The unemployed atheist
Posted on: October 5, 2010 - 2:10am
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The unemployed atheist
I am still unemployed. 19 months and counting. I didn't apply for a job today. It was in my field, just the kind of job I'm looking for. It was also with a local "college" run by the Assembly of God. And I just couldn't bring myself to lie on the application about my relationship to Christ, what church I belong to and how active I am in my church. Sigh. Ethics. Sucks.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
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I think I would have done the same as you. Or answered truthfully and seen what eventuated.
Unemployment sucks. I did 2 years in the early 90s in the bad recession we had here.
One saturday I was a strike breaker at a big newspaper where I picked up the sheets that fell off the presses.
Finally I scored 2 nights a week as a security officer getting 6 bucks an hour in the hand.
The bloody boss always short-changed me. Those two hollow years are the engine of my self employment.
I feel your pain.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
i would be like that from this thursday coming here
Apply anyway. Don't lie, but get creative with the god questions.
Hope you'll still have time to post here once you get a job again.
I have held things together pretty well up until the last couple of months.
The problem is the entire mind set. Not only do you have to answer the questions on the job app, you then have to abide by their employee manual which requires a commitment to their delusions. You have to sign forms stating that you will abide.
Thanks for the support - I may have to take the call center job and I hate working in call centers.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
As I mentioned to AE, you have to sign off on the employee manual as well. And it is just too dicey for me.
I promise to post on my off hours, US Pacific time when I am employed again. I interviewed for one job that was nights, so no telling in advance when my off hours will be. But I will certainly find time to post.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
cj,
Do they have an equal opportunity disclosure statement? I mean that if you apply and state that you are an atheist, they cannot reject you based on your faith. They actually then might be so scared by a perspective of legal problems that you may have a better chance to get the job. Of course, if you want it.
100%
100% took the words right out of my mouth...er....my keyboard. Fill it out, be honest and non confrontational....you never know what their mindset will be.... and the worst that can happen is that you dont get the job that you aren't applying for anyway...
www.RichWoodsBlog.com
wow 19 months? you definalty aren't being aggressive enough. You need to really get out there and search under every stone for a job. Really if you are not searching 5 hours a day minimum you are not being serious enough imo. Maybe 5 hours a day comes from living in a country with a very high unemployment rate but iv done it before and I got a great job on zero qulifacations besides a matric.
If you are wondering how you spend 5 hours a day it includes calling places that employ in the line of work you are looking for that aren't even advertising and asking for the boss and ask about any positions that are open or will be open in the near future. Thats how I got a great job. In truth I went to see him in person and invited him for some coffee and two weeks later a position opened up and guess who he remembered. Unforunatly I had to quit because I had to start university, but getting a job is not hard if you are serious about it. Yes some people will get annoyed by this but in truth you never have to see tham again and if you just do it over the phone they won't even know its you when a position does open up and you apply.
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.
They claim not to discriminate based on any thing you can think of except religion. They really did have three boxes on their employment app - personal relationship to Jesus, name of the church you belong to, and how active you are in that church. And the paragraph from the employee policy that you have to sign and agree to abiding by has that same commitment to religion written into it and limitations on your after hours social life as well. It isn't worth it. Seriously, it says no smoking, drinking, or any other activity that would upset them on your off hours. My social life isn't that exciting, but the idea that my after hours activities are up for scrutiny by work supervisors is creepy.
I applied for the customer service rep job at a very secular company instead. Less money, boring as hell, but at least they won't care if I have a glass of wine with dinner.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Thanks, Tapey.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
just thinking about my own mindset at that time I remember the whole give up sensation that crushes you down. When I looked in the mirror I could see the defeat on my face.
Try to do something - whatever it might be. Get out there and do something. And keep applying. I finally got something decent when my ex-wife insisted I apply for a job I was too dispirited to make an effort to try for - it was my 430-oddth application.
It's pretty bloody cold comfort but just keep slugging away like that's your job. No surrender.
Make sure you get out and do some fun life things.
And keep telling us how it's going.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
To true, its so easy to get beat up about it and give up. But really unless your attitude is that finding a job is your current job its going to take longer than nessicary.
BTW if you applied for 430 jobs and didn't get one and you were qualified for them then either your CV needs a lot of work or you need to work on you interview skills. Luckily I attended a very good course on searching for a job straight after getting out of school which helped me understand what exactly I should be doing and what I should be putting on my CV.
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.
Haven't heard from you for awhile cj I was hoping that you had found a job. Without you telling me how wrong I am, I am starting to believe that I am right.
Don't give up hope.
For the record, churches and religious corporations are exempt from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act so they can discriminate based on religion even if you are applying for a job that has nothing to do with religion. Yeah, its BS but the Supreme Court upheld it.
Anyway, good luck cj. Customer service sucks but at least it pays money.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
You're still wrong.
Yeah, I know they are allowed to discriminate, I just hadn't run into such intrusiveness before. And the job was IT security where one's integrity is an essential part of the job.
I have been told I am very good at responding to user problems over the phone. I may hate it, but if I can keep from swearing out loud when I hang up instead of just swearing under my breath, I should be able to hang on long enough to get a better job somewhere. And I only have to lie about wanting a career in customer service -- I should be able to do that with a straight face.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I've had my CV reviewed a couple of times. It is just fine. I interview very well, so I've been told numerous times. I am applying for corporate positions in medium to large firms. There are rules.
Never spam your resume. They toss all unsolicited resumes in the trash. If you persist, HR will remember you and never refer you to the hiring manager regardless of openings or qualifications.
Don't approach the hiring manager on your own - you will be arrested for stalking.
Play by the rules. Corporations want you to be a good worker bee - regardless of the stuff they say about wanting "initiative, go get them" kind of people. Jazz up the interview with how you can make a change in the company, but play by all the rules to get that interview and once hired, join the lock step.
I am going for this kind of position because I'm not young, I want stability and benefits. But if I get one more email - "Your presentation was excellent, your qualifications outstanding, but we decided to interview and hire someone else" - I might go jump off a bridge. The largest demographic in the US unemployed is young black men. That hasn't changed since I was old enough to pay attention to statistics. But right now, the second largest demographic of unemployed is post menopausal women who are too young to retire - I own that t-shirt.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Yes and thats why corporate sucks, you really don't want to be sending a CV unless you know they are looking anyway, it does no good. Im sure you have already tried this if it applies to you but have you phoned anyone you used to work with old bosses included? thats mainly for small busninesses though not so much corporate. I don't know what sort of thing you are looking for but they may be in a position to hook you up, hell thats how my handicapped mother got a job post menopause.
You mentioned a call centre job, why not take it and continue looking for something better, there is nothing to keep you at one job until you retire, just let an apropriate amount of time pass to meet any personal, moral or contractual obligation you have, at this point in your life burning bridges job wise really doesn't matter to much if you get some good sable employment from it. 19 months is to long to be searching.
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.
Yeah, all of them have a copy of my resume - ex-bosses, ex-coworkers. And they are all corporate types. No small businesses. They are nice people and helping as much as they can.
If I get offered a call center job - I've applied for a couple now - I'll take it. And yeah, I'll keep looking. 19 months is way too long. If I had life insurance, I'd go off that bridge - there's a couple of really tall ones in town.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I can relate to the frustration of unemployment. I've been unemployed since June and I've replied to several jobs I don't even want just to have something to do. I think I might have the "overqualified" label from my resume since I did the same job for many years. I really hate all the fake tactics I've read bout for job hunting, and some I'm willing to do, but I don't want to sacrifice myself.
Good luck cj.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
Rather than rely on doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different outcome, I am planning to get a second degree in computer science. I'm still doing the job hunting stuff, but I am not going to rely on it anymore. Now, to just be able to hang onto my house until the student loans kick in this January.
And thanks for the good vibes.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Hi CJ
You're very brave to decide to go back to school and learn a new trade. Good luck!
19 months???!!! I've been unemployed for just over 2 and my unemployment (such as it is) runs out in February. I hope I am able to find something before then.
In the mean time, I'm working on starting my own business out of my home. My last two jobs as office manager has given me the know-how of how to run a business and my 40+ years of sewing has given me the knowledge of how to stock the shop and I am confident that I can do it. The problem is (besides a lack of funds, of course), I've run into a roadblock with my insurance company: they told me a few days ago that if I open a retail business from my home, they will cancel me! I've got another agency working on a quote for me but, if I can't get it at a reasonable rate, that means the end of my pipe dream. My other option would be to rent a store or building and there is no way I can afford to do that - and I flat out refuse to use my (paid for) home as collateral on an operating loan.
So, I still have some hope and while waiting to hear from the ins. agent, I'm getting the 'shop' ready, as much as I can, without spending any $$$...all things that needed to be done anyway, like cleaning and painting the rooms and front porch, getting rid of junk and clutter, finding wholesale distributors, etc. I've already gotten my business license, registered with the IRS for taxes and registered my logo/ trademark with the State.
The 'village' I live in has very few job opportunities and I really think my time and energy would be better invested in starting a business of my own now rather than in finding a minimun wage paying job working for someone else - although, it may come to that the end of January. The ideal plan would be to find a decent, part-time job and run my business part-time also.
One thing for sure - being unemployed SUCKS!!!
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
I hate prejudice! I am a theist (or so I think) and I would employ you!
We the people have to change the system or we are fucked...
Re: the job with the A of G...
If I had to make that decision, I would pass on that job. I would not want to be around those people 40 hours a week. Just think how many times a day you'd have to hear, 'Praise the Lord!' and 'Thank God!' for this and that.
I wouldn't take the job for any amount of money. Not to mention all the times you would have to bite your tongue when the subject of evolution or the book of Genisis was brought up.
I wouldn't work in a whore house either...and I hear they make pretty good money, too
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
Thanks for the support. Funny about the insurance - I live in Portland, OR. Not a huge city, but no small town, either. You can look up on line all the businesses close to your property (and a lot of other information as well). If home insurance was canceled because of in home businesses, about 1/3 of the homes within 5-6 blocks would be without. I have no idea what they are all doing. My husband trains dogs and so we are considered an in home business though he usually trains at their house, not at ours. One of my neighbors makes salsa in his home and sells it to the local specialty stores - and he is inspected by the proper inspectors and has all the licenses to do so. Another neighbor is a contractor specializing in building in small spaces. Parks his equipment in his driveway. So it seems funny that you can't sew in your own home.
I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to lie that much. And then, I thought about all those "Praise the Lord"s all day. I just couldn't take it. So I am still applying, still looking. Unfortunately, what I have been doing for the last 20 years is supporting large corporate networks and servers. Not something that easily translates to working out of my home. And there are already about 4 companies in town that already contract for that kind of work. I don't see how I could compete effectively. At least going back to school means I can pick up some student help sort of work around campus.
I have never been in a whorehouse. Never been to a strip joint or exotic dancer place, either. Don't think I would want to work there at my age. Too old to dance or strip. And whoreing? Nah. Maybe if I looked like one of the old babes - Stockard Channing? Candice Bergen? Tina Turner?? Never was me. Ain't that much money in the world for the plastic surgery necessary.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I think the insurance thing has to do with whether or not you have customers coming into your house. I actually think it's a good idea since there is always one in the crowd who will trip over their own feet and try to sue the pants off of you. What I have in mind is a retail sewing supply shop, sort of. My house is the perfect set up since I have a big front porch and two front doors.. It's not like the customers would have to walk through my living room to get to the shop.
I'm still not 100% sure what I want to do though. Everything I've read advises to get a job in the type business you want to start and every time I imagine working in a fabric store I'm not happy and I'm not sure why. I like solving problems and doing everything required to run a business - except waiting on customers. I don't have the patience for that, I've done it before and really didn't like it...except my last job, where I ran the office (nursery stock) and customers (mostly men who knew what the wanted before they got there) were a breeze to deal with.
I talked to a lady today who has a shop exactly like what I have in mind - she's in her 80's and isn't doing much business and I could probably buy her out real cheep, a bit at a time but, after seeing all the beautiful quilts she makes, and the low prices she is asking for them, I honestly think I could make more money selling her stuff on eBay.
I also thought about the difference between selling fabric and selling finished product. I can make a 28" stuffed doll, with three outfits, using maybe 2 yards of fabric and probably sell it for around $50 (?) ... and skip the extra insurance on the house... or, I can sell the fabric to make one for around $8.
I'm trying to keep positive and think of this as an opportunity to do something new with my life for the next 30-40 years rather than let it get me down about being laid off. It wouldn't be so bad if I had a nice nest egg saved up and didn't have to worry about being able to buy food or, pay the bills.
I'm just thankful I'm better of than a lot of other people who don't even have a home these days.
Are we still living in America???? Sometimes I wonder.
You said you've been 'supporting large corporate networks and servers'...I don't know what that means. Can you start your own small business doing the same thing - similar to what the big companies are doing but, different/better?
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
I think selling the dolls all sewn up on ebay is better. Because, many people are clutzes when it comes to sewing. (Like Me! My husband does any sewing around here, kid you not. The sewing machine hates me.) Also because no people in your house. Also because you can have a higher markup. Look around on ebay and see what people are selling similar items for, then price your stuff at the high end. Especially if you have nicer stuff than most everyone else. Be sure to not only offer auctioned items, but have the "But it now!" option as well. I think you will be surprised.
Computers - imagine a room like in a science fiction movie. Racks and racks of servers - big, heavy computers. Lots of lights and cables and power cords and monitors and the largest air conditioner you ever saw and it blows really cold air around. Okay, that is a "datacenter". And that is what I used to do - boss those computers around. Keep them running for the company. Keep them free of viruses. Help people work on the applications. Like the card reader that reads a credit card when you purchase something? It is attached to one of those huge servers somewhere. And someone has to keep the card reader on line and talking to that computer. And that computer is attached to the really huge banking computers. Which keep track of all those card transactions. There are almost no stores that don't have those card readers. And no banks keep track of money with ledger books anymore - it is all done on computer. And all the bank computers talk to each other, sending money back and forth. And there is an army of computer geeks keeping them all running.
I didn't work for a bank, but the company I worked for was international with offices in Europe and Asia as well as the US, Canada, Russia, India, and Argentina. Which makes me overqualified for a lot of jobs. But since I wasn't a supervisor or team leader, so I am under qualified for still other jobs.
As I said, there are at least 4 companies in town that are independent geeks where they contract with other companies to keep the servers running. And they have guys (and the occasional gal) running around to lots of different companies making the computers/servers work for those companies. And I can't compete with 50-60 other people who already have the contracts. And yes, I have applied for work with these particular companies. More than once.
I haven't been programming, so web designing from home is out as I don't know how. I don't have the fancy web page software and I suck really bad at graphics and art work. I applied for a customer service representative job and they tested me. The test said "don't recommend to hire". Which means I didn't get the job. It really sucks to find out you are not able to do a $10 per hour job because you flunked the test. I will work something out, I just don't know what yet. In the meantime, I keep applying for those jobs riding herd on those big computers. And I am applying for student loans and stuff. One foot in front of the other.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
WoW That sounds like a great job!
What about applying to the individual customers for in-house tech support?
My ex-bosses son does that with a local bank and their branches...computer security of some sort.
Or, maybe going to local businesses and offering to get them set up 'on line'?
I talked to the owner of a local kid's clothing high-end boutique last week and she said she might take some of my dolls and other 'stuff'. I'm going to work on that this week and take some in to her. I have tags and my logo I can transfer onto them so they look 'professional'. That's an option.
Instead of eBay, I may give etsy a shot. The trouble with them is there is way too much competition - but, there is also a huge customer potential.
I was looking at doilies on eBay last year and people had beautiful ones listed for way too little money - and they weren't selling at all. It takes at least a day to make a small one. That's 8 hours of my time...and I can't sell a doily like that for $10!!!
Hand quilted blankets seem to do better and so do original design rag dolls - seems like the uglier, the better. Lol
I don't know. I'm like you, just one step and one day at a time. I do know I will have to take whatever I can get in the way of a job though before my unemployment runs out.
I had to take a long test online for a WalMart application. Weird questions, mostly wanting to know how you would deal with stupid co-workers and irate customers. One question was repeated several times with different phrasing like: (true or false) 'It's okay to sometimes steal from my employer'.
I can't imagine the idiot who would reply 'True'.
I passed...But, I sure would hate like hell to have to work for WalMart!!!
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
My husband once tried applying for those kinds of jobs but with some of the giant hardware store chains. His problem was he is too honest. His downfall? "Have you ever known anyone who used illegal drugs?" Come on, not have you used illegal drugs, but have you known anyone else. Of course you know someone. Especially if you are older. At some time, you have known someone who smokes/smoked marijuana. So he answered the question yes. And wasn't hired. He told the HR person - what you have is not a workforce of people who do not associate with illegal drug users, what you have is a workforce of liars. She got real thoughtful.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
What a loaded (BS) question! And, he is right...everyone knows someone who did/does drugs - even if you went to a private christian school! If that is what they base their hiring on, then he is also right that they have a bunch of liars working for them!
That is insane.
I looked at a local 'quilting' shop today (closed). I was under the impression that she catered only to quilters and did machine top stitching - WRONG! She has a ton of nice fabric in her shop. I also checked what was left in WalMart in their craft department and they have all the basic notions I wanted to carry. Yesterday, I went to a vacuum/ sewing machine shop which has no fabric but, has all the thread I wanted to carry. So, between the three of them, there already exists a source of sewing supplies in the area. S**t.
Market research is an essential part of the business plan. Duh.
Oh well. Back to Plan A: trying to sell the stuff I make in my spare time and putting more effort into finding a regular 'day job' that will pay the bills.
Sometimes, reality sucks.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
I keep asking myself, when do I get to do what I want to do? And then I have to ask myself, just what the hell do I want to do? You would think at almost 60 years old, I would have a clue. Reality not only sucks, it vacuums shit up on the way.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
True.
I'll be 53 in two weeks. I never thought I'd make it this far...and to unemployed and not be able to find a job I actually like doing (I really loved my office manager job) is just too humiliating to dwell on.
I look around and see people my age with nice retirement funds and looking forward to retiring and I think - WTF?!
But, I know wtf...I had too much fun in my youth to consider old age.
I suppose I can take consolation in knowing that 90% of those who will retire with a fat bank account won't live long enough to have fun enjoying it.
On the other hand, I've had my fun and now I'm paying for it.
Can't win for loosing!
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
Some of these young guys have said - you just need to work hard and you can realize your dreams. I don't know - I have worked hard all of my life until recently. And I would continue to work hard for another 20 years - because I might have rebuilt what retirement fund I used to have by then. When does working hard pay off?
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I don't know. Maybe some are just born lucky or, have a gift for being successful. I'm realizing I'm neither. Working hard has little to do with being successful. I think it has more to do with just being in the right place at the right time.
The last 10 years or so, I've been hard at it and even was able to save some $$ on the side but, after being laid off from the last two, it disappeared in between jobs.
I don't think I want a lot...I just want to be comfortable and not have to eat dirt when I get older.
I used to think I was middle class. Now, I'm not even sure there is such a thing. Now, you're either one who has or, one who has not and there doesn't seem to be any middle.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
I was just hoping to live on something other than cat food.
There is a very sad Japanese movie about a boy and his little sister - orphans during WWII. And how the little girl ate dirt as that was all there was. The boy lived, but the sister died of malnutrition. There is always food stamps. As long as the Republicans don't convince everyone else we are just lazy dopers and deserve to starve.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I saw something on the news recently about...I think...people living in the middle east or, maybe Haiti? They actually make 'mud cookies' because food is scarce.
Food Stamps! Hah! That's a joke, too. I went and applied several weeks ago. Guess how much they offered me? $16. NO, not a week - a month! I told them to keep it. These programs aren't designed for people who are struggling and are trying to keep it together during a tough time. They are designed for irresponsible, lazy slobs who know how to work the system and milk it for everything they can get, and make a career out of it, ...at OUR (working stiff) expense. The less you have, the more you get.
Cat food? I can hardly afford that now.
That's why I said 'dirt'.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
You're kidding? That's almost a week of food for anybody on a reasonable budget.
I kid you not.
What really ticked me off was seeing the pregnant, Hispanic girl with two toddlers at the next window. You know damn well she was going to get several hundred $$ worth a week. Probably has an illegal boyfriend who gets paid a decent wage, under the table, (sends half of it back to his other family in Mexico) lives in a welfare apartment and drives a new vehicle. It pays to know how to work the system. Unfortunately, I prefer being self-sufficient.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
Right illegals get paid decent wages, usually minimum wage or less, that's decent these days got it. Since illegals have all types of rights and immigration will never try to bust them, if they get paid less they can just go to.....oh that's right no one to protest about their wages.
Yeah, I figured someone would complain about the 'Hispanic' reference.
There are a lot of Hispanics in my area, many are illegal and they usually get just as good or, a better wage than the legal Americans. Why? Because they are willing to do the kind of physical labor that a 'white boy' refuses or is physically unable to do...and the businesses severely depend on them to keep operating.
Who says illegals have no rights? Not true.
Where I worked, we had H2A contract laborers (look it up). Our government gave them a mandatory pay raise every year...the last one took it to $9.43/hr. -FAR ABOVE MINIMUN WAGE FOR AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. The employer had to furnish housing and pay utilities, provide worker's compensation insurance and no taxes are deducted from their pay. I know for a fact that more than half of their pay checks were sent back to Mexico. If you need proof of exactly how much money earned in this country is sent to and spent in Mexico, just google Western Union.
We also hired out local contract labor who provide bogus social security cards...who drive fancy, brand new vehicles.
So, what's your point?
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
I am surprised at all those interview questions about religion. I thought Portland was fairly secular. I would have thought the area I'm in now would be far more religious, but most of the business owners I know would never ask those kinds of questions.
Although I do still have people who ask about my church as one of the first two or three questions in an introduction...then act scandalized when I say I don't have one.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
It was a college associated with the Assembly of God, remember. I've applied to over 300 jobs now and this was the only one that had anything specific. A couple of the hospitals are linked to various religious organizations - but they only go so far as to say we are nice people who expect our employees to be nice as well. Nothing specific about what church you go to.
I don't mind being asked to be a nice person. Generally, I am nice. I don't do very much too excess anymore, so I'm not concerned about my life style upsetting anyone. I don't mind a website saying "as God's children, we are all..... blah, blah." All the interviews I've been on and not once has anyone mentioned going to church or having faith or whatever. Everyone so far has been very unconcerned about my personal life. It is in part why I was so surprised to see these questions on this application.
And as sugarcane pointed out, I don't think I could stand to be surrounded by "PTL" all day long.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
cj,
What kind of job are you looking for? If you're not too picky, maybe I can help.
Woo-hoo!
I'm sort of excited yet, sort of not... just got a call from the local WallyWorld. They have an opening in their 'apparel' department and asked me to come in for an interview on Thursday.
Not exactly what I was wanting but, with jobs around here as scarce as they are I feel like I would be a fool to pass it up.
Good grief I HATE job interviews... I get so nervous. Got any tips on keeping cool? (no drugs
Wish me luck.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
Well if you insist on no drugs.... I always went for a long run the morning of the interview followed by a cold shower and a light meal. Not sure if it actually helps but it always put me in the right mood.
Good luck!
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Best wishes for you. Practice is the only thing that works long term. If I get the shakes, I will say, excuse me a moment, look down at my hands or lap and take a deep breath. And then I look up and continue on.
I had an interview last week - but another week to go before she said they could tell me if I was hired or not. I'm expecting yet another email that my presentation was stellar and my qualifications are excellent but they hired someone else. Deep breaths.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
I called someone I know last night who used to work for WalMart to get specifics on what to expect at the interview and other details of the hiring process like, the orientation. Doesn't sound too bad. I think the main thing that will help me stay calm is thinking about the times I had to interview and hire someone on my last job...that and the fact that I'll probably be older than the one interviewing me.
Anyway, a fact that should help me get the job is that I've been to WalMart, on average, once a week over the past 17 years and I know where everything is in that store!
I found online and read their 'Ethics' policy last night. Interesting...
Something else interesting to me...everything I've read on starting your own business recommends getting a job in a related business. So, this would qualify as just that...although, I have worked in retail before.
On a side note, I ran into a snag with my home-based business plan: my insurance agency said they would cancel me if I did that and another agency gave me a quote of $1500/year - which is absurd!
Oh well, no sense worrying. All one can do is the best they can with what they have to work with and the opportunities that they are presented with.
'Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.' A. Einstein
Man cj, I hope you find something. Keep your head up
You're tough!
My husband tried applying at a couple of mega stores - similar to Wally. He flunked the pre-exam. One of the questions at both places was, "Have you ever known someone who took illegal drugs." He answered truthfully, yes. Of course you have ever - darn few people haven't known someone or did it themselves when young - or not so young. Shoot, I have not personally done drugs because I'm a control freak, but I have known lots of people who are/do/have/did/done.
He talked with the HR person. She said, we have a store full of employees who have answered "no" to that question. He said, "you have a store full of liars." She looked rather thoughtful...
edit: If ever asked this particular question, my advice is lie like a rug. And if you have to take a drug test and you can't leave your favorite stuff alone long enough to pass the piddle test, don't even try for the job.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.