The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Getting a job as a political canvaser
Death of Rats
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm going to tell a story. I got kicked out of school 2 years ago. It took me a year, durring which time I joined the airforce and got kicked out to find a job. It was a crappy part time job at Sonic Drive-In. My self esteem was pretty much the same it is right now at this point. I felt worthless because I hated my job and there was no room for advancement. I stayed there for about 6 months looking for other work until I finally got a job at Wal-mart as a door greater.
I didn't like it, it was rather boring. So, I started taking on other duties at work. Started helping customers find things, putting up stock, that sort of stuff. I was doing the work of a Sales Associate. My supervisor noticed this, realized I was put in the wrong position, and had me switched to a full time Sales Associate in the Lawn and Garden section. This was around the end of March.
Well, I loved my job. I was happier. My parents even said that they saw a big change in me, that they hadn't seen me like that in years. It was great. Then, around the middle of May I started breaking out at work. Really bad hives and stuff on my arms. I'd go into work clear and clean, and then 2 hours later I'd be broken out. By the end of the day I was beat red. Then, by the next day it would clear up.
I worked for about 2 weeks like that before finally talking to my supervisor about it, asking if I could be switched to another section. I was obviously allergic to some of the plants we had gotten in, and my reaction was constantly getting worse. To the point where I started having to leave early because of being dizzy. Well, they weren't able to move me, and I wasn't able to do my job right with the allergic reactions going on. So I had to quit.
Which really sucked. I loved that job (it was probably the best not professional job I've had). While the pay sucked, the scheduling, the people, and the work all made me feel good about myself. It wasn't a "do the same thing over and over" type job. I actually had some freedom to do my work how I saw fit. Anyway, I decided that I didn't want to look for a different job down there. I had done that for two years with little to no luck, so I decided to move up with two of my friends near Milwaukee.
Well, I ended up finding a job really fast, but it's just not good work. I'm a cashier for a grocery store. It's boring, repetitive, and the hours aren't enough and fluctuate too much. Pretty much everything since Wal-mart has made a wreck of my self esteem, and I just can't get feeling positive. I'm homesick and I dislike my job. Hell, I'm getting paid less here than the minimum wage in Illinois.
But I do have an interview for a political organization call Grassroots Campaigns this friday. I'm interviewing for a political canvasing job. I think it'd be a step in the right direction for me. I'd be canvasing for the ACLU, and have a set schedule, 40 hours a week. The pay is better than I've ever had, and it'd be a semi-professional job, where I might be able to move into a different position if I work hard enough and show them what I got.
The only problem is that it's around 60 miles away from where I live. My thinking, however, is that with gas taken out, I'd be making around the same that I could possibly make at my current job (if I got 32 hours a week here. Right now I'm getting around 25). So if I could tough it out for a month or so and I liked it, I could find a small apartment closer to work (maybe 10-20 miles out). Basically, I'd be using the money for gas for rent, and have a little more free time.
I dunno. I just feel like this job, if I get it, might be a really big risk. Eventually I'd have to move closer to work, and there's always the chance I wouldn't like the job. It's something I think I'd be good at (while I'm a shy person, whenever I'm at work I can turn all of that off. It's odd, I'm actually a rather good salesman, but put me in a social situation and I'm all different types of fucked up), but would it actually look good on a resume? While I may think it would, what's the lowdown on political canvassing. I know it's door to door type stuff, trying to raise awareness/money for groups. How exactly would something like that look on a resume? Would this be something that might make me feel good about myself again?
TLDR: My self esteem has a lot to do with where I'm working. Would working as a political canvaser be better than being a cashier? Would it be worth moving for?
I didn't like it, it was rather boring. So, I started taking on other duties at work. Started helping customers find things, putting up stock, that sort of stuff. I was doing the work of a Sales Associate. My supervisor noticed this, realized I was put in the wrong position, and had me switched to a full time Sales Associate in the Lawn and Garden section. This was around the end of March.
Well, I loved my job. I was happier. My parents even said that they saw a big change in me, that they hadn't seen me like that in years. It was great. Then, around the middle of May I started breaking out at work. Really bad hives and stuff on my arms. I'd go into work clear and clean, and then 2 hours later I'd be broken out. By the end of the day I was beat red. Then, by the next day it would clear up.
I worked for about 2 weeks like that before finally talking to my supervisor about it, asking if I could be switched to another section. I was obviously allergic to some of the plants we had gotten in, and my reaction was constantly getting worse. To the point where I started having to leave early because of being dizzy. Well, they weren't able to move me, and I wasn't able to do my job right with the allergic reactions going on. So I had to quit.
Which really sucked. I loved that job (it was probably the best not professional job I've had). While the pay sucked, the scheduling, the people, and the work all made me feel good about myself. It wasn't a "do the same thing over and over" type job. I actually had some freedom to do my work how I saw fit. Anyway, I decided that I didn't want to look for a different job down there. I had done that for two years with little to no luck, so I decided to move up with two of my friends near Milwaukee.
Well, I ended up finding a job really fast, but it's just not good work. I'm a cashier for a grocery store. It's boring, repetitive, and the hours aren't enough and fluctuate too much. Pretty much everything since Wal-mart has made a wreck of my self esteem, and I just can't get feeling positive. I'm homesick and I dislike my job. Hell, I'm getting paid less here than the minimum wage in Illinois.
But I do have an interview for a political organization call Grassroots Campaigns this friday. I'm interviewing for a political canvasing job. I think it'd be a step in the right direction for me. I'd be canvasing for the ACLU, and have a set schedule, 40 hours a week. The pay is better than I've ever had, and it'd be a semi-professional job, where I might be able to move into a different position if I work hard enough and show them what I got.
The only problem is that it's around 60 miles away from where I live. My thinking, however, is that with gas taken out, I'd be making around the same that I could possibly make at my current job (if I got 32 hours a week here. Right now I'm getting around 25). So if I could tough it out for a month or so and I liked it, I could find a small apartment closer to work (maybe 10-20 miles out). Basically, I'd be using the money for gas for rent, and have a little more free time.
I dunno. I just feel like this job, if I get it, might be a really big risk. Eventually I'd have to move closer to work, and there's always the chance I wouldn't like the job. It's something I think I'd be good at (while I'm a shy person, whenever I'm at work I can turn all of that off. It's odd, I'm actually a rather good salesman, but put me in a social situation and I'm all different types of fucked up), but would it actually look good on a resume? While I may think it would, what's the lowdown on political canvassing. I know it's door to door type stuff, trying to raise awareness/money for groups. How exactly would something like that look on a resume? Would this be something that might make me feel good about myself again?
TLDR: My self esteem has a lot to do with where I'm working. Would working as a political canvaser be better than being a cashier? Would it be worth moving for?
No I don't.
Death of Rats on
0
Posts
In terms of what the options directly available to you are, I would seriously consider the door-to-door job for the ACLU. If this particular position doesn't workout, there's tons of positions available for Democratic canvassers during election season. I've canvassed for Democrats a couple election seasons in the past, and assuming that you actually care about the cause and live in a blue state, it is a blast. Even people who don't want to talk to you will usually give you a thumbs-up or something. You'll also know that you're accomplishing something good, and there are way more hot chicks in the Democratic party than the Republican party. Most canvassers are young, poor, and looking for fun and friends. If you're down for it, it can be a fun social scene.
Being a canvasser is directly applicable to a whole lot of jobs. Not only could you get a pretty good job for a campaign in 2010 if you wanted with canvassing on your resume, canvassing makes you qualified for any kind of customer service or sales job. You have some sales experience, but canvassing could really help.
The only bad thing to think about is that you would be 100% guaranteed to be fired after the election, and you'd have to find another job. That wouldn't be as hard, because you've got this great new thing on your resume, but especially if you moved for this job and are living paycheck to paycheck (campaign paychecks aren't as good as you think they will be - you will work plenty unpaid overtime), that might be tough.
I say do it, but understand that in late November, you'll be looking for a job again, you'll have worked incredibly hard for a cause that (please god no) might have ended up failing, and you may have relocated to a place that is different from where you are now. Again, I say do it, but consider the benefits and costs.
Good luck on your interview.
I did canvasing in my own Uni for Obama during the primaries, and some people are just rude to you. It's not a good feeling when people act like you're invisible.
And now I'm jobless, girl-less, and on anti depressants. This has been a fun month!
Wait, were you soliciting funds for the ACLU or just informing people?
Anyway, your story in the first post reminded me somewhat of myself. I'm no happy-go-lucky rich guy at the moment, but I did find work that doesn't put my brain to sleep through AmeriCorps (americorps.org). Check it out. There are positions all over the country. Just pay attention to what type of position you're looking at (State, NCCC, VISTA, etc) because they have different requirements and benefits. If you're interested, be a little picky and go for something that excites you, and where your interview suggests you'll get along with the supervisor. That's how you get the best experience.
Soliciting funds. Really I was hoping that was a secondary part of the job, but when it really came down to it, they were all about the money.