Job Hunting

[DrFaroohk]

Here's a few things that irk me about job hunting...

1) The "Get a job" myth. You don't "Get" a job. You apply for a job, and if the manager likes your application, you get hired. You can "get" a pack of cigarettes. You just go in and ask for them and you get them. Jobs are a little harder to come by. I can't force someone to give me a job.

2) The math. My wife works too, so if I get a job, one of two things has to happen. Put the kids in daycare, or she quits. So if I see a job that pays 250 a week, well guess what it's 300 a week for the day care. Or we lose her income if she quits her job and stays home. McMinimum Wage Jobs are not really an option for me.

3) I could work nights, but this isn't the middle of dallas where shit is open all night. Within 30 miles in either direction of me is a Circle K, but I can't work there for some bullshit reasons. The grocery stores don't do enough business to need to have overnight stockers. For more information, see #1.

4) Qualifications. Yay, I see an ad in the paper for a Journeyman Oil Burner Technician! Look here, a qualified X-Ray Tech! The big time law office is hiring Paralegals with full certification! Teachers! Doctors! Electricians!

I CAN'T DO ANY OF THOSE JOBS! For whatever reason you want to pick I have no education, no special skills in those areas. Seriously it's a waste of time and resources just taking the first steps in those departments. In other words, quit pointing these jobs out to me!!!!

5) I am not a bum. I am a full time parent. I'm sorry it doesn't pay very well, and I'm not awesome at the job, but I do what I can and honestly it's the best situation for us right now. Mrs. Faroohk is a social creature and must be out of the house or she gets clinically depressed, and Dr. Faroohk is an introverted creature with emotional problems that severely inhibit his ability to take orders, follow directions and make important decisions. Henceforth, I stay home, am my own boss, I keep the kids pretty well taken care of and I don't sweat the small stuff here.

The day a job that's worth it, available and feasible comes along, I'll be right on it, but until then, why force it with shit that aint gonna work? Remember the first step to failure is trying!

[muses_nightmare]

I've been job hunting for something in my field for months now, at this point I am going to have to go find something else, but I get sick of people pointing out jobs to me that I'm not qualified to do. My mom likes to do this, she'll send a link that says it's for a graphic designer, great, I read the description and it's for a web designer (which by the way is another pet peeve of mine web designer =/= graphic designer). Or hell my career advisor keeps sending web job leads, which I don't have much training or skill in.

I also need to have a job that pays at least $10 - $11 an hour, which in regular retail jobs is difficult to find. So I so understand the whole annoyance with being told to "get a job".

[Andara Bledin]

Seems to me that stay-at-home parent is a job.

It costs $X per week to put a kid in daycare, so I figure that's what your "wage" equals, right?

^-.-^

[Mytical]

Heck a stay at home parent is a much harder job then what I have. No chance for advancement, higher wages, etc.

Respect.

[HYHYBT]

Wait, you're not employed anymore?

(Well, obviously not...)

What happened with... what was it, something to do with fish and wreaths?

I've just gotten a job, by the way. Not that, if the first week is any reliable indicator, it's worth bothering with beyond the enjoyment and being able to show that I do have one... I mean, I *like* it, at least so far. Never done pizza delivery before. And I know I applied for part time... but 13 hours a week?

[DrFaroohk]

Yep. Fired from fish factory. For being stupid. Layed off from wreath making. Season only lasts a few weeks.

[Rageaholic]

Yeah job hunting sucks the big one. I've just gotten back on that train and I'm not happy knowing I'll have to fill out 20 more applications just to hear back from someone.

The latest one I filled out had about 50 questions about my qualifications, skills, and experience. They were all very specific questions reminding me that I have no job experience to show for (other than volunteer work years back). And knowing that there's probably millions more qualified than I am is even more discouraging.

For those reasons, the "get a job" myth is one big berserk button for me.

[guywithashovel]

I know what you mean. I have a job now, but I went through a pretty frustrating job hunt before I found it. I graduated from grad school in August of 2008, so I pretty much got thrown into the labor force at the cusp of the financial meltdown. But after sending out dozens of resumes and filling out tons of applications I finally happened upon this job, and I've been thankful for it ever since.

What made it even worse is that some employers in my field get overly particular. I'm a librarian, and in order to get a job as a librarian, you generally need one of the following master's degrees: M.L.S. (Master of Library Science), M.L.I.S. (Master of Library and Information Science), or an M.S. in Information Science. I have an M.L.I.S., but some job descriptions asked for a second master's degree on top of the library science one. This happened a lot with subject specific academic library jobs (e.g. a social science librarian or humanities librarian). Now THAT was frustrating.
I can't tell you how many times I wished I could just "get" a job in the same manner that I would "get" a cup of coffee or a gallon of milk.

[KellyHabersham]

I can relate somewhat.......am still having to explain to people from church (although I do get this from other people) that I can't just "go out and get another part-time job". I know they mean well, but it gets old having to explain for the umpteenth time that I have transportation and availability issues.......and with the staffing situation in my work area at the library being what it is, I don't have flexibility with my schedule.

[anakhouri]

We did the same thing, the money I made at the bookstore would barely cover day care costs, so I stay home now. And trust me, it's the hardest job I ever did, and I worked on a farm! When I cover shifts at the bookstore it's like a freaking vacation.

[NateSean]

Pitching in my two cents.

6: Believe it or not, calling every day so that you can "show them you're interested" only works in places where they are definitely hiring. And continuing to call them only irrititates them.

7: Filling out an online application is not a guarantee that the place I am applying to is hiring, or that they will even call me for an interview.

8: If you're going to promise me that you'll give me a reference, please don't get surprised that I am pissed at you when you failed to return my prospective employer's call. (double points if that person's reference was the clincher in you getting the job)

[Rageaholic]

NateSean: That's why I always make sure the place I'm applying to is hiring. Though it never hurts to apply at a place, it does take up a good 30-60 minutes (especially if it's online). Places like Indeed.com have been very handy in pointing me to good opportunities. Unfortunately, I still haven't had much luck.

[Andara Bledin]

8: If you're going to promise me that you'll give me a reference, please don't get surprised that I am pissed at you when you failed to return my prospective employer's call. (double points if that person's reference was the clincher in you getting the job)

Damn. What fuckers.

My job actually gives former employees letters of recommendation when they let people go.

Well, except for the thieves. They usually just get to leave without getting arrested, if they're lucky.

^-.-^

[muses_nightmare]

I tend to get people who tell me to go in person to apply, this may work with retail stores, or other jobs of that sort but I've been told by several people in the field, people that run design firms even, that most of the time they prefer potential employees to send e-mails, they're usually busy for one so someone stopping by to apply and show a portfolio takes time out of their day, and if they can just click a link to see a portfolio it takes a lot less time than going through a physical portfolio.

[Andara Bledin]

For jobs in professional fields, it'd be rude to just show up without at least an appointment. Not exactly a great first impression.

For unskilled labor, however, where being a warm body who can make it to work every day is more important, then it might be advantageous to show up in person. Although more and more locations are centralizing their hiring process online, for good or ill, so showing up in person ends up being a waste of time.

In either case, a call to the company first would be in everybody's best interest.

^-.-^