The New York Times has a good article about some laid off executives taking survival jobs just to pay the bills.
In just one illustration of the demand for low-wage work, a spokesman for U.P.S. said the company saw the number of applicants this last holiday season for jobs sorting and delivering packages almost triple to 1.4 million from the 500,000 it normally receives.
When Ms. Arlt applied for the job, she sent in a stripped-down résumé that hid her 20-year career at national media companies, during which she ascended to vice president of brand development at the On Command Video Corporation and was making $165,000 a year. She decided in 2001 to start her own business, opening an equestrian store and then founding a magazine devoted to the sport. But with the economy slowing, she was forced to shutter both businesses by June of last year.
After applying for more than 100 jobs, mostly director-level and above in marketing and branding, and getting just two interviews, Ms. Arlt said she realized last fall that she had to do something to “close the monthly financial hemorrhage.”
Her new job at HometownQuotes pays $10 to $15 an hour and has mostly entailed data entry. But even though she has parted ways with some friends because she is no longer in their social stratum, Ms. Arlt said she was glad she was no longer sitting at home, “thinking, ‘Who have I not heard from today?’ ”
Her new paycheck covers her mortgage but not her other living expenses. Recently, she cashed out what was left of her retirement portfolio, about $17,000.
“It has been the hardest thing in my life,” she said. “It has been harder than my divorce from my husband. It has really been even worse than the death of my mother.”
UPS is handy in that it provides free medical, after about three or four months of work. So, a ten-buck job becomes more like an 18 buck an hour job, if you count the value of medical. It is part time, and the hours float up and down, depending on the number of packages. And, you either work the AM shift, or the PM shift, but you can’t do both. It is hard work, you’ll get in shape real quick.
Security guard is similar, and the guard companies love this time, because they get quality people with a good work ethic. Plus, you can work 60 to 80 hours a week, without killing yourself, and, after a few months, get medical, although it isn’t free. There’s plenty of free time on guard gigs, so, maintaining your website, or writing your book is possible. And plenty of editing help, many of your guard buddies have advanced degrees, like yourself!