Monday, March 29, 2010

Curiousity Killed the Jobs

I'm just curious about how many people in life find true happiness in their lives, in their jobs, in their relationships? It seems to me that the world is taking a nasty spiral downwards and all us petty humans are unwillingly along for the ride. I've been unemployed for the past 10 months or so and I have to tell you, it's hard out there. No one wants to hire people for any creative gigs - the ones that I'm interested in - or if they do want to hire, it's for shit pay. They think that since everyone is looking for work, they can just drop the rate to barely existent and people will come running...sadly, they're right. When I realized all the hours and effort I put into being abused at those two-bit jobs, I decided to apply for a Temp Agency.

After I filled out the ridiculously easy quiz accompanying the application, I was told I was "over qualified" to work as a temp. What the hell is that supposed to mean? I think it's their polite way to say, "you're too smart and therefore we feel that you would most likely slack off in your work abilities to full fill the mundane duties of filing, fetching coffee, and answering phone. So, we'll just as soon not hire you then someone who is too stupid to know that life can be better than just being a golfer." You would think that anyone desperate enough to apply at a temp agency would in fact be willing to suck up their pride and work the jobs that they know are beneath them, that would be the whole reason they dressed up in their nice little business suits and walked out the door that morning, wouldn't it?

I thought that companies weren't allowed to discriminate, but I guess there isn't a "too smart" clause in the discrimination packet each corporation is given. I asked someone else who'd applied to a temp agency and they told me they'd been rejected as well. One of my friends who helps people find jobs confirmed my suspicions of the agency's hiring process and told me she'd help "dumb down" my resume so I might get hired in the future. Seriously, what kind of world are we living in where all the jobs for artistic people are starting to pay less then a McDonald's employee and if people of average or above average intelligence want to find a stable, but non-long term job, they have to pretend they're morons.

It's so frustrating to web search for jobs that you know are most likely only posted because of the government mandate that says "all jobs must be publicly posted", but in knowing this, you still send off your resume to cyber oblivion as the job you just applied for has probably been filled two days ago by the Head Executive's third cousin's niece. I feel like a hopeless romantic, someone that's pining for the unattainable and knowing that they are and will never achieve their hearts desire, when I apply for a job. Ok, maybe that's going a little overboard, but you know what I mean, you try and try and try and if you're lucky, after the 100th email you've sent, you get a little blip of an email (because these days, no one actually calls people anymore with important information - it has to be an email or "Facebook/Twitter official" to actually count for something) back and then you're hopefully for an interview, a 2nd interview, and a job. It's tiring man, just plan exhausting thinking about looking for work, let alone applying.

I wish it could be like back in the 40's when people just walked into businesses and asked to talk to a manager, or when references didn't count so much as your personal character or skill set. Now we have computers that have taken over for humans, the unemployment and welfare rate is skyrocketing and more then ever, people are wanting to work. The era of "stay at home parents" is dying, adding more bodies to the employment lines. It's definitely hectic out there, but hopefully soon, big changes will happen and everyone can be happy, at least for a little while. So, I'll leave you here with a note that I'm trying to be optimistic and that good luck has to eventually find me as I'm stocking up on the good karma points.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I just had brunch/easter lunch with two friends of a friend who got "laid off" after ten years with the company. Now they have to work freelance. These people are well into thier forties. Niether have children. Seems things are crazy but I guess it ebbs and flows. More ebbing and flowing than ever before.
It seems to me that IF you get a job, one has to save thier pennies because you will losse that job at some point and have to live on your savings and unemployment. This may be how people work in the future-three years on and a year off-so having health care with this new wacky work change every few years is already a given. No stability, no advancement, no salary increase--all ceilings.
But good luck to you Em. I enjoy the posts.

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