So I am working on the sequel to Kandinsky, but slowly. I’ve gone back to skim over Chris Baty’s book “No Plot, No Problem” which is the book that helped me write the original Kandinsky draft. (I wrote the first 30,000 words through National Novel Writer’s Month). So I’m just churning out whatever comes to mind, while re-editing Kandinsky to see if I can get a wider distribution. At the same time, I’ll need to get another job at some point, and this search has been interesting (and frustrating) for a number of reasons. I’m probably going to get in trouble for this, but here goes:

If I had $5 for every job listing that required being accustomed to “working in a fast-paced environment”, I could take a vacation. Of course we’re used to working at a breakneck pace…who isn’t? But how did we get this way? It makes sense for surgeons, nurses, first-responders–people who are saving lives. (To pull from Kandinsky, Rebecca is saving the world by preserving history to avoid nasty things like the Nazis winning the war.) Most of us, however, aren’t doing either of those things. When did it become acceptable to answer an email or have a meeting through Zoom at 11:30pm? (And no, not in a different time zone). I understand that technology has given us the ability to reach each other at all hours, but at 2am? And why am I staying up all night to get something done by your deadline when you’re just going to let it sit on your desk for three weeks? Please.

Companies are expecting more of their people. Not only do I need to be a facility manager, I also need to be an IT expert, a receptionist, a space planner, a furniture expert, an HR specialist and a scheduler of meetings and travel. All for $60,000 a year. That’s because the job market is so bad, and I would also say that it’s why the job market is so bad. Who can live up to those standards? People with advanced degrees and 15 years of experience are so desperate for work that they’ll apply to a basic admin job (not to downplay the crucial role of the admin–we’d be lost without them) where there are 5,000 other applicants because no one is calling them for other roles. (No, that’s not an exaggeration). I know people who have applied for upwards of 200 positions only to get 5 responses. It’s ugly out there.

Everyone wants you to pay them to find a job. Even sites that say they’re “free” will let you do a limited search for nothing, but if you want to actually see all the jobs and (heaven forbid) actually apply for one? It’ll cost you. Then there are the scams: random people with gmail or other suspect email addresses reach out to you, trying to get you to click on something sinister; entrepreneurs who want you to pay them to learn how they make $200,000 a year by selling hair bows, only working 3 days a week. It’s demoralizing at some point that everyone is trying to make money off of your misfortune.

Personally, I don’t have room to complain–not really. I quit my job and left an incredibly toxic environment where people were yelled at by leadership and fired on a whim. I put myself in this unemployment situation. First of all, I’m really fortunate that I have a supportive family that makes this possible. So many people are hanging on in a dysfunctional job because they can’t afford to leave. I’m using this time to work on the sequel (title coming soon!), volunteer, spend time in Bible study and church activities, clean and purge the house of unnecessary items, and hang out with my husband and my dogs. I am blessed.

If I had any words of wisdom, they would be:

1. Don’t surf LinkedIn and apply to jobs every waking minute of your day. It’s exhausting and demoralizing. As someone who worked in a dark cave of an office, getting outside into the daylight has been the best thing ever. Work on hobbies, go to the pool (if that’s an option), walk in the park, spend time with your kids, spouse, pets.
2. Take this time to do some training–YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, etc. This is a great opportunity to hone a skill or learn something new. (I’m taking Revit training through LinkedIn Learning and AutoDesk).
3. Know that you’re doing your best. It’s not you. The job market is insane. I have never had an issue finding a job (I’ve moved around almost every 3 years or so for a variety of reasons, and have always been able to land another job very quickly. If interviewing was a profession, I’d be in great shape; it’s been nothing but crickets for 2 months.) It’s not you, and it’s just going to take time. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
4. The fact that you don’t have a job doesn’t mean you’re not worthy and valued. (I have a hard time with this one). Your value to the world isn’t tied to what you do for a living, or the money you make. You’re valuable just by being here. Hang onto that.

***Time for the asterisks and important footnotes: My negative job experiences are not tied to one specific employer, but have been accumulated over the 20+ years I’ve been working. These are my experiences, and aren’t necessarily the opinion of colleagues in past organizations. I’ve had plenty of good experiences, as well, working for great companies.

Just hang in there, everyone. Meanwhile, I’ll be writing, editing, researching and learning, and nurturing my body and spirit. (Oddly enough, Rebecca is doing the same thing, but more on that soon).

Wishing you all the best…