Another Day

So yesterday I took a day off. Having problems with my computer and having problems with my brain; not sure which of the two is in more danger of crashing. The computer has a spastic cursor jumping from word to word, line to line which as you can imagine can be quite annoying. I currently have a Dell, but believe the time is here to take the leap to a Mac. The brain, well it is jumping and spastic as well!

In my earnest desire to obtain employment, I set off yesterday again, for the filling out of applications process, but one the way contracted a headache similar to the grand finale of a Broadway musical resonating throughout the caverns of my brain. It is amazing to me that three years after closing Full of Soup, I am still filling out job applications, not that I have been unemployed that long, thank god. First and foremost on each job application I must decide whether or not to mention I was a business owner. It is my experience once owning a successful business for fourteen years is more of a detriment than an asset. If I have to hear one more potential employer tell me I am over qualified or I do not want the job I think I will scream. Do they honestly think if I did not want the job I would be there in the first place? So I keep two applications handy, the truth and the slightly twisted, the one where I am the owner and the one where just in case I will be too over qualified, I am the manager. As the owner of a food business I hired and fired the servers, cashiers and chef, yet prospective employers say I am not experienced enough to work as either. As the owner of a food business I managed 25 employees, dealt with all city agencies such as License and Inspections and the health department, unemployment compensation, sales tax, purchased all equipment, was responsible for the repair and maintenance of all equipment, negotiated all leasing contracts, implemented the menus along with the chef, was responsible for profit and loss and cost analysis ....... yet my prospective employers say I do not have the experience necessary to be a manager or even an assistant manager; why ....because they need to interview and hire the prospect who most closely resembles their job qualifications. Now what exactly do we think that means??

I can't help but wonder is there a patented formula for these jobs? Wanted assistant manager:, must have worked in a food establishment for 1.5 years, must have been buss person for first 6 months, must have graduated to server for 1 year, must have college degree in food/restaurant hospitality from a university that specializes in such ,and must have a burning desire, but not too much desire, must have a 6.5 score on the desire scale, anything above too ambitious, anything below too lackadaisical. Must be like a cow and walk in a line to slaughter. And what makes the person doing the judging correct. Is there a formula for that as well?

This brings me to my favorite slogan "lets think out of the box", how are we thinking out of the box, we just talk about it, do we really do it? Maybe, just maybe if an employer sees someone a little different, a little out of the ordinary, they may just want to give that person a chance. Perhaps different can be good, it can be inspirational, it can be intelligent and witty, different can still be dependable and reliable; but most of all different needs to be investigated rather than dismissed; because lets face it different has changed the world; just look at Einstein. Now there was a man who thought out of the box!