Six Weeks Post-Employment

I will forever remember 2015 as the year that broke my back. Quite literally, but not quite figuratively, although it gave it one hell of an effort. The old saying goes something like “That which does not kill me, only serves to make me stronger.” If this adage is even remotely true, then I jump into 2016 as one strong bastard.

When it first became apparent that I was definitely going to lose my job of over 26 years, many well-intentioned friends said that everything will be okay, or everything will work out. It was also suggested frequently that this is my opportunity to go out and find my “Dream Job,” whatever that may be. For future reference, I will never tell you that “things will work out.” Hopefully they will, but you (and I) really have no idea what the future holds for us, and there is always the potential for things to not work out. I’m not trying to sound pessimistic about this, but rather, pragmatic.

Let me be the first to tell you that, yes, I was spoiled at my previous workplace. The work was demanding and somewhat stressful, but the pay and benefits were quite good. The hours were often long, but regular. My weekends were free (most of the time,) and I was usually off work around 3:30. I didn’t get rich, but I do have a nice home, two decent cars, and some cool toys to show for the time I spent in the factory. Living the middle-class American dream.

“Dream job?” How does one define such? I suspect if you ask that of ten different people, you'll get twelve different answers.  For me, I’ll attempt to loosely give it a shot. A dream job would be a position where I don’t loathe to get up in the morning to go to work. It would also provide me with reasonable insurance, so I need not worry about my financial well-being should I have any health-related issues. It would provide me the means to enjoy a reasonable standard of living, and to enjoy what makes me happy during my personal time. I would be able to disconnect myself from the job at the end of my workday, and not feel the pressure and stress of the job while I’m off the clock. You can see that I don’t ask too much in the way of a job. It is, bottom line, just a means to an end. I want to be able to go to work, put in my time, and then go home to enjoy all the things that define me as a person: my family, my many friends, my bikes, books, this blog, etc. I’m not looking for a charity job where I get paid to do nothing, nor am I looking to get rich. (I sometimes feel I am rich enough already with this life I lead!) I just want to work full-time these last few years until I can retire. Nothing more. I’d like to think that it shouldn’t be too much to ask, but I’ve found that there are not many positions out there that can fill that order for me.

My first few days of being unemployed were spent relaxing and unwinding. I filled out papers for my pension, and applied for my unemployment benefits (something I’d never before had to do.) I took an overnight “vacation” to Chicago to visit some friends and family, and to hit some microbreweries. And then...I started to search.

The State of Illinois, despite all the bad people say about it, set up several training classes specifically for the “displaced” Mitsubishi workers. These training sessions ranged from résumé writing, to writing a cover letter, to basic computer skills, to interviewing skills, to doing a job search online, etc. The classes were really quite helpful, as we all had been working for the last 26+ years and things had changed a great deal since the last time I’d been job searching. It appears that there are three things that are vital to one’s finding employment: a CDL license, a college degree, or a willingness to move many miles away to make less money. I have neither a truck driver’s license, a degree, nor do I have a desire to uproot my family and move away from what has been home for most of my life. Strike three….I’m out!

Without those qualifiers under my belt, it appears that I am only fit for part-time work, making maybe $10/hr. I’ve registered with multiple job search websites (who knew that those even exist), and now spend a couple hours every morning, coffee in hand, poring over all the listings. I weed out the many that require I relocate (I swear, I stated that I want work here in Bloomington/Normal), or I need a degree. Seriously, do they even look at my desires and qualifications? I’ve applied (with my fancy new resume) for over 25 jobs at every conceivable place, and so far, have ten rejections to show for my efforts, zero interviews….and silence. The rejections I can take, but the silence…employers, please tell me if I don’t meet your needs, don’t leave me hanging and hoping that this could be the one! My future is in the balance, and I only want to know: yes or no.

One thing that I’ve learned, my network of friends is more valuable than all the job websites combined. I’ve gotten more (and better) leads from friends messaging me than I’ve gotten from my morning routine. As yet, the best I can do now, is to take a temporary part-time position (starting tomorrow.) Working weekends, low wages, but...I have bills to pay, and this can only help. My social life will suffer, I suppose, and when the weather turns to spring-like conditions, those weekend days will be tough to tolerate, but...I have to eat.

I hope this doesn’t appear that I’m wallowing in self-pity, it’s just much more difficult out there than I could have imagined. When I got the job at Mitsubishi so many years ago, I was told on numerous occasions during my orientation that I was “one of the cream of the crop,” the elite, the best of the best. They claimed to have turned down some 1,000 (or more, depending upon who was talking) people just to get to me. Twenty-seven years later, I’m still the same person (albeit a bit older and grayer,) but now I’m just one of the unemployed masses, yearning for work. The job market is flooded locally with my former co-workers, some 1,200 strong, many just like me. With little or no experience outside of the factory, and only a high school diploma for my education.

Hoping for bigger and better things in the months to come The sooner the better.