Ok so I am working because I have to be to pay rent and stuff but you are probably wondering how I got to this point.
This is kind of boring but for prosperity lets have a day by day recap of my November job-search superpush.


Saturday November 8th: inadvertently discover that my Unemployment Insurance has run out. OOOPS
this is the kind of thing that one should really be on top of especially if one was expecting a check one would need to pay one's rent but then that check is not going to come so one should have really been looking for work all day (all year for that matter) but instead was recovering from his massive hangover complete with irish cream stains on ones shirt from the previous evening.
The timing on discovering this information sucked because I was literally on my way out the door to celebrate Brendan MacQueen's birthday (which we never do) and not having any available resources really put a cramp on my night (Thanks to Ross, Ian, and Brendan for buying me beer)

Sunday November 9th: Luckily my financial anxiety won out over my desire to get trashed at the midtown so I was able to get up relatively early on Sunday and get started.
My first step was to go to Kinkos and do some quick editing on my resume. Specifically I had to take out the "crapline" at the top where I talk about looking for a progressive position where an opportunity to grow is a key element.
I just don't think that they care about my personal growth at the KFC.
I then made about 50 copies of my resume which including the computer use cost about $9.
I know that I needed these resumes so that I could then find employment for which I would then be compensated for in sums in excess of $9 (although not in all cases per hour) but at the time it didn't feel like a good investment.
OK lets go and hand out some resumes!!!! First stop: Bloor/Yorkville corridor.
I of course have reservations about working around here because it is very proximal to my old media job and having me asking ex-co-workers if hey want the new chipotle sauce on their sub doesn't seem to gel with the re-occurring fantasy I have in which I reach outrageous success at a kick-ass new job and my supervisors and the HR department all get in trouble for improperly managing my genius while I was at MBS (its my fantasy).

Still though, I need a job (by a job I mean ANY JOB) asap so I go ahead and apply at Lacoste, Sporting Life, Benneton, a couple other places I forget and a bunch of places at Hazelton Lanes. I walk into Banana republic and Gap (both of which have help wanted signs) intending to apply but I just cant pull the trigger. There is nothing wrong with working at Banana Republic or the Gap but I think I would probably kill myself.
I finished the day by applying at Pre-Loved on Queen which improbably is advertising a job that I would actually want ("picker" or person who goes to the vintage mega-warehouses and selects the clothes).

Monday November 10th: Queen St Beckons!!!!

I still had about 40 resumes left which I would now use to apply to places on Trendy Queen St west. These stores don't exactly promise riches but the close location and high turnover definitely meet my current need for instant employment. I just walk down the street and hand out resumes for anyone who has a sign up. I also do a remarkable amount of lying.
Am I qualified to work in an antiques store? Your fucking right I am!!!!! How long would I be planning to stay for? At LEAST 3 years....
I am definitely at a disadvantage because I have things on my resume like "university degree" instead of "applicable retail experience" but I do manage to spark the interest of a couple of managers/owners who have every right to be cynical.
I was disappointed to see that Kentucky Fried Chicken was not hiring but they don't pay very well anyway unless you look at the delicious Friend Chicken benefit (DFCB) package.

I finish my day by calling the production contact at Pre-Loved and Stacy (who is understandably annoyed at me bugging her) informs me that she will be reviewing the resumes and will let me know if she wants an interview..... HMMMMMM that doesn't sound too promising.


Tuesday November 11th: The Ball is Rolling!!!

The first call I get is improbably from E____ from Groovy because she seemed the least impressed with me in our initial counter-front mini-talk when I was dropping off my resume. She has already checked my reference (thanks Chris) and says that she would love me to come in for an interview. Later that day I drop in and she schedules me to start on Wednesday. She will have trouble providing me the kind of hours I need to balance my current financial needs (110 hrs/Week) but it is a start.)
I also get a call later from an upscale shoe store in Hazelton Lanes and I agree to come in for an interview on Thursday Morning. No calls from anyone else.

Wednesday November 12th: First Day at Groovy!!

Groovy carries about 6,000 different shoes so it is taking me a while to figure out where everything is. The other staff seems nice althought they are understandably indifferent to me as they wait to see if I will last beyond a week. I also feel kind of uncool because my co-workers are all trendy and into music and stuff.
We have a staff CD player and they are constantly saying stuff like "you don't mind if we put on Dodgy do you?" and I am like "Yeah Dodgy is COOL" and then I am like "crap do people still say cool?" mabye I should have said "Dodgy is Fresh"

Also everybody hits on me, Girls, Women, Gay Dudes, Everyone. I think I will need a T-shirt that says "Just because I am working in Retail doesn't mean I will make out with you".
I Think I have done a pretty good job for my first day however with the whole resume expenses and the shirt I somehow got paint on I am still waiting break even on the whole job thing.

I bump into my Grimsby Friend Aaron Cunningham and he tells me about a better paying job at the Hazelton Retirement Residences so tomorrow I am going to go and apply there after talking to the Hazelton Upscale Shoe people.



Thursday November 13th: You know what I am getting tired of writing this thing so I bet you are getting real tired of reading it if you didn't abandon 3 days ago.


In short I am still working at Groovy. I turned down the Hazelton Upscale Shoe people after they offered me 2% commission on sales (after a 3 month probabtion period!) OOOH 2% how does the owner make money??? The picker job I wanted went to somebody else, and today (Thursday November 20th) I am finally interviewing at the place that Aaron told me about. It looks like this place will be significantly more per hour but the cant offer me a lot of hours for a while and also want you work split-shifts.
I feel all warm inside.

I will let you know how it goes but in the mean time..... GIVE ME A JOB SOMEONE I NEED MONEY

thanks