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Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 2:27:40 AM

moonvine

Posts: 780
Joined: 11/7/2004
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I was at my last job for 8.5 years, lost that job in April, was on UE for 6 weeks, then found some contract work lasting 3 months. Unfortunately the contract is over, and I'm not having any luck finding anything that pays as much as I made 10 years ago.

Just wondering if anyone is in a similar boat and what they are doing about it....

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RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 5:29:37 AM

Irishknight

Posts: 2016
Joined: 9/30/2007
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Been there thanks to NAFTA.
I found that UE still paid me as long as I made less than my former pay. They have a percentage chart that shows them how much to pay according to what percentage of that pay you were recieving and some other such stuff. Look into it, try to find a decent job and find a way to fit into a new bracket. Greed and political backstabbing is still taking away American jobs so don't expect to find something as good as what you had.
When you go to the voting booth, vote out the backstabbers in office now on both sides and send them a message that you want them to fight for America not for partisan garbage.

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 2

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 5:31:08 AM

corysub

Posts: 1492
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline

I wish you only the best in your job search. I don't know what your expertise is but is it transportable into maybe other industries as a skill set?
You mentioned "contract" so it sounds to me as if you are possibly a consultant...If it is business related, maybe offering your services to "small businessmen" who could not afford to pay big fees for advice in difficult times might bring in some cash flow to you? Possibly writing smaller contracts, but more of them, might be the way to go in these difficult times for all of us.
I went the way of opening up my own business five years ago and understand how tough and how many hours you have to put in to make it pay off....which in these days means not too lose too much money. Good luck to you.

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 3

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 8:29:53 AM

TheHeretic

Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline

Move. Pack up and go where the jobs are. If you are legitimately stuck in place, find a need your skills are suited to, and fill it with your own small business.

Sorry. No magic answer.

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If you lose one sense, your other senses are enhanced.
That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 4

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 8:43:22 AM

bipolarber

Posts: 2792
Joined: 9/25/2004
Status: offline

Back in the 80's, when Reaganomics had depressed the economy, I was down to eating ramen five times a week, and the occasional tuna fish sandwich for protiens. I was being threatened with eviction from my apartment. (And the prospect of spending a Colorado winter sleeping in my car was not very appealing.) I finally realized that I wasn't going to be able to find a job at all. So, I started my own business. I borrowed $50 bucks from a friend, bought myself some buckets, some soap, rags, and a squeegee, had a box of cards printed up that read, essentially "Bipolarber, I do windows (phone number)" I went around to these one story outside strip malls, distributing the card, and asking if people needed their windows cleaned. The first day I was out, I'd distributed over fifty cards, and did five business' windows for $20 each. ( Immediately paid back my friend, and made a partial payment on my back rent.) Within a week, I was making more than enough to survive.

I did that for two years, until things picked back up again. At that point, I was able to find a job doing programming for a banking system.

Find your own income stream.

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Post #: 5

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 8:46:19 AM

housesub4you

Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
Status: offline

Man. it sucks out there. I was looking through the local paper near me and saw an Ad stating "no english skills required, only spanish speaking people need apply"

Only in this country could you not get hired for speaking the main language of a country

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 6

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 10:22:12 AM

cjan

Posts: 3513
Joined: 2/21/2008
Status: offline

I have a dear friend who I spoke with on the phone yesterday. She has many marketable job skills, having owned her own business designing and manufacturing clothes. She lives in central Florida in a county where the economy has sucked for some time. She can't move for various reasons, mostly family responsibilities. She's been unemployed for some time. She told me that she apllied for a 22 hour a week, $7 per hour job as a laundry attendant. You know, at a drop off service. The business owner told her that she literally, was overwhelmed with applicants for this job. She said that many of the applicants were men with college degrees who showed up in business attire. My friend considers herself to be lucky to be one of six "finalists" for this job.

Unfortunately, hers is not an isolated case. Unemployment is at an all time high where I live, as are foreclosures.Many businesses have closed and more are sure to follow.

Heretic, neither my friend, nor anyone I know expects a "magic answer". Hard times are here for many and it seems that things will get worse before they get better. It's a fact of life, sir. To expect folks to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they have no bootsraps is naive and, imo, callous. Also, it's easy to say when your own belly is full.

_____________________________

"I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A bird will fall ,frozen , dead, from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself."- D.H. L

" When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks in to you"- Frank Nitti

(in reply to housesub4you)

Post #: 7

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 10:29:01 AM

LadyHibiscus

Posts: 27124
Joined: 8/15/2005
From: Island Of Misfit Toys
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Ah, such hopeful news from everywhere...

I have to get a better job, I have to leave the company I am at, but I am not able to leave Michigan. Yes, the #1 foreclosure state. Do I go back to the incredible uncertainty of self employment? Do I retrain for something ELSE at my age, and with two master's degrees already? If I could only give up my health insurance...

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Post #: 8

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 10:33:35 AM

ThatDaveGuy69

Posts: 978
Joined: 6/22/2007
Status: offline

Moonvine
As a famous politician once said: "I feel your pain". I was also with my last company for 8 & 1/2 years. I was the MIS Manager, aka: Professional Computer Geek. I was making $80k/yr. I've been pounding the 'net for over 13 months now. I've been doing contract work, replacing PC's in retail stores. The house is in foreclousure and both cars have been repo'd. We've borrowed from everyone we know to keep the lights on and the kids fed. I'm in Chicago and while there are plenty of opportunities, the job market is really tough. I'm 45 and it seems all anyone wants are know-nothing college kids they can mold into their own little drones.

You're not alone. Be persistant. Be willing to settle for less if it means paying the rent.

~Dave

< Message edited by ThatDaveGuy69 -- 10/13/2008 10:35:52 AM >

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(in reply to cjan)

Post #: 9

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 10:39:29 AM

meatcleaver

Posts: 9030
Joined: 3/13/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: moonvine

I was at my last job for 8.5 years, lost that job in April, was on UE for 6 weeks, then found some contract work lasting 3 months. Unfortunately the contract is over, and I'm not having any luck finding anything that pays as much as I made 10 years ago.

Just wondering if anyone is in a similar boat and what they are doing about it....

I've lived in four different countries following work, it was difficult at first having to learn new languages but now I see my plight as an opportunity as it enriched my life and my brother lives and works in America. All thanks to Thatcher and even though her fucked up economics made me and my brother find pastures new and better, I still hate the fucked up bitch.

I still hope she dies a long slow painful death, along with a few other rightwingers I can think of.

< Message edited by meatcleaver -- 10/13/2008 10:41:03 AM >

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(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 10

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 11:10:00 AM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

iI think it depends on the work you can do.

undertakers and nursing homes are big.

(in reply to meatcleaver)

Post #: 11

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 11:13:58 AM

meatcleaver

Posts: 9030
Joined: 3/13/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

iI think it depends on the work you can do.

undertakers and nursing homes are big.

Well yeh, undertakers will always have business, especially in a slump with newly ruined capitalists topping themselves. Makes one want to smile.

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There are fascists who consider themselves humanitarians, like cannibals on a health kick, eating only vegetarians.

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Post #: 12

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 1:09:53 PM

TheHeretic

Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: cjan

To expect folks to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they have no bootsraps is naive and, imo, callous. Also, it's easy to say when your own belly is full.

           Naive? Sorry, CJ, but been there done that. 11 years ago I boxed up, sold or gave away everything that wouldn't fit in my $200 car and started over, 1000 miles away. It sucked. More recently, the 'get dirty every day' line of work I'd been in most of my working life experienced some steep declines in wages and percentage of workers who spoke English. Another big cut in pay for a while when I shifted into a completely different field I thought I might be suited to, with better prospects. That sucked to.

      Y'know something? A lot of people do want a magic trick to fix their problems. Lollipops with the uneployment check.  I'm glad we have the safety nets and programs we do (and could be running better). Been there, done that, too. It should not be a comfy hammock. I found the chickenshit of the system pretty motivational to drag out the individual initiative.

      No boots? You can get a surprisingly durable pair at Wal-Mart for about $25.  One can sleep 'til noon, and make that in afternoon of offramp panhandling.

     If my thoughts to the OP seem harsh, let me add a touch of sunshine. After a year and a half of the new job, I just started making 3/4 of what I was earning 5 years ago, instead of 1/2.

      It ain't easy, and it takes a while.





_____________________________

If you lose one sense, your other senses are enhanced.
That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.

(in reply to cjan)

Post #: 13

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 1:21:59 PM

cjan

Posts: 3513
Joined: 2/21/2008
Status: offline

No, no one says it's easy, life ain't. I just get tired of people saying that if you're poor/unemployed in this country, it's always your own fault. I know quite a few folks where that is simply not the case.

Heretic, I realize that you didn't say that in your post. I'm glad for you that , through your own efforts, you've been able to move on from previous difficulties. Good for you. All I'm saying is that, for various reasons, i.e., health, the economy, etc., many folks are between a rock and a hard place despite their own best efforts and due to no fault of their own. And, there is consensus amongst economists that things will get worse before they get better. In case you haven't noticed, the "safety nets and programs " that you refer to are gone. I happen to know people who are living that reality.

_____________________________

"I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A bird will fall ,frozen , dead, from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself."- D.H. L

" When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks in to you"- Frank Nitti

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Post #: 14

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 4:19:39 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

quote:

ORIGINAL: cjan

To expect folks to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they have no bootsraps is naive and, imo, callous. Also, it's easy to say when your own belly is full.

          Naive? Sorry, CJ, but been there done that. 11 years ago I boxed up, sold or gave away everything that wouldn't fit in my $200 car and started over, 1000 miles away. It sucked. More recently, the 'get dirty every day' line of work I'd been in most of my working life experienced some steep declines in wages and percentage of workers who spoke English. Another big cut in pay for a while when I shifted into a completely different field I thought I might be suited to, with better prospects. That sucked to.

     Y'know something? A lot of people do want a magic trick to fix their problems. Lollipops with the uneployment check.  I'm glad we have the safety nets and programs we do (and could be running better). Been there, done that, too. It should not be a comfy hammock. I found the chickenshit of the system pretty motivational to drag out the individual initiative.

     No boots? You can get a surprisingly durable pair at Wal-Mart for about $25.  One can sleep 'til noon, and make that in afternoon of offramp panhandling.

    If my thoughts to the OP seem harsh, let me add a touch of sunshine. After a year and a half of the new job, I just started making 3/4 of what I was earning 5 years ago, instead of 1/2.

     It ain't easy, and it takes a while.

OMG OMG- I did the same thing!

a $100 CAR. 640 miles tho. the date? September 14, 1988. When I drove off, I did not look back. I told myself not to.

You know what?

It was the best decision of my life. No joke.

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Post #: 15

RE: Job hunting in a down economy - 10/13/2008 5:07:29 PM

tweedydaddy

Posts: 673
Joined: 9/1/2008
Status: offline

I punched my last employer out and said goodbye to references and a spotless record, and a very nice house twelve years ago. With no references and at the wrong side of forty I soon realised that I would probably never get a normal job again. Since then I found three income streams and made them all into a survivable income. I had to make money any way I legally could.
I feel for you. Been there, Done that, took the beating life gave me and got up
I hope it works out for you.

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 16

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