December 29, 2009

Five songs to help get you through your job search

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During this "no man's land" week between the Christmas and New Year's holidays, I chatted on Facebook with my esteemed NWJobs colleague Michelle Goodman about work-themed songs that have helped keep us sane through the Awful Aughts.

There are a few obvious songs that come to mind instantly, like Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," which make an easy point that going to work every day for meager pay can be boring, difficult and unfair. But what about those of us who spend every waking hour looking for work? Where's the anthem for today's tireless job seeker?

After mulling over the playlist in my head, here the top five songs I could think of that struck a chord in me (so to speak) over the course of this long and difficult year of both looking for, and writing about, employment:

#5. "You Never Give Me Your Money" - The Beatles. The real inspiration for this 1969 musical collage by Paul McCartney was the legal battle over the group's fortunes just before their breakup. In my mind, however, the middle section captures that sense of fear and exhilaration when your life is at a crossroads, be it a graduation, a layoff or a mid-life crisis. ("Any jobber got the sack / Monday morning turn it back / yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go / but oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go.") Though our employment situation may look dire, the song reminds us that "soon we'll be away from here / step on the gas and wipe that tear away."

#4. "Workin' at the Carwash Blues" - Jim Croce. This classic, down-home tune was written back in 1973, but Croce's tongue-in-cheek lament still feels fresh for today's displaced workers. The subject of the song had high aspirations for his career ("sittin' in an air conditioned office" and "smokin' on a big cigar"), but winds up wiping down fenders because hiring managers "wouldn't listen to the fact that I was a genius / the man say, 'We got all that we can use.' " This bluesy ballad shows us how we all have to be flexible when fate throws us a curve, especially during this "steadily depressin', low-down, mind-messin' " recession.

#3. "A Million Miles Away" - David Byrne. There is a long tradition of pop songs that are basically screeds against the idea of "working for the man." (Johnny Paycheck's version of "Take This Job and Shove It" from 1977 is perhaps the least subtle and most cathartic example.) But this upbeat anthem from Byrne's 1992 album "Uh-Oh" is probably my favorite of the genre, capturing the feeling of joy and celebration when you realize you can control your own career destiny. Many times, while toiling at jobs I grew to loathe, I've fantasized about joining my co-workers in a conga line to this song, belting out "A million miles away from here, and I ain't gonna work here no more!"

#2. "Sunny Came Home" - Shawn Colvin. Some literalists have said this 1996 song is about a wronged woman who chooses to seek revenge through arson. While this may be true, I have always considered it a metaphor about taking charge of your life and not being victimized by bad circumstances. When Sunny sits down at her kitchen table with her "list of names," plus a "book and a box of tools" to make "a few small repairs," the song sounds almost like a primer for networking and establishing career goals. (Just leave those matches alone, please.)

#1. "Don't Give Up" - Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. (Thanks for suggesting this one, Michelle!) It's been nearly a quarter century since it was recorded, but this achingly gorgeous tale of failure, reinvention and redemption can still bring a tear to my eye. While the subject of loss is heartbreaking and depressing, the message about relying on friends, family and colleagues for support has more meaning than ever in this era of massive layoffs. Gabriel could be speaking for millions of American workers when he sings that "I was taught to fight, taught to win / I never thought I could fail," and is thus devastated when his dreams desert him ("For every job, so many men / so many men no one needs.") But Bush counters with these wise words of comfort: "When times get rough / you can fall back on us / don't give up / please, don't give up." Gets me every time.

The great thing about songs is that their meanings vary with each listener. For every tune on this list, there are dozens more I haven't mentioned that have doubtlessly helped others cope with these hard times. If you have any suggestions to add to this list, please let me know. What songs have helped carry you through 2009? And which ones will help inspire you in 2010?

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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3 Comments

rinson30 on December 29, 2009 10:36 PM | Reply

Do you like taking photos? How does one go from a hobby photographer to taking photos as a career check out http://bit.ly/5iBdRM
they have a online program with scholarship! If you like photography then you should check it.

Barb in sunny SC on December 30, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply

Is it a coincidence that this is the music of the Boomer generation?

Randy Woods on December 31, 2009 12:57 AM | Reply

No coincidence there, Barb! Being 42, I can't help but identify with the music I listened to before I turned 30. But I'd love to hear which songs Gen Y is thinking of for motivation (or consolation) as they look for work. Any suggestions?

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