I have been out of work for about a year now, desperately applying to various positions without any success. To make ends meet, I've been relying on gig work, but it's barely covering my bills. I have a BA and an MBA, along with 40 years of experience, yet I've faced age discrimination in my job search. During my time on unemployment, I was advised to lower my expectations and apply for minimum wage jobs, which is frustrating given my qualifications. I've applied to numerous retail positions, including at Walmart, Costco, Target, and Lowe's, but I've received nothing but instant rejections. Walmart's online application process allows you to apply to multiple stores at once, so I submitted applications to about ten Walmart locations within a 20-mile radius for various positions. Each month, I get a reminder that my application has expired, prompting me to reapply, which just resets the clock. While driving for Uber, I received multiple calls from an unknown number, which I usually ignore due to the high volume of spam calls I get. However, I answered one of these calls thinking it might be related to my Uber job, only to find it was Walmart trying to reach me. The caller, who struggled with English, asked if I wanted a Walmart job. After telling her I couldn't talk at the moment, I asked her to leave a message. A few weeks later, I received another call from Walmart. This time, I was home and answered after the usual pattern of missed calls. The same woman called again, asking if I applied for a job. She insisted I go to the Saddle Brook location for an interview on a specific date. Reluctantly, I attended the interview. Upon arrival, I was directed to the employee breakroom to wait. I noticed a woman in the room who appeared to be in charge, but she just told me to sit and wait for Mr. X. When he finally approached me, he handed me paperwork and demanded I sign it without any introduction or explanation. The paperwork was alarming. It stated that this was not an offer of employment, that it was a contract position for up to 180 days, and that I would have no benefits. It also required me to be available for any shift and prohibited me from taking any other job during that period. Essentially, it felt like indentured servitude. Despite my reservations, I signed the paperwork just to get through the process. Mr. X then explained that the job involved restocking shelves in areas being remodeled, reiterating that there was no guarantee of hours or employment. I expressed my frustration at how unprofessional the entire experience was, but ultimately, I was not offered the position.
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