Legend of the Career Seeker

[sinkwriter]

I say to you a la Bridget Jones's Diary:

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.


Some of you lovely f-listers already know my plight (laid off quite some time ago, still unemployed). Well, I've been growing more and more frustrated with this position, this lack of purpose, and how nothing seems to be changing or moving in any sort of way.

Therefore, I decided to go at it from a different angle. I called a local college and requested to meet with a career counselor. I thought maybe I might be able to gain a new perspective, get some fresh ideas, gather up a better plan of attack, because clearly what I'm doing now is not working.

Their first available appointment? December 1st.

I made this appointment over two weeks ago, so... you can see how bad it may be for everyone out there, how many people are unemployed and looking for guidance, if the counselors' schedules are this booked up. That makes me sad.

Anyway, I've got one week to go before my appointment, and they just sent me a background form. In trying to fill it out, I feel like this:

*head desk head desk head desk*

Because some of the questions are really difficult. For some, I haven't a clue how to answer. After all this time spent out of work, after all the frustration and worry and disappointment, it's become challenging to remember that I was actually good at anything. It's tough to tout myself or assign proper value.

For other questions, I can only imagine the blank stares I might get if I answer them the way I'd like to -- either because I want to answer sarcastically, or because I fear there's nothing I can say I want that they'll be able to help me attain, or because I fear they'll automatically say they don't think I have what it takes to do it (I'm too old, too fat, not smart or talented enough).

For example, one question was about what my gross monthly earnings are (or were) in my most recent job. And the next question was: What do you think you are really worth to this job? (Yes, they emphasized it with those italics.)

How the hell am I supposed to answer that question? Um, how about... I'm priceless. (End sarcasm here) I work my ass off. I learn fairly quickly. I stay late. I help others with their projects. I try to do the very best I can, even under extreme circumstances.

But is that really what they want to hear? And what's any of that worth in this economy where companies want to get employees as cheaply as they possibly can?

The most difficult questions were these:

Describe your ideal job.
What makes this ideal job so great?

And this delightful gem at the end...

Do you think it is possible for you to get a job like your ideal job?


Way to make me feel confident, you bastards.

I don't know anymore! I just feel like I'm floundering and I need to do something, anything, to get some forward momentum in my life again. I can't keep living like this. It's slowly but surely chipping away at me. Truthfully (yet with tongue firmly in cheek), I need purpose and I need joy, damn it.

Comments

[lostakasha.livejournal.com]

Well, first...

{{{{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

and second, I miss you!

and then, and I'm not saying this to be funny, really, but in times of great duress you just have to make shit up. Strip it to the bone and tell the truth -- or what you'd like your truth to be. Forget about assigning value -- you *are* valuable. Tell them about the job you don't dare to tell anyone about. It's time you just threw it out there, because what else can you do?

And besides, wouldn't Bridget approve v. v. much of you lying your ass off?

Do you think it is possible for you to get a job like your ideal job?

Let me answer this one for you:

"Absolutely."

If you say anything but that, they pretty much have you over a barrel. :)

A wise man once said "there's nothing you can do that can't be done." And while you know I'd be the last person to agree that love is all you need -- I agree with that line. ♥

And by the way, I <3 you.

[leucocrystal]

*big hugs* I understand, believe me. This 5+ month job hunt has been grating steadily away at me, pretty much on a daily basis. Some days suck more than others, of course, but I still feel aware of an overall steady trickle of decline in my overall attitude, energy vs. anxiety levels, etc. Unemployment BLOWS. I'm really sorry that you're going through it too.

It's tough to tout myself or assign proper value.
Honestly, I have a hard enough time with that when I'm either recently unemployed, or even currently employed! I've never been good about taking compliments, and while it's not that I have poor self-esteem or self-confidence, actually expressing such things does not come easily to me at all. It makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable when I'm put on the spot and expected to do just that. What I've never understood is why the apparent inability to toot one's own horn is necessarily viewed as a sign of a potentially poor employee. What the hell does ego or outward confidence have to do with job performance? (I mean, unless you're in the public eye, or a politician or something.)

How the hell am I supposed to answer that question?
Haha, is it me, or are all job applications kind of land-mine laden with possible trick questions? My favorite is when they want you to put down your ideal salary. I can't mind read, so I have no way of knowing if I could be putting too little (thereby implying I don't value myself enough or that they have an excuse to pay me less than I deserve, when in reality I'm just trying to be reasonable), or too much (thereby implying that I have a skewed perception of what my work is worth, giving them an excuse not to hire me, when in reality I'm just trying to make a ballpark guess of what I think they want me to say).

UGH, I am probably just psyching you out more and am not helping at all, I know. Basically I guess I'm just trying to express that you're totally not alone, that it sucks, and that for whatever reason, we're all kind of beat down before we can even get a foot in the door. Whoever had that idea or felt it might inspire competition or productivity has a few screws loose, I think.

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

You know I <3 you. (Hope it helps.)

Confusing as it seems to have to put down answers you don't actually have (I suspect this is part of the frustration, no?), I'd say just be honest. If you don't know what your ideal job is, well, that's understandable; it's why you're wanting to talk to the career counselor, right? I mean, you can't be the first person to come in who's been out of work for a long time and just doesn't know which way to go. Especially judging from the wait to get an appointment.

Hang in there! If anyone knows from experience how things can turn around from very, very bad to good, it's me. You'll make it, Sherry.

Btw, check out this, and compare it to this old version. Most of the products still aren't there (check African Animals, Gold Jewelry and Turtles to see what the rest will look like when it's finally done, though.) The site's turned out to be a whole lot of work... but I think it's looking good, which charges me up. :-)

[geezbones.livejournal.com]

Aw Sherry *hugs*

Just answer the questions the best way you can and wait for the appointment. That's the most important thing. Not what is written on a stupid paper.

I'll cross my fingers for you, and remember that you do deserve joy in your life. :)

[jordle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if any of this is what you are after but this is the route I'd take when anserwing those questions - obviously I wouldn't have gotten your individual specifics correct but I'd go along these lines. That being said this could be completely wrong and not what you are looking for at all!

How specific do you need to be? With the money question (One I always struggle with) I'd look at some job ads for similar roles and compare how much you were making to what others make. Then you can answer well on a market scale I was being paid the average of what people in that particular role get paid, but regardless of how much I was getting paid or would get paid I have a good work ethic so I always work to my full ability *insert what you wrote about being hard working etc here* blah blah. I also understand that in this economic climate companies are struggling and the money isn't there but reagrdless I am loyal to the company I work for and always work hard.

You ideal job/why it makes it so great - Um once again I'm not sure if you need to be specific but either way (if you're being general or specific) you want a job where you can use your creative juices and make an impact, a job where you can grow and learn new things. You'd like to work for a company that allows you to flourish and climb up the job ladder. Your ideal job is one where you enjoying going to work every day - not only because of the tasks you are set but because of the people you work with and the mutual respect you have for one another.

I work hard, I present myself well, I can work in a team but also autonomously, I am always willing to take an extra step to help my team etc etc, I'm willing to be trained and I pick things up easily blah blah and these are all reasons why I think that any job and espeically my ideal job is possible.

Good luck - if anyone deserves to have good things happen to them, it's you :)

[ladymidath.livejournal.com]

First of all, {{{HUGS}}} second of all, it is not easy trying to answer questions like these. I was given similiar questions when I was looking for work through an employment agency. I recall just staring at the questions and thinking, WTF? These people need to be more realistic in the their approach. They seem to forget that they are dealing with real people in the real world.

[coffee-imp.livejournal.com]

I'm with Bardsmaid Sherry. Tell them the truth. Tell them honestly how you are feeling about the whole situation. They are there to help you work through this and probably have worked with several people who feel the same way as you do now.

You are awesome and brave for taking this hard step *and great big HUG*
Sonnett

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

{{love}}

I do think that the majority of people, employed or not, will have problems with those sort of questions. People who have the ego are probably nowhere near as good as they think they are.

I hate that you have to sell yourself. I always said I'd have been a very cheap prostitute.

I hate that it isn't about how well you can actually do the job, but how well you can make it seem like you can do the job. Often two very different things.

Love and good job vibes to you.