Thursday, November 19, 2009

Needs to get a Jobby Job- A Meditation on the job search with a Disability Part 1


As I search for a job, I am reminded daily of one of my most irritating/endearing memories of my Gramps. Every time I would try to sleep in, he would burst in singing the Silhouettes' hit 'Get a Job' with my cousin singing back up.

Let's be honest. Searching for a job just plain sucks. To me, its like going on an arranged marriage interview. Everything from your intelligence to your appearance to your fidelity will be at least subconsciously excruciatingly critiqued. In the last eighteen months, 65% of my friends who are not students have been laid off and/or underemployed at some point. While many in my generation are daydreaming about that fancy engagement ring to a country with benefits, it seems most of us will be old maids for the time being.

However tough it is for the general population of my age group to find a decent job, people with chronic diseases/disabilities face more of a job battle than a search. The rate of employment for people with disabilities as of 2000 is a shameful 55.8%. While I cannot find reliable statistics for the same population in Mexico, it is even more dismal.

The next series of post will focus on the employment market, job search, unique opportunities and differences between the US and Mexico.

'Preaching and a cryin, tell me that I'm lyin bout a job that I could never find...Get a Job'



Post Script- Please pardon the lack of posting in the last couple of weeks. Life Happens occasionally.

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