Dole Stigma

The loss of ones job is a particularly difficult period, raising many questions and giving up few answers. In a year of unprecedented job losses I thought I had almost seen it out, yet late November yielded redundancy and the inevitable change it brings.
The first task was to sign on the dole and feed from the limp, lifeless department of social welfare. It's a dent to ones pride to have to lean on the state for a handout but then again I have been paying contributions for seven years straight so maybe I shouldn't feel so bad. The faces at the dole office come in many guises, the career spongers to the fish out of water wondering where it all went wrong. I was the latter and the order of the day was to keep the head down and get the business over with. Four hours later and I had officially signed on. The hope is that I won't have to come back to sign on for many months so a bit of luck is needed.
Accounting exams in mid December provided the immediate stimulus for the brain and then there was the Christmas holidays to enjoy. Early January is now here, however, and thought turn to securing a new job. The marketplace is thin and unyielding and also saturated with thousands like me. A good CV should give me a headstart but that good aul luck will be needed in healthy dollops!