As I was warned, this job seeking malarkey – I am no longer ‘retired’: that was only for a couple of months, unfortunately – is as hard as I was expecting.
But there is some good news in amongst it all. I am getting rejection emails. Plenty of them!
Whether it is because of my age or a perceived lack of skills, I have no idea. Every job requires an on-line test which seems to go on forever. They urge you to be honest, which they don’t have to urge me because I am, but there are obviously ‘right and wrong answers!’
At least I am not surprised by the rates of pay on offer, or not on offer in my case. Almost everything is around the minimum wage, except for the ones that are zero hours contracts. In some instances, with the hours available, there is no doubt that I would be better off signing on which is the last thing I want to do.
One interview I attended, for seasonal work, attracted a good number of people and 15,000 nationally for the company. For work that ends in January. Almost everyone I was with was desperate for full time permanent work.
It is not getting me down, yet. At the interview I was reasonable relaxed and switched on and answered the questions honestly – there’s that word again – and without my mind going blank. But I wasn’t sitting on the other side of the table and I might not have sounded as half-decent as I thought.
The rejections are unfailingly polite. That’s because they are a standard failing email which inserts my name. It’s definitely nothing personal!
One lady I spoke to has been trying for work – any work – since she graduated from Uni this year. She travels hundreds of miles for interviews but for most jobs she doesn’t even get a response to the application. At least I have had the courtesy of rejection!
It may come down to me writing THAT book for future income, which is probably not the best idea going. Friends have written books that have derived income way short of their outlay in writing the thing in the first place, so losing money to not make money doesn’t sound like a particularly inspiring business plan.
But I’ll get there, I hope. I am sure I possess countless skills that I remain, as yet, unaware of and these will propel me into a glittering career in…er…something.
In the meantime, I shall commit myself, albeit half-heartedly, to the world of housework and chores. Oh and golf, writing and reading books, as long as I can afford them.
A lottery win would certainly come in handy because I’d rather not work at all but I know another 60 million people who feel the same.
Anyway – let me know if you know of any opportunities in which I could excel.
Gissa job!
1 comment
Convert to Islam and the government will take care of your needs from soup to nuts, and perhaps even pay for lessons and green fees.
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