The Hidden Costs of Job Hunting in This Economy

The other day it happened again. I showed up for a job interview full of optimism, only to have my hopeful positive feelings dashed within my first five minutes of walking in the door.

I had answered an ad for a "client care representative" position at a local animal hospital. Not an ideal choice or fit for my background and experience, but office jobs seem particularly hard to come by right now in the mid-Hudson Valley.

The ad asked for a caring compassionate individual "who loved helping cats and dogs as much they loved helping people," to work the front desk and do some clerical work at the animal hospital. The veterinary hospital's website also explained that the clinic ran a not for profit adoption center, and since I love animals, and I'm interesting in writing fundraising letters, I thought this might be a good fit for me.

I showed up at my appointment a few moments early, and as I entered the lobby of the hospital, I noticed a strong odor of animal excrement, as well as a strong unpleasant cleaning fluid smell (to cover up the animal odor.) I went up to the counter and waited to announce myself as here for my appointment, but no one was around. There were no patients and the huge parking lot was also empty.

The time of my interview rolled around, and still I waited. I was dressed very professionally, in a nice summer suit, and felt terribly out of place. A customer walked in and someone miraculously appeared at the desk to answer her questions. Meanwhile, I'd been standing around for about ten minutes with no recognition from a human being.

The person who came out to the desk wearing a badge that said "Client Care Representative" shocked me. This person was wearing a uniform but didn't look like she had showered or washed her hair in days! Listening to her respond to the client, I didn't get the vibe of caring or compassion either. When asked what happened to the animal adoption center, the rep answered that the hospital had taken on too many vets, and they just couldn't be bothered with it anymore.

I started to sweat under my suit, and I thought about walking out (something I've never done before during an interview, though I've wanted to!) Finally, a surly woman in uniform burst out a door and said to me in an annoyed tone of voice: "here for an interview?" I said yes and she shoved a clipboard at me to fill out an application, even though I'd been called for the interview on the basis of a resume submission and they certainly had the full picture about my employment background.

I've learned that the application is a way to farm information from prospective candidates. That's where the social security info is given, as well as other personal data like phone numbers of past employers. I sat down with the form, but wasn't sure I wanted to give away my private information for this god forsaken place.

I felt really uncomfortable, and started to fill out the paperwork. The urge to flee was rising in me. I did something I've never done before. I waited til the coast was clear, til all the unpleasant employees at the desk had gone in the back. Then I took my half filled out form, and quickly walked out to my car and drove away (facing yet another job hunting disappointment.)

The Hidden Toll of Job Hunting in this Economy

This experience made me think about what I perceive as the hidden costs of job hunting in this bleakest of economies. There is the psychological and emotional toll of broken promises and dashed expectations, as well as the hit to the wallet that comes with a prolonged search for employment.

After the sick feeling had passed from my bad experience at the animal hospital (and I had time to shred the half filled out application form) I reflected on the state of job hunting in upstate New York summer 2008.

When the media talks about mass unemployment and the dismal economy, I don't think they really emphasize how tough it is for the job hunter. The psychological and emotional toll is a cost that can't be measured by dollars and cents. One of the first things that is tough on the spirit of the weary intrepid job hunter, is the misinformation in a lot of the job ads posted in the mid-Hudson Valley, and the substandard working conditions offered by many employers.

I've answered some ads that presented a clean well lit professional image on a company website, and walked in to find that the place literally stunk. A few months ago, I was hired for job in a Hudson Valley hospital that had bought an old nursing home to use as an office building. The place was depressing and scary. I got locked in a urine soaked bathroom the size of a coffin, and prayed I wouldn't get trapped in the creaky old elevator there. Yet the hospital had many requirements and I had to jump through many hoops to get hired. I couldn't stay at such a soul sucking unhealthy place, so I'm looking around again for work.

But the bad vibe lingered within me, from that experience. I find that because the economy is really an employer's marketplace right now, with lots of people looking for work, many companies don't think they have to provide good working conditions. There is a dehumanizing effect that comes from being a job seeker continually disappointed and betrayed by awful working conditions, low pay and unrealistic demands (employers frequently hire one person to do the work of two or three people, just to keep expenses down.)

Another worrisome thing is, the costs of job hunting can add up over time in subtle ways. Lots of employers ask potential candidates to "fax their resume." I don't have a fax at home, so I usually do it at the local Staples in the next town over (I live in a rural area.) So I have a cost of about $5 per fax as well as gas. I was astonished to realize how many stamps I was using to send in resumes to answer ads that said "mail your CV or resume to so and so address." This all really adds up after a while.

Not only that, there are interview clothes to buy, and the cost of gas to drive to appointments. If you are on a prolonged job hunt, all of these costs can really add up after a while. Combine these expenses with the unpleasant after effects of too many horrible interviews, and you could be looking at a case of full on job hunter burnout.

Some Tips for Coping with Job Hunting Burnout

If there's such a thing as job hunter burnout, I think I might be heading there. If I had a way to work full time for myself, I'd do so. Unfortunately, being a self employed full-time freelance writer remains a dream. But my first tip is to strike out on your own, if you can do it. I really believe that it can be more fulfilling and profitable to be freelance or self employed in this economy than it is to work for an employer.

No matter how desperate you feel you are for a job, try to develop some antennae about which ads to answer. For example, if the same employer keeps running the same ad over and over for the same position, that might be a red flag that it's not a good company to work for (possibly, they can't keep anyone in that job.) That's what happened at the animal hospital: I should have realized that the ad was constantly on the job boards, because it wasn't a great place to work.

Try to be gentle with yourself. If you've had a bad interview or negative experience with an employer, skip a few days of answering ads to allow yourself to gain some perspective. Sometimes it's necessary to pull back a little, no matter how badly you need a job. I'm giving myself a few days to regroup after my horrible experience then I'm going to more carefully look over what's out there.

Look for ways to minimize your expenses if you're job hunting over a prolonged period of time. For example, I email my cover letter and resume whenever possible, instead of faxing or using snail mail. These hidden costs really add up before you even know it. Lots of job boards allow you to send resumes and cover letters through the job board, which is very convenient and efficient (I'm a big believer in this, as I've gotten some calls recently using this method.)

Job boards I like include monster.com, hotjobs.com, and careerbuilder.com. Look for your state's labor department online job postings; regional help wanted websites can also be quite useful. (If you're in New York State's Hudson Valley, check out: www.americasjobexchange.com/ny and www.hudsonvalleyhelpwanted.com!)

Beware of ads on CraigsList.com. When the media discusses the plight of job hunters, they don't always mention personal safety issues. Just like when I was an actor answering ads to audition at some dubious places in New York City, I find that local ads for employment often ask the candidate to show up at night, at an unfamiliar location.

If you must go, take someone with you to wait in the car at your interview, and get a name of the company, and the name of the contact person who will interview you. This is to ensure your safety. Please remember, if it doesn't feel right in your gut, skip that interview and look for something else, because your safety is of utmost importance.

Some other tips to reduce the hidden costs of job interviews: buy one winter suit and one summer suit and keep them in good condition for interviews. Clothing costs can add up if you job hunt over time. Try to shop sales and look for discounts; I find that Macys has great suits in seasonless fabrics that are very versatile. I buy a dark suit for cold weather and a lighter neutral one for warm seasons, and vary them with bright blouses and jewelry. (This is also a useful tip to save money on a work wardrobe also!)

I've been known to pack a lunch or wait til I return home to eat, to save a few dollars that would be spent on eating out during interview days. I also don't print out every job posting I've applied to online, I find this saves a huge amount on ink and paper (and it's good for the environment also.) If I get a call, then I look up the job online and only print the info I need, and I find this to be very cost effective.

The emotional toll of job hunting has been worse for me than the monetary costs. If you feel you are heading for serious burnout, contact a mental health professional (look for free or low cost help in your area.) There are times when it's vital to have someone to talk to; also seek out support groups and spend time with friends and family. It may also be useful to also seek out some financial counseling, if you can't find work and are having trouble paying bills (these steps will help give some peace of mind.)

Think about going to school and changing direction if you feel you need an overall career change. I'm definitely thinking about taking some classes at the local college in the fall, and totally changing my career direction. In the meanwhile, I'm in the job hunting trenches in the Hudson Valley. Things don't show much signs of improving economically in the near future, so if you're in the same boat, know that you're not alone.

Good luck to all in your job search!