Hi, you are “face to face with Shell”.
THIS IS THE STORY OF ME TRYING TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT AFTER BEING SEVERELY BURNED AND LEFT DISFIGURED
First of all; have you seen the other two pages/videos? If not, please click on the links below:
TEENAGE STUFF (PART 1) – BEING LEFT OUT AFTER BEING BURNED
TEENAGE STUFF (PART 2) – MISSING OUT AFTER BEING BURNED
I received fifty percent burns to my body, after being involved in a gas explosion. I was attending hospital on a regular basis for skin grafts, physiotherapy, etc., and I wanted to try and get my life back on track, to try and do some of the things that other teenagers were doing. By doing this though, the differences between me and other teenagers were brought home to me even more so.
I want to tell you about when I tried to get my first part-time job.
Please watch the video below and/or read on:
My friends at school were gaining part-time employment; in fashion shops, etc., and I wanted one too. I went around all the shops in with my mum. As I explained to each of the sales assistants what I was looking for, you could see their faces change. There was first a look of initial shock and then as they stumbled over their words, they would tell me that there were no vacancies.
I once went into a shop with a school friend, who was a year younger than me. The assistant asked her to fill in a form straight away. She seemed to have no problem applying for a position. She was very pretty. I had already tried this shop only a few days earlier but I was told that there were no vacancies and that I was too young but here was a girl younger than me having no problems at all!
I didn’t have the confidence at the time to confront the sales assistant. I began to realise why I wasn’t being employed. It wasn’t my age, it was my scars. Was I not “beautiful” enough to work in these stores?
It was a horrible feeling, knowing that because I had been burned and looking the way I did, was the reason that I wasn’t given a chance to even apply for a position, far less be employed by these stores.
This hurt a LOT. I remember the girl that was allowed to apply for the job laughing and smiling and so she should have been. The sales assistant was being very nice to her; nothing like the treatment I received.
This sales assistant maybe didn’t know how to react, maybe had never encountered someone who was “different” but I still think that she could have at least let me apply.
This is partly why I am doing this and really hope that everyone can gain something from my site and channel; even if it is to raise awareness to someone who has never encountered someone who looks different. I am trying to show how small actions can affect the other person. Something that we can all be aware of and be mindful of.
I had to get over it though. I HAD to keep trying, even if it was for something that I didn’t want to do.
Dad and I (taken from a newspaper clipping approx. 1987).
I eventually managed to secure a Sunday job, as a “maid” at the local old people’s home (nothing like what I wanted – I wanted to work in the fashion stores in town, just like everyone else). I dreaded going to this job, especially when I was put to work alongside an older woman, who had been there for a long time and knew the job inside out. I annoyed her, as I was not as good at the work as she was, she was a lot more experienced than me. It didn’t help that I was a bit afraid of her; which made me make more mistakes. My mum wouldn’t let my leave, even after telling her how much I disliked the job. I didn’t tell her about the older woman, I didn’t want to make matters any worse. I did try my best. After a while, I think by seeing how unhappy I was at this job, my mum let me leave. I did, however, have the courage to tell the owner of the nursing home why I was leaving.
Between leaving school and joining the Youth Training Scheme, I did manage to secure an interview, at a solicitor’s office in town, for a clerical position. I was asked back for a second interview. I was delighted. The girls there were very friendly and told me that I was the only one that had been asked back. I was to meet with the senior partner. I really think I had the job but then I explained that I still attended the hospital and still had to go in for operations; instantly the interview was over and I had to leave. The reason given was that the firm could not afford to give me that much time off to go into hospital. I was gutted. Again, “THESE” [my scars] had gotten in my way! I was proud though, that I had managed to get as far as I did.
Again, I got over another disappointment. I HAD to keep going. I HAD to keep trying.
It wasn’t long before I started my YTS scheme, which was brilliant and thus started my career in the NHS. I worked there from the age of seventeen until my husband and I went travelling in our forties, and then I started my new career…helping you.
Stay positive, stay strong, and NEVER give up. If something doesn’t work, try something different another day. There is ALWAYS the chance to try again.
You CAN do this.