Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Sky is Grey and the Snow is White

Searched through some online job banks yesterday and today. Examined more than 1,000 listings. Are there jobs to be had? Oh, yes. Plenty of jobs. And not all crummy pay, either. The problem is, out of those 1,000 jobs I found three that I might be able to apply for.

Three out of one thousand. That's a pretty lousy hit rate, I would say. And do you know what my search criteria was? Well, after getting ZERO hits on jobs I might like to apply for, I changed the search criteria to simply be my zip code. Show me ALL the jobs within reasonable distance of my zip code.

It's interesting how search engines interpret that. Got one hit from Houston, Texas. Got another from Michigan and a third from Pennsylvania. The one in Houston was interesting. It was a management position that I'm totally unqualified to apply for. But it pays $70,000 a year. Wonder what the cost of living in Houston is? Is that like poverty row down there? Would be in Los Angeles. It'd be great pay in Duluth. Wish I lived in Duluth. Sometimes. Now when it's cold. Like now.

Over half the jobs offered were in the medical field. I not only do not have any interest in the medical field, I am wholly unqualified to take a job in it. The only thing I have in common with the medical field is that I'm sick. Mostly in body, but I've had people assure me that there's more wrong with my head than outward appearance.

The first job I found looks like a Whack-O outfit. If they were to hire me I would be a "Street Team" member, promoting events as gas stations, retail stores, fairs and outreach events. Duties would include handing out gospel tracts, one on one evangelism, soliciting support, and praying with those in need. I always thought those people were volunteers.

I am a Christian. And I do believe in promoting the Gospel. However, I've never been comfortable with street ministries. A friend of mine brought me along to Como Park one day so we could harass people about God. She thought it was great. All I saw was that we were ruining everyone's day at the park. Getting paid to be a pain in the ass? Guess I'm not a good Christian.

The second job is for seasonal snowplowing. It pays very well, and it's likely to draw in about a zillion applicants. I have a Class A license, but I've never driven a snow plow. Still, it means a lot of money - when it snows. Which hasn't happened that often in Minnesota the past few years. We're in a kind of a drought mode.

The third job is probably the most sensible of the three. It's working in a Blockbuster Video Store. What I find odd is that they're requiring two years experience. How odd. But I'll apply anyway.

We need the money. We may be able to make November rent on time.