For my 6000th post, Please allow me to say that job hunting and unemployment really SUCK! [View all]

[MarianJack]

As many of you know, I, as well as many others here, have been unemployed for 10 months. Many of you were VERY supportive in early February when I posted a thread about a son of a bitch bastard quack "doctor" who screwed me out of a job with his assertion that my back would make it impossible fo me to fulfill my duties in a position where I would have to TALK to people.

In January, I was called back for a 4th interview for what I thought would be a really good job. My wife and I thought that for a 4th interview (that I was told in advance would be a brief 30 to 40 minute chat) they were looking to firm up an offer and a starting date. I was shocked when I saw that the "interview" was clearly an exercise in trying to find excuses to NOT hire me.

I know, by the way, that I am a strong interviewer. My references are all close personal friends that were all supervisors or co-workers at one time or another.

Since early March of this year, I have had 10 interviews for state jobs. I have received the "blow off" letters for 7 of them so far. My scores for state positions is always in the high 90s if not 100+.

I interviewed for a position Friday 3/16. The job description may as well have simply said "JACK". The 3 individuals stated at the end of the interview that they looked forward to bringing me aboard and working with me. On Wednesday 3/21 I received a phone call from the director stating that she had "good news and bad news". Obviously the bad news was that I didn't get the job. The "good" news was that she "invited and encouraged" me to apply for the exact same position at an office that was about another 10-12 miles further away from my home. I applied immediately via e-mail. I called her on 3/29 to see when I may schedule an interview and was denied by the same woman who solicited my application.

This was the most cynical thing I'd seen done in a job hunt since my first official part time job as a dish washer when I was 15 in 1970. I think that I called a bluff and that I was supposed to say that the second opportunity was too far away.

There have also been several other interviews that I thought were good possibilities. Each of them has fallen through

I have seen that there is considerable discrimination being practiced against the long term unemployed. I also believe that, even though I look much younger than I am, the biggest factor is that I'll be 57 in June.

This week I expect to be offered a position that will pay under $10 an hour. Even though I have a Masters Degree and almost 20 years experience in my field, I'll be happy to get it. The agency seems a good one and it certainly has opportunities for advancement.

If one of the higher paying jobs comes through I'll take it. If not, I'm keeping my ass where it lands. I am SO SICK of going on interviews that if I never do another one (after I get a job) it'll be too soon. I really have to fight my feelings of depression and despair. I have to keep trying because I have a family that, as many of you know from my other posts here, I love very much and to whom I am very devoted. For them, I have NO OTHER CHOICE than to keep positive and to never give up. Sooner or later SOMEBODY has to look past the gray hair.

If necessary, I'll be visiting hiring kiosks at Walmart (ugh!), K-Mart, Lowe's, etc,. If I have to, I'll be offering my services for rides, cooking, delivering messages, light hauling or cleaning. Maybe there's a market out there for a pudgy middle aged gray haired male stripper. The only question there is if the ladies would supply their own magnifying glasses to see my naughty bit or if I'd have to throw them in with my fee.

Still in all, I remain hopeful and optimistic. Things will get better sooner or later. On the whole, sooner would be better. I hope that I and all of the DUers out there find something damn soon. I hope that those of you who are working don't have to go through what we're going through now.

Thanks for reading and "listening"

PEACE!