Challenges of Job Hunting at almost 60
Searching for employment is hard.
I look almost every day at my local job listings and often see jobs I would be interested in. The ones I could see myself doing and enjoying usually require certifications or experience I don’t have, however, so I don’t apply.
I have a BA in English Literature and have been working for most of the last 45 years. I worked in several bakeries and have been baking, and cake decorating since I was a child. I bake and sell under the business name Alma Ann’s Baked Goods, and I specialize in diet challenges like gluten-free, dairy-free, keto. I was a hairdresser for over a decade. I worked at Walmart for 13 years, first in Claims which is essentially shipping and returns, and then as an overnight stocker. I have worked in bookstores, and video stores, and even spent 4 years or so pumping gas and clerking at a gas station. I used to joke that the only job I hadn’t done was pump gas.
So, I have this long work history with so many varied jobs, all of which I have enjoyed, learned a lot, and have done well. I always bring a level of ethics and honest effort, and as much sunshine and joy as I can to every job no matter what it is. I don’t, however, want a high pressure job. I don’t particularly want to supervise or be responsible for the hiring and training of others. While I do like a bit of a challenge, my main challenger is myself. I always work to be better at whatever I am doing. I don’t want to compete with other people. I prefer to encourage each individual to do their best, to challenge themselves to be better.
I get quite frustrated with people who don’t care about the job they are doing, or are negative about it. My most recent position, at said gas station, was fraught with attitudes and apathy to the point of nonsense. Kids who preferred to stand with their backs to the counter while scrolling on their phones instead of helping customers and cleaning, often stating out loud “I don’t get paid enough to clean bathrooms” or wash floors, or whatever the task was. These people agreed to do the job at that rate of pay and these tasks are part of the job! As if that is not annoying enough, when brought to the managers attention, the behaviour was excused. Always an excuse of some sort for certain people, and absolutely no room for error from others, myself included. Rant over.
Currently, I am almost 60, single and unemployed, and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I bake and sell at Farmer’s Markets but that doesn’t pay my rent. As much as I like the idea of owning and operating my own bakery, I don’t have the financial backing nor business knowledge. I have talked about a food truck or C-Can adapted into a commercial baking space but same thing – it costs more than I am able to put into it. Having an approved commercial kitchen opens the way to selling on a larger scale. It allows for resale so I could sell to stores which could then sell to the consumer. I have ideas for frozen take and bake items like cinnamon buns. Imagine being able to buy a fresh baked sticky bun at the local gas station when you stop for your morning coffee.
What job am I looking for? Well, not Walmart, or in a fast food place, or as cab driver or dispatcher. I have applied for positions in housekeeping, reception, shipping and receiving, bakery assistant, book store clerk, and today as berry picker at a local farmer. Over six months I have applied for dozens of jobs, and either I hear nothing or the answer is no. I don’t know what the take away from this is other than singing Dory’s song…Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
