I accept that I am current receiving money to look for work- not to actually work, just to look for work. And I accept that even though I have paid into unemployment my entire working life and this is the first time I’ve drawn on it, there are hoops to jump through. I get that, I really do. But when jumping through those hoops, I’d really like it if, when one person tells me to figure out which hoops I want to jump through and only jump through those (say, the green ones) someone else at the office then did not get to hand me a blue hoop and tell me I must jump through it.

Today I had to attend an unemployment orientation meeting. The meeting was 2 hours long, and then I had to stick around for a 1:1 session with one of their counselors. A good portion of the meeting was spent talking about taking control of our job searches, deciding what was right for us, and only going after those jobs. We were specifically told not to apply for jobs we knew we did not want, because if we turned down an offer (or even an interview) for one of those positions, it could jeopardize our benefits.

I agree with that. I do not have my resume posted out on the job boards where just anyone can find it, and I have been very selective in what I apply for. I have more than met my requirement of three job search contacts a week, so I am not worried about how targeted my search is.

But then, I had to meet with the counselor. First, he handed me a piece of paper that said what the current market value of the work I do (Administrative Services Manager) in our area, and then he handed me two jobs he thought I should apply for.

One of those jobs is one I have looked at, considered, and decided not to apply for. However, it is with a company I expect to be getting a direct contact to soon (via a recruiter I’m working with), so I can at least see myself making contact with the company, which should count.

The other position, however, listed their pay range, and it was literally 1/3 of what the current market value paperwork said I should be getting. I mentioned that I could not apply for a position that paid that little, nor do the rules of unemployment require me too, in fact, they actively discourage me from doing so. His response? Companies sometimes try to lowball you. Contact the company and set up an informational interview. If they like me well enough, they’ll adjust the job to my salary.

I said nothing, though what I really wanted to explain was that though the job had a similar title to what I do, when they have been paying 1/3 of what the fair market value of the work I do is, I think it is very clear that these are NOT the same jobs. And it does not matter how much they like me, it is a rare company these days that has the ability to TRIPLE the salary they are offering. Me contacting this company is only going to waste my time and theirs. And that doesn’t just not help my search, it actually hurts it.

Honestly, I had expected something along the lines of recommending some jobs I should apply for, but when one person spends nearly two hours telling me that I have to take control of my job search and focus it, and only apply for positions I really want, it becomes extra annoying when one of that person’s colleagues then tells me I am expected to apply for a position that is clearly not right for me, especially when unemployment’s own rules tell me I should NOT be applying for that job.

So yes, I expect hoops. I accept that I will have to jump through them. But I have the right to expect for all the unemployment counselors to give consistent information, and to respect my time. I also have the right to take control of my job search, as long as I am following the rules. And that’s what I will be doing.