Saturday, November 19, 2011

I Need a Job, Not to Be Job


Even Job, the Rodney Dangerfield of the Bible, eventually got a break. So it's only natural for one in my ongoing predicament to wonder, When will this Mr. Bill shit finally end?

I've been in the work force for a third of a century. Over the last 33 1/2 years, I've done just about anything and everything for which you don't need a college degree. The problem is, something sinister happened during the next-to-last administration, a sinisterness that has only increased its dexterity in the current. Now, many of the jobs into which I got either promoted or for which I was hired without qualification now demand a college degree and/or some ridiculous equivalency of on-the-job experience.

Quality control is one of the prime examples. QC was a profession into I was promoted when I worked for an automotive/aeronautical/aerospace/medical device company and there was no silly talk of my needing a college degree to use Vernier calipers to check the wall thickness of a hose or to fill out a CoC template. I was promoted on the initiative of a senior engineer at Boeing and my company did a full court press to get me in their QC lab.

Nowadays, it's a whole new ball game and the game is rigged. Now, temp agencies have co-opted all the QC jobs as well as all the manufacturing positions because companies even in a right-to-work state such as Massachusetts have been fooled into thinking they have to sign contracts with temp agencies for the standard 90 day probationary period. And they wind up paying the temp agency 50% over what they'd spend on payroll by hiring directly.

Now, temp agencies, rebranded "staffing" agencies, don't send out people, they send out electronified resumes, giving their reluctant and picky-choosy "clients" first refusal rights for someone they have no intention of hiring, ever, despite the laughable come-on of "temp to perm."

I'd never gone for longer than 15 months without a job and usually the downtime could be counted in terms of days or weeks, not months and especially years. Between outsourcing and the Obama administration's inability to unlock the job market with programs that would incentivise companies to hire, we've become a nation of shopkeepers, to quote Napoleon, and even the retail positions are getting scarce. It's only a matter of time before all stores in the US completely buy from China and making all their checkout lines fully automated.

Make no mistake about it: We're in a deep recession if not an outright depression. There was never any recovery and despite what the government, pundits and MSM tell you, there's no way anybody or anything can endanger a recovery that never happened.

I've been out of job for 2 1/2 years now. My last job interview was going on 2 weeks ago and even then I had to drive about 40-45 miles out of my way and spend about $10 on $3.50 a gallon gas to get there and back for a 4 minute pre-interview for a QC job. This wasn't the first time I was brushed aside and brusquely told by some arrogant employee to wait in line, don't call us, we'll call you. Sometimes I've driven that far just to hand off a few sheets of paper and didn't even get the pre-interview.

It's Us vs Them. That's the mentality. And the longer a person's unemployment stretches, the less desirable you are because someone sitting behind a desk will eventually ask themselves if not you, "What's wrong with you? Why can't you get a job?" What are you going to say? "Because of hemming and hawing morons like you"?

And it's not just me. Mrs. JP, despite racking up nearly two decades in the graphic design business making some of the snazziest and most professional signs you'll see anywhere, has herself been out of work for nearly a year and a half despite sending out no less than three resumes a week to sign shops all over Massachusetts. If we're still unemployed, it's not through lack of trying or lack of qualifications and experience.

Bottom line, we're looking at the very real possibility of living in our car after this month. I've tried holding off asking for help both publicly and privately since late last summer. But we have zero chance of making the rent let alone meeting our smaller but no less important bills such as utilities and insurance. I'm not asking you to fund our Christmas. This is bare bones survival I'm talking about and we just need a push to get us into next year.

Hopefully, something will break for either or both of us. But now we're really in a bind and anyone who's known me for any length of time knows how much I hate doing this. I never set up that Paypal button with the intention of it being a primary source of income let alone a secondary one. So anything you could do for us would be immensely appreciated.

18 Comments:

At November 11, 2011 at 12:11 AM, Blogger jim said...

Shot you a 20, because I still remember how awesome it felt to shop for food regularly at Chez Disposal-Bin.

With my best wishes.

(Best wishes not redeemable in stores. CA & NY residents add applicable taxes.)

 
At November 12, 2011 at 2:51 PM, Anonymous Dee in NJ said...

You got mine already. Wish it could be more. If I hit the lottery, it will be.

 
At November 12, 2011 at 4:15 PM, Anonymous Shirley in AR said...

Wish I could do more for you and others who need it! As it is, this one-time donation by Pay-Pal is all I can spare now and for the forseeable future. I so hope and pray that you will be able to find work soon.

 
At November 12, 2011 at 4:17 PM, Blogger jurassicpork said...

You and me both. Thanks again, Shirley.

 
At November 12, 2011 at 6:47 PM, Blogger Capt. Bat Guano said...

I barely make my house payment each month but I just have to help you two out. We have to really start to help each other more than ever since our so called representatives sure as fuck ain't. Take care. Peace,Tom.

Tengrain sent me over. What a sweet guy huh?

 
At November 12, 2011 at 6:55 PM, Blogger jurassicpork said...

Yeah, he is. I've "known" him since D r i f t g l a s s first put up his shingle back in 2005.

 
At November 12, 2011 at 11:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

good luck, man, Iv'e had to sleep in my truck before, hope you don't have to, hope the $10 helps keep the wolves at bay

 
At November 12, 2011 at 11:33 PM, Anonymous bungalowkitchens said...

I also shot you a twenty- I figure I won't be homeless until at least six months into next year, so what the hell.

 
At November 13, 2011 at 1:53 AM, Blogger sri said...

How do I give you money using paypal? I'm in for 125.00. If it will save you from being out on the street, I'm willing to give.

 
At November 13, 2011 at 1:54 AM, Blogger sri said...

How do I pay you via paypal? I'm not sure of the procedure. I can give you 125.00 bucks, I hope that will help you.

I'm hoping you get help and I get good karma because one day I might need help!

 
At November 13, 2011 at 9:28 AM, Blogger jurassicpork said...

Sri:

You see the Paypal button on the upper right part of the index page? You simply click on that and let the site guide you. Of course, you'd need a credit card or a bank account to send funds. If you have any trouble, contact me at crawman2@yahoo.com. I've sent money to my fellow liberal bloggers before and know how to navigate the process.

 
At November 14, 2011 at 10:42 AM, Blogger mbarnato said...

Your news is the pits. So sorry. I remember digging in the bottom of my purse for change so I could buy some bread & PB or something.... Sending a little bit with my good wishes.

 
At November 16, 2011 at 9:15 AM, Anonymous dyz said...

So sorry for the troubles. Sent a bit and wish it could be more. Be safe.

 
At November 21, 2011 at 6:04 PM, Blogger Mr. 618 said...

Hang in there, JP. Wish I could help out financially, but I'm in the same boat - unemployed three and a half years, nada/zero/NO prospects for a job now that I'm 55 as well, living with the parents (probably living in the truck would be preferable... if I still had it).

Do what I do... stick around to be a pain in the ass to the 1%, however I can.

 
At November 25, 2011 at 12:43 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Sent you $25 because we are all in this together. Wish I could do more.

Got the msg through @gottalaff on twitter. Wish you the best. Also, I'm now following you! neurrutia

 
At November 25, 2011 at 1:20 PM, Blogger cr8f said...

Sent $20 too-I live on $757 a month myself. Disability.

cr8f Twitter

 
At November 25, 2011 at 4:45 PM, Blogger tapmouse said...

I'll do what I can. I think your wife should think up a couple of whitty designs for t-sorts and sell them thru the t-shirt press sites! Laffy sent me here and with he support, u cld maybe get dome good shirt/mug sales going! (I think places like Cafee Press...?)

Meanwhile, after Dec 1 can contribute a small amt.

 
At November 28, 2011 at 6:44 AM, Anonymous NomadUK said...

Sent a little bit your way, mate. You two never seem to get a fair shake, but don't give up. With any luck, the revolution will be here soon.

Cheers from the UK.

 

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