Fourteenth week-Only young pretty well educated people need apply

Fourteen weeks-It doesn't seem that long. Yet by now I should have had a job. At least that's what I keep telling myself. I suspect there is a good reason for it. Right now the only reason I can come up with is that I'm too old. Yes, I know there are laws about ageism on the books and that an employer is not supposed to discriminate against those that have been in the workforce for a long time. Yet I can't help thinking that it happens all the time, especially now when it seems that everybody and their brother is going after the same jobs. The fact is that it's very difficult when you reach a certain age to find meaningful work that pays well. It doesn't help when all the so-called experts tell you that you might as well quit while you're ahead or pretend that you are years younger.

As I said in earlier blogs, I'm not quitting. Yet I don't want to masquerade as someone I'm not in order to compete in the job market. I want to utilize the skills I do have, but finding it extremely difficult if not impossible to get the word out that I'm earnestly seeking employment. This is not the only barrier in my success. I'm not pretty. I don't dress pretty and don't put on airs. I resent the fact that nine out of ten employers supposedly select the "beautiful" people over those that don't look good. It shouldn't matter how a person looks unless he or she is going to be seen by the public. The only exceptions are that they, at the very least, should have clean clothes on and be relevantly neat in appearance. I can't help thinking about those that have gained weight and are now being systematically discriminated because of it. If the person can do the job, he or she should be hired regardless of their size. The only exceptions are for those positions that require a person to be a certain shape...ie. model.

My heart aches for these people. I feel their pain because they are the homeless and destitute. Thankfully I'm not there yet. I do have my education to fall back on, and have been debating with myself as to the viability of going back to school. Yes, it will cost too much money to go right now. Yes, I know there are scholarships available, but do I really want to put myself in debt. No. Yet every job description I read has too many requirements that I can't hope to fill. So, where am I to go? I don't know yet, but my heart aches for the disenfranchised that have no place to go but the streets.