I'm Back, Part II
Have you read Part I, yet?
In late 2008, the economy took a Greg Louganis-like dive into the crapper, and the time to build start-ups had come to an end. So began our search for regular, dependable, full-time employment. We needed something steady to pay the bills, and keep food on our table, and it was not an easy search. Unemployment was at or near a 25-year high, and we were both looking for work in fields filled with quality, experienced individuals, and not much in the way of openings. To say it was an uphill battle would be one of those “understatements” people love to use so much.
After a few weeks of searching and discussing what we needed to do to ensure our family was able to afford luxuries such as rent and gas, Becky was able to latch on to a growing marketing company north of Denver. So, it was decided that Becky would work, and I would keep looking, hoping to get my hands on something I could do from home to keep myself sane.
I searched, and I hunted, I prospected, and I even did some mild begging. No matter what I tried, and no matter who I talked to, I just could not find a thing. I went after any job I had the ability to perform. The problem is, there are a lot of extra challenges in a household with one working parent. For example, I could look for a third shift job, sure. Now, those shifts normally start anywhere from 10 to midnight. So, Becky would get home at 6:30 PM, I'd spend some time with her, sleep for an hour, get up and ready, drive to work, work my shift, and get home at 6:30 AM – the same time Becky leaves for work. My hour of sleep per day could be a problem. How about second shift? Sure, I could do that. I'd just need to pay somebody to watch the kids from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM every night, and the job would have to pay enough to allow us to get a second car (since Becky would have our truck), gas for the car, and insurance for the car. What about a regular, 9-5 job? I'd love one, but I'd have to make enough money to allow us to afford full-time child care, the second car/gas combo, and give us enough left over to make it worth our while.
Don't get me wrong. I looked for any job that even came remotely close to meeting any of the above requirements. I don't want anybody to think that I was holding out for that one, perfect job. In fact, as I prepared to write this book, I went back and did some research. From August of 2008 through March of 2009, I sent out over 450 resumes. Of those 450, not one produced a call back, much less an interview. It's a sobering, and somewhat depressing, realization to come to: Nobody wants you.
Part III tomorrow...
In late 2008, the economy took a Greg Louganis-like dive into the crapper, and the time to build start-ups had come to an end. So began our search for regular, dependable, full-time employment. We needed something steady to pay the bills, and keep food on our table, and it was not an easy search. Unemployment was at or near a 25-year high, and we were both looking for work in fields filled with quality, experienced individuals, and not much in the way of openings. To say it was an uphill battle would be one of those “understatements” people love to use so much.
After a few weeks of searching and discussing what we needed to do to ensure our family was able to afford luxuries such as rent and gas, Becky was able to latch on to a growing marketing company north of Denver. So, it was decided that Becky would work, and I would keep looking, hoping to get my hands on something I could do from home to keep myself sane.
I searched, and I hunted, I prospected, and I even did some mild begging. No matter what I tried, and no matter who I talked to, I just could not find a thing. I went after any job I had the ability to perform. The problem is, there are a lot of extra challenges in a household with one working parent. For example, I could look for a third shift job, sure. Now, those shifts normally start anywhere from 10 to midnight. So, Becky would get home at 6:30 PM, I'd spend some time with her, sleep for an hour, get up and ready, drive to work, work my shift, and get home at 6:30 AM – the same time Becky leaves for work. My hour of sleep per day could be a problem. How about second shift? Sure, I could do that. I'd just need to pay somebody to watch the kids from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM every night, and the job would have to pay enough to allow us to get a second car (since Becky would have our truck), gas for the car, and insurance for the car. What about a regular, 9-5 job? I'd love one, but I'd have to make enough money to allow us to afford full-time child care, the second car/gas combo, and give us enough left over to make it worth our while.
Don't get me wrong. I looked for any job that even came remotely close to meeting any of the above requirements. I don't want anybody to think that I was holding out for that one, perfect job. In fact, as I prepared to write this book, I went back and did some research. From August of 2008 through March of 2009, I sent out over 450 resumes. Of those 450, not one produced a call back, much less an interview. It's a sobering, and somewhat depressing, realization to come to: Nobody wants you.
Part III tomorrow...
posted by Kevin A. at
12:17 PM
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