"Have you started looking for a job yet?"
Believe it or not, a close friend of mine was asked this question five months after she was laid off. What exactly did this person think she was doing for five months? We may never know. What we do know, however, is that after applying to 117 jobs, she recently scored a new position. The 118th time's a charm.
"How's the job search going?"
We know you're just trying to be nice. But there are some people who have asked me this question no less than 20 times. And frankly, I'm just running out of things to tell them. Is it going "well" if you've found and applied to 74 jobs, without hearing back? Or do you just say, "terrible" and deal with the look of horror/guilt on their face as you change the subject?
And then there's this one. It's how we all greet each other now that we're adults. It used to be easy to answer, but if you've just lost your job and you're not prepared, it could stop you in your tracks:
"So, what do you do?"
My boyfriend and I totally perfected the answer to this one recently. I've been freelancing since February- the money is steady, since I'm working on a retainer, but it's not much when compared to a full-time salary. He's working hard for a startup game company, and won't see payment until an investor comes in the picture. We were out at a bar, when the dreaded question came up. "What do you do?" Without skipping a beat, we answered. "I'm a freelance writer." "I work in video games." Our interrogator almost walked away out of jealousy.
Fake it 'til you make it, right?
If I have offended you..... you have probably asked one too many questions. ;)
Or.. you've forgotten that I'm never serious.
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Snappy (snarky?) response to #3:
ReplyDelete'Breathe mostly, sleep occasionally, and consume food and beverages copiously.'
Or you could always say you're 'looking into opportunities in adult entertainment'; that usually makes people uncomfortable enough to change the subject (if that's what you're going for)... though it could backfire with creeps.
Definitely fake it 'til you make it. :)
I read somewhere that it's not even good social etiquette anymore to ask the icebreaker question "so what do you do?" since there are so many people unemployed these days. Supposedly, you are supposed to be PC and say instead: "so how do you spend your time?"...interesting
ReplyDeleteI am mentally going through conversations trying to see if I am one of the annoying..hows the job search going people.... and I very well just may be. So SORRY! :( From now on, I will stick to so when are you moving to Cali instead :)
ReplyDeleteSeparately - I FINALLY clicked the little link on your facebook to check this thing out and its awesome! The perfect thing for a freelance copywriter to be doing, and with such a dynamite name (Pink Slip Palace), you had to create the blog behind it! Good stuff, thanks for the amusement! :)
I'll just keep my conversations light and airy. "Gators Suck", "How many shots did Andrew do this weekend?", "The weather's been pretty hot lately...and by lately I mean the past zillion years of Florida existence."
ReplyDeleteNicole-- hilarious. I dare you to use the adult entertainment one. With the budding baby becoming more and more visible, it would surely make someone faint!
ReplyDeleteShruti- Social etiquette is silly, of course (you mean I can't just burp whenever/wherever I want?), but that makes a lot more sense. I don't mind people asking that question, I have my answer prepared ;) But it definitely could be sensitive territory for the millions of unemployed roaming the nation.
Laura- You have given me so many helpful tips, links and tons of advice, it wouldn't matter if you asked me how it was going every 7 minutes... which you obviously didn't. I would gladly answer you though because you actually want to know the truth and want to help. Thank you for that and thank you for reading! I can't wait to visit you in CA....
Teri- NLF.
:)
So, Katie, how's the job hunt going?
ReplyDeleteTerrible ;)
ReplyDelete