The Economic Downturn Support Thread

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Pearl

Pearl

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I felt we could all use one.

I got the idea to start this because its been seven weeks since I graduated from grad school, and I am still unemployed. I send out 4 - 5, or more resumes almost everyday, and very rarely do I get a response. If I do, its the sorry, but we found someone else type.

I am freelancing a bit, or was. My supervisor told me this week that he needs to cut back, so I won't be hired too often.

I'm so desperate for a job, that I am willing to take some receptionist jobs just to pay the bills. Luckily, I live at home with my parents, so I don't have rent to pay. But I still need to pay for things, and my savings account is dwindling.

I'm sure this is the same story for some of you, or people that you know. These are really tough times, and who knows how long it will last. Any kind words or advice would be much appreciated - for me or anyone!
 
Only real advice I can give thats worked for me is to apply for jobs that arnt advertised. Ive applied to LOADS of jobs, most of which I was overqualified for anyway (retail type jobs), and my biology teacher told me about a healthcare assistant job I could do, as Im thinking of becoming a nurse. (It was mainly for the experience, to see if I really want to do nursing) So I went up and applied, and lo, I was accepted.

To think Ive never been able to get a job by myself without others help, yet the one time I did get a job it was in a hospital both confused and made me happy.

Only thing is, I dont know when I start, as Im waiting for a police check. I need to ring up about it actually.

In the meantime, Ive been trying to sell some of my junk to pay for stuff. Old video games etc. :shrug: Try having a car boot sale or putting some old stuff up on ebay or something.
 
Lila64 said:
Pearl - it's a tough time for a lot of us right now :sad: What field are you in?

Hang in there :hug:
Click to expand...

Thanks. :)

I'm in the media business, but I've also been searching for jobs in PR, marketing, and advertising. Hell, last night I applied for an entry level sales job.

A lot of media companies seem to be on a hiring freeze. My old company has not hired anyone for any department in nearly three months, and some of my old co-workers talk about the possibility of them being laid off.
 
:hug: It is a bad time to try and find a job right now. My advice is to keep trying and don't give up. I know you'll get something eventually.
 
Phil finished his second degree in December, which sucks b/c now he's certified to teach but who needs a new teacher halfway through the year? Also the public schools had a hiring freeze, so he got a job in a 5th grade that had 37 kids and were required by law to have another adult in the room, but b/c of the hiring situation, he's an "aid" and makes hourly pay which is shit. Luckily, they have to offer benefits and he can waive most of them for cash back. We can't complain though because just HAVING a job in this state puts you in a higher bracket. The unemployment is the highest in the coutry (13% in some counties) and there are only 3 jobs available for every 4 people so it's not like people are unemployed b/c they are lazy. The auto industry is in trouble and even people I know in high positions are scouting out jobs in other states.

It seems every other company is in a hiring freeze... we had one too and I work for a private college.
 
Liesje said:
It seems every other company is in a hiring freeze... we had one too and I work for a private college.
Click to expand...

I teach at a private college and have been informed that my contract will most likely not be renewed at the end of the year, despite the fact that I've been busting my ass and am a good teacher. At this point, I'm looking at full-time teaching jobs anywhere in the eastern half of the U.S. Most of the jobs this year are at community colleges, which I've stayed away from in the past because they typically carry a 5/5 teaching load--125 students :crack:

I've been going through a whole range of emotions lately. Mostly I've been angry, because I went to six years of grad school and worked myself into a mountain of debt in the process so that I'd be able to have job stability. There's always a need for college professors, right?

:banghead:
 
Pearl said:
I felt we could all use one.

I got the idea to start this because its been seven weeks since I graduated from grad school, and I am still unemployed. I send out 4 - 5, or more resumes almost everyday, and very rarely do I get a response. If I do, its the sorry, but we found someone else type.

I am freelancing a bit, or was. My supervisor told me this week that he needs to cut back, so I won't be hired too often.

I'm so desperate for a job, that I am willing to take some receptionist jobs just to pay the bills. Luckily, I live at home with my parents, so I don't have rent to pay. But I still need to pay for things, and my savings account is dwindling.

I'm sure this is the same story for some of you, or people that you know. These are really tough times, and who knows how long it will last. Any kind words or advice would be much appreciated - for me or anyone!
Click to expand...

Hang in there. One bit of advice which may be useful is that, as well as mailing out resumes, try to contact the firms directly, ie visit them or try to meet with someone. One it shows how keen you are, and two they put a face to the name. Can't hurt to try? Best of luck :up:
 
BonoIsMyMuse said:
I teach at a private college and have been informed that my contract will most likely not be renewed at the end of the year, despite the fact that I've been busting my ass and am a good teacher. At this point, I'm looking at full-time teaching jobs anywhere in the eastern half of the U.S. Most of the jobs this year are at community colleges, which I've stayed away from in the past because they typically carry a 5/5 teaching load--125 students :crack:

I've been going through a whole range of emotions lately. Mostly I've been angry, because I went to six years of grad school and worked myself into a mountain of debt in the process so that I'd be able to have job stability. There's always a need for college professors, right?

:banghead:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry that sucks. We are short on profs and I don't think the freeze affected faculty, just administrative staff (I work in the IT department). Our team is short two people (have been for years) so I have about a secure a job as I could in this state right now. The college is over budget, but most of the cut backs are not affecting me because I'm so low on the ladder (it's stuff like the college not paying for lunches and dinners when you are at training, not paying for you to attend conferences unless you are a speaker...). I'm not getting a raise any time soon but I'm lucky their too because my pay scale is determined by my training and credentials, so I have full control over getting done the things I need to do to move up a level. I haven't had time to put any effort into that and won't now since likely I will be done in June or August.
 
I got my masters this past August an have had a few interviews here and there but nobody hired me yet. I was in Washington DC in November for a interview and did not find out until January that they went with a more experienced person. How the heck you supposed to get more experience? I've had plenty. Experience, my ass. I am frustrated.

It is hard having a disability like i have and trying to find a job during times like these.

BUT.... Just this Friday, i got a phone call from another company in Wash DC that wants to interview me! woohoo. I'm excited but not trying to get my hopes up. Shortly after that phone message, I saw a Wash DC Plate on a car!!!! It's a sign.

Oh, for advice: I use www.indeed.com , www.careerbuilder.com , www.monster.com , www.dice.com, and www.usajobs.gov
 
It's getting really rough out there. I know so many people who have recently been laid off or forcibly retired.

I'm fine job-wise until the summer of 2010, and so I'm really hoping we start to see an uptick by then. :|
 
My company was purchased in April. At first, we were told that there will be plenty of jobs. Subsequent messages would take small steps down a long and painful slope. By the Fall, we knew that there was no way they would keep our management structure, and that a lot of us would be out on the street...we were just not sure when. We were assured that if you did lose your job, there would be an extended transition time. That dried up pretty fast too.

We went through a long process of filling out "profiles" (listing our accomplishments, career goals and places we would be willing to relocate) and preparing ourselves for what they called the "best athlete" process. They asked us to continue to perform at the outstanding rate we were performing at, and we should be good.

Despite the best performance the company has seen in years, the majority of us from the purchased company found out in mid-December that there would not be a spot for us in the "new" company. Out last days would vary. The majority of us found out on a conference call just after Christmas that our last day would be March 2.

Things get uglier and uglier at work as March 2 grows closer. There is a another group that has not been told anything, and continues to get disenfranchised as they see their coworkers get ready to leave.

Despite being given a March 2 date myself, I may have found a way to survive and even possibly THRIVE. I had an extremely positive call today with a director, and just need to wait for an offer (coming by the end of the week, hopefully).

Otherwise, March 2 will come, and I have already been working on other new opportunities. I really do not want to be "out there" right now.
 
:hug: to everyone in these scary scary times

have a very lovely friend who has, with her partner worked v v v hard over the years to get to where they want to be . . . bought a new home around november last year, don't have a huge mortgage but still small amount of debt to go along with it, have a new baby and a toddler . . . hubby laid off just before christmas and still no luck . . . 10 people from his smallish firm all laid off within days of each other . . . other friends with husbands in the high end of town who were all asked to take holidays over the australian christmas holiday period and have yet to be asked to return . . . cousins who's car manufacturing plants have been closed down . . . they all have kids and mortgages and all the rest . . . its just ugly

again :hugs: and strength to everyone
 
My dad escaped a 50 person layoff today at his specific plant (National Semiconductor). I think 25% of the company has been laid off so far. :sigh: To make things worse, they're moving tons of people from the Texas plant up here to the Maine one. Things are gonna get messy. :sad:
I'm stressed out. :( My friend's dad lost his job about a month ago but luckily got his older job back.
Scary, scary times we're in indeed. :hug:
 
^ it is scary for sure and it still does my head in that some people just don't seem to be affected (should that be effected :shrug: ) . . . we live in a pretty affluent area (so we are definitely in the minority cuz affluence seems to have bypassed us :lol:) and a while ago (when the world wide market slump first seemed to hit big) I was sitting in the local shopping centre eavesdropping on all the 'coffee morning mums' . . . one lady was bitching that they may have to sell one of their properties in order to get through the next 12 months . . . and another was whinging that Mauritius was off the agenda and they'd have to slum it in Fiji or Bali for holidays this year . . .:angry:

I appreciate that everyone becomes accustomed to a certain lifestyle but when people can't afford to pay their energy bills or their mortgages or their food bill and I hear someone whinging about holidays . . . :rant:

Having said all that, I do believe that things will get better . . . lived through the 80's recession in Australia (don't know how my parents managed but they did) and survived the little blip in the 90's as well . . . as long as we all remember to look out for each other it will all be good :yes:

continued :hug: :pray: peace to everyone out there . . . take care yeah?
 
zonelistener said:
Despite being given a March 2 date myself, I may have found a way to survive and even possibly THRIVE. I had an extremely positive call today with a director, and just need to wait for an offer (coming by the end of the week, hopefully).
Click to expand...

UPDATE: I survived the March 2 date. I was offered a position within the company, and am now commuting weekly until my job moves to the new headquarters in yet another city. We met with our Realtor tonight to work on getting our place on the market. There is no doubt we will lose money, but we would have lost money if I had lost my job. So, I will take the job. :)

I feel so blessed. To come out of this with not only a job, but the job I got,is AMAZING. Especially with the timing.

This may be a DREAM job...I am hoping we will find out more about a "potential" client tomorrow.

DREAM job. :D
 
:applaud:

Congrats, Zonelistener!

I got a job interview tomorrow, so cross your fingers, pray, send vibes to me in hopes that I nail it and am offered a position!
 
zonelistener said:
UPDATE: I survived the March 2 date. I was offered a position within the company, and am now commuting weekly until my job moves to the new headquarters in yet another city. We met with our Realtor tonight to work on getting our place on the market. There is no doubt we will lose money, but we would have lost money if I had lost my job. So, I will take the job. :)

I feel so blessed. To come out of this with not only a job, but the job I got,is AMAZING. Especially with the timing.

This may be a DREAM job...I am hoping we will find out more about a "potential" client tomorrow.

DREAM job. :D
Click to expand...

:up:
 
zonelistener said:
UPDATE: I survived the March 2 date. I was offered a position within the company, and am now commuting weekly until my job moves to the new headquarters in yet another city. We met with our Realtor tonight to work on getting our place on the market. There is no doubt we will lose money, but we would have lost money if I had lost my job. So, I will take the job. :)

I feel so blessed. To come out of this with not only a job, but the job I got,is AMAZING. Especially with the timing.

This may be a DREAM job...I am hoping we will find out more about a "potential" client tomorrow.

DREAM job. :D
Click to expand...

:hug: that's sensational and must be a huge weight off your mind :up: best of luck with the relocation . . . hope its all relatively smooth sailing for you from here on in :)
 
All 1st and 2nd year employees are looking down the barrel of a pink slip. I've been in the district for 10 years so I think I'm pretty much guaranteed a position - just maybe not my desired position (ie: the position I went to 7 years of college for and have been doing for the last 13 years).
 
Guess what people?

I GOT A JOB with a Govt agency under Dept of Defense in Wash DC metro area :) Was looking for 6 months and finally got a job.

I found out last Friday the 13th!! Lucky number 13 for me!

I have to go through a 6 month security clearance and then I have to wait anywhere from a week to a month for an opening. I have just been celebrating in times like these.
 
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