This as-told-tos Essay is basic on a conversation with Ilya Brunteyn, a 39-Eld dad and former salesperson in alabama. His identity and former Employment have been verified. This Story has Been Edited for Length and Clarity.
Started out in sales at 18, pounding the phone at a mortgage brokerage, and i’ve been work in sales Since, at Companies Like Tesla, Wells Fargo, and Securities Technology.
About Two Weeks Short of Christmas Last Year, I Got Laid off. Now i haven’t ben able to get a full-time sales position for nine months. I’ve been applying for a minimum of 10 to 15 sales positions a day, and i’ve had About six interviews.
I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I’m obviously look for work in sales, but Maybe i Could Also Lead A Team. I COULD SHARE MY Skills at this point in my career.
But i’m finding nothing out there other than entry-level $ 35,000 to $ 50,000 jobs-and i’m not getting those jabs beether i’m overqualified. I do’t know how to express to say that i’ll take the $ 50,000 right now. I have a family to feed.
If i left a jab in the past, i’d be without work for Maybe three Weeks. I used to have recruitors reach out to me, trying to steal me from my company to say. Now, The Few Recruiters i will Hear from Are Offering with 100% Commission at A Mom-And-Pop Shop, and have absolutely no confidence in what they’re doing.
Occossionally, someone real will reach out, and eather i love out to anymore candidate or i’m overqualified.
Its just hard to understand. You go on Linkedin, and you see tons of Jobs. THEN YOU EATHER DON’T HEAR FROM THEN, OR THEY’LL CLOSE OUT THE POSITION, OR THEY’LL WRITE YOU AN Email. I have a feeling a lot of these places are now used to scrubbers. I’m JUST Getting Autogenered Emails Saying, “thank you for Applying, but unfortunately, we’re moving in another direction.”
I’ve turned to doordash full time
When i was working full time and making a salary with commission, i doordashed in my free time as a side hustle to save up for anyding that wasn’t falling in the Budget.
When i lost my job, i didn’t have a lot of savings, so decidated to work for doordash while I look for work. I’m putting in eight hours for day, but i’m probably active fies or five and a half -hours for day. The Other Two and A Half, i’m Waiting in Parking Lots. I’m bringing in as much as roughly $ 560 a week if i’m able to do it five days a week.
I’m avherarange about $ 31 an hour by chooking the option to get paid in tips. When you subtract gas and other expenses, though, it”s probably closer to $ 25 an hour.
Now I’m Turning Down Jobs that Pay $ 20 to $ 25 an Hour, Because I’M MAKING THE SAME MONEY DOMDASHING TIME, WITHOUT WORKING A FORCLIFE, MANUALLY UNLOADING TRAILERS, OR MIXING CEMENT. I’m hanging out in my car, in air conditioning, and no One’s Over My Shoulder. SO, that part of it is kind of cool. If i were making $ 60 an hour, i would keep doing it.
‘I was the Guy Who Always Supported HIS FAMILY’
I’m originally from ukraine, and i come from the kind of People who don’t belies in mental health. We waist in sucking it up.
But been depressed and beaten down. I was the guy who always supported his family. When i was Maried, My Wife Didn’t Work, and i Had Four Girls at Home, Including My Two Stepdaughters. Now, I Feel Holyss, and i Don’t Know How I’m Going to Make Rent Next or Pay the Bills.
Be i was Making good Money, My Kids Had a Lot of Fun. I spent all my money on say, so we were to be all over the place, going to faires, pools, water parks, vacations, and events Basic Like Going Out to Eat or Cream.
Now, i’m cooking at home for the first time since I was married. A Carton of Eggs and Bacon Will Last with and My Kids a Week, Whereas Fast Food is not Cheap. We will a lot of free Activities Now, like Going to Parks Where Can Play with Other Kids.
But i still hear it from say. They Notice the Change. They’re like, “dad, why aren’t we doing this? Dad, why can’t get here?” I’m honest with saying and i say, “dad doesn’t make Enough Money right now to be able to spend $ 300 at amusement park. Dad doesn’t have $ 60 extras to buy you a labubu. That you got the gas station that apparently is not real.” “
What breaks my heart the most is that if i were single, i wouldn’t care. I can eat ramen noodles and not go out forever if i have to. But i have two daughters that i don’t want to deprieves of the things i was deprived of as a child growing up in ukraine. We came here to give our kids a better life.
Have you struggled to find a job? Contact this reporter via email at aaltchek@insider.com or signal at aalt.19.
