May
16
I’ve been looking for a job off and on for many months now. I’ve applied to several without luck and I am not despairing about it but I have to say I don’t feel great, Bob. I don’t like feeling … well, useless is the word that comes to mind.
Or maybe obsolete is the better term, at least for my particular skill set. Oh, you don’t need someone whose marketing expertise and knowledge is largely based on a world that simply does not exist anymore? You’re not looking for someone who hasn’t worked from an office environment or among coworkers for, what, sixteen years now? You don’t need writing language and tone that can be if not duplicated outright at least workingly mimicked by any number of free LLMs? You don’t have an eager Gen Z team that’s looking for a 52-year-old whose software skills are pretty much limited to text editing docs and photo apps and whose water cooler banter could not rise above “How about that new season of Euphoria, crazy amirite fellow kids???”
I do think I would enjoy something very different from what I have done before. As an example, I volunteered with a conference recently in a fancy-ish hotel. After setting up the tables for the attendees, my job was to help check them in, which mostly involved light chitchat and offering to validate their parking. I found this DEEPLY pleasurable, so I feel I would very much like a job that:
• Is somewhat limited in nature to providing a service rather than potentially annoying people (ie, nothing that involves people being mad about what a thing costs or how long it takes, etc)
• Nestles me amongst likeable coworkers (the other volunteer was so nice to chat with!)
• Gives me the chance to greet people with a smile and be friendly with them, because I truly feel that nearly everyone has become much more wary/closed off and it is a delight to see them relax when met with good energy
• Allows me to provide helpful info, like ‘oh the restrooms are right over there’ or ‘yes, we definitely can validate that ticket!’
• Is part time, has easy parking, isn’t too far away
• Doesn’t matter if I am older and also have weirdly colored hair and a 90’s armband tattoo
Let me know if you have ideas! I immediately thought of the wonderful often older-people ushers at events where they help you find your seat, but there seem to be too many downsides: actually needing to know where the seats are (row what now?), wearing a uniform with a vest, and the real deal-killer: having to be at a place when it is WELL past my bedtime.
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My immediate thought is a docent of some type. Museum, nature center, zoo, or similar. I think about this too, having not worked in 15+ years while raising kids. I’ve never even seen LinkedIn 🙈