Job Hunt: A true story of failure

Arriving home from school in mid April, I was incredibly optimistic for the prospect of employment. I assured myself that within a week I would have a solid, full time job. June first is tomorrow, and I'm unemployed for the third time.

After taking a week off to relax and get settled back into Guelph I decided to hit the town with my resumes. I printed off twenty or so of them and took off towards the west end. I got many good receptions and was quite pleased with myself. Heading home, I was expectant of a call back within a few days. A week later I realized that wasn't happening. So I hit the north end of town, then the south, and ended with the east. All the success that garnered was about as real as my chance of making the NBA. By then I had become a very bitter man. After all the hard work, I had nothing to show for it, so I got desperate. A temp agency on the north end got me work at a meat packing plant called Watson foods, and thus ended my first tenure of unemployment.

Watson foods and my employment there made for the two most depressing days of my life. The evening before my first shift I prepared myself, as I was due in for work at 6:30 am. I did not have any food, so packing a lunch was out of the question. The next morning I awoke at 6:15 am, in my bed, at the opposite end of town. Being a fan of bus transportation this left me in a terrible situation. When I arrived there, at 7:00 am I found out that first, in order to arrive to work in time I would have to walk downtown to take the very first bus of the day, and secondly I would need warmer clothes because the work was in a fridge. I was employed in the receiving end on the first day, in the colder area of the facility. Frozen is not a stimulating enough word. I went home at 3:30 pm (late because no one told me you just leave when your shift is done) frozen, hungry, tired, and very hateful. The second day was much worse... I was stationed at the start of the line, slicing open the meat packages and sending them to the cutter. This included a copious amount of blood. Fans of the band "3 Inches of Blood" might enjoy this. After four hours of this it was my lunch, so I went to the foreman and asked about relocation. My answer was as prompt as it was blunt, "if you don't like blood then go home." I was allowed to finish the day after much pleading. Total earnings: $151.23. This is the beginning of my second string of unemployment.

The next day meant a call to my temp agency. I was told to sit tight, as there was currently no work for me. After three more days of playing NBA 2007 and eating Swanson TV dinners I was told there was work with a company called A.W.S. irrigation. This job was listed as full summer employment. I was offered this job and took it without breathing. My excitement knew no end at this moment. I found out that the job entailed digging holes, and laying pvc pipe for front yard sprinkler systems. My first day was possibly the best day in employment history. I showed up half an hour early and sat around until it was time with the remainder of the crew, about five people. The whole day was warm and I equated the job to digging and playing with lego, but on a much larger scale. I went home feeling great and was finally content with every aspect of a job. The second day was essentially the same. At lunch the foreman took us to Wendy's and I ate a good meal and went home happy. On the third day I woke up again at 5:00 am , like the other days, and went to work. Once I arrived I was informed that there was no more work for me, and thanked me for my hard work for the two days...

Now I just arrived home from the temp agency, and the only work they have right now is at a place called Watson foods. In other words: I hate my life.

-Ben Brake