curtis73
curtis73 GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/4/14 4:31 p.m.

I'm ready to get back into the work world after my hiatus. I looked at jobs all day now for three days; craigslist, monster, indeed, linked in, and others. I have stopped in to probably 30 businesses that I like inquiring about jobs.

Of course, my skill set is rather unique and varied, but I'm so tired of trying to find jobs. I want to work at something rewarding and get paid. Period. Its not that difficult. I'm even flexible on the "rewarding" part.

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
12/4/14 4:34 p.m.

I took over a year off due to mental health and other issues. I probably would still be unemployed if my interview hadn't been my supervisor taking my app, saying she wasmt going to interview me, and she'd call when orientation was. Even now I am loathe to improve my position.

Sine_Qua_Non
Sine_Qua_Non Dork
12/4/14 4:35 p.m.

I'm in the same boat. What sucks is they all want to pay me LESS than what I made before regardless of experience elsewhere.

curtis73
curtis73 GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/4/14 4:49 p.m.

I'm thinking about going back to Home Depot. I've been accepted to a Master's program in clinical counseling to become a therapist, but until I get 2.5 years of education, clinical practicum, licensing etc, it could be 4 years until I'm actually making money at it.

I'd be great in some educational capacity; like maybe teaching auto repair tech at a trade school, but the requirements are comically stiff. I found one job at a local campus and they wanted a master's, 5 years experience, and ASE certification. I can understand the ASE if they are training ASE techs, but they aren't. Its not an ASE course. They are looking for people to teach folks how to fix a car.

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
12/4/14 4:59 p.m.

Curtis- how close are you to a Costco? They pay damn fine wages and have all sorts of employee incentive programs. If you're talking about being a working stiff while going to school, Costco isn't bad.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn PowerDork
12/4/14 6:15 p.m.

It's a cliche, but I've had my best luck finding jobs by networking. Talk to everyone you know, find out if they know anyone who may be of help, talk to them and so on. You don't necessarily ask them for a job, but simply ask them for advice or recommendations.

curtis73
curtis73 GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/4/14 6:35 p.m.

I put the feelers out on FB. mndsm... I am relatively close to a Costco, but last I saw they were hiring at $8.10/hr. Around here that is way below average. I was getting almost $15 at Home Depot. Its not that I'm holding out for big bucks, but 8.10 doesn't pay rent in these parts.

Sine_Qua_Non
Sine_Qua_Non Dork
12/4/14 7:03 p.m.
curtis73 wrote: I put the feelers out on FB. mndsm... I am relatively close to a Costco, but last I saw they were hiring at $8.10/hr. Around here that is way below average. I was getting almost $15 at Home Depot. Its not that I'm holding out for big bucks, but 8.10 doesn't pay rent in these parts.

$8.10 doesn't pay rent in ANY part of the USA

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
12/4/14 7:10 p.m.
curtis73 wrote: I put the feelers out on FB. mndsm... I am relatively close to a Costco, but last I saw they were hiring at $8.10/hr. Around here that is way below average. I was getting almost $15 at Home Depot. Its not that I'm holding out for big bucks, but 8.10 doesn't pay rent in these parts.

Wow, around here its almost exactly the opposite.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid PowerDork
12/4/14 7:31 p.m.

I'm having the same problem. I finally had an interview yesterday after two months, but I'm not sure it something I want to do.

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
12/4/14 7:34 p.m.

I found a plethora. Of.beer jobs yesterday. My resume however, was slain with my laptop. A rescue mission is underway.

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
12/4/14 7:35 p.m.

I feel ya man. I have been hard at it since the first of September and nothing really promising. I want to get back to work. I fell like I am just wasting away everything my family has sacrificed for me to be here.

Anybody want to go into a manufacturing business in New Orleans? I have been rattling around an idea in my head...

Volksrodden
Volksrodden Dork
12/4/14 9:06 p.m.

I took me over two years after getting out of college to find the career I have now. Even though I am not working in field I had originally planed on being in, I went to school to be a paralegal,..I consolidate payday loans now days.

I have been doing this for a year now I have been employee of the month twice now. Needless to say I enjoy it there.

curtis73
curtis73 GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/4/14 11:31 p.m.
Flight Service wrote: I feel ya man. I have been hard at it since the first of September and nothing really promising. I want to get back to work. I fell like I am just wasting away everything my family has sacrificed for me to be here. Anybody want to go into a manufacturing business in New Orleans? I have been rattling around an idea in my head...

I lived in New Orleans for a while. I will simply say that it influenced me in ways that made me not a productive worker.

novaderrik
novaderrik PowerDork
12/5/14 3:55 a.m.

jobs are for making money... period..

get a manufacturing job, make some money. the rewarding part is in not being there on the weekends and being able to pay for stuff..

chada75
chada75 New Reader
12/5/14 5:15 a.m.

The only way to get a job today is networking. I know a place now who is hiring and it's a national chain for Auto Shops and not ONE help wanted ad they place anywhere.

fasted58
fasted58 PowerDork
12/5/14 8:03 a.m.
chada75 wrote: The only way to get a job today is networking. I know a place now who is hiring and it's a national chain for Auto Shops and not ONE help wanted ad they place anywhere.

Bingo. I've been using Indeed for searches but jobs in my field seem a lot fewer lately. I contacted one of our old chemical reps via LinkedIn who has good contacts at three facilities that they service and are right up my alley. I've never seen a job posting from any of them. Time to update the 'ol resume.

chrispy
chrispy HalfDork
12/5/14 9:15 a.m.

My wife was let go from a mid-level management position at a bank over 3 years ago. She has sent out 100s of resumes, landed 2 whole interviews, and finally settled at a call center (who will take damn near anyone). She's moved up to a supervisor position, but is still making less than 1/2 of what she was and is working second shift. She has all of the right credentials/education/contacts for something better but so do 1000s of other folks let go over the past 4 years. It's tough out there, good luck!

mtn
mtn UltimaDork
12/5/14 9:22 a.m.
fasted58 wrote:
chada75 wrote: The only way to get a job today is networking. I know a place now who is hiring and it's a national chain for Auto Shops and not ONE help wanted ad they place anywhere.
Bingo. I've been using Indeed for searches but jobs in my field seem a lot fewer lately. I contacted one of our old chemical reps via LinkedIn who has good contacts at three facilities that they service and are right up my alley. I've never seen a job posting from any of them. Time to update the 'ol resume.

And don't forget to network in non-work related areas. 2.5 years ago, a guy I've been playing guitar with at bluegrass and folk jams for (at that time) 6 years gave me his card when I told him I was going into a position at a bank. Well, a month ago I applied for a position at his bank, and sent him an email telling him I applied there, and was curious on his thoughts on the company (relatively unknown to the public). 2 days later, the recruiter is calling me.

For my current job, my networking was done on the bench at hockey. So far, ice-hockey and guitar have served my career very well.

16vCorey
16vCorey PowerDork
12/5/14 10:08 a.m.

I'm in the same boat. I've never really looked for a job, they've always found me. The only time I've ever applied for a job it came down to me and one other guy, who's dad happened to be a 25 year veteran with the company. I scored higher on all the tests, but he got hired.

My current employment status is getting sketchier and sketchier by the day. One of the owners wants to retire, and the other owner is certifiably insane and has no idea how to run a business. I've already gotten an offer with a rival company, but I'm not sure I want to do the same thing as I'm doing now. I kind of feel like I've outgrown the job (and the field in general to some extent), and feel like if the owner that actually knows what he's doing retires, that would be a perfect excuse for a fresh start doing something new. I just haven't figured out what that would be.

I'd like to start my own Euro repair shop, but I don't have close to the funding to allow that. There is such a serious deficiency in that market around here that my garage is full of side jobs when ever I've got the time.

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
12/5/14 10:17 a.m.
curtis73 wrote:
Flight Service wrote: I feel ya man. I have been hard at it since the first of September and nothing really promising. I want to get back to work. I fell like I am just wasting away everything my family has sacrificed for me to be here. Anybody want to go into a manufacturing business in New Orleans? I have been rattling around an idea in my head...
I lived in New Orleans for a while. I will simply say that it influenced me in ways that made me not a productive worker.

LOL that is very easy to do. For me it's the food. I have gained weight and am now on a juicing diet with my wife. I am feeling better but OMG!

I am just happy to live somewhere that the people don't look at you like you are raping their Grandmother for having a drink with dinner with your kids at the table. Here they wonder why you haven't given the kids a shot to get them to go to sleep.

spitfirebill
spitfirebill PowerDork
12/5/14 11:12 a.m.

The first two jobs I applied for out of college I got, even thought they were going to be itnerveiwing a lot of other people. I felt pretty good about myself until I needed that third job in 1985 during one of our recessions. It took six months to find a POS job. Two times I was told by interviewers (state environmental agency) that they were filling the job with a black female. So why did you call me in? Needed another job in 1991 (another recession during Gulf War I) and had to take a temp POS job after 6 months of looking. I sent out over 100 resumes during both events and had a lot of rejection letters stating "your resume was great, we just have nothing to offer you".

I hate interviewing and suck at it. Networking is the way to go!

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
12/5/14 5:22 p.m.

In reply to 16vCorey:

  • start an LLC
  • rent a larger garage
  • fix Euro cars
  • stack paper to the ceiling!
skierd
skierd SuperDork
12/5/14 6:12 p.m.
AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to 16vCorey: - start an LLC - rent a larger garage - fix Euro cars - stack paper to the ceiling!

Came to post this. Man up take the risk and do it. Capitol is available if you have a business plan that's feasible. Worst case you can always go back to whatever you're doing now.

I've never passed the personality tests you have to take for corporate jobs so I've fortunately been able to weasel my way in to a bunch of different jobs over the years. any more I feel that finding a job is as much luck and perseverance as it is being qualified. Keep searching for work from someone else or find an alternative is all I can suggest.

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