Anyone else

[Tha_Rooster]

I think the economy has a long way to go, our school system is laying off teachers right and left no money and colleges are graduating teachers. I have friends who own banks they are having a hard time. I know people that are taking jobs half their old salary just for a job. So with that said how bad do you need the money because if you don't take that $10.00 a hour job someone else will. It maybe worth taking while you are looking for something else.

[smallpond3500]

I retired at the end of Jan.2011.wife andI took off .5weeks later got a call from where I was working asking me back so I working just part time to what I was only 40 hr a week There are jobs out there if you have the right trade I am a custom machine builder and a lot are looking for help Keep the faith and pray

[fansill]

Boy,,,can I Relate...!!!

After 25 years in the travel and tourism industry my job prospects dried up because of internet travel sites and I went back to school at the age of 49. I graduated with a Law Degree, passed the Bar Exam and could not find anybody hiring. In order to pay the bills, I took a job doing the same thing that I did 32 years ago when in high school...standing behind a cash register at a grocery store. There I was, a 52 year woman with a Juris Doctorate, scanning groceries for $8.13 an hour...but I was healthy, happy to be working any job at all, and biding my time until something better came along. I started volunteering at a local Crisis Center doing legal work Pro Bono for victims of Domestic Violence. I then opened my own tiny little office and I am just making ends meet, but I am still happy doing a lot of Pro Bono and reduced fee work to help others through the mess that we call our Justice System.

Hubby should be retired, but he is also still working part-time. We intend to work as little or as much as we need to and to try to enjoy every second of our lives. Do I worry about paying some of the bills??? Yes, I fret a bit, but never enough to stop enjoying all of the good things in life.

I know that things will get better as long as we are patient.

Faith

[raccoonman]

in 2007 i lost my spot at a place that had been nearly perfect for over five years.... my own mistake, i own up to that; but my supervisor tried to get me reinstated for a long time. i spent a year away from that specific position, then spent two and a half years treading water with a competitor, until the gears meshed and i was able to hook back up with my old boss. the worst part was two and a half years treading water in a position exactly the same as my OLD job except for crappy pay, no beneifts, and a system of internal threat and intimidation to keep employee discipline up.... have spent the last year struggling with my mortgage company to save my house. (i NEVER missed a mortgage payment working for the OTHER firm... )

my wife has been out of work for over four years. she's literally given up trying to find a job in her specialty in this town, and wants to move to Fla. i can't walk away from a house we've spent sixteen years in, but if things don't get any better, the mortgage company may say otherwise and we'll be fulltimers then.

[W4RLR]

Originally Posted by MICHIGAN CAMPER

To inject a little humor here.

I know that trying to find a job when you really need one can be a heartbreaking event, but....
When I retired a couple of years ago my thought was to find a part time job. It still is but I haven't had the TIME!
michigancamper

Me too!

[75racer]

I live in Wisconsin. Yesterday I started another part time job. I work 4 hours a week cleaning. I have 3 part time jobs right now. My other two part time jobs I get 20 and 18 hours a week.
42 hours between 3 part time jobs. I am seeing a lot of skilled labor jobs out there right now.

[raccoonman]

my trouble is, that i have a lot of experience but no paperwork to back it up! i've worked in industrial fabrication from Babcock&Wilcox down to a specialty military-research shop, yet without certs, i'm relegated to my long-term vocation, automotive supply. i can't afford the time or tuition to go to school and GET certified, as my regular job eats up all my time. nobody hires on aptitude, just certs.

[RVThere]

Great advice above, especially about social functions. For many jobs you need an insider and maybe that guy you meet at the neighborhood BBQ can get you the interview you need. Network, network, network.

Linkedin is a great website for finding old coworkers, clients, bosses, etc. and seeing where they are working. A quick hello email to them can maybe open some dialogue where you can get a job lead.

Another important task is to follow up with a phone call on every job lead and resume you send out. The hiring manager will get many resumes but it seems no one calls to follow up. That will set you apart from the rest of the applicants.

[NLOVNIT]

Networking will work, I've seen it happen. Shortly after I was laid off, I had to take a job-hunting skills class at the area career center to be eligible for unemployment. The instructor went around the room & had each of us say what our last job was & what we were looking for. I knew of a position at a firm that would be a fit for one of the other persons attending the class. I put them in touch with the firm & within a week, they got the job.

Lori-

[heyaim]

Originally Posted by fansill

Boy,,,can I Relate...!!!

After 25 years in the travel and tourism industry my job prospects dried up because of internet travel sites and I went back to school at the age of 49. I graduated with a Law Degree, passed the Bar Exam and could not find anybody hiring. In order to pay the bills, I took a job doing the same thing that I did 32 years ago when in high school...standing behind a cash register at a grocery store. There I was, a 52 year woman with a Juris Doctorate, scanning groceries for $8.13 an hour...but I was healthy, happy to be working any job at all, and biding my time until something better came along. I started volunteering at a local Crisis Center doing legal work Pro Bono for victims of Domestic Violence. I then opened my own tiny little office and I am just making ends meet, but I am still happy doing a lot of Pro Bono and reduced fee work to help others through the mess that we call our Justice System.

Hubby should be retired, but he is also still working part-time. We intend to work as little or as much as we need to and to try to enjoy every second of our lives. Do I worry about paying some of the bills??? Yes, I fret a bit, but never enough to stop enjoying all of the good things in life.

I know that things will get better as long as we are patient.

Faith

I wish I had a "like button" to hit!!

[Nuge]

Originally Posted by raccoonman

my trouble is, that i have a lot of experience but no paperwork to back it up! i've worked in industrial fabrication from Babcock&Wilcox down to a specialty military-research shop, yet without certs, i'm relegated to my long-term vocation, automotive supply. i can't afford the time or tuition to go to school and GET certified, as my regular job eats up all my time. nobody hires on aptitude, just certs.

I, too, have no certifications or degrees, but I DO put down my experience and knowledge gained in every job I've had on my resume. Experience will usually get you a job over fresh unexperienced degrees. You CAN take credit for for all the work you were paid for and for some of your life experiences as well!!!

[raccoonman]

i have a couple of different resumes that i offer depending on the job i'm applying for, either one lists the appropriate experience HEAVILY and skims over the rest. when i'm really interested in the position, i write up one especially for that job and use as much job-related terminology as i can recall!
honestly, i don't know what to make of the economy as it stands. we've turned into a nation of "fries with that" service jobs and lost our "we build those here" sector. we need to get back to our build it here, buy it here roots. if we don't, our economy is doomed to fail, regardless of the nincompoop in the oval office.

[Billieg]

Originally Posted by raccoonman

i have a couple of different resumes that i offer depending on the job i'm applying for, either one lists the appropriate experience HEAVILY and skims over the rest. when i'm really interested in the position, i write up one especially for that job and use as much job-related terminology as i can recall!
honestly, i don't know what to make of the economy as it stands. we've turned into a nation of "fries with that" service jobs and lost our "we build those here" sector. we need to get back to our build it here, buy it here roots. if we don't, our economy is doomed to fail, regardless of the nincompoop in the oval office.

You are right. You need to be very "off the sidewalk" and really search for that job. Today I was on my motorcycle and met up with a few friends. One asked me if I was interested in a construction position. I wasn't but I told him I know 10 guys who are and he said send them to me. So, as I said in an earlier post, network and hit all the social functions you can. The jobs are out there but you have to find them and the normal ways don't work today.

[JimM68]

Originally Posted by raccoonman

we've turned into a nation of "fries with that" service jobs and lost our "we build those here" sector. we need to get back to our build it here, buy it here roots. if we don't, our economy is doomed to fail, regardless of the nincompoop in the oval office.

uh oh, Jim's hot button again...
Wish I knew better and could just leave it lie.
Alas, I don't.

We don't build it here anymore because we've priced ourselves out of the market.
When those who built, and the unions who represent them, insisted on a wage benefit package putting them on the par with middle managers and other professionals, well, the rest of the world not only found out they could build it cheaper, but that our workers would buy thier crap because it was cheaper!

We need to get competitive in the global economy. And doing it will mean some adjustment to "expectations" in certain segments of our society.