Stuck In Place

Before I left on my month long holiday in October, I promised myself I would begin my job search as soon as I returned. I went so far as to post a note on my bathroom mirror that said, “Get a Job!” Prior to my departure, I’d done some preliminary research about various universities, potential cities, and areas of interest in higher education. I’d updated my resume to the best of my ability, and forwarded it to anyone who would read it for critiquing. Then, without a care in the world, I left for a month of laying in the sun on beaches that most people only see on postcards.

Upon my return, amid the course outlines, curricula planning, and various other teacher tasks that were set before me, I also found some time to begin the painstaking mission of searching for jobs. It’s amazing how much time can be spent looking for a new job, especially when that time should be spent on things related to your current job. That’s probably the tell tale sign that you’re on your way out the door. Alas, I finished the responsibilities related to my current position in time for the first day of classes.

I have been working since I was 16 years old – well over a decade of being in the American work force. In that time, I’ve had my fair share of hurdles, uncertainties, and frustrations. My most significant frustration came after I graduated from college in 2003. Armed with my bachelors in accounting, I was convinced that finding a job would be as simple as a few emails on monster.com and in a few short days I’d have the “job of my dreams.” It took me nearly a full year after graduation to land an accounting job, which it turned out I hated anyway. Though it was a frustrating year of job searching, it pales in comparison to what I’ve endured in simply applying for an international position while living and working in Thailand.

For starters, let’s talk about technology. In my town, the internet is not something that is readily available at one of your 3 neighborhood Starbucks. An internet connection in Thailand is something that is to be prized and cherished. There are days where I go without internet because it simply isn’t working – not just at school, or one coffee shop, but in the whole town. It’s as though the entire telecommunications company in Thailand took a holiday, and someone accidentally flipped the wrong switch before leaving the office for the day. When was the last time you went an entire 24 hours without checking your email, or better yet, your facebook? I don’t have internet in my apartment, not because I can’t afford it, which I can’t, but because internet is not an option.

In the western world, most people are walking around with their Crackberries or I-Never-Leave-My-Phone (i-Phone) – up to the minute news, email, and communication with their friends, not to mention games and music to keep them occupied from interacting with the people they pass on the street. I am living in a society where technology isn’t as prevaricating in the day-to-day lives of people. My current mobile phone is closer in model to the Zak Morris cell phone or “bag phones” that were hugely popular when mobile phones first hit the market in the 1980’s. I can text, and I can talk on my mobile phone – both of which are dependent on my location, time of day, and position of the sun in relation to the Tropic of Capricorn. Ask anyone who’s called me – it’s a task just dialing the ridiculously long phone number. What’s +011? As you can imagine, technological idiosyncrasies create some barriers when you are trying to apply for a job in a more technologically advanced society.

Technology aside, let’s assume I have a stellar day in which the sun is in line with the tropic of Capricorn, and I have an internet connection and mobile phone reception. Then we come to the simple task of submitting the paperwork necessary for certain positions. The current position I applied for did not require that much paperwork. A cover letter, CV with references, and an Adobe application. No problem – I submit all these things online via email. However, as any good career counselor will tell you, it is important to send a hard copy of your application to the company. It shows you are truly interested in the position for which you are applying. I jump on the computers at school, and sure enough our printer is out of ink. In most cases, this would be a simple task of replacing the ink cartridge – a 5 minute process in even the most rudimentary offices. Not here – here it’s a matter of physically taking the ink cartridge to the ink supply man in town and having him fill up the cartridge for you. What I’ve just spent in gas and time could have easily bought a brand new cartridge to have on reserve … just in case.

Alright, I took it as a sign that I shouldn’t be using resources of my current employer, while I seek out employment elsewhere. Armed with my USB drive, I search out a place in which to print my materials. Amidst this shenanigan, I also realize I will need resume paper to print on. I stop at one of the 600 local stationary stores in a 3 block radius of my apartment. As I search their resume paper, I discover that all of their professional resume paper is flanked with unicorns or teddy bears, or rainbows. I know you want your resume to stand out, but that’s the social equivalent to performing fellatio during mass at church – people will notice, but not in a good way. After searching 3 stores I discover the Thailand equivalent to resume paper – thick, white paper that is probably used to print those annoying perfume samples in magazines. A bit glossy, but it beat teddy bears and pink unicorns with glitter.

I have the paper – at least, the Thai equivalent. I have the USB stick with my electronic resume. Now all I need is a place that has a computer connected to a printer with ink. I stumble into one of the many shops that boasts faxing and printing capabilities. Using my well-developed charades skills and my very broken and limited Thai language skills, I find a place that I will be able to print my materials. I jump on the computer and sure enough – no Adobe reader. Feeling defeated, I decide to print the rest of my application materials on my glossy resume paper, only to discover that ink jet printers and glossy paper do not make such a fantastic combination – leaving my document looking like it was typed in Arabic, not English. After printing 5 different times, I choose the sheets that turned out the best. Like my sister after she has finished lacquering her nails, I blew on each sheet for about 3 minutes in order to make sure the ink was dried. I pop these semi-coherent documents into an envelop and mail it off to my perspective employer, all the while thinking, maybe I was better off with the unicorns and teddy bears with glitter.

After I finished this laborious task, I started to think about searching for a new job and the hurdles I had to go through to submit one application, however incomplete. Even before the downturn of the global economy, there was a large number of individuals who were unemployed; some subsequently homeless and severely impoverished because of the financial hardships. In the States, most people have become immune to the homeless person they see sitting on the street. They can’t be bothered to fish out some change in their pocket, or supply them with the leftovers from their gluttonous meal at the local TGI-Friday’s. They walk by pretending not to see them, thinking that it’s their “choice” to be homeless; after all, McDonald’s is always hiring. Besides, they’ll only buy booze with whatever money you give them. I’m guilty with the rest; I used to have these same thoughts run through my head as I passed people on the streets. That was before I realized the hardships that are keeping this individual stuck in place. Getting derailed is not what anyone plans with his or her life, but it happens. Some of us are capable of getting back on track with minimal effort, while others are less fortunate. I’ve been blessed with family and friends who support me, as well as the resources to educate myself – something I give thanks for every day. However, this simple act of applying for jobs while living in a less developed country has made me cognizant of the fact that sometimes getting back on track can be like trying to run in wet cement. While it’s possible to stay on track with those who are strolling along on the paved road, sometimes the effort of simply trying to keep up is too much. Eventually the task of lifting each foot becomes so arduous that being stuck in place is all you can do as you weather the storms that come your way.