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MIDVALE - It's a sight that's far too common in the cold winter months: a person holding a makeshift sign on a street corner, asking for help.
One man may be holding a sign, but instead of asking for money, he has something to offer - his resume.
Wes Gledhill, 22, has been living at the Midvale Road Home shelter for a while, along with approximately 200 other people. But he has more to worry about than his own well-being.
"I have a fiancé and an 18-month-old baby girl," he said.
Gledhill wants to be able to support them, in his words, "like a normal person," with a well-paying job. That's why he starts every day bright and early, setting up shop at the off-ramp at 7200 South. He holds his post all day, even in the bitter cold.
"It gets down to 8 degrees sometimes," he said. "It definitely has a lot of embarrassment, to stand here doing this."
But Gledhill doesn't want money from the drivers who pass him. He just wants to hand out his resume to anyone who will take one. The drill is always the same.
"They wave me down, I drop my sign, run up, hand them a resume and turn around and come right back," he said.
Gledhill's resume details his experience, ranging from warehouse work, customer service, shipping and handling and website design.
"I tried to put everything in there, the big words too," he said. "Make it look impressive with the first glance."
You know, I wake up hoping that I'll hand out that one resume to that one person who will call me that night, offering me a great job.
–Wes Gledhill
He's handed out dozens of resumes, but so far, received only one phone call in response. No offers yet, but he's keeping his chin up.
"I try to," said Gledhill. "I laugh a few times every day, because this is stressful and hurtful. It's hard, but you have to be optimistic about it."
Gledhill has looked for jobs through the Department of Workforce Services and various employment websites, but like so many people in his position, hasn't had any luck.
"This is kind of the last resort to be out here," he said.
It's always a gamble when he walks up to a car window.
"I get a lot of good reactions, but then again I get a lot of negative input, people saying I don't look homeless," he said.
But homeless he is. Gledhill hopes to dispel the stereotype that everyone who carries a sign on the side of the highway is lazy or a drug and alcohol abuser.
"You know, I wake up hoping that I'll hand out that one resume to that one person who will call me that night, offering me a great job," he said.
Gledhill says he'll keep going out every day until he can get his family out of the shelter. To check out his resume, CLICK HERE.
