Can We Talk 2

To Job Hunt or Stay Under-employed

         My hours were cut again. In a few weeks they may go up, depending on business or whether someone quits or gets fired. I never know from one week to the next whether I'll be doing 12 hours or 30 hours. I take what I can get, especially since I occasionally ask for a day or a weekend off. There's no future with this company, but at this point in my career, I'm just biding my time.

         Here's the rub. I have friends who think I should be working at a better job with dependable hours. They want me to go to job fairs and keep applying to jobs which will be filled with people half my age or younger. More income would be nice. But I hate job hunting.

         As long as I live in this rent-free situation, I'm okay with part-time hours. I have money saved up, which I'm depleting slowly. My situation will change with some of my expenses this year, which will help. I'm still trying to build up an Avon business. I want to make at least enough in that to pay for what I want to use for myself and possibly a few gifts. If the e-store ever takes off, I might do better, but that remains to be seen. My job pays my meager needs.I don't especially like the job, but it's better than starting over somewhere else at an equally unsatisfying job.

         I'm toying with the idea of checking out the next job fair. There might be a hiring manager somewhere who actually wants an older employee. Maybe I can fool her into believing my ambition hasn't flown with the wind. I don't want to climb the corporate ladder. Decades ago I did. Now I just want to be creative and active and feel respected. Too bad I can't find a job as a researcher or fact checker. Unfortunately, with computers workers do their own research and nobody checks the facts before publishing or editing.