Friday, February 26, 2010

In Which I Join the Great Unwashed

Job-Hunt_0006-enhanced-web

Ok, so it’s confession time regarding where I’ve been this week, and why there’s no “Memories of Me Monday” post, or any other post for that matter.

I am job-hunting.

‘Nuff said?

Yes, I’ve had to make the difficult and depressing decision to go back to work. 

And I do mean difficult and depressing.  I was in a total funk for several days (ask Mike, if you don’t believe me).  I didn’t want to do anything, go anywhere, cook, clean, exercise, or even eat.  In short, I was pathetic.

I guess I felt like a failure.

Finally, I realized that bigger companies than mine have “fallen” in this economy.   And there are a lot of people who have NO income right now, and no savings to fall back on.

At least we have some savings, and Mike is working right now, and we have already put away the funds we will need for retirement, so we just need to earn enough money to pay our living expenses (and the “extra” that I need for all the trips I want to take).

So, on Monday I put on my big girl panties (as my mom and sisters would say), pulled myself up by my bootstraps, and started looking for a job.

I got a haircut.  I got out my interview suits and tried them on, and they FIT again thanks to my vegan lifestyle!  I polished up my shoes and my resume.  I set up Google alerts for jobs in my town, and nearby.  I started networking.

I’m in the swing of the job hunt now.

This doesn’t mean I’m totally folding up my business (which, if you don’t already know about it, you can read about at my Webajeb blog) – no, I will continue to design products, and do some custom-designed layouts and albums but, because business is so slow and my employer (me) doesn’t offer health insurance coverage, and the premiums for our individual policies will be going up yet again, and I want to have money to travel, I have joined the huge throng of job-hunters, also known as The Great Unwashed.

But, man, it’s tough out there!

I attended a job fair, the Solano County HirEvent, in Suisun City on Tuesday.  It was PACKED with job-hunters but with fewer than a dozen companies and probably only the same number of actual open positions.  That’s scary.  Channel 7 News was there and I watched as the news reporter spoke into the camera, reporting that the jobless rate in Solano County is 11.9 percent.  Yikes.

I’ve got a tough road ahead of me.  Wish me luck!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Luck! Love, Mom

Elizabeth Peterson said...

You look just like Aunt Jeri in that picture! thats a compliment!
Good luck with your job hunt, I am sorry that you have to do it but maybe you will find something really great and fun.

Deborah W said...

Mom, did you notice the compliment from Elizabeth??? I've always been proud that I look like you. :-D

Lusakli@gmail.com said...

Don't you just hate the big girl panties?! I've been wearing mine for about a month now, but I have to admit, things are going much more smoothly since I've done it. Good luck to you, whoever hires you will be very lucky! Love you!

Lisa

Judy said...

I am So Sorry you have to rejoin our worker-world - I'd give anything to be out of it (the work environment, NOT the world!) Here's putting it out there that you find something quicker than expected and super fun besides. You DO look like your mom! I think that's cool. AND you look great in your power suit - the vegan lifestyle is workin', girl.