Notes from the Unemployment Line

“Cara” last wrote in on Feb. 9, demoralized by unemployment and looking everywhere for work—even at the state’s beleaguered unemployment hotline, which was hiring at the time. That didn’t work out, but today, finally, a job offer came.

The last time I e-mailed you I had been looking for a job since October. This last month was one of the worst. I was still sending 2-3 resumes out per day, and checking with everyone I knew about whether they were hearing of even the most entry-level positions at their jobs. None of them could help.

I was signed up with two temp agencies and was trying to get into any that would take me, but I couldn’t even get an interview at an agency. I did get a response from Unemployment about the Customer Representative position—I wasn’t qualified. Apparently administrative work and customer service work don’t cross over. (Apparently receptionists don’t have the patience ‘customer service agents’ do?)

I had $50 in my bank account, was eating through the generosity of my roommate, and was looking at packing up my stuff to try to get a subletter in for March. And then last week I was thrown a life line. A few friends helped me out with my rent for March which took away a lot of the stress. And then two different businesses scheduled me for an interview on the same day. One was for a temp agency that I didn’t expect much from, but the other was a direct hire for a great organization that I was really excited for.

From my interviews on Monday until today I was even more stressed than I already had been, since I didn’t know if I would have a place to live. The thought of possibly getting so close and getting shot down again was devastating. I did prepare myself for a rejection, though, knowing I was just one of 3-4 people who might be in the same boat as me. I was told to expect a call on Wednesday, but nothing came. And I was really depressed yesterday. I was sending out resumes all week anyway, but sitting at the computer last night, I felt like it was all an exercise in futility. Knowing the market, knowing I’m being looked past because of Assistants with twice my experience—it made me feel like crawling in a hole and never getting out.

The good luck was still there though, and in my sending out of resumes I got one response that was interviewing today. So I scheduled an interview for 10 a.m., and headed out in the snow for it this morning. I was still really down about not getting the great position from Monday, but I am a survivor and will need to do what needs to be done.

This interview was for a well known company, but I didn’t get a good vibe, the interview only lasting about 5 minutes, and left feeling despondent again. When I checked my phone to turn up the volume after the interview, I saw a missed call.

Turns out I did make a good impression and I was offered the really great job! I was beside myself. I’m starting next Tuesday at a job I can walk to. I feel stable for the first time in years. I was commenting to my roommate last night that I know I’m lucky to have a warm place to sleep and food to eat, but since I hadn’t had a job in so long I felt useless. Our society judges people on their usefulness, and while I know I have it in me to take on any job and succeed, I only have experience in a narrow field so no one will take a chance when there are so many other people with experience.

So, take hope job seekers. I know it’s hard out there, but there are still places hiring, and luck will turn your way. And thanks for posting this series. It can get very lonely when there is no motivation to leave the house and you feel like you’re a drain on everyone around you. I guess misery really does love company because knowing there are others in my situation helped me feel like I wasn’t a failure, that sometimes the world just works against you.

Cara