Friday, May 08, 2015

Looking for Work, but...

I'm not jobless, but it's no secret that I'd like a better job. There are things about my job that I love.
  • Everyday is different.
  • I get out and see people. 
  • I don't sit still.
  • I can help people. 
  • I get to see all sorts of old friends, former students etc.
  • I've made lots of new friends. 
  • I get compliments, even by total strangers.
  • It's pretty easy.
  • I don't take it home with me. It's a sign-in and sign-out, not like teaching.
  • There's a great variety of things I can do at work.
  • It's pretty easy to get to and back.
  • I can sometimes be creative.
  • It's rarely boring.
  • The salary is automatic; I don't have to hustle for clients or free lance jobs.
The negative:
  • The salary, minimum wage.
  • It's cold and rainy in the winter, since we're not in an enclosed building. 
  • The upper echelons of the business don't respect the opinions of the sales staff.
  • There's no real challenge left for me. 
I'm a certified EFL teacher with experience and training as a remedial teacher, too. My expertise is working with very small groups, but those jobs are hard to find. My attempts to teach in a regular classroom were disastrous, and at this stage in life, I do not need the stresses required.

Years ago, I taught women's exercise classes, both in Jerusalem, when we lived there and in Shiloh. Nobody at this stage, considering my age and how I look would pay me now for such a thing.

I have recently edited a book and an internet site. And I've also sold a few photos. In theory, and I have thought about it a lot, I could open a business of writing and editing, but there are three big disadvantages to it. 
  1. I'd have to constantly hustle for work and clients.
  2. I'd be home without the fun and stimulation of other people.
  3. There would be constant clerical tasks, bookkeeping taxes etc to deal with.
And a number of years ago, before it was a popular field, I took a course to qualify me as a Life Coach, but working at that would also demand hustling etc, like any private service business.

At my age it's very hard to find work, especially work that deals with the public. I'm old; I'm retirement age, but I do not have a proper pension.

I've been working in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin for close to four and a half years. It's the longest I've ever had as a non-teaching job ever, and as much as I'd like a change, I'll probably staying as long as I can.

I just needed to vent; thanks for listening.

2 comments:

han said...

thanks for this thoughtful article
In french you would say
"faire le point" , my english dictionnary gives "to take stockof .."have a restful shabbat

hana
(by my husband sylvain, schlomo weiller, little, little ,little... cousin with miriam ggodman

Batya said...

Thanks
Shavua Tov