Monday, September 22, 2008

Demanding unemployed.

Last week was very busy and this weeks shows signs of being much the same. But no matter, that's what us grown ups must contend with now and then. Work is work and even the self-employed must boogie to the monkey see/monkey do dance on occasion.
I'm glad I have a job, I'm glad I have a job I actually like. I-like probably everyone else- have had some REMARKABLY shit jobs in the past and so am never one to take my current employment lightly. There is great satisfaction in being employed, and more so in being self employed.
It was with real interest that on Friday I saw a young man sitting on Westmorland street with a sign saying, nay, demanding someone employ him. It said 'EMPLOY ME". And that's all it said.
It stuck with me. I want to go back and find him and tap on on the shoulder and say, 'Are you for real?"
A young, white, relatively attractive bored looking man sitting on a duffel bag with a sign saying 'EMPLOY ME' in Dublin? Who does he think is going to stop? Who are his targets? What employer is he attempting to snag?
I must be turning into a Daily Mail reader or something, but all I could think when I saw him was 'Go out and get a bloody job like the rest of us!' Plus some channeling of my mother 'Nobody's going to drop anything on your lap, go look for it.'
I need to read the Guardian more. My liberal lefty pinkie commie spine is crumbling.

Labels:

30 Comments:

Blogger Pat said...

I empathise totally with you about this and am presently having to keep my mouth buttoned nearer home. If only one cold prescribe 'getup and go'. That's the polite version:)

10:04 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Aye, I've had a conversation with someone recently about 'drive'. And how you don't get anywhere by sitting back and waiting for shit to happen you have to make it happen. Apparently I am turning into a 'fogey.'

10:10 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

With employment at 6% just getting a job seems rather difficult for some. The construction industry has been hit pretty badly. I know 5 who have been let go in the last six weeks or so. Those lads get nothing from their former employer, no redundancy, nothing. I sympathise with them. Perhaps that guy, thought seemingly quite mental was at the end of his thither.

On fairness, I think you do have a point in so far as motivation and making a consistent effort goes. My little mofo bro was one of the 5 let go I mentioned, a man of great fortitude he immediately found a new job, the hours aren’t great but a mortgage coupled with enormous ambition forced him to take it.

I am glad you have a job you like, glad in a jealous begrudging way – ah no, I kid, It is marvellous to be able to say that, it really is. I absolutely hate my job. HATE IT, I’d say on average two mornings a week I cry going to work. And I swear to God I am not a cry’er. But, sure what can you do at least I have one.

Nonny

10:41 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

You cry going to work? That's very depressing and not at all good for you. That sounds like a sign you might need to rethink your job. Especially if you're not person who cries easily.

11:04 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As my chosen work in the art world is sporadic, I have another job alongside to keep regular cash coming in - but I truly hate this work as it involved office politics and corporate shit. Because this has been a traumatic year with a close family death, this has made me re-examine my priorities, and has acted as a catalyst for my very recent decision. I am going to change the current well paid shit, take a month off to travel in the Far East, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, and decide the next move on my return. Everyone I know is running around with no time to do anything they like, including me. When are we supposed to have the time - when we are too old to do it all? So I am going to make time, I am going to do all the things I keep putting off, a day in the British Museum,a proper leisurly visit to all of the wonderful galleries in London, Paris, Rome, Bilbao, Madrid etc. the whole coast of Norfolk, maybe even the Da Vinci trail. Anyway, I have a list, and I might even buy that book "100 things to do before you die" and follow that too.

11:14 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

...and with regard to the guy with the "employ me" card, I know somebody who lost his job a year ago. He has sent out 85 CVs in response to advertised positions, out of that he got six acknowledgements and two interviews. His self esteem is on the floor; so I have some sympathy to the guy who is asking for a job.

11:17 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Work to live or live to work. There's no doubt we're strapped for time these days.

11:29 a.m.  
Blogger Jo said...

Nonny, that's awful! Are you looking around? I hope you can find something else? I hope you get something fast, that sort of thing will make you ill.

11:32 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It sounds like a plan Shebah. It is so expected of you, to get a respectable job, earn a living, buy a house, have children etc. You have the right idea. I am going to New York shortly but I don’t want to, I’d imagine it will be hell on earth.

I don’t walk to work in floods of tears or anything, it is more a case of sit on side of the bath for 10 mins, cry, cry, get shower, get dressed, build wall, get over it. I sound like a little pity me ‘er, me sooo sad ah no I am not, I just hate my farking job. I am always rethinking my career but for the foreseeable future I can’t see it changing. I’ll just have to drink gin and bare it.

Nonny

11:38 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

All that guy was missing was a folder full of CVs. Perhaps he's putting himself out there more than someone sitting in a room filing job applications online?

11:43 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Maybe so, but judging from his bored expression and the fag hanging out of his mouth I'd say he had a bit of work to do on making any kind of impression to future possible employers.
I'm probably being overly harsh, but I think there's a lot of jobs going in this country if people GENUINELY want to work.

Oh, fuck, I'm telling you, it's daily mailism. Ignore me. I probably need to go out for a walk.

12:16 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I used to get that lecture all the time from the parentals when I was a nipper and the older I get, the more I agree with them, to the extent that I'm giving the exact same lecture to my work-shy nephews.

1:59 p.m.  
Blogger daisy mae said...

we've plenty in town asking for a handout of some sort - after living in boston and knowing many "homeless" who were scam artists, i feel guilty not giving, but also can't bring myself to give.

i was having a conversation the other day with someone about how bad things would have to be before i stood on the street corner asking for money. pretty bad, i must say. i've worked some horrible jobs just to make ends meet, but it's what must be done.

i would like to think that it's more of a systemic issue - that perhaps many of these people fell through the cracks. i know it's nigh on impossible to get a job here without several references as well as a phone number and a permanent address... which keeps many people who are seeking employment from getting a job.

2:45 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I’ll just have to drink gin and bare it."

so Nonny is going to become an exotic dancer then?

3:08 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Although I still feel twangs of guilt whenever I see people begging for spare change (there but for the grace of God go I) over the years my heart has unfortunatley hardend after reading a few stories of supposed "homeless" who were making handreds of dollars a day soliciting ar prime spots i.e. highway intersections near major shopping malls.

Since I don't want my hard earned dollars supporting someone else's habit (be it cigarettes, booze or drugs) my compromise is that if asked for some change, especially if its for food (the standard line although I've had a few refreshingly honest souls admit it was for booze) instead of handing over the cash I'll offer to walk into the nearest shop and buy something for them to eat. Yes it takes more time to do so but nine times out of ten there is no need because that's not what they want.

3:22 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hundreds... not handreds!!

early morning here in CA so the coffee has yet to kick in... apologies!

3:25 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

We have a group of seven men and women who have been "camping" in our local park since early summer. Each one is white and sounds like they're from the educated middle class.
They make money from busking.
The worst part is each one of them has a dog.
I want to scream "get a job, hippie!"

3:42 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nonny, I'm really sorry your job is as bad as that. I know we have to be grateful for employment, especially as global finances are going to the dogs, but I seem to remember you have some pretty good qualifications, right?

Maybe you want to look around a bit for something else? Even if you have to take a slight hit on the pay front, it could well be worth it to get some balance back in your life. That kind of unhappiness with what you're doing can drag you down despite your best efforts to carry on. Money matters for sure - we're fools if we think it doesn't - but it isn't everything after all, quality of life has to come into it somewhere. Maybe you could sacrifice a little money for greater job satisfaction somewhere else. Who's to say you'd need to take a pay cut anyway!

We all have to take shitty jobs at times, and I've certainly had my share of mine, but this sounds like your career you're talking about, Nonny. Life is short - your career, your long term job shouldn't be making you that unhappy that you're crying with dread twice a week about having to go to it. That will do you harm over the long term, it really will. Really, if you have any options at all, it's worth exploring them.

6:14 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Medbh, when you come over here we'll buy matching deer stalkers and spend INORDINATE amounts of time drinking and bemoaning the fate of the worlds from dark snugs.


Just apropos of handouts, I remember being given out to by a fellow down on luck for whom I had bought a sandwich. WHY? Because there was cream cheese in it and he would have rather been given the money.
Also myself and the Spaniard were accosted by a lump of a girl a few weeks back DEMANDING we give her money for her and her child- who wasn't with her at the time. And when we refused we got 'Aw THIS if the fucking face of Ireland! This is the fucking face. Yous wouldn't even help a mother out...' and so on, causing the Spaniard to remark rather casually, 'Eev you cannot feed your childrens don have dem. I don't.'
At which point I had to lead her away ebfore she was pummeled into smoosh.

Right to the gym. Sam! That arrived today, I will be putting it to good use. Thank you very much, I am annoyed and impressed all at the same time, annoyed only because that is what I sung all day, but I figured I deserved it.

6:54 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You did.

7:12 p.m.  
Blogger laughykate said...

I remember my first real job was hideous. My boss was a tyrant (old hack journo) and his reputation was as bad as his behaviour. He decided to pick on me (the other people who I worked with said that was a good thing - he only picked on the ones he saw had potential). But it was truly awful. He used to scream, yell and belittle me in front of everyone. Then on a Friday, in a fit of camaraderie would toss me his credit card and tell me to go to the bottle store. Utter wanker.

For nine months I hated eight hours of my day, even though I was getting to do stuff way beyond my experience. One day I went into his office to tell him I was sick of him treating me like shit but instead told him I was leaving. His reaction? 'But you were good.'

I couldn't stay there, he started to get to my self esteem and no fucker gets to that.

I still don't regret leaving that job.

Nonny, unless you like being unhappy at work ( and I know some people get some odd type of pleasure out of being miserable) - go find a new job. You will thank yourself for it later.

10:45 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

I look forward to the trouble we'll get into, FMC!

There are far too many folks out there who are truly in need of cash for me to tolerate affluent poseur kids doing it for kicks.

11:14 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you Sam and Kate. Ignore my moany ass little self. I studied and worked my arse off to get this job, it turned out to be nothing like I’d imagined. Nonetheless I shall press onwards and upwards until I decide what to do. The Nonalator will not be defeated.


Nonny

10:18 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All the unemployed should have their benefits stopped. They should be made EARN these benefits by doing community work, picking up litter, roadsweeping etc.

All our Borders should be closed to all economic migrants, post haste.

We should eport all Romanians, Turks, Pakistanis(including Doctors), Ukrainians, Indians,Russians,Chinese, in short all those parasites on our socirty who are not in the EU.

We need to take action now

12:28 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

I wouldn't be against tougher immigration control actually. But the Irish have always been dab hands at economic migration so it seems somewhat hypocritical when as a wealthy country we get all uppity about the poor coming here to find work.

2:24 p.m.  
Blogger morgor said...

My gf has sent out about 60 cvs and hasn't gotten an interview.

Shes just gotten her degree in primary teaching and all the papers whine that we need more teachers.

My hole.

It was the same for me when I did my degree, couldn't get a job in IT anywhere bar dublin, and then it took months and it was a shitty 20k pa job in a call centre.

Still things have improved for me since, but i came very close to switching everything.

6:07 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

It's weird isn't it, you have to be in work to get work a lot of the time. Still, at least your persistence paid off, well done.

6:36 p.m.  
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