Unemployment Sucks!

hornyt2k5

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First, let me apologize if this is the wrong location for this post. I'm still pretty new here, but I figured it's pretty much a "rant/rave" post, so this should be the proper location. If not, someone with the power to, please feel free to move it.

On to my purpose: Being unemployed blows! That's actually untrue, not having to do anything at all all day long is pretty bitchin', but having no money at all is scary and terrifying. For those that don't know, I'm 25 years old, a college drop-out, ex-dishwasher, aspiring actor. I quit my old job washing dishes back in November because after five years in the same place with the same incompetent boss, I'd officially had all I could take. Then, through the grace of savings accounts, Christmas moneys, and tax returns, I've managed to not have a job the whole time. Unfortunately, the well has pretty well run dry, and once I pay my rent on Friday, I'll have just enough for my car insurance, and then...I think I'm actually going to be staring down the barrel of a $0.00 checking account balance. Which is terrifying. I admit to having been less than gung-ho about applying for new jobs, but even those few to whom I have applied I've heard nothing back from. Which is incredibly frustrating. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but I do know that I really need to be working somewhere. Anywhere really, cuz I'm now officially broke.

So! I'm asking anyone who reads this to pile on the advice. Ask questions, I'm an open book. If anyone knows of any job opportunities for polite, well-groomed, articulate, hardworking young men in the Southern New England area, please let me know. And if anyone has any advice on jobs that I may not be thinking of, or not know are available, please, sound off! I've generally been applying to retail places, recently filled out a quintuple-at-once application for every Starbucks in my area. Please, any help or discussion is incredibly greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

hornyt2k5

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Toxin: Thanks, I'd forgotten about Target. I'll do them up ASAP.

Nyan: Yeah, more and more both of those points are becoming apparent. I'm working on the school thing, finding online degree programs for my spare time. When I quit, I did it for a lot of good reasons, which doesn't help much now. Ah well. C'est la vie?
 

D_BenJo_Ahanakokolele

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Toxin: Thanks, I'd forgotten about Target. I'll do them up ASAP.

Nyan: Yeah, more and more both of those points are becoming apparent. I'm working on the school thing, finding online degree programs for my spare time. When I quit, I did it for a lot of good reasons, which doesn't help much now. Ah well. C'est la vie?

it doesn't matter. When I worked in Manhattan, i had a long commute, horrible co workers and a jerk for a supervisor. I didn't quit until I knew i had two other jobs waiting for me. There is no greater pleasure than telling your boss to go get hit by a train while flipping her the bird and knowing you have a back up. i hated working for that stuck up cunt of woman but o swallowed by pride because i had bills to pay and because it was the adult thing to do. i really do hope she gets hit by a train.
 

hornyt2k5

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When I quit my old job, I left on good terms. I wanted to travel and had a great opportunity to do so, but my boss couldn't give me the time off. He's a great reference (He helped me get my current apartment), even if he is incompetent at his actual job.
 
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I am so in the box(albeit a comfortable box while the money last you soon find out the box isn't so great) you are good sir. I understand every step of the way of where you are at. I've been applying for jobs for I would say roughly around 6-8+ months and I've not gotten one call. That was up until recent when I got a call from a new store opening in my area and I'll start working there. I know where you are coming from though. My problem is that I've had a job like this last year. They expect you to work yourself to death for 1-3 months. They over hire people just to get the store open and then they'll let everyone go and give some bullshit excuse. I have a feeling this job is going to be the same way but we shall see soon enough. Trust me it's not the ideal job for me because minimum wage jobs are shitty, but no one that I've applied in regards to my experience has responded back to me.
So I say this to you...I can't give you much advice except to frequent all of the major job websites like: Monster, Careerbuilder, etc etc. And apply to anything and everything because no matter what any job is better than not having a job at all.

And I would say go back to school but man the truth these days even with a college degree you'll still get screwed over in hopes of finding a job. Truth is finding a job period is hard. Jobs that have been created so far have been retail and fast food type jobs. Industry jobs that would require anything above a high school diploma are hard to find or are being really picky about who they hire. And even if you do have a college education they won't hire you because you don't have enough experience. Trust me been there experienced that. And now that I have the degree and experience I'm still getting the shaft.

That's the reality of it. It's becoming so that unless you are going to school for a career that's in HIGH demand like nurses then you are better off working now or working multiple jobs to survive. Going to college can be done but it depends on how much you want to give yourself to the college thing.

I wish you the best.
 

hungandquiteproud

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hey man, i hear ya. i held down a spate of really shitty jobs in between school. in fact, doing something you generally hate compels you to return to school; makes you hungry for it.

great advice so far, site members. i'd only had a couple things.

do the LinkedIn thing. on the other hand, if your friends and former colleagues are having a shit time in the marketplace, it'll make you feel a bit better. on the other hand, if they're doing well, they could clue you in to potential opportunities where they work. unemployment doesn't mean you should refuse to network. maybe doing that instead of hunting through job ads you don't care about will lift your funk.

second, know the difference between seeking a job (something that will help pay your bills - which, really, could and should be anything) and finding an aspiration in life. try to nail down the first thing, no matter how unimportant or unsexy it is. truth is, you don't need to be 100% at this job because it's just a means to an end (getting you un-broke). when you're off work, consider what kinds of jobs you could see yourself doing. let your imagination run a bit wilder than usual.
 

nudeyorker

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Good advice so far, the only thing that I'll add is if you are just sitting home seven days a week you should go out and volunteer for something (anything) that means something to you a couple days a week; you will be helping others and also helping yourself by not staying home wallowing in self-doubt. It might also lead to something with a salary.
 

rbkwp

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Ive never been quite so sure about total education being a mainstay in life, especially if your not particularly naturally good at it
some of us are beyond learning and especially retaining, information

Dont know re the USA (i assume) but here in NZ / Australia, its quite possible, that if you have a VAUGE idea, of what you wish to accomplish as a career in life, then offer your services in a Voluntary capacity, you just never know where it may lead you.

Being positive with applying to volunteer your services, does a lot in convincing prospective employers your dead keen.
If they cant offer you a permanent position, ( at the end of a time you set) and you've proven yourself somewhat, then there could well be related opportunities they can suggest to you

Best to you unemployed

(it worked for me with a couple of jobs in Australia, admittedly 15 years ago, when the job market was in a better state)
 

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I'll throw out a few things that you can take or leave at your discretion:

1) All things being equal, the person with the better network gets the job. But things usually aren't equal, so I would say that it is better to have a good network than a good resume. An internal or employee referral is more likely to get an interview than someone who is one of 5000 applicants from an online form. Which leads to...

2) Find companies you want to work for. Then find someone inside that company who is willing to put your resume on the right person's desk and say a good word for you.

3) Unless you have a perfect resume with all the exact right keywords in your past experience, online jobfinder websites (Monster.com, Jobhunter.com, etc) are so low probability that they should be only a small part of your jobhunting strategy. The reason being, especially for the large companies that post jobs there, they have software applications that screen the resumes. They were good when only a few people knew about them. But now that unemployment is so high, those watering holes are oversaturated with applicants

4) Look for volunteer opportunities that provide leadership experience in things you find enjoyable. Treasurer of such and such, coordinator for this or that, youth coach for your favorite sport, etc. Not only does it keep you fresh in a professional capacity, they also provide great networking opportunities

5) No one cares how good or smart you are if they don't know who you are. Focus on defining the intangible skills that you have and find a channel for communicating those skills. A good example is having a blog where you talk about subjects relevant to areas where you have strong skills - especially intangible ones.

Hope some of these help.
 

bigbull29

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Some of the most educated people I know are unemployed, or severely under-employed. Education, I'm afraid to say, is not always the key to a better life in this country. Make sure that you major in something that is in high demand with decent salary. And don't let the colleges and universities suck you in - after all, it's big business (like Big Pharma, etc.). Student loans can be a real burden to pay back, especially when you don't have a good job.

Don't get embittered towards lucky people. That only makes things worse. Worry about you, not some rich person who could care less if you fall off the earth tomorrow. Work on yourself!!! Be positive!!!! Find out somehow what interests you.

The biggest virtue missing in our society is humility. Don't be ashamed to be humble when you live in society with many who think they're better. No one is better than you - no one. I just tell them all to suck my big dick! :eek:
 
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Good advice so far, the only thing that I'll add is if you are just sitting home seven days a week you should go out and volunteer for something (anything) that means something to you a couple days a week; you will be helping others and also helping yourself by not staying home wallowing in self-doubt. It might also lead to something with a salary.

This is great advice, hornyt2k5... in fact, you never know who you will run into. In 2011, I hired a young lady because of her attitude and demeanor... I thought she'd be a great salesperson. But here's the best part: I knew her because she was working in the deli at the Whole Foods near my house. After I had decided I wanted to hire her, I found out that she had an MBA and impeccable presentation skills.

Volunteering, like nudeyorker suggests, is a great way to show off your skills and to keep yourself away from self-doubt and self-pity.

Good luck!
 

erratic

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When I quit my old job, I left on good terms....

I just want to pipe up and say that there are jobs worth quitting. I've worked one. In retrospect, I would have been better off quitting and flipping burgers than making twice as much, but suffering endlessly.

You can always get a job flipping burgers or waiting tables (unless you're living somewhere really small). It may not be a good job, but it's something.

Good advice so far, the only thing that I'll add is if you are just sitting home seven days a week you should go out and volunteer for something (anything) that means something to you a couple days a week; you will be helping others and also helping yourself by not staying home wallowing in self-doubt. It might also lead to something with a salary.

Fantastic advice. If you volunteer in something that means something to you and (even better) if it's in some way related to your goals in life, that's a fairly easy way in to making the networks you'll need to find meaningful and fulfilling work. The pay-offs may not be instant, but I know I've gotten some good jobs as a result of volunteering for causes I believed in, in the field I wanted to work in.

Also, hornyt2k5, give yourself a break for a couple of days every week. I know whenever I've been unemployed for an anxiety-provoking stretch of time, I'd feel like I always had to be looking for work. Then one of my friends pointed out to me that I couldn't possible be constantly job hunting, and that I had to commit to some time every day to look for work, and allow myself to relax for the rest of the day. Being unemployed is very stressful, and looking for work is work in and of itself. People with stressful jobs are allowed to take time to relax. You should be too.
 

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This is a very complicated problem. I went to berkeley and consider it the biggest waste of my time. A woman who use to write in one of the underground papers here went to princeton and found only temp jobs in the bay area. But you might get lucky.{are you good with numbers or an A student/i was an A student/didn't help}
But keep in mind if you go to college its 4 or 5 yeas you could be working and if you need student loans to fund your education they will burden you.

I hope you know someone a friend or relative who can help you out. Doing it by yourself is really rough. You have to improvise. Unless you have a degree from MIT its a random process. Anything might or might not work. I become rich investing in comics.

A friend found a 50,000 job on craigslist working for a bike company. He's found dozens of jobs in the bay area over the years. He doesn't have a college degree. I don't know how he does it but someone said he lies like a dog in the interviews. Just apply for everything and ask anybody. On true life on mtv they had a public relations executive who been laid off in sf. He applied to 500 places without success. His girflriend kicked him out. Finally a friend of his family gave him a job in his company.
He eventually became a vp. The department of labor did a survey awhile back asking how people got their jobs. 7/10 through contacts.

The other thing is time flys by and if you don't save money it doesn't get better. Only worse. In sf they have free meals and a long term program to find everyone homeless housing. These social programs will keep you alive.
 

bigbull29

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This is a very complicated problem. I went to berkeley and consider it the biggest waste of my time. A woman who use to write in one of the underground papers here went to princeton and found only temp jobs in the bay area. But you might get lucky.{are you good with numbers or an A student/i was an A student/didn't help}

That speaks volume about the state of our country. Intellectuals thrown under the bus. Imagine if the Ancient Greeks had done that?:eek: Where would are world be?

Irony: We have more people enrolled in college than ever before, but our country is more anti-intellectual than ever before. Go figure!:rolleyes:
 

Jason

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I'm in the UK and maybe things are different - or maybe they are not.

You have to repair your CV (=resume in funny US speech). You need to show that subesequent to leaving your job you are doing something worthwhile. In your age bracket a course of some sort might be easiest. I guess you would be looking at a course alongside part-time work to cover the bills.

Is lack of work a particular problem in your area? Is there work available somewhere else? Would you consider moving?

You like acting. A skill which is akin to acting is teaching - I kid not. Would you consider a stint of English language teaching abroad? You would need a course to get a certificate but they can be reasonably short and therefore reasonably cheap. A lot of teaching jobs abroad are at low pay, but not all. There are some reasonably well-paid jobs in some Arab countries that are particularly suitable for a single man.

Unemployment is horrible. Part of the process of getting out of it is accepting something which is actually a pretty bad option. The better option comes later.
 

bigbull29

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I'm in the UK and maybe things are different - or maybe they are not.

You have to repair your CV (=resume in funny US speech). You need to show that subesequent to leaving your job you are doing something worthwhile. In your age bracket a course of some sort might be easiest. I guess you would be looking at a course alongside part-time work to cover the bills.

Is lack of work a particular problem in your area? Is there work available somewhere else? Would you consider moving?

You like acting. A skill which is akin to acting is teaching - I kid not. Would you consider a stint of English language teaching abroad? You would need a course to get a certificate but they can be reasonably short and therefore reasonably cheap. A lot of teaching jobs abroad are at low pay, but not all. There are some reasonably well-paid jobs in some Arab countries that are particularly suitable for a single man.

Unemployment is horrible. Part of the process of getting out of it is accepting something which is actually a pretty bad option. The better option comes later.

Yes, teaching English overseas is a good way to put your degree to use. Qualifications vary from country to country, but in many, you only need a Bachelor's degree, or a reputable TEFL certificate. You can make decent money in Japan and South Korea (only degree and native English speaker needed). There, the salaries range from from 30-60K, depending on many factors. You might need a bit more credentials in the Middle East, but the pay is quite high there: 40-80 K (tax free).
 

D_Anna_Chonda

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in parts of the UK we have the same issues T i found out yesterday on one of the gov. funded courses that the Costa coffee shops had 1700 people go for the same jobs thats how mad it is we also had a store open recently took on staff til it opened and then sacked everyone. coming from a mainly retail experienced background is hard enough but i have taken courses to gain qualifications in other areas i.e business admin. i agree with people who say that volunteering is a way to go but doesnt necessarily give u a foot in the door employment wise with that company but it can help. also tailor your resume to each job yes this may take you X amount of time longer then you want also when applying for a job ring up the company and find out who you should send yoour cover letter and resume to. one peice of advice i can give u T is DO NOT give up and sell all your good points and skills you have to a potential employer im always about if u need someone to help you find them.
 
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This is something that was on my mind yesterday and it was on the topic of unemployment. I went to my orientation yesterday so I can start my new job soon. It's a minimum wage paying job so I'm taking it for the time being until I can find better. I overheard a lot of people at the orientation stating they already had a job and was just looking at it from the part time job aspect. A few of them were full time college students and were looking at it from the same aspect. What's really confusing to me is when the people saw the hours listed for the first 3 weeks or so you could tell they were not happy. The first 3 weeks are going to be 40 hr weeks. The people who are college students or have other jobs which may be full time cannot work this schedule.
So they told us that around 2500 people applied for the job and they only hired 124 people. So why would they hire people who are already working? are full time college students? Over people that would see it as their only job. For these people there are no other jobs or schooling that would interfere.
I'm not saying to not hire these people at all but I think there are more deserving people out there for the most part. And why are unemployed people seemingly the hardest to hire? Shouldn't that be the opposite. I was told the employers only want to hire people who already have a job because it seems like they are taking a good hard worker from another company. Yet, the guy who has been applying his ass off for 3 months or more gets shafted because no one will give him a shot. And what happens when and if the guy who has been unemployed for 3 months has kids or serious bills like rent, mortgage, utilities, car payments, insurance?? Is it then more important to still hire the full time college student who can only work certain hours or is it more important then to hire the person who already has a full time job but can only work part time hours?

I think this is utter bullshit. This mindset businesses have is so flawed.