The thermometer outside reads dead zero. It feels colder when you are looking for a job. The jobless-chill factor is like an icy, ill wind, leaving you with frosbitten hopes and numbed plans. The economic recovery seems to be progressing at glacial speed.
I had another flash of interest last week, lending hope for a warmer 2004. It was a 6 month contract job, doing a project for a successful high tech company. I was interested. The recruiting outfit asked my rate. I didn't want to be greedy especially in these competitive times - where there are many hyena fighting for the same kill - so I set my min rate at $50/hr (that's a lot cheaper than I would have expected to get in 2000 - but let's be realistic: things have changed.)
The recruiter got back to me. The max they could get from the client was $25/hr. Of course I know that the agency mark-up is 20-30%, so the real going rate for that job was more like $34/hr.
Well, I'm not that desparate. I told the recruiter to call me back in March. Then I will be desparate. I recall the last recession/layoff cycle in 1991. I ended up selling refrigeraters and microwave ovens at the now defunct Highland Superstores. Judy says I lost 20 lbs working that job. 12 hour days on your feet wil do that. Maybe I should publish my weight loss secret: "The Retail Sales Diet - How to keep from eating by working 50 hours a week at minimum wage plus lousy commissions, dealing with the worst people on the planet" The only good thing about selling refrigerators is, you don't have to worry about shoplifters.
But the news was not all bad. I kept looking for my destiny and just after the new year in 1992, I got a good job and worked steadily through several other economic ripples right up until last May. (And I found those lost twenty pounds.) It could happen again.
Cripes, it's cold out there!
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