the benefits are generally the best possible, you get lots and lots of holidays and vacation and sick days, and, after your probation period (90 days or so) it’s almost impossible to fire you. For example, when I was working for our local county government one of my fellow employees went a little off balance and, because he had a problem with his neighbor, used the police computer system he was working on to issue a warrant for said neighbor’s arrest. As it turned out, when said neighbor was falsely detained by the police, the mistake was discovered, and a multi-million dollar lawsuit was started, this fellow’s transgression only warranted, according to the Civil Service rules, a written reprimand, a week’s suspension without pay, and a stern warning from his supervisor. Fortunately, further investigation uncovered some untruths on his resume, which was grounds for immediate dismissal. The moral to this tale is don’t lie until you’re hired.
Much good luck,
the Grit
Hey Grit!
You know, I think you make a brilliant point – and truly I never realized that secret to consulting. I actually have done some consulting in the past and you are so right. Doh! I feel so silly, since now that you have pointed it out, it is so obvious. Actually, I do have something like that in mind. We’ll see.
As to government jobs – I’m not sure I’m crazy enough to even think about that. 😉
Thanks for the advise.
WC
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its the question really … i am in the process of launching my photography business and have been working full time on top of my full time job with
business planning and learning flash and building a website and weeding
through my thousands of photographs from the previous paid work i have done
and ready to tear my hair out and wondering why i want to do this in the
first place and meeting with my first potential clients on saturday and
freaked right out. breathe. clearly i am in no position to give any
advice :p
i suppose starting a business for me is not so much the problem as i have
figured out what i want to do but finding time, well that one is the biggest
hurdle.
take your skills and run with them i think … spend some time really
thinking about it and then just jump and see what happens. that’s what i’m
doing. course am keeping the full time paying job in the process.
Hey D!
I can’t imagine anything but success for you with your photography – you’re wonderful and have a wonderful eye. And I understand how trying to start a new business while you’re also working fulltime must be nerve wracking. I’m torn on that issue. I’m hoping I can find a couple of temp projects, while I try to set myself up. I don’t know if I’ll be able to – but I think having the time and space to really dedicate to it will (hopefully) make things pop sooner. Even if I do have to work during the set up, I think the temp job angle is better since with that type of gig you aren’t really investing yourself beyond the work itself. You aren’t having to develop alliances or navigate office politics, etc.
I plan to take your advice – take my skills and run with them. I may fall on my face but I think I have to give it a shot. Now, if I can just find those couple of temp projects…
WC
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😦
And that giraffe really is hypnotizing.
I wish I had some advice to offer, but all I have is empathy. Last time I went job hunting I thought I might need a new prescription of antidepressants just to get through the damn thing. The interviewing, the applying and lack of responses, the dwindling bank account. Ugh! It’s horrible.
Since it’s evening, I suggest a glass of wine and a good comedy on tv. I wish you providence and look forward to finding out about some good things for you soon…
You gotta love the giraffe, doncha? 😉
You nailed it on my view of job hunting. Does make one feel they perhaps have some mental deficiency doesn’t it? Frankly, I don’t think it’s us, I think it’s them. It’s just the nature of the beast and really isn’t personal – though it’s hard not to view it that way.
WC
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Hi WC,
If the advice was good, feel free to sing my praises. If not, then it was posted by my evil twin, the Twit.
Much good luck,
the Grit
LOL – the Twit. I like that, I really do. 😆
WC
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Finding a job is like selling your house. After a while you’re like, “look the ad (resume) says it’s a 2-story if you don’t want a 2-story don’t make me clean my house (put on a suit) and drive around town for an hour while you gawk at my stuff (the interview).
So…whatcha gunna do when you grow up? Do ya know yet? Huh, huh??? I got ideas…
I have some ideas – in the meantime though, I am still looking for a job – I need to get some income into my poor little bank account pretty soon and really would rather not use my credit cards if I can help it. I spent most of the day sending out resumes and and listing on job sites, calling up my networking friends – so something should pop – pretty soon. Fingers crossed.
Grow up? Do I have to grow up? Me, no likey that idea. 😉
WC
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I wish i had an answer for you WC, all i know is when i’m looking, i hit the pavement HARD, i apply for every job i think i may even be remotely interested in. when i hired in for my current job, i had NO knowledge about the plastics industry whatsoever, but i learned, and it’s been the best job i could have ever asked for…minus the stupid bitches..
Hey Reggie!
Yeah, fundamentally that is the answer. Which is what I’m doing – just putting out feelers and resumes wherever I can. I know something will pop – it’s just annoying to go through the job hunt routine. 🙂
WC
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Ok, we’ll stay 12 4ever. Deal?
Sounds good. 😉
WC
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Job hunting is difficult enough and then to have that happen with your old job… ouch. I’m sure something will come along for you soon, though, Annie. You’re way too talented to be kept down for long. Running your own business would suit you so well; it’d be great if you could get something going there… good luck whichever way you decide to go.
Oh and that giraffe is freaky. It won’t let me look away… 😯
Hey CJ!
I hope you’re right. Meanwhile, I’m throwing a resume at anything I can find. The old – throw everything against the wall that you can and something is bound to stick sooner or later, eh?
I love that giraffe – he was a gift from Zelda. 😉
WC
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Can’t help lovin’ that giraffe!:)
I join the others in that you will find your way, as you are incredibly talented, just from this blog one can see that you are a writer. That alone takes so much skill,creativity and imagination. You seem to have tremendous people skills judging from your comments. Humor too! So WC..Your fans (all of us) are rooting for you, Don’t give up on your dreams, and just go for it! You will figure it out even in the pain. You have very good advice in the comments here for me to add anything substantial. I can only offer you encouragement (I hope)and my prayers.. I can be a cheerleader too! :)GO WRITER CHICK..(pitiful attempt at humor) Yuk!
Hey Ange!
What sweet things to say. You’re a great cheerleader and thanks so much.
Annie
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Yes, looking for a job is demoralizing. Last time I went through it (andI’ve been through it more than once!) I started doubting myself, my college degree (why did I major in English?!), my talent, my portfolio (which seemed useless suddenly). I obsessively checked my phone messages and e-mail. I just felt so useless and unwanted. It did help that I’d taken a part time job in a bookstore, even though I didn’t like it very much. It got me out of the house and face-to-face with people. I also learned how to call up total strangers and say, “Hey, I’m looking for a job. Any suggestions?” when friends recommended others to call.
I ended up finding my current job through a newspaper ad. It’s hilarious–every book on job hunting says that’s not the way to find a job, but every job I’ve gotten was advertised in the newspaper! LOL
Hang in there. I don’t have any answers on working for others (I’d rather not do it either) or starting a business (I have ideas but they’re pretty much what others do selling crafts etc.) but I will be here if you ever want to kvetch or anything. I’ll listen.
Aw Sandra,
you’re a sweetie – thanks so much. To tell you the truth, I feel a little guilty since I’ve been so crunched that I’ve barely had time to check in at anyone’s blog. Can you say, self absorbed? Yikes. Though, it looks like I might be turning a corner, some things are starting to happen – so maybe there will be good news in the end.
As to how to find jobs, I think everyone has their own method. I almost always find jobs by networking with friends and acquaintances – I think whatever works is the way to go about it.
Thanks, again.
Annie
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