I woke up, after a restless sleep, at about 4:30am, took my shower, shaved, got dressed and proceeded to make a sign, which I bought the materials for last night. This sign was for me to go into downtown DC and attempt to find employment that way. Figured nothing else is working, so try a new approach.
The sign was simple, in my opinion;
Tried Conventional Means. About To Be Homeless. Please Take Resume And/Or Leave Business Card.
All Help Appreciated.
Made sense to me..so I packed up my sign, took my 50 resumes I had printed(did you know Staples charges $0.20/per staple in their copy center?), hopped on my scooter and took off for the subway to take me downtown. It was POURING!! Was soaked by the time I got to the metro.
Hopped on the train and went into Farragut West Station, coming up on the 18th street side as I knew there was an overhang at the least. I stood out there for 4 hours, gave out 6 resumes, got one person asking for my contact info(which he did email me and ask for a copy of my resume) and a few people giving a little money.
What amazed me most about it all..the overall indifference of people in the area. Yes, I know that there are a lot of homeless people, or at least those proclaiming themselves to be homeless, that are simply asking for money with a laundry list of reasons why they are homeless.
Several people merely pretended I didn't exist and moved on about their mornings, however, it was obvious those that were going to pretend they didn't, but had already read, "I NEED A JOB!" and would suddenly look back towards me again reading my sign. A few seemed hesitant as to if they should come back or if they should just keep going. Obviously, most kept going.
I didn't exactly get anything that could be construed as a negative response, but did get several, "atta boy"s, that's the spirit and many many smiles and nods of approval as I was not asking for a handout, but an opportunity to earn my own way. Had, literally, a few people stop and ask me about it and I gave it to them short and sweeet...I've been looking for work for a long time, found 10 scams/rip-offs in under a week that were posing as job listings and I have to do something, so figured I'd try a new approach.
The first two or three people to take my resume had already walked past and then turned around and came back, almost as though it clicked what my sign read. A business man from out of town, which I wish I had gotten his name, came up and told me he had been on the same boat I was on, though didn't do a sign, and said he was only here for business and there wasn't much he could do..but he did give me $20. I'd like to thank him again here, not that I think he'll read this, but not the point. His gift to me paid for my lunch, supper, gas for my little scooter and enough money for me to make this trip again tomorrow(hence the Day 1 as part of the title).
One lady went past all the way to the corner, turned around and came back and asked for my resume to take to their HR department on her way in. One gentleman called his HR department while reading my sign from across the sidewalk and then came over and asked for my resume to take it in to his job. Seems there are jobs out there. Now to land one of them. While my landlord isn't going tolerate my not having the rent much longer, I will continue to head out there every day I can, finances allowing, of course, until I get a job. This is about the only thing I haven't tried, until now.
I'll be there tomorrow again around 7am at the Farragut West Metro Station(orange line). If you're company is hiring, stop by and pick up a resume or leave me your card and I'll email you my resume when I get a chance to log onto my computer again..which I bring with me, btw.
