In the mall. Christmas rush. Gotta find somebody hiring here, right? All the jewelry shops. I hit every one.
I look the part. They like me, but don't have any openings until "possibly January". I haven't had much money since "possibly May"... well, OK, since December 2008 when my big bucks employer didn't get a contract for '09, but who's counting?
Next on the hunt are the big retailers. Dillard's is big.
Me (to Dillard's employee): Where do I find out about employment?
DE: The main store on the other end of the mall. (Looks at me like I'm doing poorly in junior high or something.)
Me: Thank you. (Leaves quickly, with purposeful steps toward the exit.)
I arrive at other end of the mall. Other Dillard's entrance. I instinctively go up the escalator. All big companies bury their HR departments in a corner.
Nice older lady employee upstairs: Hi! (Wants to sell me something really badly...?)
Me: Hello. Where can I find out about employment?
NOLE: Down that way, take a left at Christmas and go through the trees. Can't miss it.
As a career journalist, I never thought I'd end up my age, being directed through Christmas trees to find the answer to "do you have a job?"
I go up to the desk.
Nice guy at the desk: May I help you?
Me: I'm checking to see if you have any job openings.
NGATD: No. We're not hiring until January.
(Strange, most people go shopping BEFORE Christmas. Who hires in January? What a put off! At least learn to lie better...grrr...)
I retreat through the trees, exit Christmas, take a right and smile "phonily" at the eager older lady employee as I find the descending escalators for JCPenney.
I haven't quite had your experience, but last year Tommy decided to leave his job that made REALLY good money to go to school (he did very well), so I left my part time job that I made around $13.00 an hour (but for only 20hours wasn't gonna cut it for a family of four). I got the job that I currently have. I was offered approximately 10,000 more a year than my part time job after training was completed. I never got the raise I was promised and then was given a 5% pay cut (along with everyone else in the company). Doing the math, I think I may have made just about the same amount staying at my old job. Tommy had to go back to work somewhere. The job that he had left made more than what we now make combined. He now works for minimum wage at a Hotel over night. AND hates it, but we're able to have electricity to stay warm. Good luck on your job search. It's usually a discouraging thing. At least that's usually been my experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy, for your post. The more we share common experiences, the better off we are, regardless of the amount of zeros on our paychecks.
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