Job hunt got me down

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm in the same boat I've been applying to anything and everything in the Tampa area and haven't had any luck. My wife is an elementary ed teacher and applied for 5 jobs and got 5 offers.

I've got 8 years experience as a remodeler, 4 years healthcare management experience, and 2 years of schooling for entry level IT jobs and haven't gotten any meaningful responses to about 50 apps. So I'm living with my parents in Illinois at 30 years old working my old job I hate while my wife is in Tampa working her new job.

Its really frustrating because I'm willing to start entry level jobs just to get down their but I think recruiters are scared that something is wrong with someone who has healthcare management experience applying for mindless jobs.

 

[PliotronX]

Hang in there, it's an employers market. Even my friend who has a job was down on himself because he had dropped out of a four year MBA with two semesters remaining and now works on equipment grinding gravel. Last week though he says when he recognized parameters in a business report that only the way higherups understood and pointed out where they were going wrong without insulting or pointing fingers, he says he turned bigwig heads and now they would want him back at a higher level if he disappeared to complete his degree. I called it his Good Will Hunting moment

 

[PliotronX]

I bought a place 5 minutes from my job to cut my hour commute down. Worth it if you can afford it. Having a shorter commute is amazing!

This...is why.... Los Angeles sucks...

 

[PricklyPete]

Yup. Fuck a 1+ hour commute. I'd consider it as a temporary emergency solution, but that's money out of your pocket. Aside from hard transportation costs, you're adding 2+ hours to your day without pay.

Not to mention adding a considerable amount of risk in your life if most of your commute is by auto.

 

[ultimatebob]

He should move to North Dakota and get a job working on the Oil Rigs. He could probably make 100K a year doing that right now.

That said, if the OP isn't willing to drive 90 minutes getting to work, moving across the country is probably out of the picture as well.

 

[rsbennett00]

We're always looking for women 18-50, non smokers, no implants, no flip flops, D&D free.

 

[Mandres]

Why don't you come down to Baytown/Chambers County? Chevron and Enterprise are both in the middle of $multi-billion facility expansions. There is also a shit ton of pipeline work going on. Welders don't stay unemployed long.

and you'll fit right in ... trust me.

 

[John Connor]

Oil industry?

 

[Newell Steamer]

OP, what is your ideal job? Give us salary, job description, benefits, commute, etc.

And, what are you instead seeing out there?

Example, you find plenty of jobs that match everything, except commute. In that case, you would have to move. Or, you see everything matches, instead of salary, in that case, you figure out if you need to adjust your living,.. initially. If everything else matches, I am sure you will be bumped up to your ideal salary, once you are well past the probational period.

 

[ultimatebob]

We're always looking for women 18-50, non smokers, no implants, no flip flops, D&D free.

What job is this, why no implants?

 

[VulgarDisplay]

We're always looking for women 18-50, non smokers, no implants, no flip flops, D&D free.

So much for hiring the best candidate based on experience and qualifications.

I may develop a persecution complex but stuff like this really contributes to my hatred of corporate America. Hell america in general.

 

[dank69]

I took a $20k a year pay cut to work here.

How do you figure I am not underemployed?

I figure since you didn't mention money as a motivation when starting this thread.

 

[poofyhairguy]

He should move to North Dakota and get a job working on the Oil Rigs. He could probably make 100K a year doing that right now.

He could make big money just over in Houston tomorrow.

 

[zinfamous]

I have not had this much trouble finding a job since 1999 and again in 2003.

The economy is in the crapper, but usually there are a lot of jobs in industrial areas.

In the past 2 months I have put in dozens of applications and resumes. I got 2 emails, and both of them were a denial.

Thanks, Reagan!

 

[rsbennett00]

So much for hiring the best candidate based on experience and qualifications.

I may develop a persecution complex but stuff like this really contributes to my hatred of corporate America. Hell america in general.

We do hire based on experience and qualifications, my list was just the "don't bother applying" criteria.

If you walk into work in flip flops (and you don't work on a beach or something), you deserve to burn in hell.

 

[holden j caufield]

The economy's pretty bad. The government figures lie. *Many* people are underemployed, and many that gave up looking for work a couple years ago still haven't come back, so they aren't counted. Add in to that people working later in life just to survive, and things don't look so rosy.

it's pretty rough for the older crowd, I know of many people who are 50+, hard workers with tons of experience. They can't even get an interview if people see what year they graduated college. Just keep plugging, keep your spirits up with some activity and good luck.

 

[Texashiker]

OP, what is your ideal job? Give us salary, job description, benefits, commute, etc.

And, what are you instead seeing out there?

Just something besides sitting in an office.

I would like to try offshore work, like an offshore welder working on a drilling rig.

Inland tugboat would be nice.

Salary is open. My house is paid off, truck paid off, no real bills besides utilities, insurance, food,,,.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Just something besides sitting in an office.

I would like to try offshore work, like an offshore welder working on a drilling rig.

Inland tugboat would be nice.

Salary is open. My house is paid off, truck paid off, no real bills besides utilities, insurance, food,,,.

Salary is a non issue from what is seems.

Why not shack up with a contractor; landscaping, construction, etc. It does not sound like you will get into welding, so, go for something other than welding - as long as it is outside.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Remain optimistic and positive.

Keep working hard at finding a job (which is a FULL time job)

Resistance will pay off in time. You are just at the bottom of the rollercoaster.....

keep your head up and good luck

 

[Markbnj]

Just something besides sitting in an office. I would like to try offshore work, like an offshore welder working on a drilling rig. Inland tugboat would be nice.

If you're young, why not. But I'll tell you that stuff gets old pretty fast. Rig work is usually like 20 on 10 off, right? That's what we did on the tugboat, and by day 15 I was ready to fucking kill myself.

 

[zinfamous]

We do hire based on experience and qualifications, my list was just the "don't bother applying" criteria.

If you walk into work in flip flops (and you don't work on a beach or something), you deserve to burn in hell.

maybe a bit harsh? :hmm:

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

OP - Someone mentioned this profession earlier, but I just saw this article posted. Apparently there is a shortage of truck drivers (seriously): http://finance.yahoo.com/news/america-major-shortage-truck-drivers-143821953.html

Last I recall, truck drivers are pretty heavily unionized. It doesn't take much to see 6 figures. Given, you're not going to see your family much because you will be driving constantly, but you can call them on the phone on the road I suppose? Regardless, if you want good money it's out there.

 

[holden j caufield]

I've worked with a few startup gaming companies and flip flops were ok. Granted we are in socal. Still not appropriate for work regardless of rules

 

[ultimatebob]

I've worked with a few startup gaming companies and flip flops were ok. Granted we are in socal. Still not appropriate for work regardless of rules

I'm still trying to figure out the no implant rule.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

We do hire based on experience and qualifications, my list was just the "don't bother applying" criteria.

If you walk into work in flip flops (and you don't work on a beach or something), you deserve to burn in hell.

Do you deserve to burn in hell if your company is ageist, sexist, and also interested in physical appearance?

I wouldn't really be worried about flip flops if I had those other extremely fucked up business practices in place.