Unplugged

Recently, I was unplugged. Not by choice, but by virtue of a sequence of mergers, acquisitions, poor customer service, and inexperienced talent that resulted in my life without the modern necessity of the internet. On top of this, my computer broke. Readers, you may find yourself laughing at this, thinking that I am crazy, but soon I found out how necessary these items are.

I just want to make a disclaimer that I am completely aware that this is a first world problem and it does not compare to problems like finding clean drinking water or surviving in a country riddled with war, but our modern society now demands these items to function day to day.

No sooner did I become “analog” or “acoustic,” but I immediately had a need for a computer and the internet. I suddenly found myself deciding how to access a computer, where to access the internet, and I started making decisions about my day to day based on this.  For me this experience was a moment in time, but to so many job seekers that come into our center, this is their daily life.

Imagine being a job seeker without ownership of a computer or internet access. There are many people that come into my One-Stop Career Center that are in this situation. They come to use our computers and gain access to the internet. They need to do this in order to get a job. It is nearly impossible to apply for employment now without them. Few employers will allow “walk-ins” or hand out paper applications.

The other issue for people in this circumstance is that many may not have computer skills. One way to gain computer skills is repetitious usage of the computer. When you have a computer it is easier to practice computer skills because you have easy access.  There are many free computer classes not only within workforce development land, but also in the public library sphere. Once someone has taken a class, he can go home and practice that skill to perfect it.

As workforce development professionals, it is important that we remember that not everyone has the access to technology. Many times the reason is the affordability of such products, but there could be other reasons. Whatever the reason, we should ensure that our requests of the job seeking customers are reasonable given their circumstances. Maybe someone cannot email you his résumé on demand. It may take time for him to arrive at the job center or library. A job seeker may not be able to skype with an employer for a job interview without finding a place to do so.

I am fortunate enough to have the luxury of solving my technical problems with my resources, but so many people are not. Every now and then, we need a reminder what it is to be a day in the shoes of our job seekers.  Maybe you should experience your unplugged, analog self?

 
Thank you for reading. I can be reached at kcirincione@gmail.com ~ Karen Cirincione