Hi,

I'm just seeing if anyone is doing better than I am at finding work. I keep applying and getting ignored. I even broadened the kind of work I'll do and am including general office work and production work in local manufacturing companies.

I'd start my own business but I do better as a sidekick.

I hope others are doing better.

In a word, NO.  And it is from the lack of trying.  I have vast experience in retail, but yet I can not find work.  In a state that has over 10% unemployment there is a lot of competition for jobs.

It's just the economic depression I fear. Nothing to do with gender or anything.

EVERYONE is finding it tough out there. (including me and in 30 years I have never been unemployed).

For a year I've been looking for a job, but I can't find one.  They keep knocking me aside for people with "more experience" when I have more experience, but I also have an Associate's and that seems to make people not hire me.

I haven't managed to find one yet but I don't think it is discrimination because I never make it to an interview for them to even meet me. I wish everyone luck. If your in the US I suggest checking with Walmart. I sadly don't live close enough but they are almost always hiring at every location I go to.

I've been doing contract work now for 20 years. When recessions bite, I'm the first to be out of work, as I am now. I've had 1 week of work this year.

I realise it's easy to say, but I always put aside most of my money for hard times. I budget on half of what I'm paid. I don't buy things I don't really need. I always try to save whenever I can. I paid off all my debts as a first priority, after food.

As I siad, easy to say, but I and I think most of us have no choice really. New clothes may seem nice, but do you really need them?

Sorry, this doesn't sound very helpful. But I've managed to survive for 20 years like this. After my experience in the health services, I decided my mental health simply couldn't take any more stress of being trapped.

When you do get a job, may I respectfully suggest you stick to the priorities, debt, savings, food.

I sell handcrafts, repair computers, go online to sites like fiverr.com and in general, I find work anywhere.
I just happen to be too lazy to do anything serious.

Also, with 5 USD I'll eat for one day, so it's not like I have many obligations.
That allows me to not need a "real" job.

Also, I'm in México.

Quote from: spacial on August 29, 2010, 04:09:09 PM
I've been doing contract work now for 20 years. When recessions bite, I'm the first to be out of work, as I am now. I've had 1 week of work this year.

I realise it's easy to say, but I always put aside most of my money for hard times. I budget on half of what I'm paid. I don't buy things I don't really need. I always try to save whenever I can. I paid off all my debts as a first priority, after food.

As I siad, easy to say, but I and I think most of us have no choice really. New clothes may seem nice, but do you really need them?

Sorry, this doesn't sound very helpful. But I've managed to survive for 20 years like this. After my experience in the health services, I decided my mental health simply couldn't take any more stress of being trapped.

When you do get a job, may I respectfully suggest you stick to the priorities, debt, savings, food.

Once I do get a job, I'm paying off my debt (which isn't very much--thank god for the GI Bill) and I'll be paying just for food and gas and vet care (which I have recently started doing because living month to month blows).  Hell, I even canceled by cable service because it was costing an arm and a leg--I'd go with a cheaper internet provider, but there aren't any internet providers other than the one I have in my area.

Zaida, thanks for the site!  I can use it to bring in some extra cash, maybe.  I sure as hell know how to make 5 dollars stretch a long way, and it helps that my dollar store here has everything. 

@Alexander:  Wal-mart won't hire me again.  I had to quit pretty soon after being hired the first time because they weren't going to give me the time to spend with my dad who had just gotten back from being deployed in Qatar.   I'm too fussed really.  The people were horrible, and they had me working 10 to 5 am.

I always have trouble, I'm sort of lucky - I'm kind of useful to a school - so I'm fairly sorted at the moment,

Quote from: Alexander on August 29, 2010, 03:49:12 PM
I haven't managed to find one yet but I don't think it is discrimination because I never make it to an interview for them to even meet me. I wish everyone luck. If your in the US I suggest checking with Walmart. I sadly don't live close enough but they are almost always hiring at every location I go to.

The walmart in Kingston MA is hiring. I've considered it but my mother works there.

Quote from: spacial on August 29, 2010, 04:09:09 PM
I realise it's easy to say, but I always put aside most of my money for hard times. I budget on half of what I'm paid. I don't buy things I don't really need. I always try to save whenever I can. I paid off all my debts as a first priority, after food.

As I siad, easy to say, but I and I think most of us have no choice really. New clothes may seem nice, but do you really need them?

Sorry, this doesn't sound very helpful. But I've managed to survive for 20 years like this. After my experience in the health services, I decided my mental health simply couldn't take any more stress of being trapped.

When you do get a job, may I respectfully suggest you stick to the priorities, debt, savings, food.

I'm not a consumer. i just pay the bills for shelter and food. I had a little money saved but had to spend it over the past year and a half.

Took me about 4 months to find a job. Heard lots of "your over qualified". I applied for well over 100 jobs in the end that I was more than qualified for and even more that I was truely way over qualified for. Just the ecomony, know it doesn't hlep but I htink that is just what the problem is these days.
Good Luck
Myles

No luck so far too many people lay off jobs are harder to get than the last time.I keep trying but my health also plays a role into what I can do not a simple situation to be in. I want to work and  earn a nice income with benefits.

Not much luck here either.  I've been looking since I moved back home in December, and have only had short  term temp jobs so far.  6 weeks of phone sales for a catalog company, 3 weeks the next holiday, a couple 1 day catering jobs, but nothing I can really rely on at all.    I have 5 years of food prep and deli counter experience and can't get a job making sandwiches.

I have made it to several interviews, so I'm not sure what to think of possible descrimination.  I also know that I'm competing with anywhere from 20-40 people for every position I apply for.

I have an interview tonight, and I should hear either way today about a position I interviewed for on Friday, so I'm Crossing my fingers.

Done a week or two of temp stuff here and there at different places, done loads of charity work just to amuse myself

not even had an interview for a "real" job in about 2 years since I lost my last one, it's ridiculous

I haven't worked for around two years now and haven't had an interview for a few months. I'm kinda worried about getting myself into debt and not being able to pay it back on time. I know it's wrong to think that getting an F on all my paperwork will make everything better, and that life will fall into my lap from that. Especially when my dad tells me "have you considered the possibility that you will always have people noticing you and your past?". Well I try not to to be honest because that is no kind of life in my eyes (which is what I basically said amongst other things). I've been dwelling on that for days now and it's eating me.... I'm sick of dark thoughts and feeling like I have to weight it up against reality which doesn't appear to be offering me any breaks. How does one live? It's a joke.

QuoteHow does one live? It's a joke.

not dying and loling.
insane loling.

loling puts food on the table? I wish!

hahahahahahahahhaaa! *bing* ...mmmmmmmmmm deep dish lasagne! ^_________^

Those who are finding it tough to find work in North America may want to consider school bus driving.  It's part time work but at least it's work and it also allows one time to seek other part time or full time work that would fit in between.

I'm the Safety Manager here where I live at a branch of one of the largest school bus companies in the world, and we use an online application process.  One of my duties is to interview, hire, and train prospective bus drivers, and believe me there is a huge shortage of drivers out there on both sides of the border.  I personally hired 11 drivers over the summer and im still three short.  Most companies hire with no experience required and provide the training.  The only thing that may trip folks up is that many school bus companies do drug testing; we do

What do you have to loose? It might be worth your while, at least until you find a job in your field.

PM me if you want links.

Steph

In the past five years, every job I've had came from either a temp service or through friends.  All of those jobs made me want to stick a gun in my mouth (figuratively, btw), so now I'm going to grad school.  Once I get out, I'm considering going overseas to teach English as a foreign language.  Unless of course, I have a giant stroke of brilliance/luck and write a best selling novel.  EFL is my back up plan.  It pays pretty well in some places.