Summer Job Woes: A Swigg Girl’s Perspective
Summer Job Woes: A Swigg Girl's Perspective
Hey all,
I’m Megan, a new blogger around here, and I’m excited to join the team. I spent my summer in Calgary, joining the masses of teenagers and university students looking for work. In the recession, it’s been a terrible job market and I’m sure a lot of you have noticed. And hated it. Getting a part-time position is tough enough some places, never mind full-time work in order to pay for university (or traveling?) the next fall. It was really stressing me out in May as I left Vancouver where I go to school and headed back to live under my parents’ roof in Alberta, where food and rent was free.
I blitzed the neighbourhood stores within the first week, handing out 30 resumes in three days. I’ve got decent work experience and I’ve always gotten along well with my bosses, but I wasn’t sure that this would translate into a job this summer. With all the talk about the recession, things were looking grim. Once, Calgary was covered with Now Hiring signs. It was ridiculous and the city was dangerously short on service workers. Now, we have the opposite problem. Reading the paper and listening to the news, I was pretty sure getting a job would be tough anywhere in North America.
I was one of the lucky ones of my friends; I got a few interview offers. Many people spent weeks looking and I jumped at the first chance I got at full-time work because I was so afraid that I wouldn’t get another good shot. I ended up working at a smoothie shop, which was completely unrelated to my previous work experience, and I was pretty nervous that it was a mistake. However, I recruited one of my best friends to work there as well and it’s turned out to be a great time, for a job anyway. The hours aren’t what I’d like, but I know that I got off easy compared to some.
The summer is almost over, but there’s a few people still looking for summer work. Maybe it’s just August work at this point. It almost seems hopeless, but my sister just got her first job ever at a pita place near our house. She wasn’t too happy to be joining the food services industry, which usually has a pretty bad rap, but she came home from her first day excited and already game to rant about customers and coworkers. The silly rules and the outrageous demands of being front and centre in the service industry. It comes with the territory.
As the older sister, I got to explain to her how it works. You do your best. Sometimes, customers yell at you anyway. Sometimes your boss yells at you anyway. You fix things the best you can. (You rant about it.) You move on. There’s nothing glamorous about working for a living. Whether she’s filling up her 50th pita or I have my arm in a bucket of yogurt, we’re both part of the teen workforce that is just trying to get a little extra cash this summer.
Just recently, I got a huge break. My mom’s friend said that she knew someone who was hiring office help, and as I wasn’t getting the number of hours I wanted at my first job, I took on a second one that was full time. I’m punching numbers and stuffing envelopes, but it’s something new to learn even late in the summer. Plus, it might sew seeds for a job next summer in somewhere air conditioned, and where I get to sit down sometimes. Ah, luxury. Not everyone can stand staring at forms and computer screens for eight hours a day, but I’ve actually found out that I like having my own cubicle. Who would have thought? Maybe I should start watching The Office, or reading Dilbert or something…
What did you do this summer? Did you find work? And did you kinda wish you hadn’t, or did you find a new passion? Any service industry horror stories? Let us know in comments!
By: Megan R.
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