Reactions, Recruiters and Ramblings

When the going gets tough, the tough use alliteration.

I haven't been unemployed in a long, long time. The last time I was jobless, after being downsized from Montgomery Ward, was the 1980's. Cliche' as it sounds, times have changed a lot for the unemployed. Unemployment benefits, job searches, resume and cover letter submissions -- all are handled over the Internet now.

However, reactions to the news of a job loss haven't changed one iota. The initial reaction is almost always, "What are you going to do?" Um... find another job. What other options are open to me? I have no wealthy relatives, no trust fund, no "fall back" position. Duh.

One of my favorite reactions is, "What do you do every day?" This is closely related to the almost-daily inquiry, "So, how's the job hunt going?" Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the interest and/or concern. Trust me, when I get a new job, I will trumpet it from the rooftops. Well, the rooftops of my e-mail and cell phone, anyway.

Typical Day: I rise at 5:30, like I always have, make coffee, let Jake out, and begin the hunt. I start by getting online and checking out jobs on the major employment websites (Monster, Indeed, etc.) followed by more local websites (OhioMeansJob.com) and then hitting the websites of local large-volume employers like Summa. I do this for about 6 hours each day.

When I'm not online, I play with the dog, take him for walks, etc. I have taken to putting DVD's on in the other room for background noise. I've gone through the first three seasons of the new Doctor Who and the first season of Torchwood, having recently viewed the latest seasons. Sometimes, I play Christmas CD's on my computer or holiday music on iTunes.

To all who read this: I'm doing fine. My savings, although dwindling, are tiding me over. Unemployment is staunching the flow a teeny bit. I'll manage. Thank you for your concern -- it means the world to me. But, remember when we used to chat and I rarely talked about work because I thought you'd find it boring? I'd just as soon not talk about being unemployed the same way. Let me bring it up. Thanks.

My online resume with Monster seems to have attracted the attention primarily of recruiters. It always did, which is why I made it unsearchable while I was employed with SGS. So far, I've been asked if I want to move to Columbus for a 4-month contract (no, thanks) or work on a training project for 3 months in Cleveland -- no benefits, just a "competitive salary." Sigh. I understand that a recruiter's job is not to find me a position, but to find qualified bodies to toss to an employer. But the offers are frustrating anyway. It's like walking through the desert and having someone dangle a cold bottle of water in front of you, then offering only a capful.

But enough about that. Here's my question du jour:
When did walking through the mall become a contact sport?

In recent months, I've had several occasions to visit both Chapel Hill Mall and Summit Mall. The hawkers at the kiosks in the mall have made such visits downright uncomfortable. You can't walk twenty feet without being solicited or accosted by salespeople for cellphones (strangely, almost always men) or beauty products (almost always attractive young women) or other goods. When you politely decline their offers, most get brusque. I want to walk through the mall, get to my destination, do my shopping and leave without being hassled, thankyouverymuch. If I need a cellphone or Dead Sea cosmetics, I'll be sure to approach you. Egad.

And one last rambling: a shout-out to my friend Tami, who sent me a huge, fantastic gift basket for my birthday. It was full of things that are bad for me: soda, candy, chips, snacks and so forth, all wrapped up in a bucket. Oddly, I never had a mopbucket until now. Coming right on the heels of my layoff, this extravagant gift made me feel loved and comforted (as well as sugar buzzed.) Thanks, hon! Here's what it looked like: