Dealing with unemployment - anyone else?

[IvonaDestroi]

I forgot...can you be a bike courier?

Actually I'm not kiddin. A good friend of mine was a bike courier in Toronto for 9 months after finishing university.

to make a super long story short...she is now transportation policy analyst for govn't.

At another firm, the receptionist's son was a bike courier in Vancouver for 7 yrs. before he helped run a shelter for the homeless..

You know what, I can't believe I havn't thought of that! Hmmm....

[alpinerabbit]

Europe would be paid by the deposit I get back from moving out, which is just enough for a ticket.

And how do you get home if it doesn't work out?

This isn't some little fashion game for me either, I've been in the punk scene for 10 years. It's my LIFE, my personality, and who I am. If an employer can't accept that then they are not accepting ME as a person, and that would be a serious issue. I'm not changing myself because others want to be discriminatory. It's not snootiness. I'm a friendly, organized, and well adjusted person.

I'm a pagan druid and I don't run around at work in my regalia. I'd love to get green extensions (that has nothing to do with my spiritual views) but I have opted not to do it, nor do I walk around in "just anything" when seeing customers, although I prefer jeans&sneakers.

You want a career, you are on the asking (or almost begging) side, you have to swim with the current, not against it. I know it borders on prostitution - you are selling your life for money.

The punk style just doesn't cut it unless you apply to a punk fashion store. You could pass if you land an interview as a fashion designer.

I forgot...can you be a bike courier?
Actually I'm not kiddin.

You know what, I can't believe I havn't thought of that! Hmmm....

But if you decide to do it - make sure you have medical insurance. It's a dangerous job.
You could do it and at the same time ask for a job at every door you call.

p.s. no offense meant - but I've seen you misspell words. Check your portfolios, letters and cvs for spelling.

As a final pc. of advice, a cousin studied fashion and she went for a secure, well paying job soon after graduating. The downside of that is that it was not in fashion, and it is unlikely she will ever get a foot back in the door to a job in fashion.

So you have to decide if you rough it or go for security now. I see your debt is an added burden.

p.p.s. have you tried Monster?

[Tuckervill]

This isn't some little fashion game for me either, I've been in the punk scene for 10 years. It's my LIFE, my personality, and who I am. If an employer can't accept that then they are not accepting ME as a person, and that would be a serious issue. I'm not changing myself because others want to be discriminatory. It's not snootiness. I'm a friendly, organized, and well adjusted person. What if someone demanded you drastically change appearance in order to work somewhere, what if they asked YOU to dye YOUR hair pink? - would you do it???

If I were hungry enough, and about to lose my home AND my cat, that would be a big FAT YES.

It's just hair, you know. It will grow back.

One of my very best friends in the whole world is about 75% covered from head to toe in tattoos. She was punk before you were even born. But now, she's a stay at home mom of three in a big fine house behind a gate, married to a company man and spends her time playing tennis and throwing parties for her charities. She still rocks the punk hair every once in a while, but I can guarantee you she never once thought she would be where she is now. You'd like her a lot. I'm sure she'd tell you that you're putting too much mojo on the pink hair. It is amazing what you would do without when you're about to starve.

Karen

[andtckrtoo]

If I were hungry enough, and about to lose my home AND my cat, that would be a big FAT YES.

It's just hair, you know. It will grow back.

One of my very best friends in the whole world is about 75% covered from head to toe in tattoos. She was punk before you were even born. But now, she's a stay at home mom of three in a big fine house behind a gate, married to a company man and spends her time playing tennis and throwing parties for her charities. She still rocks the punk hair every once in a while, but I can guarantee you she never once thought she would be where she is now. You'd like her a lot. I'm sure she'd tell you that you're putting too much mojo on the pink hair. It is amazing what you would do without when you're about to starve.

Karen

I agree with Karen. I live in the Bay Area, too, and while this area seems very accepting of people regardless of what, that does not always apply when you are talking about offering jobs. There may be no "rules" against it, but many of the employers I know would take one look and decide that you are too different and would not fit in, even though you just might. By toning down the hair and dressing more conservatively you may be able to convince people you would fit in, then gradually add yourself back into the mix. It's an employers market right now.

I also think you should try the temp agencies. If you can type, file, etc - you can earn some money while trying to find a job. I actually found a permanent position by working in a temp agency - and the temp job and the permanent job were in two different fields. I just had to get in the door and show them I was willing to work.

Once you have some stability, start pushing for a job in the industry you want. People hire people who have jobs. It's a sad and frustrating fact when you don't have one.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Totally regardless of your principles, it's just a cold hard fact that pink and blue mohawks, tattoos, punk-ish clothes, body piercings, etc....are going to drastically cut your success in job interviews for 'regular type' jobs. Like it or lump it, that's just how it is. You must make your own choices, of course.
I wish you luck, I feel for you.

It may not be quite so easy to get into Europe with a one way ticket and no job or money.

My younger daughter (27) just got her 4 year Masters Degree in metal smithing and jewelry design. She is HUGELY talented, hard working, artistic, and creative. But there just is no work out there in creative art/design for young people in this recession.
But she's a go getter, and not only does she work for us doing sometimes boring technical illustration (which she did for years all through school to pay her way), but when things got more scary after graduation, she applied for and got a bank teller job to make ends meet. She presented a professional image for her interview, underwent a three week training course, and now has a steady job there at the bank that she can actually walk to from her apt. It's a job, it pays bills, and she's really glad to have it right now. She has a corner of her apt set up as a mini jewelry workshop area, she is not giving up on her dream.
Most of us older women here on TE have likely had a LOT of stop-gap jobs during our lives that were not our dream jobs and not even decent jobs, but they were jobs that put food in our mouths during hard times. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.
But if you really want to get a stop-gap temporary job, give yourself an image checkup.