I've been supporting my friend for the last 6 months or so after she got covid and was unable to work for a while. She's been hired for no fewer than 6 jobs since. The first job was a holiday temp job that they told her had the option to go to permanent. Then they told her she was doing great and they changed her to permanent. Then they told her that she was still temp. Then they laid her off.
The next 3 jobs are national retail/service chains. She interviewed, got hired, and then…. never has been called in for a shift. Technically she is still employed at these 3 places.
Next job, she got herself a nursing assisstant certification, which the assissted living company paid for after hiring her (that's 2 weeks of paid training and an exam). Immediately after that they told her she's the contingency hire and they'll call her if they have someone call out sick. No guaranteed hours, see you whenever.
Today she went to another retail interview. They had her serve a couple customers. She did great and got hired on the spot. Hopefully they will actually call her in tomorrow as they said they would.
Me, I've got a college degree and have worked for 8 years at the same company (after having some experience with the extended unemployment struggle and resulting PTSD). My friend may not qualify for my job, but she has a high school diploma with a 4.0 gpa, has work experience, and has never been in trouble of any kind (other than a traffic ticket). She just wants to be able to support herself and her daughter and feel like a productive human. It's so horrible to watch.
Users of the antiwork community, I ask you: What. the. eff? Is this happenning all over? How are people surviving like this? And….is there any effective advice I can give her?