supposed to be getting better by your
thirties? Not for me, apparently. I had managed to screw that up too.
“ There
are other jobs that don't require a degree. Better jobs,” Mandy
gave encouragement. I looked up into her small blue eyes, made even
beadier behind coke-bottle glasses. She was not a looker, but what
she hadn't been blessed with in attractiveness she made up for with
intelligence. While I had dropped out of college after one semester,
Mandy was only one semester away from graduating Summa Cum Laude with
an MBA in Business from New York University.
For
all the nagging that she did about me getting a job, I couldn't
understand why she hadn't gotten a better one. Mandy had worked at
the bowling alley since we were teenagers, and she showed no signs of
giving it up until her college education was complete. I suppose that
was all well and good if you had wealthy parents to leech off in your
times of need, but I couldn't help but think life could be better for
both of us if Mandy put the degree she already had to good use. That
was just me being selfish though.
“ Well,
if you find one, let me know,” I said.
“ Actually,
that's kind of what I was thinking of doing,” she replied
hesitantly, and I could tell she was afraid I wouldn't like where she
was going with this. I arched an eyebrow quizzically. “I could
get online and see if I could find something for you.”
“ You
don't think I've been looking online?” I huffed.
“ I
just . . . think you've probably passed up a few opportunities that
might have been good for you. I mean, this restaurant thing obviously
isn't working out. How many restaurant jobs have you had this past
year? Three?”
“ Five,”
I corrected Mandy, cringing at my own answer. It sounded a lot worse
when I put it in perspective. Five restaurant jobs, two gas-station
jobs, and one job at a car wash, which was the most miserable of the
eight, though it made the most money. Having a nice body and a wet
T-shirt helped me get tips, but it was also horribly degrading.
“ Just,
let me see if I can find something I think you'll be better suited
for.”
“ How
do you know what kind of job I'll want?” I asked incredulously.
“ I'm
your closest friend, right?”
“ Yes,”
I replied hesitantly.
“ I
know you better than you know yourself. Trust me.”
“ Fine.”
I gave in with a sigh. If this got her off my back for a while, then
it would be worth it. Besides, I didn't have to accept anything she
picked out for me.
“ Good.
It's settled then.” Mandy's face brightened in triumph.
By
the following day, my phone was ringing off the hook with people
wanting to interview me. Whatever Mandy had done, it had worked, and
while I was glad, I was also a bit apprehensive. It felt strange
having to act excited about jobs that I knew nothing about.
Keeping
up with my part, I went out to meet every prospective employer who
called. The jobs Mandy had applied me for varied, as if she had
literally gone down a list and put me in for anything she thought
might take me. I did countless interviews for custodial work, mail
room positions, retail stocking, and even a traveling inventory
position. No one seemed very interested in hiring me though once they
began going over my resume of jobs past.
After
a week of no luck, Mandy gave me a pep talk about how to interview.
The moral of the story was lie lie lie. Tell the employer what they
wanted to hear, not the truth. Play up your strengths. Avoid talking
about your weaknesses, and when you're forced to, try to twist them
into a positive light.
Despite
all my effort, the end of the month was quickly approaching, and I
was still jobless. Tension was rising between Mandy and I since she
grilled me every night about where I had gone and what I had said
during my interviews. It was getting to the point I was just about
ready to walk out on my own.
“ What
do you have lined up for tomorrow?” she asked with a hint of
agitation in her
thirties? Not for me, apparently. I had managed to screw that up too.
“ There
are other jobs that don't require a degree. Better jobs,” Mandy
gave encouragement. I looked up into her small blue eyes, made even
beadier behind coke-bottle glasses. She was not a looker, but what
she hadn't been blessed with in attractiveness she made up for with
intelligence. While I had dropped out of college after one semester,
Mandy was only one semester away from graduating Summa Cum Laude with
an MBA in Business from New York University.
For
all the nagging that she did about me getting a job, I couldn't
understand why she hadn't gotten a better one. Mandy had worked at
the bowling alley since we were teenagers, and she showed no signs of
giving it up until her college education was complete. I suppose that
was all well and good if you had wealthy parents to leech off in your
times of need, but I couldn't help but think life could be better for
both of us if Mandy put the degree she already had to good use. That
was just me being selfish though.
“ Well,
if you find one, let me know,” I said.
“ Actually,
that's kind of what I was thinking of doing,” she replied
hesitantly, and I could tell she was afraid I wouldn't like where she
was going with this. I arched an eyebrow quizzically. “I could
get online and see if I could find something for you.”
“ You
don't think I've been looking online?” I huffed.
“ I
just . . . think you've probably passed up a few opportunities that
might have been good for you. I mean, this restaurant thing obviously
isn't working out. How many restaurant jobs have you had this past
year? Three?”
“ Five,”
I corrected Mandy, cringing at my own answer. It sounded a lot worse
when I put it in perspective. Five restaurant jobs, two gas-station
jobs, and one job at a car wash, which was the most miserable of the
eight, though it made the most money. Having a nice body and a wet
T-shirt helped me get tips, but it was also horribly degrading.
“ Just,
let me see if I can find something I think you'll be better suited
for.”
“ How
do you know what kind of job I'll want?” I asked incredulously.
“ I'm
your closest friend, right?”
“ Yes,”
I replied hesitantly.
“ I
know you better than you know yourself. Trust me.”
“ Fine.”
I gave in with a sigh. If this got her off my back for a while, then
it would be worth it. Besides, I didn't have to accept anything she
picked out for me.
“ Good.
It's settled then.” Mandy's face brightened in triumph.
By
the following day, my phone was ringing off the hook with people
wanting to interview me. Whatever Mandy had done, it had worked, and
while I was glad, I was also a bit apprehensive. It felt strange
having to act excited about jobs that I knew nothing about.
Keeping
up with my part, I went out to meet every prospective employer who
called. The jobs Mandy had applied me for varied, as if she had
literally gone down a list and put me in for anything she thought
might take me. I did countless interviews for custodial work, mail
room positions, retail stocking, and even a traveling inventory
position. No one seemed very interested in hiring me though once they
began going over my resume of jobs past.
After
a week of no luck, Mandy gave me a pep talk about how to interview.
The moral of the story was lie lie lie. Tell the employer what they
wanted to hear, not the truth. Play up your strengths. Avoid talking
about your weaknesses, and when you're forced to, try to twist them
into a positive light.
Despite
all my effort, the end of the month was quickly approaching, and I
was still jobless. Tension was rising between Mandy and I since she
grilled me every night about where I had gone and what I had said
during my interviews. It was getting to the point I was just about
ready to walk out on my own.
“ What
do you have lined up for tomorrow?” she asked with a hint of
agitation in her
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