I have a degree in Elementary Education. People have always told me that I would be able to get a job doing so many things because I have a degree. " It doesn't matter what the degree is in."they would say. Sadly, I believed most of them. Oh how wrong they were!
I went to a job fair today thinking I would give out my resumes and get to talk to some professionals about potential jobs they have openings for. Well, that was dumb of me because guess what they really had, booths with people who wanted me to come to their school and of course the military booths that wanted me to become a part of the "Army of One" or become one of, "The few, the proud, the Marines". So my options were very limited.
I stopped by a booth for an Early Education company (one of the few that weren't the above stated) who was looking for teachers for their centers. I really wanted to try something new, but thought since the Marines were out I should go talk to the nice lady who was handing out business cards. I walked up to the nice lady and she asked if I had any experience in early education. I explained that I had a teaching license and the lady almost pounced on me with excitement. Seriously, she was salivating! She quickly took me behind her table and sat me down and started talking to me. I too got excited thinking, "Finally someone might be interested in me!" She started talking to me and talking about how they were looking for people with degrees and she has a lot of centers that she could set me up with interviews for next week.
We worked out a date and time I could go for the interview and then she started talking to me about salary. I explained my situation, you know the whole, I have 3 kids who eat a lot and would need childcare so I have to at least not go in the hole by getting a job thing, but I of course did it in a professional way. Well, she said she understood and said the best they could offer me was $13.00 an hour. That's right, I said, 13 DOLLARS AN HOUR!!!!!! Now those of you that know this area realize that 13.00 an hour won't even pay for the cost of cheese my children eat each week, let-alone cover child care!
It took everything in me not laugh in her face and walk away. I didn't want to cause a scene and have my only option left be the Frito Lays people who were looking for truck drivers. I like to drive and all, but me driving chips to their next destination wouldn't work out well because I love chips and would eat my way through the truck, and let's face I struggle to get my minivan into parking spaces so a big truck might pose a real problem. So patiently, I waited for this lady to tell me about how great it is and how they needed good teachers and so on and so on.
After we were done I said goodbye and explained that I would go to the interview. Then I scanned the room to see exactly what kind of people were at this event. There was a lady who was in jeans and pushing a stroller going booth to booth. That's right she brought her kid to the event! I tried to remember that maybe she couldn't afford a sitter so I kind of gave her a pass. Then there were a few people in slacks with sneakers on (one of which had a cigar hanging out of the top pocket of his shirt), and there was also the lady who was going booth to booth and handing out her resume on hot pink paper. (They say make a statement, but I don't think hot pink paper is what they meant.) And I can't forget to mention the one lady who was actually running a booth who was sitting down and you could see her thong because her pants were not pulled up.
I am not really knocking these people, because at least they were looking for a job, but I couldn't help but think of all the preparation I did for this job fair and how they didn't seem to put much thought into their search. I thought to myself this probably isn't going to be the place that I find a job that is anywhere near what I want to do.
Needless to say I quickly realized this was a COMPLETE WASTE OF MY TIME, so I turned and walked out the door. I don't think I'll ever go to another job fair if this is what they are. I wonder how anyone gets a job in this area that will pay for food, let-alone the other necessities! It kind of made me realize how bad the economy really is. I mean if I have a degree and am struggling this much, what must the people who don't have degrees feel like?
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