Taking a Survival Type Job Is Good For You.

Ugh! Arg! How can a survivor type job be good for me? I'm barely hanging on to what I found and at minimum wage. (I have been promised a ten cent an hour increase in one month).

I used to be a facilities manager at a tire factory. Boy, have I hit bottom! I've had to give up a lot of things I liked; like my fitness club membership. None of that now. I feel so down in the dumps that I don't even go for a walk, much less worry about my being fit or not.

I feel lousy after the tire factory went overseas. This new job making and serving coffee and sandwiches makes me sad at what I've lost. How can I EVER feel good about what I'm doing now to make money and pay my bills?

Here comes the career counselor to the rescue of this job holder's blues. I suggest the following ways to help anyone who has had to take something less than what they wanted, like the person described above.

1. You found a job! Yes, yes, yes, it is not what you want or expected after job loss. However, you found one that offers you some money, structure and to be out in the world. Try some small samples of gratitude for your luck.

2. Learn all you can about this job, no matter how menial you may think it is. Employers like people who are enthusiastic. See what you can do to improve it, even in small steps.

3. If this is a job working with the public, (like the sandwich maker above), you can network politely by finding out more about your customers. One might be your next employer. Good customer service has not gone out of style either.

4. Use your spare time to decide what you really want in a job. You are using some of your innate skills in this job. Pinpoint what they are. Make a list. Keep applying for jobs.

5. Have supportive people around you. They've been where you are. Show them you care about them too.

6. Be happy! Things change in a flash and this job is one that you can use to your advantage. Keep learning and smiling!

Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.
Certified Job & Career Transition Coach
Phone: (509) 469-3514
Email: doitnow@nwinfo.net
Web: http://www.doitnowcareers.info

In The News:


Windsor Star

Unemployment rate steady at 6.1%
National Post, Canada - 3 hours ago
Gord Waldner/Saskatoon Star PhoenixDalton Charles visited the Careers and Employment Services office in August. Dalton has worked in the house building ...
Roundup: Unemployment rate steady; Americans face exquisite choice ... National Post
all 4 news articles

COORDINATOR/COUNSELOR
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 17 hours ago
DO-IT activities serve to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. ...

Canada's Government and Prince Edward Island Sign New Training and ...
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
This will provide the Province with the flexibility to focus job training programs and employment supports on the local and regional needs of both employers ...

UPDATE 1-Monster employment index rises in August
Reuters - Sep 4, 2008
O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), an online careers and recruiting firm, said its Employment Index rose 2 percentage points to 159 during the month. ...
Monster US online jobs index edges up in August Reuters
all 30 news articles

Graduate employment hunters 'happy to change jobs'
Women in Technology, UK - 4 hours ago
New graduates seeking employment are demanding to be challenged and are not content to remain with companies if they believe their careers are stagnating, ...

Seychelles career week focuses on needs of the labour market
African Press Agency, Senegal - 2 hours ago
APA - Victoria (Seychelles) Employees in the Seychelles educational sector who have been taking part in the Careers Week were on Thursday appraised of the ...

She's Pries Open a Work Window for Career Moms
Laguna Beach Independent, CA - 13 hours ago
"It is a win-win situation for both," she said, explaining that employers cut costs by avoiding paying benefits while the employment candidate gains the ...

Q&A: Christina McKelvie
Scotsman, United Kingdom - 16 hours ago
Until we stop treating women's employment rights as political correctness, we are going to have this debate going on for the next 30 years. ...

Degree or diploma?
Calgary Herald,  Canada - Sep 4, 2008
Unless you're going into a profession that has a job waiting for you, some graduates struggle to find employment in their trained career."

Recession proofing a career
TVNZ, New Zealand - Sep 3, 2008
... may be reviewing their future employment prospects. "There's a very important component that rarely features when people are considering their career, ...
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