An Open Letter to Prospective Employers

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been trying for years to find a full-time job to no avail. I've got over 30 years of experience in the administrative/customer service field, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies in 2009, and just recently I attended training for and received certification as an OSHA P.I.T. operator - Class I, II and III.

Most of my career has been administrative related and I really wanted a change. So I got the degree, and I worked my behind off to earn it. However, once I started looking for a job I found out that I couldn't get a job as a paralegal because I didn't have any experience and the majority of the attorneys who were looking for the help required 3-5 years minimum experience. I was told that I could get experience with an unpaid internship. With three kids to raise, working full time but not getting paid was not an option. Even if I didn't have kids, I still couldn't work an internship because there were absolutely none available in my area.

So I did what I had to do to earn money. I worked as an online tutor which didn't pay much and with students leaving the program on a constant basis I wasn't given enough hours, after three years, to continue doing the job. So I looked for better work. My last job, which was only part time/as needed, lasted six years and ended when my employer died and the company closed. So I was back to looking for full time work...again. Since I couldn't find anything suitable, even in the administration field, I took the OSHA training.

Now I'm looking for work but can't find anything yet again. Since January 29th of this year I have applied for 76 jobs and set up accounts at four different job placement agencies. Out of all that I applied for, about half never responded in any way. Of those that did respond, I've had maybe eight phone interviews and probably six in-person interviews that stemmed from the phone interviews. Not only was I turned down for every one of those jobs but I was also turned down by the rest that did respond, and I never even got a call back from them, just an email telling me they didn't want me. It's always the same reason: We feel that you don't fit our requirements at this time.

Why don't I fit your requirements? Do I not have enough experience? If that's the case I won't ever fit your requirements given that I can't get a job to gain the needed experience since nobody will hire me...because I don't have experience. I wouldn't be certified to drive four different types of forklifts if I wasn't capable of it. To those of you who interviewed me, did I not answer your questions the way you wanted me to? Since I don't know exactly what you expect me to say during an interview it's hard for me to say what you want to hear. I obviously said something right to pass the phone interviews or I wouldn't have been sitting in the office speaking with you.

I'm not going to lie to you about my life and my wants and needs to make myself look better to you; I am who I am. Yes, the hours and pay are fine or I wouldn't have agreed to the interview to begin with. I wouldn't waste your time or mine if those specifics weren't okay. What are my goals for the next five years? I haven't planned any out yet. First I have to have a job and then I can decide where I'll go from there. I do know that I want a better home for my kids, in a better neighborhood, and I'd love to have a more reliable vehicle to get me back and forth to work and to take my kids where they need to go. As far as other goals, not a clue. I've been looking for work for so long that getting a job is my goal at the moment. Let's focus on that.

Do I plan on using you to gain experience and move on from there? No, actually I don't. I'd be so grateful to have the job that I'd work my butt off to be able to keep it. I do learn quickly, I do have an excellent work ethic, and I do intend to show up every day, on time. I don't take days off unless it's an absolute emergency, I don't stand around gossiping, and I don't slack off. I do what I'm told to do and if I complete whatever I was assigned, I'll find something else to do, even if that means asking a supervisor to train me elsewhere in the business.

Yes, I'm 50 years old. So what? I can do more than a lot of people I know, and I'm not looking to retire immediately upon reaching the age of 65. I'll work as long as I'm physically able. But none of you would know any of that, especially those of you who never even call to speak with me, because you won't give me the chance to show you who I am since you won't hire me. Not only will you not hire me, you won't tell me why other than that I don't fit your requirements. Nothing more specific. 

Do I have things that I need in a job? Of course I do. I can't work part time or work for barely over minimum wage. I still have those three kids to raise and I need to be able to pay my bills and make sure those kids have what they need, when they need it. Can I work mandatory 12-hour (or more) shifts every day? No. I have kids. They have places they need to be, they have homework they need help with, they need to be able to eat. Can I work occasional overtime? Absolutely, that's not an problem, but it can't be last minute when I know that I already have someplace to be that day after my work day is done. See, I'm the only one here to take care of these kids. I have no family locally and all of my friends work. And most importantly, my kids are my responsibility.

However, none of you prospective employers care that a single mom has kids who need to be raised and bills that need to be paid, and who will do the job to the best of her ability and will continue to improve on whatever skills she learns. What you seem to care about is finding people who will tell you exactly what you want to hear during an interview and who will smile and guarantee you that your job is exactly what they want and that they have no responsibilities outside your business. And they'll get hired and show up for work. Then after a month or two, when they decide that the job is not really for them, they'll start falling off in their performance and calling in "sick" and end up either quitting or getting fired. Then you'll be placing your ad again and going through the same routine all over again and you'll never have anyone in the position who will stay and last any length of time.

Guess what. I'd still be there after a couple of months. And a couple of years. And probably longer than that. Because I'll care about the job I've been given and I'll want to keep it so I'll do everything I can to make sure you're pleased with the job I'm doing. You have my resume, you know where to find me. If you want to take a chance on me, you won't be sorry. If you don't, it's your loss.

Yours sincerely...

Until next time...peace to all.