My mum can get me a job - should I take it?

[COMINATCHA]

As some of you know, I have been unemployed for a while, since I quit my last job as a nightclub dancer. Being unemployed was actually kinda good at first, I was lazing around, shopping, working out, seeing friends, just like being on a long holiday. But then I started getting really down in the dumps when I went to job interviews. They all come out with the same result - I don't get the job. I don't know whats wrong with me, but it's kinda crushed my self esteem a bit.

Anyhoo, the money is running out fast. I just bought a new car which I need to pay off, but it's going to be impossible to do that with no job of course.

My mum works in a hospital as a midwife, and she said she could get me a job there easily. The job is crappy - it would basically involve delivering meals to patients and cleaning. Yes, CLEANING. I'm the kind of girl who never washes dishes, yet I would be expected to clean toilets among other things - The thing is, it pays $17.50 (Aus) an hour. That's pretty damn good. I was thinking I could just do it for a little while to get some money, and then go back to finding a 'proper' job (although i'm still not sure what to look for).

I really wanted to do a course and study something, but that costs money and money I don't have. And I don't even know what to study cause I don't know what i'd be good at, and it's stressing me out. I'm stuck in a rut where it feels like no-one wants to employ me and I don't know why When the only job you can get is that of a cleaner, you can't help but feel a bit shit

I never intented to get so emtional in this post, it was supposed to be a simple 'should I take this hospital job' question, sorry

[Seanette]

Having dealt with un/underemployment (both self and DH), I do sympathize.

My own view would be to take the job. I don't see where decent-paying honest employment that lets you pay your bills while you're figuring out what comes next for you, and could also get you some useful connections for later on and/or a good reference for your work habits (attendance, diligence, etc.), is a bad thing.

[Kiwi]

Cleaning is a good honest way to earn a living, the job may suck but the moneys good, just because you cant get a job doesnt mean your not good enough to do that job (ask me the galleries wont even give me an interview) and Id make a damn good host!

My mum worked as a cleaner when she was retraining at university to pay for her textbooks and courses, the job you do doesnt define you, shes not a cleaner, shes my mum. You wont be a cleaner, youll be Cominatcha who just happens to be working as a cleaner.

Plus you can always attach it to your CV (resume) as follows "X Hospital, General duties and non medical patient care. Now that doesnt sound as bad, and just think, your actually HELPING people get better, think of it that way.
Plus the easyiest way to get a job, is to have a job

[Der Cute]

Yeah, take job at hospital.

Next: PROMISE ME YOU WILL DO THIS STEP.

Go to a local bookstore and purchase a book called "What color is my parachute?"

It is a book designed with quizzes and questons and steps to ask you who you are and what you're designed to do.
Trust me, if your brain is wired to do art, you're not going to fit very well into a logic based job. Vice versa.

I want to ask you : why in the HELL did you purchase that car w/o a job????

Ok. fuggetboutit.

Go get the job. Feel better, perk self up.
Work on "who you are" and what you like to do.

I was 'lost' for about 10 years between highschool & real college. it took me YEARS to figure myself out.

Get that book, dangit. It will help you, and while you're working & saving that money *hint hint* you can figure out what classes to take!

PS if you think about taking classes: talk to an advisor @ the uni about them, scholarships & free money. Dont think loans are the way to go.

Cute

[Gurndigarn]

They all come out with the same result - I don't get the job. I don't know whats wrong with me, but it's kinda crushed my self esteem a bit.

I know it's rough to go through, but don't take it personally. It sometimes takes a while to find one, no matter how many qualifications you have.

The job is crappy - it would basically involve delivering meals to patients and cleaning. Yes, CLEANING. I'm the kind of girl who never washes dishes, yet I would be expected to clean toilets among other things -

I'm one of those odd people who actually think "All work is honorable." Call me silly, but that's just me.

Doesn't mean that there aren't jobs that are funner than others. So the question is, are the benifits of doing any job (if there are any) worth the hassles the job will give you.

The thing is, it pays $17.50 (Aus) an hour. That's pretty damn good. I was thinking I could just do it for a little while to get some money, and then go back to finding a 'proper' job (although i'm still not sure what to look for).

Well, if the pay's good, then that's a benifit that will outweigh at least a few hassles, so it sounds reasonable, at least short-term.

As for a "proper" job... well, cleaning is a "proper" or "real" job, just like being a retail slave, or a waitress, or many of the other jobs that show up here. From what you said in the past, I don't think you're looking for a "real" job, as some people talk about it, but you're looking for a job that suits you personally.

I don't know if that makes a lot of sense, so let me give an example. Teaching high school is a real job. Full time, benifits, a pay scale that, while there are many complaints from teachers, can still afford a better than bare-bones living.

After my first semester of college, that's what I was planning on, once I realized (in the first semester) that I didn't want to go into any of the heavy science or math related job areas. That lasted until I took the first class in the teacher certification series in my third year-- then I realized that no, I REALLY REALLY didn't want to do that, either.

That's all that college gave me, employement-wise. A realization that I didn't want to do much in engineering, sciences, or related subjects, nor teaching. I graduated with a B.A., 3.52 GPA from a respected school, but nothing in the job sector-- but I still consider that time and money well spent. Otherwise, through my life I probably would have been saying "I could have been/done..." After all, I was very skilled in all of the above. And I could have done a good job in any of them. But I would have started hating them over time, so I'm glad I never got beyond the basics in any of them.

At the time I graduated, though, I was really disappointed, and felt like a failure. But with time, I've begun to realize more about me and why I work the way I do, and I'm glad I never started those careers. What I'm doing now doesn't fit me fully, but it fits me better than many of the other things I thought about/dreamed of would have.


I don't know if this helps any, but I hope it does. And I also don't know how you would go about finding something that suits you-- after all, we're all different, and what works for me probably won't work for you. The best I can recommend is asking yourself "What do I want out of life?" and then asking "What types of jobs would help get that?" IE, if you want money, then a college degree in sciences makes perfect sense. If you want friends, then a job with a lot of other people where you're not being slave-driven is a good idea. On the other hand, if you want satisfaction with what you do, then being in small groups or by yourself might be a better idea. And so on.

Anyway, I'm sorry about the length, but I decided not to edit it because there might be something of use in all the winding things I said-- I just wasn't sure which part might actually be useful.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I'm with everybody else. I'd take the job. You don't have to do it your whole life.

At least you'll make good money and get a reference to put on your resume later.

[TNT]

Plus the easyiest way to get a job, is to have a job

I echo that thought. There seems to be something in the employer mindset that says, "If another company would hire this person, maybe I should, too."

[Rapscallion]

Um, Comi? I think you already know the answer to this one.

Rapscallion

[AFpheonix]

Oh, I'd take it if I were you. Besides, if there's other jobs in the hospital that are more appealing to you, you'd probably be considered before outside applicants. Also getting to hobnob with more influental people in the hospital is always a good thing, especially for references.

[JuniorMintz]

I work for a doctor. Yes, it's what most would consider a "proper job", although I consider any real labor to be a proper job anyway. Still, every day I take out the trash, sweep the storefront, clean our dishes, clean all the glass and mirrors, disinfect the optical equipment, clean frames, and clean the bathroom (yes, even the toilets), and every week I sweep, mop, and vacuum. That's in addition to all of my regular optical duties, mind you. The pay is ok, I make less than I could probably get at other places but for whatever reason, this is the place that makes me happy so I suck it up and keep the complaining to a minimum. Except on here, of course.

There is nothing shameful about working for a living. In fact, as Gurndigarn mentioned earlier, I consider it honorable. I may not have the fanciest house or wardrobe or car, but I worked for what I have and it makes me proud and happy.

You've got to pay your dues, Com. Take the job. It'll be good for you.

[Crazyredhead]

it took me YEARS to figure myself out.

I'm 36 and I still haven't figured myself out. I still don't know what I want to do. Well, actually, I would love to work from home doing data entry, typing, etc. I have the set up and the skills but I don't know about the dicipline. But I will definatly try.

Yeah, take the job. I would give anything if someone could get me a job. I have been unemployed going on two years. The difference is that I have a background that is keeping me from getting the job that I want. I have submitted at least 3-4 thousand applications and have had about 4 interviews which end up the same way, I never hear from anyone again and I met all of the qualifications that they want and then some.

I have done what you are going to possibly be doing. You just have to have a sense of humor about it. It is not fun cleaning people and there bed pans but it is money that will keep your car from being repoed and your bills paid.

Think about it, once your in the door, you can bid for another job later, and it'll be more experience you can add to your resume.

[PuckishOne]

Echo from the back of the chorus: "Take the job, Comi." There's no shame in working to pay your own way while you sort yourself out. Goodness knows every job I've ever had has fallen into this rather vast category.

I'm 36 and I still haven't figured myself out.

I'm 36 in a few weeks (gads!!) and only recently have I stumbled onto what I plan to make a career out of - technical writing - and now I'm so impatient to get started, I can barely concentrate on the job I'm at! It will require more schooling, both formal and on my own, but as long as I can keep this job (almost exclusively for the paycheck) I should be on good ground. So even though where I'm at right now isn't my goal, it's what I need to do to get to that next step.

You'll make it, too, Comi - just hang in there and keep working. Good luck to you.

[Becks]

I'm stuck in a rut where it feels like no-one wants to employ me and I don't know why

Maybe you're giving off bad vibes? It could be that you're feeling down on yourself, and it's coming across in interviews and such.

Anyhoo, I think you should take the job. It just might not be as bad as you think. (And after a while, any job, making money, is better than no job at all.)

[Brighid45]

I'm one of the 'take the job' chorus here. Right now I'm working part time at a job that is pretty mindless, but it pays fairly well and I can deal with the nonsense that goes on in the workplace, so it's okay. Will I stay there forever? No, but for now, it'll do. That might be a good mindset for you to take with this job. Once you've been there for a while, you can start working on finding something else.

[Ree]

When the only job you can get is that of a cleaner, you can't help but feel a bit shit

Well that's a sad comment.
In a hospital environment, the job of cleaner is pretty damned important to the everyday running of the place. I'm sure most of them go home at night, able to look at themselves in the mirror, knowing they have done an honest day's work.

I think I would feel more of a shit sitting on my butt, unemployed and losing all that is dear to me, especially my brand new car, than taking a job that thousands of people do every day without any shame whatsoever.