When I was at one of our employment centers a while back the manager announced that McDonald's had a thousand jobs opening in Maricopa County, Arizona. They were starting a few new product lines and needed extra help.

One unemployed client commented "I'm not working at a fast food restaurant."

We often encounter clients who believe they're too good for certain types of work. I always emphasize that if someone's serious about staying sober the kind of work they do is irrelevant. Being willing to work at whatever comes along, especially in the current economy, indicates to us how serious someone is about rebuilding their life.

When I first got sober at 51 I was willing to take any opportunities which came along. My focus was simply on staying sober and changing my life. I had six different jobs the first six months I was sober. Among them, were telemarketing, day labor, window washing, landscaping, and other menial jobs.

However, the longer I stayed sober the better jobs I was able to obtain. Go figure...