24 September, 2010

shameless pluggery: fifty cent piece

I have come to the realization I am only one sale away in my Etsy store from my fiftieth. That seems a definite cause for celebration, does it not? So I am going to throw in a giveaway with this purchase. But not just any random object. In what is probably very Project Runway wanna-be of me, for whatever item becomes my 50th sale, I will make a companion piece. What it could be will wholly depend on the purchased item.

So again, be responsible for my 50th sale, and get a surprise coordinating object along with it! A challenge for me, and a treat for you. Win-win, in my opinion. But you don't have to take MY word for it...

THE pinswithfury ETSY STORE!

16 September, 2010

square peg, round job market

If I had to express a single word to sum up 2010 to this point, it would be UNEMPLOYMENT. I spent the first five months and most of this last month out of work. Financially crippling aside, it's also a real downer.

In 2003, after a layoff, I began temping. I ashamed to admit that I still am. I've had several long-term gigs in the last seven years, two that lasted in the three year range, but the chaos of real life has made it hard to find something steady, stable, and permanent. I've gained a lot of experience in several areas over the years, and even went back to finally get my degree, but when looking at my resume, the first employer one sees is a temp agency. Which usually turns potential employers off. No matter how qualified I may be for a position, I am not considered.

I would love to get off the Temp Train to Nowhere. My question now is how. I've mentioned to friends how I wish there was a headhunting agency for artistic types. Not necessarily for creative fields, but those who have creative skills and backgrounds that aren't easily explained in a resume or cover letter. Maybe such a place does exist and I haven't been able to find it. I've also looked into going back to school. I can't handle the debt I have now, but there are still things I'd like to learn, and perhaps a truly marketable skill can be one.

In the meantime, I'm trying slowly but surely to find a source of stability. I still have whacked-out schedule needs, which I'm guessing other single parents do as well. I just haven't figured out how others actually make theirs work.