Leah Garcia-Purves
Ah, hello! I’m Leah. I’m nearly 22. This usually means being 21… I use that term loosely for job interviews etc.
Speaking of job interviews, raise your hand if you had trouble getting a job this summer.
No really, raise that damn hand like you love Jesus. Do it. Right, now grab two fingers, shove one up each nostril and go gold digging. Because, no matter how ridiculous you look right now, chances are you’ve lost all dignity trying to look for a part time job anyways. I know I have.
As a respectable citizen of this fine country, I have searched long and hard. Just last week, I was told I was under-qualified for a supermarket checkout job. I wouldn’t have been offended if I was say, 15. But ysee, I was told the week before that I was over-qualified to work at [insert all fast food places on the Shore].
I almost find that finding a job is like being part of the dating game, which thankfully, I am no longer a part of. You meet these people, you bare a portion of your soul to them, to which they say they kinda like you, hence wanting to see your sexy ass again. You wait by the phone for a few days and then realise it’s not going to happen, confirmed by an email or something. Cue excessive chocolate consumption.
It’s like someone needs to write the “He’s just not that into you” version for job hunters.
I can’t even count how many interviews have I been into this summer where they usually say, “You’re exactly what we need! ZOMG YOU’RE SO COOL. I’ll definitely call you tomorrow.” As I’m the persistent type, I call them if they don’t hold up their end. Usually I get a “Oh it’s really great you’re so persistent – you’ve got the job!” But all I’ve gotten lately is a snappy, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you. Maybe.”
Do I have to grab someone’s ankles and scream, “For the love of God just let me pick dog crap off your lawn for $7 an hour!!”? And even that’s a far cry. On a certain student employment site, I applied for a job putting compost onto a garden and the guy asked me if I was undertaking a horticulture qualification. I applied for a retail job before Christmas, the guy called me at 6am, left a message on my phone saying, “You didn’t pick up. That’s not good enough, so I’m giving the job to someone else.”
One has to wonder, what is it going to be like for me when I graduate in a years time? When I finish, I’ll have 4 years experience in my field. Is any of that going to mean jack, even when it’s tied to a $30k piece of paper?
Shit, I hope so. Sigh.