Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Jonathan Jones Says Some Confusing,… | Reading Tonight »

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Economy Notes from the Unemployment Line

Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 9:55 AM

It's now 13 weeks without full-time employment for Lissa Cunneen. Last meal eaten before writing this post: pizza. Number of resumes sent out in the last week: nine.

You know what I hate about hope? I’ll tell you what I hate about hope. Hope makes you make little plans. What you will wear on your first day at work. What bus you might take. How excited and relieved your family will be. Ooo! Maybe a celebratory meal at your favorite restaurant! And then you get the e-mail. Another very nice, polite e-mail saying that they are offering the job to someone else and wishing you all the best in your future endeavors. What future endeavors? Sending out resumes? Slinging coffee? Weeping quietly as sleep eludes you?

As you know, readers, I try very hard to maintain a cheerful outlook, because no one likes a whiner, so please forgive my somewhat downcast post this week. I am still working on my card business and am trying to work out a production schedule to build up inventory. I am excited about some new designs and working with another artist, Keely Dolan. I’m also trying to learn some new skills to make myself more marketable. But, sigh, it sometimes seems so pointless. I’m insanely busy, but don’t have much to show for it yet. The trick is to convince myself that I am going forward and am not really just a fluffy hamster running nowhere on my little wheel. Mmmm. Food pellets.

I’ve broadened my job search and am applying at places that I might not have in the past, just because they look interesting. Since the unemployment rate in Washington is now edging toward 10 percent, what could it hurt? Most recently I sent a resume to a pest control company that needs an administrative assistant. In my e-mail I explained that I was uniquely suited to their needs as, in addition to my office management skills, I am not the tiniest bit squeamish when it comes to vermin, having lived with an insect enthusiast for six years, and while I might be sad when a rodent needed killing, it wouldn’t make me jump up on a chair. Indeed, how often does one get the opportunity say something like that when pitching for a job? Seriously, I think I may be on to something!

Have an unemployment story to share? Write to jobless@thestranger.com.

Comments (20) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

You've got a point re widening the sope of your search, since it can feel like (if not actaully be), a execise in futility at this point. My first week, comic book stores. I haven't read a comic for about 22 years. Second week, gunshops. I've never shot a gun in my life. 3rd week I may apply for jobs as a school bus driver or dog groomer. Who knows? At this point UI insurance is basically riot insurance for the wealthy anyways, as Jon Stewart wisely noted a couple of weeks ago.

Posted by Walking the Hamster on April 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM

When the going get's tough...

You know the rest. Are YOU tough?
Of course you are.

Now show me your tough face. Good.
Let me hear your tough cry. Now do it with your tough face on.
Louder.

There. All better. Now git back in there!!!

Posted by Ackham on April 16, 2009 at 10:02 AM

God - I appreciate Slog for posting these updates from people. It makes me appreciate all the more that I have a good job, good income, and that I should never, ever whine about it.

Posted by Brad on April 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM

@3: Agreed. My job may have some... oddities, but I feel extremely lucky to have it.

Posted by Aislinn on April 16, 2009 at 10:26 AM

Not to be the dick here but I guess someone has to say this. If you are eating a to-go pizza that shit is expensive. You can buy a fuck of a lot of groceries for $25 that will last you many many meals. I've been semi/under employed now for 8 months and have not eaten a meal prepared elsewhere other than my kitchen in hell-I-can't-remember-when. Except for the odd happy hour snack and the generousity of friends, I've been staying afloat thanks to the legumes, nuts, rice, and other dry goods I stockpiled through bulk purchases at the co-op and elsewhere. Although my utilities went up from so much cooking at home my newly-food vegetarianism has proven extremely healthy, outweighing the increase.

Posted by Pizza is for the rich folks on April 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM

I know you've had a hard time there but pizza is expensive. If anyone out there is losing there job you should immediately cut out the dining out, drinking, smoking, pizza-eating, cable tv etc. Don't tell me you need any of those things to "get by."

Posted by just got laid off from UW on April 16, 2009 at 11:09 AM

Who are you people (#5, #6)?? A slice of pizza at most places is $1 - $3. And who says she didn't make the pizza herself? Good lord you'll find any excuse to criticize...

Oh wait, me too. But I criticized you and not her so I'm okay with it.

Posted by that's all i have to say about that on April 16, 2009 at 11:15 AM

@ 5, 6 - ...and you're assuming she bought the pizza herself. I'm sure she has pals that still have jobs. Also you can get Tortini's pizza (or whatever that frozen stuff is called) for like a $1.

Posted by @ on April 16, 2009 at 11:17 AM

Or you can buy 2 pizzas for $5 at Fred Meyer - think Trader Joe's (cheap coffee beans but high quality fair trade ones) has some too.

Posted by Will in Seattle on April 16, 2009 at 11:26 AM

Let me set your minds at rest regarding my diet. It was a very good pizza, and I did not pay for it. As #8 so rightly pointed out, I have friends. Friends who like pizza! And sharing pizza! Although he did hide the last pieces from me. It was really good pizza.

Posted by Lissa on April 16, 2009 at 11:43 AM

What a brilliant and creative way to market yourself, Lissa. It is that kind of thinking that will lead to success! Enjoy all the pizza you can, too.

Posted by CommonKnowledge on April 16, 2009 at 11:44 AM

It would be nice if you people qualified for other things would leave the rest of us the admin jobs. I've been an admin for a decade but I'm losing job opportunities because I'm hearing things from employers like "Well, your resume is fantastic and your references were great, but we've got someone who was a corporate underwriter for ten years and has a masters degree that will take the job for the same pay as you, sorry."

I, too, have been unemployed since December 2008. Widening the scope of your job search means that mine becomes almost hopeless. I can't widen out - fast food won't hire me either because I'm "too qualified" or "don't have food service experience." Retail operations have questioned my motives and said they won't hire me because I'm "qualified to take something better eventually." The jobs I am qualified for are hiring people who have "widened" their search and will quit as soon as things perk up.

Posted by Your hope is killing my grocery budget. on April 16, 2009 at 12:32 PM

@12 - And so what should Lissa do? Limit her search to only those jobs for which she knows she is qualified, but not over-qualified? She should pass up any offers for which she has more than enough qualifications?

Is that really what you're suggesting here? You know, you could use that whining energy to do some networking yourself, or, gosh, maybe try upgrading your own job skills so that you, too, can 'widen your search'?

What a concept.

Posted by merry on April 16, 2009 at 12:53 PM

@ 12: STFU.

Posted by no. really. stfu. on April 16, 2009 at 12:54 PM

#12, maybe try getting some skills?

Posted by w7ngman on April 16, 2009 at 1:31 PM

I see that Lissa has already responded regarding the pizza thing, but pizza is actually quite reasonably priced if you make it yourself. I've been eating a lot of spaghetti and pizza (many of the same ingredients) for months now, and if you get the flour and cheese when it's on sale and sock it away, it's a lot of cheerful food for cheap. And for toppings, just use tomato sauce and cheese, or anything you've got around, really.

Posted by Electra on April 16, 2009 at 2:51 PM

@ 14: Why don't you?

You don't know #12's situation, maybe s/he is not in a position to upgrade their skills right now. His/her concerns are legit ones.

It's not always a bad thing to give voice to your own frustrations. Maybe that person has done everything they can do for now.

You don't know.

Posted by whatev on April 16, 2009 at 3:46 PM

Just a note to #12 that Lissa actually WAS an admin or exec. assistant, so she's not applying for admin jobs as a change of career, just a new industry.

Posted by Jennifer on April 16, 2009 at 4:54 PM

Life is short, eat a pizza. Unemployment does not mean denying yourself everything. Christopher McCandless tried the whole dry goods, self sufficiency thing, and we all know how that turned out. Good luck!

Posted by JeffU on April 16, 2009 at 9:46 PM

Hang in there, it will eventually get better!

Posted by Big Daddy on April 21, 2009 at 11:34 AM