The Job Search

I've been really lax about looking for a job. Now that the money from Merrill has run out, it's about time I do something about that. I've just started this data entry/internet research job promoting the interests and reach of Zog. While having the money coming in will be nice and somewhat better than unemployment, the job itself sucks. I feel like a monkey could probably do the work. You might argue that a monkey can't read English well enough off the web to be productive. Well, a lot of my work so far has entailed surfing Danish and Spanish websites looking for addresses, email, and telephone numbers. And my Danish is no better than most monkeys' English.

At any rate, I went to the big ol' job fair down at the Pepsi center today. I would guess there were maybe 50 to 60 employers there and a crowd that was easily twice what the Nuggets usually draw. Very depressing. There are a lot of unemployed people in Denver right now and not a lot of good jobs or even hope for good jobs in the near future. I spoke to about 10 different companies. Most seemed to be looking for sales personnel though none would actually call them sales jobs. The lackey at Wells Fargo actually went so far as to say - and this is almost verbatim - "This isn't a sales job. About 99.9% of what you'll be doing is sales, but we don't really consider it a sales job. And once you get in the door, there are all kinds of other opportunities that you can pursue within the company." Uhh, no thanks.

There were a couple of promising positions, but I'll have to wait and see. Afterwards, Pam (my former boss) and I had lunch over at Dxon's. I had a really bad experience there about 4 years ago shortly after they had opened up and had been avoiding the place. I've now eaten there twice in two weeks and had really good food. I'll keep going back. I had the opportunity to try the new Smirnoff Ice at lunch too. Pam has become a fan and I tried a bit of hers. Deliciously refreshing, that stuff. I was drinking a Tom Collins and was rather surprised by how similar the tastes are. It's much more like Squirt than it is like Zima - good refreshment for a hot, summer day.

As we finished lunch, we ran into Matt Tixier also formerly of Merrill. He's going to sell me some car insurance. Good. Everyone tells me I'm getting screwed paying what I'm paying, and I'm sure you're all probably right. Matt'll fix it.

Now I'm home and should be surfing Spanish websites, but it's too hot to think in my house, so I sit here rambling on instead.

p.s. I guess I'd better say that the Zog comment was a joke. It's actually a very worthwhile project that will help mobilize the Jewish community to be a more powerful and effective lobbying voice. And if anyone needs the home phone numbers or email addresses or pagers or fax numbers to any media member stationed in Israel, let me know.

Jonathan 7/15/2002 02:54:00 PM