The Homeless: Get a Job

One of the most prevalent things I hear is why don’t the homeless get a job? There are so many jobs out there so they should get off their asses and work. Well, easier said than done.

The first major hurtle is your address. This may not seem like much but it is a stumbling block. You cannot put down the address of the OBM because most people in HR will recognize it. The government has offices (CLEs) to help but again, the address sets off bells. Many places will just dump the resume and move on.

Then there is the telephone. If HR does consider your resume, how do they contact you? They can’t leave a message at the OBM but you most likely won’t get it. They can leave a message at the CLEs but it means repeated trips back on the off chance you received a call back.

After that, one has to consider your clothes. Places like the OBM do provide some clothing but they are hand-me downs and rejects from stores. Often they do not fit well. So where does one get decent clothes on $545 on month. On top of that, where do you store them when you do have them?

Transportation is the next thing to think about. Even though our public transport is inexpensive, it costs. One ride costs $2.50. A book of 6 tickets is $11.50. A weekly pass is $18.50. A monthly pass is over $60. Again this cuts quickly into the little cash you already have.

Another consideration is what do you tell the interviewer about what you are doing now. The interviewer will see a gap of time between the interview and your last job. and they will want to know why. So you have to resort to lying or skating around the questions. You certainly not going to tell them you are on the streets.

The next thing to consider is time. You have to have a job that is between 7 AM to 9 PM because if you do not show up before 9, the OBM is closed and you don’t have a bed. You sleep on the streets. There are a lot of jobs, but many are evening or night shift, be it janitorial or telemarketing because most people don’t want to work at night. The OBM does let people in after 9, if you have a job but you still have to get up at 6.

All of these things need to be considered if you want to get off the street and get a job. No wonder many of the homeless just give up. It is not worth the effort. Or as one person once told me: people prefer the pain they know than the one they don’t know.

Yes, there are those who don’t want to get a job. They get enough with welfare and panhandling to get by. But for people like myself, there are these obstacles. And for myself, there is also the age issue. I had not worked for a couple of years and I’m an old fart. Many companies don’t want old people, save telemarketers.Which I ended up in.

I was lucky. My friends, Brian & Jude, let me use their place for clothes, laundry and as a contact point. So I never ended up looking a mess. And through Brian I was able to get a job in May 2003 which allowed me to start to get back on my feet. Which lead me to getting an apartment and more permanent work in the telephone business.

It is simple to ask why don’t they get a job but the homeless face problems the average person does not. We are rejected by society and lose hope. You lose your drive and just give up. Society has forsaken you so why would you want to become part of it again?