There’s a lot of jokes out there about NASCAR drivers and their singular ability to drive in a circle all day. But at the end of that day, the drivers are the ones laughing as they collect millions of dollars for their “talent”.
Much like a racecar driver, my life lately has been running in circles, literally and figuratively. Unlike a racecar driver, my bank account does not show 7 figures after the dollar sign.
I’m in my third week of training thus far. This week the training regimen called for 3 days of alternately jogging/walking, varying the segments between 200 and 400 yards, for a total of 1 1/2 miles. While the distance has increased, the view has remained a constant. My original intention was to venture out and pound the pavement all over the bay area. I still intend to do that sooner as opposed to later. Even though there is a sense of safety and security by sticking close to home and running the the circular route around my apartment complex, the monotony of it all is starting to get to me. The view never changes and there is a mental drain as my directional sense tells me that I’m getting nowhere.
A friend of mine pointed me to two websites to find different running routes that other people have posted. www.favoriterun.com and www.mapmyrun.com both offer some cool features that allow people to highlight on a map where they run. I did a quick search of Sarasota and it seems that many people are only running in one area- the Ringling Bridge. Now I know that not all runners in Sarasota use this route, but it seems that the computer savvy runners stick to the same route.
My job search has been following a very similar circular course. Each pursuit of an opportunity leads right back to where I’ve started- with no job. For instance, I recently drove 45 minutes to a “job fair” excited by the possibilities that prospects would be plentiful. Only once I arrived, I found that the majority of tables were occupied by night schools offering courses for certain career paths, but with no actual jobs to fill. And the tables that did have employers had no one behind them with actual hiring power. I approached one table with great interest about a couple of positions that I believed I was qualified for. I engaged the company rep to tell me more about the company and the job itself. The rep responded simply, ” The best thing to do is to go on the website and fill out the application online.” So I left the job fair questioning why I went in the first place as I could have just stayed home because there was no actual jobs (that fit my background and experience) at the “job fair”.
My frustration was exacerbated when I filled out an online application for another position that sounded promising. After I filled out the form and submitted it electronically, I soon discovered that I had been duped. I thought it was a good idea to mark the box that said I was interested in pursuing another degree. Thinking that the potential employer would be impressed that I would take the initiative to further my education while under their employment. A few days later, I learned the truth. The form I filled out went through an agency, allegedly hired by the employer, to screen the applications before the company saw them. Because I had marked that box, I began getting phone calls throughout the day and into the late evening hours from night schools offering their services to help me in my pursuit of higher education.
A posting on craigslist had some real possibilities for an entry level position in public relations. I replied to the posting and was excited to see a response in my email inbox a short time later. But then I realized that it too was a setup for something completely different. The offending party suggested that my experience would be good for this “position” where I could “work from home” and make as much money as possible in this online get-rich-quick pyramid scheme.
Even my backup plan has fallen through. I applied to a major retailer through their online application for a part time position just to get some cash flow going. I had been told that they hired any warm body.The automated response from the store thanked me for applying. Unfortunately, they don’t have any open positions at this time.
A number of my former co-workers who are also no longer with the company have started their own companies. I’ve started to think about this option, only to be discouraged by the realization that I have no actual capital to speak of to help me get started. So, again, I’m back to where I started.
Forgive me for a moment while I vent. A lot of my search has been focused on marketing positions. And I just don’t understand why these companies don’t see me as a strong candidate. My mascot experience has taught me what it takes to get the attention of thousands of people and entertain them long enough for the logo of the team/company I’m representing to get noticed. Yeah, it took a ridiculous costume. But it also took my personality and experience to use that costume properly. I don’t necessarily need to dress up like a farm animal to utilize this skillset.
I guess you could say that my experience is much like that of a NASCAR driver. We both got paid to get out in front where people would notice the companies we represent. Now if I could just figure out how to make the millions that those guys make.
Maybe I’ll look into what it takes to become a NASCAR driver for my next job. It would fit nicely with my goal of going the distance of an ultramarathon. And I’ve already got a lot of experience driving in circles.
love you BABY!)
