What a difference a good job makes, doesn’t it?
Job hunting—that can be one of the most frustrating, difficult, challenging, aggravating and also rewarding things ever in this world.
But for those who are job hunting, and still not finding what they want, I do feel badly for you since I have watched as several of my family members have been going through that in recent months.
Let’s face it, money still makes the world go round. I frequently say that I hate that fact, but then we love it when we make the money, right?
And unfortunately, very few things are free these days (other than this paper!) so the vast majority of us need to find a job, unless we are fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom or stay-at-home dad.
So back to the story—one of my daughters, my son, one of my sons-in-law and a good friend were all job hunting in recent months.
I previously told you about my daughter number three, Vicky, who graduated from college last May and was still working a couple of different restaurant jobs as a waitress, bartender and singer to pay the bills. Not having a good job, or at least one that is paying the bills effectively, is one of the biggest emotional strains there is. And my wife and I could tell she was really depressed about the whole thing.
After all, when you go on job interviews and get your hopes up, but then don’t get the call or e-mail that you’ve been hired, it wears on you. Vicky was beginning to think she would never get a good job. And that was the point—she could have gotten “a” job, but she wanted “the” job that was going to give her a real start towards a career. So for that, I was proud of the fact she kept waiting for the right thing to come along.
But even as she waited, I could see that it was more than just a job she was hoping for. This was the start of her real life as an adult, so the fact she couldn’t land the right thing was a hard pill to swallow and left her wondering when her path into adult life would really get started.
My son-in-law recently retired from the military after 10 years and I think he had a slightly different challenge since he wasn’t a young 20-year-old kid just hitting the job market. Like me, he hadn’t gone to college, so he also had a smaller listing of what might fit. And he had a wife and three children to support, all while waiting for his retirement checks to start rolling in from the Army. Pressure? I think so.
My son was probably the one who was the least worried, but I know that even he had some pressure. This was the 18-year-old who met a young girl on line a little more than two years ago, and after two years of long-distance dating, had traveled to Oklahoma a month ago and got married! His wife already had a pretty good job, but Mike was determined to stick it out and try to find a job in his field of choice.
I know I have told you a little about him before, and what a computer whiz he is, so Mike was hoping he could find an entry-level job with a computer tech company. I honestly knew my son was sharp when it came to computers and I knew he would be a great fit in an entry-level position, but he had no college or technical training in computers yet, so I knew things would be tough.
So back to Vicky. She started a fantastic job this past week as an emergency room registration/receptionist of some kind (I’m not sure of the exact title) at Slidell Memorial Hospital. I really think it’s a great job for her since Vic has a super personality and will be a good person to handle the late night emergencies that show up. What I especially liked was the way she was so excited to be working for a “real company” that cared so much about being team players, and always coming to work with a smile and being ready to do your best. Need I say she feels like her life is under way? I have predicted she’ll be my third married daughter not too far down the road.
My son-in-law got a call this past week and got what sounds like the perfect job. He was a driver in the Army, and can handle all kinds of big machinery and trucks, and he got hired as a truck driver for a national company. How great is that? Excellent pay and benefits, and it’s the kind of job that I think he will fit quite well. And once again, a family is relaxing, smiling and very happy.
And then there is “my boy,” up in Oklahoma with his new bride. He was called for an interview as a computer troubleshooter doing phone work for clients of a national company. Out of four applicants who got the interview, my son was hired and starts with an excellent salary and full benefits. Do you think he is smiling today?
The search for a job can be all-consuming emotionally, but one thing I believe—don’t settle for working a job your entire life that you hate. America is a great place—you can do whatever you want. And if a little guy like me can actually make it work to start his own newspaper, and succeed, then you can do anything you want. Just takes a little thought, perseverance and patience.
Kevin Chiri can be reached by e-mail at kevinchiri@gmail.com