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The Cruelty of Looking for a Job in America Today
As observed by a career strategist who’s been watching for over 15 years.
The company I worked for declared bankruptcy and the “leaders” divvied up $10 million golden parachutes among the 12 wallets of their “executive committee.” About the same time, my boss dispatched me to some of the company offices to “close things out.” I know there’s something more depressing than closing down offices, but it has to be in the top ten.
My days consisted of meeting trucks arriving to pick up high-end chairs and break down cubicle farms. I made sure servers got boxed up to be sent to the mother ship and asked questions like, “Does anyone want this First Aid kit?”
A 50-something woman who’d let me into a tiny office in California stood nearby as I disconnected the servers, “What’s next for you?” I asked.
She sighed. “I’m old and I’m fat. Who’s going to hire me? This is probably my last job.”
In my late 30s, young and fit with miles to go and no crystal ball to see what was coming, I didn’t quite get what she meant. I’d like to say I tried but youth can’t relate to age. Whatever you’re missing, you think, will most certainly appear in the gap. I didn’t get it. At most I thought, “They’re unlucky, but I won’t be!” That’s what…
