Posted on 11/06/2009 3:43:52 PM PST by TruthHound
Folks, it's taking alot of gumption for me to write this post.
But I'm swallowing my pride to confess that I am distressingly unemployed and wallowing in frustration and anger. Maybe there are others like me in this forum.
I'm actually in that "lost" zone between the 10.2% that's claiming unemployment and the estimated 20%+ that has exhausted benefits or just plain given up finding work.
Well I HAVEN'T given up. I apply to dozens of jobs per week off of Craigslist, Monster, CareerBuilder and the like, but nothing's landing. I am represented by half a dozen temp agencies, but the phone ain't ringing. Forums on some of their websites are laced with freelancers who've been consistently busy until the last year or so--now it's a gig drought.
I have over a quarter century experience in the design field, but maybe the profession can only be sustained by the new generation of kids. I feel I'm very good at what I do. *braces for flack...yeah, I must suck*
I've actively pursued changing career directions, but even the counselors at the local jobs office tell me to stick it out. And I think I'm too old (48) to start driving a truck or something.
I'm on the verge of walking down main street and begging for a stock boy job, dishwasher or anything local that would pay.
Believe it or not, I'm also trying to get info on how to tap the government for some kind of grant to master additional software so I can enhance my marketability. I don't qualify for unemployment being the last time I was an employee was January of '08 (I've been doing some projects and venture things that aren't taking off).
This is a very dark place to be in and I'm soooo ready to move on to the next phase of life. And don't get me going on the political side of it.
I know that otherwise, God has blessed me that I still have a roof over my head, good health and a family that loves me. I just feel like this is rotting me from the inside out.
Any other Freepers in this dark rut? Idunno...
I’ve been out of work since March. Fortunately my wife has a great career going right now. I interview about once a month and apply for 2-3 jobs a day.
I was a member for 11 months ... I just got a job and started it Oct 12th ... Thank God
I had an interview just today after getting canned 17 July. In fact I just landed. The company I used to work for just activated the recall list. Pray for me and I’ll pray for you..
What type of design? Do you a web portfolio with samples of your work? There may be some Freepers reading this who buy design services.
Good vibes headed your way from a fellow hound.
Cheers,
knewshound
Don’t feel worried about posting it....there are lots of freepers like you. I am not one of them (yet), but it could come pretty soon.
Age is a matter of the mind if you don't mind it don't matter....badupba.
Actually you might try the truck driving gig if you like to travel and meet new people it can be very rewarding. Fortunately I'm in manufacturing of HAVC work in the only residential factory for Johnsoncontrols in the USA. Our sales are up and we are actually working overtime. Been here for over 25 years actually it was Coleman when I started but it is just a name.
Back in the 80's I washed dishes at Pizza Hut to pay my employees at my small business and barely scraped by on my savings buring a bad period. All work is honorable.
I do, but am not sure if
a) it would be considered a solicitation by the mods here
b) it would invite nefarious webscum to stalk me (I have direct contact info on it).
Ouch,I turn 48 next month.
A. Where do you live?
B. Move.
I’m also currently out of work.
I’d actually consider driving if it weren’t for a couple of reasons. I’m not the best driver to begin with. Plus I’ve kinda become Mr. Mom with all I do with my 2 small kids during the day. Can’t do that “from the road.”
The househusband mystique is yet another facet of my situation that has me depressed. I do what I can, but probably not enough. The house is pretty much a mess. I suck at everything.
This can’t be God’s plan for any man.
Look for or create opportunities to use your skills. At this moment, there are probably thousands of people or businesses that could use your skills, but they don’t know about you or percieve that there are lots of folks like you, so why use you. Market yourself differently and think outside of the box - you have the skills, use them or market them in different ways - be creative!
Oh, and don’t let the “tough shit” crowd get to you. They love to come on these threads and talk about their 20 mile walk to school in -50 degree weather uphill both ways in a July blizzard. You just basically have to ignore them.
Dear hubby has been out of work a year this past July. He is
61 and yesterday, I learned that I have about 60 days left
at my job. He was in the auto industry and I in aerospace.
Imagine the job market for 60+ folks.
“And I think I’m too old (48) to start driving a truck or something.”
Not so. My brother is 51, never drove a truck before, got laid off last year, went to truck driver school and landed a union trucker job that pays better (with MUCH better benefits) than his old job did this summer. Good times will return, my friend. Keep the faith.
There is a generation of young architects graduating right now who will likely never find meaningful employment in their chosen field. If one measures the amount of time required for education and internship (minimum 8 years) in order to become an architect and compare that to the absolute dirth of jobs available AT ANY SALARY in the industry, it is easy to see that students who stepped into their educations around 2002 have not, can not and will not be employed. By the time this recession spawns jobs in development and construction, the skill sets that these students spent years in time and thousands of dollars developing will have faded. They will be nudged aside by the next decade's graduates or students from India, Indonesia and China.
Its really quite sad.
You are in Cali, that could be the reason. I think things may be nearly hopeless in Cali.
If you are willing to work far away, there are many jobs.
We are in a situation now that some areas will not be able to provide work for certain skills and specialties.
Well I have many problems so I can’t blame the recession for it.
My SIL (age 29)just got the bad news this week.
It’s hit him hard because it’s really the first time he’s experienced something like this in his career, and their #2 and #3 kids arrived in July.
I’m sure he’ll work things out, but it’s painful to watch.
I’m issuing email advice and pep talks as needed.
A. San Pedro, CA (The Los Angeles harbor). The best place I’ve ever lived.
B. Therein lies the rub. The wife has the dream job with the dream boss and makes excellent $. Any lateral move would sink us both.
As a programmer, I found that user groups are invaluable, especially when you volunteer to give presentations. They are always looking for presenters. I got job offers just from people who attended my presentations. It’s almost like giving a job interview in front of multiple people at the same time, and you have complete control. Or even blogging about a particular technical issue is one way to get your name out there, just describe how you solved a particular issue that many others have been trying to solve, and before you know it, people are linking to your blog and they will know your name.
My advice is to start your own business. Make your own job. You know how good you are and you don't have to depend on someone else to verify it.
Agree with billybud....TruthHound if I were you (and I may be any day now) I would get face to face with people that can give me a job. Ignore 90% of the HR gateways and resume mills because they are not really the people doing the hiring.
When you get a chance to meet someone in a position to hire (or influence hiring), emphasize what you can do and use what you have done as a way to back it up.
I think the best advice I could give you is to think of a place you want to work then find out where the folks that work there eat lunch, then go there and meet them. Or even better, find out where they gather after work (shooting pool, darts, etc) and work that angle.
Hang in there amigo! It will all work out!
I am an IT professional who has done almost every aspect of software development and has coded in C/C++, Java, SQL, Oracle and other technologies and am currently learning .NET with C# and ASP.NET.
I have been laid off due to the humongous downturn in Wall Street last March and I have gone through at least 10 interviews ( some over the phone and many others face to face ). I find it very difficult to find a job because :
1) Sometimes they DEMAND that what you have done in the past be CURRENT ( in other words, it isn’t enough to be coding in C++ for 5 yo 6 years from 2000 to 2006, you have to be doing it NOW ).
2) The technical tests a lot of them give you are sometimes very tricky and because you are time limited, you could make mistakes. They are attracted to my resume and experience, it is the tests that got to me ( and because I know so many languages, it is very easy to forget some syntax of one language when you have not used it for say, a year (even though in real life, you can refer to the book when you’re working ).
3) Having 20 years work experience does not impress anymore. What you know in the past have little or no bearing with technology today. Just because you’VE WORKED WITH Oracle 9.0 does not mean they’ll hire you when they need Oracle 11.0. Which means someone younger and usually cheaper who has worked on a technology recently will get preferred over you.
4) The requirements posted on job boards sometimes require you to be well versed in too many technologies that you despair of even applying. They would tell you they need C/C++ and Java and C# .NET with XSLT, XML, CSS together with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Sharepoint that you begin to ask yourself, is worth the effort applying if I only know 4 of the 7 technologies they listed and I have only a general knowledge of the others ?
5) Finally, here in New York City, the financial companies also require not just technical experience but BUSINESS experience. It is not enough to have been working with say, Fixed Income Products. You have to be SPECIFICALLY working with say — RISK MANAGEMENT or Mortgage Backed Securities or Credit Default Swaps or Algorithmic Trading.
So, if you’ve been working with Government Securities, clearing and settlement for instance ( which I had been before being layed off ), they don’t consider that the experience they need.
Add to this the fact that I’m in my late 40’s and you have the AGE FACTOR to consider.
I believe we have tens of thousands ( perhaps hundreds of thousands ) of techies who are encountering this problem today.
We have a lot of skilled people in this country whose skills are atrophying from not using them and going to waste and still guys like Bill Gates complain that we have to increase more H1B workers because we don’t have enough technology workers in this country.
HEY BILL, I’m ready, able and will to work if you’re ready to hire !!
I’ll add you to my prayer list of friends who are looking for any employment here in Michigan. I can’t even imagine how hard it is to find work - been praying for one of my friends who is out of the Navy and very good technically for over a year now.
I do agree with a previous poster about linkedin and using social networking - everyone we are hiring (two this fall and 2 in the spring) knows someone in our group. I did 12 interviews and all my other coworkers did at least that many and we took none.
I keep looking at Texas myself (in case the bottom falls out for me) ....
Hang in there!
I’m a mechanical engineer and have been laid-off three times in the last two years. All employment was with tech services working temp to hire. My last day at the last job was last Thursday. Today, I registered at a local college for an associate’s degree in surgical tech. I figured being laid off three times was a message for me to begin a new career, preferably in the medical field.
Although we dodged the bullet, last year my husband and I both were considering what we were going to do at 55. I had no doubt that we’d make it but it is a scary thought.
I know what you mean, I was laid off on the 16th of October. It's the first time that I've ever drawn unemployment benefits in my life. It's humiliating to say the least.
I've had four interviews, but so far nothing has panned out.
Sooner or later I'll find a job and you'll find a job, so chin up man, don't let it consume your insides.
That was worth saying again. I could add to it but I won't...
Texas is where I interviewed today. We will hate to leave saint Louis, but for us it is a no brainer..
I’ve been self-employed (consulting/engineering) for the last 12 years. This year will mark the first year that 100% of my revenue has come from overseas customers/clients. And I have more knocking on my door.
The US economy is gone; the overseas markets - especially Asia (China, Taiwan, and South Korea) are clammoring for talented, quality people and are willing to work deals for “remote” work. Their economies are still humming along, not only picking up steam but talent and resources as well (if you want to sell your business, you need to pitch to Asia, not the US).
Expand your search globally, and put in for telecommute type jobs where you travel once a month (for 3-5 days) to connect more face-to-face.
All work is noble, NOTHING is below you when you have to feed your family.
No work in your field? do something else.
No work were you live? MOVE.
Get over yourself first, then do whatever you have to do.
Best advice? If your “25 years experience” is worth anything, start your own business. Maybe you are not as good as you think you are. If you can’t make any money at it, you need to re-prioritize.
Just a reality check, that’s all. Wishing you luck is not where I’m at. Luck has NOTHING to do with it.
Now, go out and get it done.
Well there is that, the fact that most IT departments are run by complete idiots, who only know buzzwords.
When I interview somebody, I really don’t care about the language, the only question I have is, can you code? If you can code, the language is irrelevant, I know you’ll pick it up quickly by osmosis by simply looking at the current production code. Now you also have to have some business savvy and some Project Management skills as well, because these days, “heads down” coders are overseas. I generally ask questions about what technical books you’ve read and if what web sites you like to peruse to keep current. Cursory knowledge of design patterns is also something I look for.
I love it there - Grew up on and off in San Antonio. Its like the old song by Jerry Jeff Walker - “The friendliest people and the purdyest women you ever seen”
Pray it works out for you - moving is never fun
I have had a lot of experience in the Real Estate line. No, don't get into that, too much competition and too much contract work now.
I have been a Property Manager for many years and we are always looking for handy men/women. I have made many repairs on our rentals, and have worked on my investors homes.
There is a lot of money in this repair business, may not be glamorous, but it pays GOOD. You own you own business, don't punch a clock, no one to tell you what to do. That is the only way to be.
Lots of repairs needed with all the Forclosurers, contact a MTG. Co., go by some Real Estate offices, make these contacts. Then it is word of mouth.
Older people are always needing handy people and their lawns mowed. There is good money in that also.
Actually, handy people can make more money that a Dr., if they stay busy, self starting, and fast.
May God Bless all of you who are needing work, I pray HE opens the right doors for each of you.
I’ve been out since July .. I’ve applied about 40 jobs since then, and I now go through ups and downs ,,, I don’t try, I try, I don’t try, I try ...
That was my choice. The great part is that you get to interact with more people, and you never know where the next step can lead. I'd lean more towards jobs that expose you to the public. ( More chances for an opportunity.)
Direct contact info on your page?
Wow. You’re brave.
Took a job I despise and still doing it in 2009. But, kids are good, sold the farm for enough to buy a better house, and am driving on.
You will get by. I'll say the rosary for you.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2380459/posts
Man makes living by selling the shirt on his back.
I wish I’d thought of this one.
I’m in the same boat. I’m a librarian who’s been out of work longer than you. I have a job two days a week in a historical society that has lost its state funding (half of its budget) so at the end of the year I’ll have nothing.
The last librarian position I was being considered for had 150 applicants. I made it to the final eight and a preliminary phone interview three weeks ago that was a psychological profiling thing with no questions about my qualifications.
My competition includes non-citizens, mainly librarians from Communist China who are here on green cards or student visas and who are being hired to fill “diversity” quotas in the colleges and universities where I’m applying. Public institutions funded by American taxpayers are hiring non-citizens and leaving Americans out in the cold.
How about all of us unemployed pool our scanty resources and march on Washington demanding that employers hire Americans first!
My wife and I both lost our jobs on March 13. We both worked for the same company and the company provided housing. So, we not only lost our jobs but our place to live at the same time. Second time we’d been laid off in FL, and there wasn’t much in the way of prospects. We moved back to IL only because we had family who were willing to help out. Just like FL, there’s no jobs here - the local paper doesn’t even have a help wanted section any longer. Faced with that encouraging news we both decided to reinvent ourselves. My wife is enrolled in an accelerate LPN program (10 months rather than 2 years) and I finishing up my degree and will enroll in teacher education next year. Locally, the only place to find a job is as a nurse or a teacher. We’re surviving on unemployment - barely. Kicker is, I’m in my early 50’s and wife is in mid-40’s.
Prayers for you, we’ve been living your experience for 7 months now. Good luck and hang in there!
Zimmerman Advertising, Ft. Lauderdale and other areas
You and others seeking work are in my prayers.
Please don't get this wrong, but please look at it from a different angle. You have a wife who has a good job, which means at least your household will float for a while. Imagine other people who don't have that cushion! This gives you more time to explore different kind of options, including going to arts school for new kind of designs (web, product, etc.)
In the meantime, of course we Freepers will pray for you and others who experience similar thing.
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