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Taking a Survival Type Job Is Good For You.
Ugh! Arg! How can a survivor type job be good for me?I'm barely hanging on to what I found and at minimumwage. (I have been promised a ten cent an hour increasein one month). I used to be a facilities manager at a tire factory. Boy, have I hit bottom! I've had to give up a lot of things Iliked; like my fitness club membership. None of thatnow. I feel so down in the dumps that I don't evengo for a walk, much less worry about my being fit or not. I feel lousy after the tire factory went overseas. Thisnew job making and serving coffee and sandwiches makesme sad at what I've lost. How can I EVER feel good aboutwhat I'm doing now to make money and pay my bills? Here comes the career counselor to the rescue of thisjob holder's blues. I suggest the following ways tohelp anyone who has had to take something less than whatthey wanted, like the person described above. 1. You found a job! Yes, yes, yes, it is not what you want or expected after job loss. However, you found one that offers you some money, structure and to be out in the world.Try some small samples of gratitude for your luck. 2. Learn all you can about this job, no matter how menialyou may think it is. Employers like people who are enthusiastic.See what you can do to improve it, even in small steps. 3. If this is a job working with the public, (like the sandwich makerabove), you can network politely by finding out more about yourcustomers. One might be your next employer. Good customerservice has not gone out of style either. 4. Use your spare time to decide what you really want in a job.You are using some of your innate skills in this job. Pinpointwhat they are. Make a list. Keep applying for jobs. 5. Have supportive people around you. They've been whereyou are. Show them you care about them too. 6. Be happy! Things change in a flash and this job is onethat you can use to your advantage. Keep learning and smiling! Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.
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