Live Ever After: March 2011

Well it has been almost a year now and I am still unemployed. Living in Virgina, DC, Maryland (another US tri-state area) is not as easy as I thought. In New York there seems to be jobs everywhere and if you play your cards right you can get two or more. How much more difficult would VA be? I had no clue.

I heard the economy was poor and now I realize how sheltered I was in my cozy apartment overlooking the reservoir. My former jobs were excellent and I loved everyone of them. I learned something from each which built my character. Before I came to Virgina, I worked in the a computer related field. Totally out of my environment of counseling psychology. But guess what? I learned something about myself. I am an excellent worker at whatever I set my mind to. I am so much more tech savvy and a well seasoned professional.

So I can't help to wonder why no one will hire me. It seems so clear to me that I should be the best pick. Seriously. I guess this is a year of humbling for me. I came to the realization that I just need to work regardless of how much I want and need to work in my field. I decided to apply for a bank job. I had to fill out a long online application. Their assessment test was 100 questions. The next day I received an email stating I was not qualified; after all that. Then I tried a popular hotel chain. They had a job fair and I was there from 9am to 4pm, doing what? Filling out the online job application I could have done from home. For each position, a new form was required. After three months of scheduled interviews for their new hotel, no one ever called back even when I showed up in person.

Then there is good old Macy's. "They have to hire me. I have a Masters Degree". The next day I received an email that I was unqualified. By the way, now a days, assessment exams are given for almost every job. Macy's and the hotel was no different. I became so frustrated I figured I should apply for a recruiter position because I know how it feels to work full time in finding work yet with no results. Then I received an interview for a position with juvenile courts. A three person panel with 7 questions. I did excellent on half and the others I bombed. But they loved my interaction. This was the job for me. Three weeks later they called to say they were in a hiring freeze. Just my luck.

During this time the a position for a drug addiction counselor came up. The steps included, of course, an assessment of your personality and work ethics and in addition, if you "pass" they send you a link for a skills assessment to check your knowledge of counseling persons with addictions. This test was difficult but I think I did pretty good. I haven't heard anything yet as it is now the two week notice mark. I really can't complain. I had a job interview today with the most loveliest person. She was going to hire me and then I found out it was mandatory that I have a car to conduct in-home therapy. I'm in the process of finding a car as I write.

There you have it. A synopsis of my job search history. I did not even include the job searches that were only part time, too far, no insurance, call just to hear my voice with no face to face interview opportunity, mandatory to drive clients around, PRN positions only, weekends a must, pay under 30K, no supervision hours available, unsure of my New York degree, no walk ins, must speak Spanish, must have a car, must have teaching hours, must be over 5'7", okay the last one was made up. But it sure feels like you are being discriminated against. Is it too much to ask to have the perfect combination; complete package in a job?

And so the search continues. Hopefully it will end before my 1 year anniversary of unemployment. Who will that lucky company be?