Job Fair Gone Wrong

[crystalgaze]

Thanks Holly!! (((((((((((((((((((((((( hollyann )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

It means a lot to me.... Super Thanks for your support!

[crystalgaze]

Someone suggested that I would make a good lawyer... I may look into it, but I've never had the urge to be one. (I'd have to 1st pass the LSAT, then after the studies, the Bar....)

[crystalgaze]

I finally got a job.

I'm not sure if it is exactly what I would like to do. However, I am grateful to have something. I just started Friday.

It is retail, so my legs & lower back have been killing me (standing close to all day).
________

Recently, I finished my 1st class. I got a grade of A+ .... Then, I started my next class.... Tomorrow is my designated study day. I have about 4 chapters to scan.

[Warmsoul/Jeanie13]

(((((((((((((( crystalgaze ))))))))))))))))

WTG!! On both counts. Have missed your being about, but understand why. A+, very impressive!!

Warmie

[TackingIntoTheWind]

Congratulations on finding a job, (((( crystalgaze ))))!!!! YAY!!!! ( In a reserved " British " way of course... )
And an A+, huh? Outstanding!!!! ( I have a suspicion that I passed most of my exams by sheer persistence...
Teacher runs into teachers' staffroom, in great excitement...
" I got it! We just give him the qualifications and he'll just leave...!!!! )
Glad to hear your good news! Finding a job in this economic climate takes a lot of persistence. As George Washington said to his army after the battle of Saratoga: " You rock! " ( Or, words to that effect... )

[crystalgaze]

Thanks Tacking!

I have been having moments of wanting to quit--like today. It is hard to do anything right.... In the end, I'm afraid of doing anything in the store. Part of the problem is, um, well.... no real job training. I'm just having to pick up everything as I go along, which is a little rough.

I do not like to make mistakes.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not perfect, but I do my best not to make errors especially when it involves money, somebody's money-making potential, etc.

Then, I got this unwelcome feeling from my co-worker, which did not help. Sometimes, she talks to me in a way that I end up ignoring her for it.

The confusion nearly drove me up the wall today. (One person tells me one thing; the owner of the establishment tells me something different. Of course, with that going on, I've been making errors left & right....) It makes me uneasy if I make errors, regarding money or somebody's potential to earn (by e.g. putting the wrong price on something, etc.)

[crystalgaze]

Well.... I am in the process of quitting.

I am hoping to be out of there soon. Today, I would rather not go into work. It is a weekend & I wish I could have the day to relax.

Right now, I am just feeling frustrated with lots of things in my life.

__________________________________________________________

Something also happened on the job yesterday when I purchased something out of the store. The owner rang me up & as much as workers get 30% of whatever we buy, boss honey did not give it to me.

Today, I will address the issue gently, like I always do, just to see what will happen. I will then know what kind of people I am dealing with in my day to day living. Depending on how it goes & what is said, I may never buy anything out of that store again & I will tell people not to buy out of it also.

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School is annoying the crap out of me because the text being used is not up-to-par (as far as I am concerned). My biggest beef with that book is that it offers NO practice activities. It gives examples which you can follow but after that NOTHING.

Then, I have a teacher who gives a WRITTEN TEST on COMPUTER SOFTWARE. Sure, there are important things to remember but it aggravates me to no end that I would be tested on, what to me are, minute details. (some option on a tab from some pop-up window) Then, I'm told, "Oh no, we don't want you to memorize anything, since software is updated and things can change."

I will make sure not to have anymore classes with that teacher because I find that individual irritating, especially the comments made in class.

"I won't be giving you all any points blah blah blah."

Heck, I'm not in high school & even in high school, none of my teachers did that. In fact, they didn't do that for me when I was in elementary school. Often times, I feel as though the students are being talked down to & I think to myself, "Who in the world said I wanted anything from you?! Shut the _______ up."


When I brought up the issue with the textbook not having any activities:


"It's not a textbook, YOU'RE used to."

as if the problem is with me, when it is not. If I had had someone who had taken some education courses or an education degree teaching me, I really wouldn't be having this problem. The thing is I have to sing praises to the secretary & my college professors who didn't have education degrees but still knew how to teach. (They had degrees in the specialties.)

For Pete's sake, how can something being used as a computer software TEXTBOOK not have any activities for students to practice?!

That's life, though. Isn't it? Dealing with people & their different personalities and complexes.

[Warmsoul/Jeanie13]

(((((((((((((( Crystal )))))))))))))))))))

I know you will sort things out, you have that talent. And I know in the end you will do what is best for you.

Sending good thoughts your way.

Warmie

[TackingIntoTheWind]

I'm also sending good thoughts your way (((( crystalgaze. ))).
I hope that you're able to resolve some of the things that are causing you so much frustration. I generally find things easier to learn if I can practice, " learn by doing ", rather than trying to just learn by reading information, or having information read to me. I have a feeling that there is more to teaching than simply the process of " downloading " information into a student.
I hope that you'll find a way to continue approaching your goals. Like (((( Warmie )))), I have confidence that you will.
I'm sorry that I can't think of any more practical advice.

[crystalgaze]

School is coming to a close, but it is not ending soon enough. There is a problem with some of the work I was doing, which is frustrating. It appeared that I did not complete some of the work when in fact, I did it but it is missing somehow. If there is a problem, I may have to do over many chapters of work, which was why I was about to walk out of class & don't bother with it again.

I won't jump the gun yet.... Hopefully, I can just finish it with a few corrections.


I did quit that job & I no longer have to be frustrated about it. I may get a job, but I was told I was "OVERQUALIFIED". However, the company probably just doesn't want to pay me--like most places--yet it will want to put me to work, as though I'm some slave.

The thing is: What I humbly requested was more than appropriate, considering I get no benefits & according to them, there is no overtime (which I was told was illegal for them to say, since my pay is by the hour & not a yearly salary). Also with the economic climate & higher cost of living, at least that much would make working worth it, especially since it's 8 to 5.

It's really disturbing how this company would want me to work those hours for only $8 per hour. Minimum wage should be much higher than it is, especially if I don't want government assistance (in the format of food stamps or housing).

As much as the position deals primarily with files, sometimes they are a couple hundred of pages (each one), according to the information given. There were 2 other causes for concern where it pretty much said I was at the beck & call of management, as well as I had to do anything my higher up said I had to do.

Really, it made me raise my eyebrow. I mean.... If my higher up comes in & says that I should mop the floor, what--would I really have to do that?!

I have my doubts.... Seriously.

[crystalgaze]

Well, I've been doing more research & what I've been finding is a little bleak. Many jobs available where I live are NOT paying you for your credentials.

What a bummer! I have almost asked myself why I bothered to go to school & get a Bachelor's degree..... (& I want to go back + get at least 1 Master's....)

I've found websites for some places, so I can save some gas while on this job hunt.

[Warmsoul/Jeanie13]

(((((((((( Crystal )))))))))))))

Jobs are hard to find now, and those hiring know they can get by with paying less, a sad situation. Don't give up.

Warmie

[crystalgaze]

Yep, it's really sad, just like what you said Warmie....

(((((((((((( Warmie )))))))))))))))))


It is at this moment that I had a thought. Where I live doesn't really have jobs available for women or rather have jobs available that women would apply for usually.

There are a lot of construction jobs and little else.

I feel as though we (as a society & where I live specifically) have gone back to that age where women need to marry a man or depend on one to survive. My goal/dream was to be able to support myself. With the wages I have seen, it looks next to impossible.

All I keep hearing is empowerment for women. In fact, I saw an article for it on the front page of our local newspaper, but I DO NOT SEE IT WHERE IT COUNTS.

I feel like maybe I'm living in the 1900s or the late 1800s..... Maybe even the 1700s....

[Warmsoul/Jeanie13]

((((((((((((((( Crystal )))))))))))))

Never give up. Times are rough, but determination as you have will get you far.

Warmie

[crystalgaze]

Hhmm.... I feel bummed out about this work thing, according to the approach this agency has.

It has been strange. I hadn't been given any real information, & I figured that over time, I will get some. W R O N G.

Finally, I got it out of my counselor's mouth today, after we we locked horns for virtually 1 hour (1 hour of my life that I could have used differently).

The reason I didn't get any information or any assistance of worth is that I am a college graduate. Yes, I got it straight from the horse's mouth. They somehow just expected me to know whatever it is they need for their forms, etc, when they hadn't given me any details BECAUSE I AM A COLLEGE GRADUATE. Talk about S T R E S S F U L .... I couldn't believe what I had heard.

I sat down today and just looked at my counselor. It was one of those things where she was talking to me with an attitude, & I really just looked at her. If I were on a short fuse, I would have cursed her out for it, but inside, I just shook my head. She just seemed unable to communicate to me in a way that I could understand.

Sadly, she must have thought also that I was attacking her & complaining to her about how she was doing her job, which I wasn't. She got so defensive, & I just sat there, looked at her, & was like, "WHAT?!"

The thing is: Attacking people is not my forte. I believe it is not a great thing to do mainly because I will just get more enemies. I have enough of those already. Doing so doesn't help me with my problems; it only exacerbates them.

That meeting was a disaster. I simply looked at her & let her talk. She jumped to all these strange conclusions, & I was just like, W O W. I have no idea why it is that people seem to freak out when they talk to me.

My biggest problem is that I am not one of their run-of-the-mill people who come into their offices: high school drop out, GED/high school graduate, someone who's been on drugs, etc. No one knows what to do with me as a result. Mind you, I am not knocking anyone; please don't misunderstand me.

My counselor told me that she always knew she wanted to help people. That was so funny to me because for wanting to help someone, she sure didn't seem to have any problem-solving skills at all (which I KNOW SHE DOES). If you're using the same approach & it doesn't work, try another one. GOSH, How hard is that?

All she kept saying to me is: "What are your interests?"

I'm like, "What?" (We had already been through this enough times.) The other issue was that with the medical condition I have, the moment I get excited about anything, I have to stop and say, "Oh, you know..... The doctor told me not to do X, Y, Z." I would not be going through any of what I'm going through, if I didn't have to think about the doctor's warnings. She doesn't seem to grasp that.

What I like to do can't get me the benefits package I want. (I love singing & dancing, but I haven't done them in years.)

The agency's approach is narrow down your interests (which I did) & then we will help you look for a job. My approach is money-based, especially because I feel people are exploited around here way too much & I DON'T WANT TO BE EXPLOITED. (I'm 27 years old after all with a medical condition & no insurance.) Pay me, & I will jump through hoops & move whatever mountains.

I will give an example of the kind of exploitation I mean. Today, my Dad went to the car dealership where he got his truck. When he went into the office, there was only ONE lady there. Do you know that she was answering the phone, running in the back to check parts/talk with mechanics whatever, taking people out to different parts of the dealership LEAVING THE OFFICE UNMANNED & taking orders at the same time because no one else was there to help her & people have been laid off from their jobs? That right there is exploitation--making people do more work for either the same rate/salary or less than that.

It's precisely the reason that I don't want to be a teacher (at least not where I live). I have looked at my mother who is a teacher & all I have seen over the last 20-something years is more work for her but with the SAME PAY. She even went & got her Master's degree. For the debt that she has accrued, it doesn't even appear to be worth it.

That is why that minimum wage/close-to-minimum wage stuff burns me, when I have a college degree. I don't get any kind of benefits (e.g. health insurance which I desperately need) & the people then try to exploit me. That's the kind of job I have been seeing. Other than hourly wages or a salary, I get nothing, & I'll be damned if I'm going to beat myself out like that over nothing with a high risk of getting sick all over again & having to start right back at square 1.

When my friend took me to the hospital the last time, it came up to roughly a $5000 event & that's WITHOUT being taken to the hospital in an ambulance. My counselor was even trying to suggest I volunteer to get a job. I am not into that, not here where I live. Before I give somebody free labor, I will look elsewhere; it doesn't work here like it might in the United States mainland.

She only cooled out quickly after I expressed to her that I was not attacking her. However, I let her talk, & she looked like such an ass, jumping to all sorts of conclusions, instead of asking questions to clarify what I meant. (I do my best not to attack people, so I was not on that page, in that wave or coming out of that bag.)

Well, at least I know what I have to work with now.

Meeting with that lady was so CATASTROPHIC. I came home & slept for three hours straight, just so my heart could stop beating as fast as those cars go in a Nascar race.

I am thinking off requesting a different counselor or maybe ditching the agency altogether. My decision isn't final yet. I worry that our conversations might prove fatal for me down the road. I truly worry. People are so vindictive, as well as vicious here. (I'm living proof already.)