Can't get work after pioneering

by ekruks 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ekruks

  I was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and can advise me?

  Like many here, I was bought up as a JW, with full-time service (Bethel, pioneer) the only career option held out in front of me. I wanted to take a government loan and go to University, but was forced not to, labelled 'materialistic'.

  I became a pioneer / window cleaner - round here, almost all pioneer brothers window clean, unless they are retired or have a rich daddy. It's quite tough, as customers treat you like some idiot who couldn't get an education, and most brothers claim state welfare to survive. Here in the UK, if you have kids, the state will basically pay your rent and provide you welfare for the kids, and this is how people get by on low income jobs. I am single without kids as per GB direction - more time for Jehovah - so no wife to share bills with and the state doesn't help - they are cutting back the welfare state: they provide very little support to under 35s.

  Now I'm not pioneering, I can't stay with my family, and I have no idea how to get by. How do you guys make ends meet without a degree?

  I have a lot of problems with stress from congregation problems, lack energy I had before, doctor says I have CFS/ME; the elders said it's the demons, lack of prayer - I can't get enough windows cleaned to make ends meet - sometimes I eat one meal a day and my clothes are falling apart. I throw out leaflets and knock doors but can't get enough cleaning jobs. I don't have the money to setup any other kind of business. My friends/family, people I'd look to for advice or support, are avoiding me because I find meetings stressful. This is so lonely!

  I apply for jobs, but my CV/resume just says "college dropout who took up window cleaning" so people assume I was too dumb to finish school and won't take me seriously. I find this very depressing as I no longer have this thought of living forever or great purpose the ministry gave, but my life is going by fast and I'm achieving nothing. I am ignorant of how life works outside JW world and have no connections. I can see myself in this same mess in 20, 30 years time, like many old pioneers I know struggling to pay their bills.

  Any one been here? What did you do?
• 

  St George of England

  I was in a similar situation to you though I didn't go to Bethel or regularly pioneer. I started College but on the pressure from CO I left before I completed the three years. I worked in very low paid jobs with no prospects.

  Then I met my (now) wife, got married and the first thing she encouraged me to do was get my degree. Surprising for an Uber-JW pioneer girl. She got a full-time job to help and I went to University for 'x' years. On leaving I got a relatively well paid job and I stayed there until I retired.

  The best thing I (we) ever did was to get me qualified. An elder I know is in a similar position to you; he is still window cleaning at 73 yrs!

  It's a long haul but maybe you could start with evening classes. The big 'A' is not coming anytime soon so start now. Enrol for the new year starting in September. It may be several years before you have entry qualifications for a degree course but you have to start sometime and somewhere.

  The WTS think education is worthless; I think it is the most important thing in the world.

  George
• 

  Witness My Fury

  If it's any consolation, I can't get work after NOT pioneering. There a shitstorm of a double / triple dip recession on in the UK case you haven't noticed and many are finding it tough... Thats being said, window cleaing CAN be lucrative. Some obvious points from my successful window cleaning relative:

  You may find your area is saturated or overrun with dole cheats who claim DSS and work cleaning windows on the side for peanuts thus undercutting all the real window cleaners in the area.

  Expand your territory and dedicate more time to proper canvassing for more work using well thought out flyers and business cards in a new territory. After that most new work comes from neighbours seeing you cleaning a house REGULARLY. Be regular. It pays to thin out the dross too and only do the work that pays well, commercial work is the best if you can get it.

  Dont dress down for this work, make sure you and your van are clean and presentable to give a more professional air.

  If you can't find enough window cleaning work, then expand into light gardening work and gutter cleaning as well.

  When you have enough money invest in pole cleaning system (purified water system in the van) as it's faster.

  My nephew did all this and ended up having to give up loads of work and revert back to just window cleaning in the end and now just does the best paying work and just works about 2 or 3 days a week comfortably.

  Also, why cant you stay with your family? I dont know your situation and reasons and it depending on the situation there obviously, but that may be the best option if you are stuggling for money until you get on your feet.

  OK edited to add: (as I see I didn't quite get the point lol)

  If you are not staying with the windows (health etc) then you do need to sort out a plan asap as college / course enrollment is now. Most jobs come from knowing someone in the firm in question sadly, so word of mouth is still the best option.
• 

  zzaphod

  Apply for DLA, you will need a diagnosis from a Psychiatrist, but you will have enough to live on (just). If you explain your behaviour re: being a JW, most Psychiatrists will give you a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, if you can live with that, then you should have no problems. Otherwise, I would not mention being a JW at all, say you have spent the last ten years studying the scriptures, which is true to some extent!
• 

  Listener

  Include your pioneering details on your resume. Volunteering is not a negative and some employers would consider persons with christian ideals as an advantage.
• 

  dreamgolfer

  yup do the college thing - real important, especially if you are a young "buck"

  Do it, dont wait

  you will be glad you did, ask anyone
• 

  snare&racket

  I was in the same boat, did you get good GCSEs? If you have B for maths and english. Go sign up for an access course. You can become a doctor,lawyer..... Anything you want. Dont have the GCSEs? Spend this year doing them in your spare time as you wont be able to start an access course for 12 months anyway.

  Once you get accepted for university, thats your food, housing, clothing and most importantly future sorted.

  I went from being useless to the job market (pioneer, windows, bethel) and thanks to education I am now not far off being a doctor.

  There is no secret to good employment. Some jws get there by knowing other jws with a business. In the real world its all about experience or education, education, education!

  If this seems too much or you, I understand. But in todays job market, education is an advantage and the WT have a lot of poor youngsters struggling in western countries unnecessarily because of their lies and misintepretations about education.

  There are jobs out there that you can walk into. Any big hospital in he uk has a nurse bank. You will do about 2 weeks training, then you can start as an auxillary nurse or healthcare assisstant. The money is good, its secure and you can choose your hours. Go to your hospital reception and ask for the contact details for the nurse bank.

  So many ppl at bethel leave with a diagnosis of ME etc. the truth is that the society burn their youth out. Menialjobs require more hours to financially survive, pioneering is a big ask, the life at the bethel factory is constant and hard work. The cleaners are on their knees with toothbrushes for goodness sake. These ppl are intelligent and decent people, potential doctors, nurses, architects, dentists, journalists, economists.... Cleaning sinks.

  The JWs are ranked the LOWEST PAID and not suprisingly LEAST EDUCATED of recorded religious denominations. Do yourself a favour buddy, leave and take care of yourself.

  Pm me if you want any help/advice about courses etc.

  Snare
• 

  ekruks

  Thanks for your encouraging comments. It's good to not be alone.

  St. George, I don't have a wife who can work while I study.... your wife sounds very supportive! Even if I get a loan for studying, I won't have the time, because I still need to somehow pay the rent. I am thinking to ask to stay with my family while studying, but they are very zealous so will be pressuring me to the ministry and not appreciate me trying to get a degree.

  Zzaphod, unless I have this wrong, DLA only pays £50/week - that won't pay for food/rent.

  Fury, " You may find your area is saturated or overrun with dole cheats " - yes, it's how window cleaners generally survive on such low income - after struggling as a pioneer to make ends meet, missing meals, walking on ministry as no fuel money, I found out that other brothers weren't declaring their business properly. Been knocking doors all over the place, but people are cutting back due to the recession - fuel prices going up but window cleaning prices going down. Haven't got a clue how to get commercial jobs.

  " Most jobs come from knowing someone in the firm "...I think applies to getting contracts too, and I don't know anyone in the world, except people I clean windows for - not much good for networking. I guess if I had been to university, I would have class mates working somewhere in the same industry. All I know is dozens of hard-up window cleaners hoping Armagedon comes soon.
• 

  perfect1

  I lived w/ my JW aunt and uncle for two years while starting college. At that moment- I had no other option. Sure they might not have "approved" or been supportive of my going to school- they may have tried to "encourage" me - but, putting up w/ that is easy when you know its short term. If you need to- explain how having a better income will enable you to do more in the ministry, even if for now you must cut back as a temporary sacrifice. Do whatever you need to go to school- don't wait- it won't get any easier.

  I think the thing for you is to make the shift from being so honest with others and instead be honest with yourself- knowing you need to keep a spark alive hide it and protect it so they can't snuff it out. Then you can gather the momentum to blast out of their orbit like a rocket ship.

  I sympathize with your financial situation- but I have seen that it does not change- it will not improve as you age and education or job training is the only way to improve your prospects. While I agree that religious volunteer activites can have a place on a resume- they are no substitute for career experience.

  "after struggling as a pioneer to make ends meet, missing meals, walking on ministry as no fuel money"

  This reminds me: as a teenager when we had breaks for coffee and donut I never had any money in my wallet. What I did have were food stamps ( gov't aid for food for people living in poverty, which now come as cards but used to come as paper notes) which I was so embarassed to use- I would ask if we could stop at a grocery store and dash in to buy a couple pieces of fruit hoping no one would walk up and see me using them.

  The soceity will not take care of you for pioneering, you have to take care of yourself.
• 

  WTWizard

  Could you expand your business? What happens during November and December when window cleaning jobs die off? Many people find that to be the most lucrative time of the year, just when the witlesses start losing income. Start adding professional Christmas decorating to your services, and watch your income take off during fall. It has many of the same hazards of window cleaning--you are dealing with electrical hazards, but those can be managed if you use common sense. You can get anywhere from 400 toilet papers (at today's prices, 15 ounces of silver) for a very basic job to more than 2,000 for an elaborate job (around 75 ounces of silver's worth). And, with the dreary atmosphere of today, nothing brightens the mood like having several well lit houses around Christmas.

  Of course, if you are an active witless, you will get disfellowshipped if you are caught. If you don't mind, you could be making close to 6 figures during what is usually the slowest season of the year, plus you will get the enjoyment of the most spiritually upbuilding holiday of the year coming to life before your own eyes.