Dumb it Down (year 2012)
All signs indicate I will not recover financially and will never procure that $40K per salary that I once earned years ago. You were paid what your experience and professionalism dictated. You could actually pay for a mortgage! These days $40,000 a year is simply getting by, but I certainly could survive on that!
When I was laid off two years ago, DES (Department of Employment Services) critiqued my resume and advised me to dumb it down. Red flags popped into my mind. I was over-qualified and if I wanted a job I most likely would not be able to find one that would be a lateral move.
The only offering was at half the salary I had been accustom to. Is the speech they gave all of us at the “Unemployment Orientation” meeting actual concern or part of their job requirement to maintain their position.
I won’t go into detail but if you have been there you know what I mean!
DES used to be simply called Unemployment Office. It must have been too politically incorrect, with a negative connotation, so they changed the name to support the fact that they are now offering you services to assist you in finding a job. NOT!!!!!!!
It’s easier to use their website on Jobquest to look at the job postings. It will save you from waiting in line at the DES and save you gas money.
One advisor blatantly told me, These are different times. Many people in your position are working two part-time jobs to stay afloat! Okay, so your brain is still functioning well enough to know that two part-time jobs mean much lower pay and definitely no benefits.
The thought occurs to me that my taxes are paying for the services at DES. Perhaps it is selfish of me to think that there would be more of an effort to provide optimism, but then I remind myself that the personnel at these DES are dealing with hundreds of unemployed or underemployed individuals daily. After a while they simply have heard all the sob stories and pleadings from those who just want a job.
I sensed most of them were just glad it wasn’t them who had lost their job. My sitting there with them was a reminder that they too could be next. Oh yes, but wait, they are government employees. How foolish of me. Their jobs are very secure as long as the unemployment rates remain sky-high! Quite the enigma for the one relying on the unemployment counselor to find him/her a job!!………..The saga continues for far too many of us!!
