Job Hunting Sucks (Part 2)

By Kelly Bridgewater

Three weeks ago, I started my rant on the poorness of companies hiring anyone today. Today, I will continue my rant.

While last time, I talked about having to apply on-line, and all the struggles that entitles. Today, I want to discuss the reasons they won't even look at your resume.

Another issue that bothers me is the requirements to get a job today. When I started my undergraduate degree, I wanted to work in book publishing. So I researched what I degree I needed and the classes I needed to focus on to work in that position when I graduated. I became an English major with tons of grammar and writing classes. I worked on the campus newspaper and the magazine to have some editing under my belt. I graduated with this degree and even went on to work on my MA in Writing. I graduated.

Time to apply for those jobs. RIGHT!!

Now the requirement for those jobs have to have a Marketing degree and 5 years of Editing or Publishing experience at a publishing company. HOW AM I GOING TO GET THE EXPERIENCE IF YOU DON'T HIRE ME?

Another dilemma is that now with my Master's degree I'm too qualified for this job. So they don't hire me. (I have had a number of companies tell me this is the reason why they have rejected my application.) I have had some tell me I earned my degree at the wrong university.

So frustrating!!!

Okay. I have applied for an Administrative Assistant position.
I'm extremely organized, learn quickly, OCD about having things done ahead of time, and management skills, but I don't have the actual title of an Administrative Assistant in my resume, so they ignore me altogether.

All I want is a job that works Monday through Friday 7-6 p. m.. I want to spend the weekends with my family. I want to spend the evenings with my family. I want to make enough money to go on vacations. I want to pay our mortgage off. I'm tired of watching everyone else around me be successful, and we aren't. We have no debt, besides our mortgage. Thank God!

But we haven't taken a family vacation in five years because we don't have the money.

One of the major reasons I left the USPS is because I had to work every Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. (Yes, Christmas, New Years, 4th of July, Labor Day ...) My boys were not doing well at school because I wasn't home in the evening to help them with their homework. I missed a school play my son was in. I missed numerous band perfomances. I missed birthday parties. I missed going to church. The USPS is not a Monday through Friday 8-5 job. It is a 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. job every day of the week.

How do I capture the interest of a company that understands family is important? But so is earning a living without sacrificing your soul and your family?

So depressed!!!!

What do I do???
Someone please help???