Standing in line at the Job Fair

The world is changing rapidly.  Are you?

My name is Steve Emig, and a couple of years ago I was unemployed and went to a job fair at First Christian Church in Kernersville, NC.  At the time, my resume' was made up of taxi driving and gaps in employment.  I'd done a wide range of jobs before that, but no one seemed to care.  I didn't look good on paper and I knew it.  I also didn't look good in person.  I weighed well over 300 pounds and wore thrift store clothes that didn't fit very well, but they were the best I had.

I entered the church and started walking past the line of other people looking to get one of the 100 jobs available that day.  I kept walking and walking.  I thought I was going to see a "Welcome to Virginia" sign before I got to the end of that line.  The line wrapped around the gymnasium and I took my place at the end of it.  While most people were probably hoping for one of the few jobs available, I had different thoughts.  My thought was, "I should start a snack bar next to the line and sell food and drinks to everyone waiting."  My years in Southern California around lots of entrepreneurs gave me a different outlook than most North Carolinians.

An hour or two later, I gave my resume' to a few companies.  One company had a stack of paper resume's well over a foot high.  Hundreds of them.  I handed my resume' to the lady and she added it to the huge stack.  I was so depressed as I walked out of that church that day.  I never heard from any of the companies.

An online article last year said that there are now at least 30 million unemployed and underemployed people in the United States.  I'm one of them.  In my case, I've decided to create my own job.  I do a unique style of artwork with Sharpie markers which you can see at Steve Emig Art.  I'm now working seven days a week doing something I love.  I'm not charging enough for my drawings yet, I'm working on getting my name out there right now.  I'm also a blogger and writer, and have some books I want to right in the coming months and years.  This blog here is dedicated to all of us in the 30 million looking for meaningful and well-paying work.  I hope you'll find something in this blog to make you laugh and help pass the time as you wait in that ridiculously long line at the job fair.  Enjoy.

If you're depressed and need a quick laugh, click here.

If you want to know who the heck I am, go back to the previous post. 

If you want to hear about the best book I've read about finding work in the 21st century, click here.

If you think your life couldn't possibly get any worse, click here.

If you want to see two formerly homeless guys who are now successful, click here.

If you want to know why your resume' doesn't get you a good job, click here. 

Many years ago, when my younger sister was in college, she had a big decision to make.  I created a list of questions to help her figure her dilemma out.  It worked.  Over the years, I've turned that list of questions into a workshop called "How to Find Your Passion in Life."  I'm thinking about starting to give these workshops again.  If you're interested in attending one of these workshops here in the Triad area, email me at: stevenemig13@gmail.com .

Jobs Worse Than The One Youre Applying For

Uh... if you haven't figured out by the still shot, this is a big NSFW.  NOT SAFE FOR WORK, just in case any of you aren't familiar with that acronym. 

I've had some weird jobs over the past three decades.  I spent one day unloading coffins on a TV set.  I got pummeled as a crew guy on American Gladiators.  I've cleaned up the puke of strangers as a taxi driver.  But.. these jobs are all worse.  Somehow animal renderer didn't make the list. 

30 Million Unemployed and Underemployed in the US

This clip is not the most entertaining, but it's really informative about today's work environment.

In this Gallup article, The Big Lie, from a year ago, it states that the real number of unemployed people and severely underemployed people, tops 30 million in the U.S..  And now there's worry that we're dropping into another recession.  This is what this blog is about.  I'm one of those 30 million people. 

How did this happen?  Here are some of the main reasons, which I will go into more detail in with future blog posts.

-Millions of American jobs have been lost to automation in recent decades, this includes everything from industrial robots to computer programs, to everyday conveniences like ATM machines.

-Millions more factory jobs have been shipped overseas to countries across the world with much lower wages and less environmental regulations.

-The massive change in personal technology, like personal computers, the internet, cell phones then smart phones, social media, etc. has changed the way we communicate.  This has changed business and the workplace at a fundamental level.

-Technology has led to a new kind of job rising to the forefront, jobs that require more tech savy, more thinking, and more creativity.  These jobs pay well, but they're not what our school system teaches people.

- Our school system was created in the late 1800's to turn farmers into factory workers.  It completely fails to prepare today's kids for the jobs that now exist and will exist in the future.

- Most civic leaders still don't really understand this.  Our country is being led by people who still have the "bring back the high-paying factory jobs" mentality.  They're fighting the wrong battle at this point.