History Repeating

So, I have held a few jobs -- not that many really when you consider the fact I usually stick around for a while, but still, I have had a couple.

My first job was working for my father when he was at State Electric. I worked there in the summer for a couple of months, and then on weekends during school for a little while. When the work finished, I left. And within a couple of years, State Electric was no more. Not saying this has anything to do with me, as I barely mattered in the whole scheme of things, but it did start the beginning of some kind of trend.

I got a job working at Lumberland after that. I spent about one and a half years there before moving onto the competition. A year later, if not less, Lumberland existed no longer. It was bought out by a Canadian rival company, and the store I used to work in eventually closed down.

I then spent 5 years doing various things, in a combination of part-time and full-time work, at the Home Depot. Nope, they are too big to cave in the aftermath of my leaving, but I am pretty sure that most of the people who were my managers are no longer there, or have been transferred out of province.

Then, I took it overseas. For three years, I worked in Yodoe Junior High School as an assistant language teacher. Turns out I was the last JET programme paticipant to work full-time there, as the town merged with Yonago city 8 months later. In the interim, Katherine was hired to fill in until everything was settled.

And now, I am working at Saihaku Elementary School. I have been here for 16 months now, and it looks like the Board of Education is looking to cut my position. My vice-principal and principal have been sending out surveys and lobbying hard to keep it, but it is now down to serious budgetary concerns.

Now, look at all this an think about it. Seriously. Imagine being me and trying to get a job reference?? The only company I worked for that hasn't disappeared doesn't allow references, even if you could hunt down my former managers who are no longer managers. Or I could get a reference letter from one of these two schools, provided I am willing to either write it or translate it.

Now imagine this is a job interview and you are interviewing me. You're looking at my job history and asking for references, as I try and explain, "No, they don't exist anymore. No, they don't exist anymore either. Yeah, well, they don't really allow references to be given, but if you want I could try and hunt the down. Although, they aren't managers anymore, but that should still be alright, I think... Oh and yeah, um, no one at that school speaks English so I had to translate that letter, and the other school, well, the teachers have been transferred. Um, so, do I get the job?" Foreboding descends upon you...

Would you hire me?? Screwed. Very definitely screwed.