By Vincent F. Safuto Staff writer
August 28, 2002
College graduates entering the wonderful world of work are finding that the partys over, and those companies that went on hiring sprees in the 1990s are unloading workers with a zeal not seen in at least a decade.
Its easy to laugh at those unfortunate folks who did what they were told and got an education, and now find themselves taking jobs at salaries so low that they cant even afford to be homeless. I know the feeling and the frustration, and remember how tough it was to get re-established in the workforce after college.
I had some advantages, however, because while I was attending college, I worked for the post office. The job may have been unfulfilling, but it kept my wallet filled, a roof over my head, and food in mine and the cats bellies.
If nothing else, I knew where I didnt want to work ever again: at any government entity.
Looking for a job in the early- to mid-1990s could be a taxing experience, with lots of blind alleys and dead ends. A common joke at the time was that the big three of college employment fairs was McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys. Multi-level marketing representatives were everywhere, offering management positions and the opportunity to pay an employer for the privilege of working for the company.
I remember one fair where several employers were looking for people with years of work experience in highly technical fields, something you wouldnt find among 21-year-old college students. Others were not hiring, or in the midst of massive layoffs, and were just taking resumes, I suppose to practice their paper airplane-making skills.
The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, the predecessor to the Department of Children & Families, had a booth at one job fair. The recruiters looked pretty lonely, so I walked over and talked to them. Mind you, this was the day after a state legislator had asked all state agencies to describe their plans if their budgets were cut 25 percent, so I naturally asked why they were recruiting if they were going to have to fire everyone soon after.
That was only an exercise, one of the recruiters said. And anyway, the agency already paid for the booth.
My favorite was the company that refused to describe the job or its responsibilities, but assured me that the activities outside work were a lot of fun. The fellow gave me a strange look when I said I was more interested in the work. It turned out to be telemarketing, selling college textbooks over the phone on commission.
If theres any consolation, its that patience pays off in the end. Through networking and hard work, I found a job in the field I wanted to be in, and the rest is history.
The key is to keep your chin up, have a positive attitude and remember that the only thing worse than a bad job is no job at all.
Vincent F. Safuto is a copy editor for the Press Journal. Reach him at Vincent.Safuto@scripps.com.
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