The Job Market

I’ve held various jobs over the years, in technology, teaching, and working for start-ups.  I’ve been working for myself for the last twelve years as an entrepreneur.  I thought if things didn’t work out, I could always go back to getting a job in technology.

I was very wrong.

My experience is so out-date, and I haven’t kept up my skills.  I also don’t have a university degree, which makes my barrier to entry that much more difficult.  Nevertheless, I’ve been open to get just about any job.  The jobs that seem to be hiring, are commission driven sales jobs, telemarketing, door-to-door sales, or inside sales.

With an open mind, I’ve tried them all with varying levels of success.  No job, however, has lasted for more than several weeks.  This is due to a multitude of reasons, the main being that I’m not happy or satisfied with my tasks at hand.

My sister would share with me that I’m not giving the jobs a fair chance.  She claims that I couldn’t possibly know if I am fit for a particular job unless I’ve been working them for at least three months.

I feel that that number of quite arbitrary.  Things could always improve, but at the core, I can have a great sense of whether or not I am enjoying the work (or at least enjoying learning it).

My sister explained that over the years, she’s had many jobs where she would come home crying, wishing she didn’t have to do that job.  After several months, she would get into a routine, and find ways to make her experience pleasurable.  And, she ended up working at her jobs for great lengths of time.

Do I want to cry my eyes out for three months?  Is this is what is expected of us in society?

That’s what people do, my sister would say.  Most people need the money, so they stick it through and learn how to make it work.  I’m not willing to stick it through, she concludes.

I don’t know what to do.  I know I can’t possible do telemarketing or sales.  And those are the only job offers I’ve gotten in the last two years.