Job Trouble: Anyone else feeling the heat? (1 Viewer)

[Charles Bober]

Well, I fell victim to government budget cuts and lost my job a few weeks ago. I've been working consistently as a contractor in the IT industry for 5 years and have never had trouble getting any job. So after I was laid off unexpectedly, I started an eager search for a new job. And now 3 weeks later, I haven't even had a sniff. Admittedly, there's just not much out there. It also seems that requirements for middle tier IT positions have increased dramatically with contract rates declining sharply. It's not like I'm a young guy just breaking into the business. I have some great skills and have been improving them consistently on the job and in the classroom (Cisco classes start this week.......and before I get busted, the classes were free).

So while I continue to search for IT jobs, I figured I could secure a position at a local home theater chain (Tweeter) to keep busy (I hate down time and despise being out of work). I go and apply today and to my surprise, I have to wait 5 weeks before the next training class even starts. I thought I'd go in today, get the job, and start Monday. I even explained my advanced home theater knowledge and what I could bring to the table. The snotty-nosed assistant manager didn't seem to give a shit.

I'm trying not to get discouraged but my money is running out quickly and I need work. Is anyone else here having the same trouble? Am I alone in this uphill battle?

 

[Scott L]

Even the college student looking for a summer job (like myself) is having trouble. I usually would have a job by now. :frowning: There just isn't a big selection like there used to be.

 

[Hugh M]

there are portions of the country where the economy is in an upstart I guess, but not here. in palm desert, ca. Home theater industry is pretty big out here, with many million-dollar plus homes, but those jobs are either being layed off, or locked in.

my stocks are down over 50%, so I can't do anything with that money either. I'm keeping the thermostat at a comfy 85F.

To tell you the truth I am afraid of another terrorist attack. Apart from the obvious, I think this would bring a margin call onto my etrade account, and totally destroy this tourism based valley out here.

 

[Joel Mack]

Charles,
I hear you, bro. I'm in nearly the same situation as you. I got laid off at the end of March, and have looked steadily since then. I've had a grand total of 2 phone interviews and 1 in-person interview. Fortunately for me, it looks like this most recent in-person interview is going to result in an offer. Unfortunately, it may be a significant cut in pay from what I was making previously. It's still plenty to live on, but no doubt will be a shock when I get that first check...
Good luck, and don't give up!

 

[Aaron Schmitt]

I too am feeling the heat. 7 months!!! of unemployment here, and only 2!!! interviews. I have around 2 years of help desk/network support/pc tech experience and just about a year of test experience (not to mention a comp sci degree), and I can't get hardly a bite. I'm planning on working on getting a couple of certifications to try to improve my situation, since a lot of jobs here are requiring some sort of certification. Hopefully I'll find something, the unemployment checks will be running dry soon.

Aaron

 

[Charles Bober]

Well, I don't feel so alone. But it sucks that we have such highly skilled labor in the best country in the world that cannot get work. Doesn't give much hope to others around the world if we can't get our act together.

Anyone else?

 

[Frank Anderson]

I am curious, is it preferred that if you don't find the job of choice you stay unemployed? or do you do something else until you find the right job?

 

[Carl Miller]

Not out of work yet, but under threat of work furlough....gov't speak for a temporary layoff where "temporary" is defined as anywhere from 1 to 7 months.

And we just bought our first house. Oh well, at least we made the first 3 of our 360 mortgage payments without a problem.

 

[Todd Hochard]

I figured I could secure a position at a local home theater chain (Tweeter) to keep busy (I hate down time and despise being out of work). I go and apply today and to my surprise, I have to wait 5 weeks before the next training class even starts. I thought I'd go in today, get the job, and start Monday. I even explained my advanced home theater knowledge and what I could bring to the table. The snotty-nosed assistant manager didn't seem to give a shit.

It's not training. It's a "re-education" process, where they teach you all the used-car salesman tricks. At least, that's my experience with Tweeter sales staff.
I hear IT is especially tough. I might be out of a job soon (possible closure of only major semiconductor plant in FL), but I'm not really worried. I feel like I could use a sabbatical to relax/rejuvenate/reinvent myself. Good thing my wife and I saved a butt-load of money over the years. And, thankfully, we had the fortitude to NOT buy the 3000sq ft. "trophy house" when all of our friends did. Hooray for reasonable cost of living!!
I really have no idea what I'd like to do, if this turns sour. Ultimately, I'd like to be my own boss, but doing what? I can't decide- it's like a mid-life crisis, but I'm only 32 (hey, I've always been a fast learner/overachiever ).
Good luck in whatever you find. How about a temp agency to "fill the gap?"
Todd

 

[Charles Bober]

Frank,

I think I answered that above in trying to gain employment at a home theater shop (i.e. alternative jobs). I'd have to sell my ass off to compensate for what I've been making the last 5 years though. But it doesn't make any sense if I take a low end job, not even in my career or skills path, that pays me 75% less AND I can't even pay my bills. Yes I've done the math. So what do you think? Take an immense pay cut and not be able to meet my bills......or keep searching for work in my industry? Not much of a difference, huh? Now you know how frustrated I am. Outside of a gas station or Walgreen's, I haven't had any options.

But I do want to work. It's difficult to work outside of your industry after spending 5 years building a career path, improving upon my skills, spending countless hours in the classroom, & spending even more countless hours on my own time learning the necessary skills to increase my worth. That's why I looked at the HT industry. I knew I wasn't going to get paid well initially but since I'm very knowledgable and have a passion for it, I said what the hell. I'll do this until the market rebounds. But this ain't happening either.

Keep the stories coming guys. Not to sound morbid, but you are making me feel better. I pray we all can get back to work and prosper soon.

 

[Evan S]

You guys are starting to scare me. I was laid off in early April and haven't started looking yet because I had to study for a killer work related exam (Chartered Financial Analyst Level II). I think the time off allowed me to pass with ease, and now I am looking full time. Thankfully I still have over 28 weeks of severance pay left to tide me over. Hopefully it won't take me that long to find another position. A bunch of my collegues who were laid off with me at the same time found jobs almost immediately. Hopefully I can get one within 8 weeks time. I work in the financial industry and Hartford isn't exactly a mecca for these types of jobs so time will tell. Good luck to all who visit this thread who are in the same boat as us all.

 

[Frank Anderson]

Charles,
The math for me does not add up. No job = no money. Crap job = some money.

 

[Aaron Schmitt]

Frank: I have been fortunate enough to be getting unemployment for 5ish months, so I do have barely enough to cover bills after deferring my student loan payments. I'm not trying to avoid work either. I have tried getting retail positions and the like, but they tend to act like I'm either overqualified, or that I don't have enough retail experience. I am waiting to hear (should have a phone interview tomorrow hopefully) about a very temporary contract position that might lead to something longer term, so hopefully that'll get me back on the employed side of things.

Aaron

 

[Larry Seno Jr.]

I've been unemployed for...I guess really since 9/26/01. I was working in the Building industry and new home sales plumetted EVERYWHERE. I haven't been able to get a SNIFF when it comes to IT. I even applied at a temp agency for IT (Which I consider pretty scraping as you get NO respect as a contract employee), still no dice. I have had ONE in person interview for a Sales position and that didnt pan out as I have no sales experience (Only 5 years of help desk and admin). I don't know WHERE the jobs are, I think companies are promoting from within so the only jobs you can get are shit jobs.

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Todd, I saw where you live and the fact that you might lose your job at a semi-conductor plant, so I figured you work for the same company as me...a quick look in the email list and sure enough, there you are.

Hopefully they'll keep some of you guys, I know my location is planning on using your fab for some of it's next gen parts, and I'm not sure what the plan is if your location gets sold.

As far as my job, I look ok for now, but you just never know...I've definitely been saving more money lately.

 

[Frank Zimkas]

I was laid off from the Aerospace biz in the earley 90's when peace broke out and no one hated communists anymore, and was basically unemployed for 19 months. 1.5 million Aerospace workers were laid off the same time that I was. I lost my house, filed for bankruptcy, and we (wife and newborn son)had to live with my parents.
I finally got a job that required a 160 mile round trip commute everyday, the pay sucked, the job sucked but it fed my growing family. I had a guy working for me that had been laid off from the same company as me and he was going to get into the HVAC trade. I thought about it and quit my job. I worked closer to home at 2 full time jobs, went to school 4 hours a night/4 days a week, and my daughter was born 2 months premature.
After completing my HVAC courses at the local Community College I worked for another contractor for about 5 years before starting my own company, that was 3 years ago.
Believe it or not, getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to me. I've got a great job and I will always be in demand. No one can tell me that I'm no longer needed, or that that my job has been eliminated due to corprate down sizing! Everyone needs heat in the winter, A/C in the summer, and of course cold beer year-round (I work on commercial refrigeration equipment also).
My point is...Try something else! You might find that losing your job was a blessing in disguise!
Good luck to all...I know what you are going through.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

The math for me does not add up. No job = no money. Crap job = some money.

Frank:

Two things.

1) Crap job = not enough money to live on (pay rent, mortgage, etc.) and only covers a few bills. So you still get evicted or lose your house, and you don't have the time to interview for a real job.

2) You're assuming that crap jobs are available. (I get this all the time from relatives - as though hundreds of people were offering me work and I was turning it down.) Almost every employer who advertises a job wants to see work history - a completed application or a resume. It is my experience that people with degrees, certifications and serious experience in the IT industry don't even get an interview for most crap jobs - because the HR person takes one look at the resume and says, "This person is going to work here six months until the economy improves, then quit to take another $60,000 a year IT job. Not worth wasting our time with." You can't get in the door because you're "over-qualified."

I've been looking for crap jobs, trust me. I've been looking for anything. Right now I'm working part time in a book store. It is the only non-IT job I ever got as far as the interview with, and I really had to convince them that I wanted it and wouldn't skip out at the first opportunity. I clear a cool $150 most weeks. My mortgage payment is $800. Even if I worked there full-time I'd only be taking home about $250. Do that math and tell a crap job makes more sense. Unemployment ran out for me a long time ago, and if I don't have a job by the end of this month I'm going to have to put my house on the market. If it doesn't sell by September, I'm probably looking at bankruptcy.

There is very little practical difference between a job that pays less than what you need to live on, and no job at all. Right now my job is keeping the power and phones on, and gas in the car so that I can look for work. Period. It is not a viable situation for anything but the extremely short run.

It isn't a matter of not looking for jobs outside the field. It is a combination of nobody outside the field wanting to hire people like me, and the extremely low pay in the few places that might give us a shot.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Ryan Wright]

Any of you I.T. guys have programming experience in the Linux kernel? We're looking for a Linux kernel programmer. Great benefits, great pay.

Email me privately if you're qualified and I'll send you the URL where you can apply.

 

[Danny Tse]

It's crunch time for me here at my government job. According to the California State Court of Appeals, if the California State government doesn't pass its budget by July 1st, State employees will be paid the Federal minimum wage, which is $5.15/hour. Great!! Just great!!

 

[Carlo_M]

Danny,
I wouldn't sweat too much over that. The Cal legislature always futzes around and gets close to not passing a budget, but they always do. And even if they don't make the deadline they pass admendments to keep paychecks in place until they do. I've had coworkers who have been employed by California for 40 years and they don't sweat it. I was a little freaked at first but they helped calm me down.
BTW, I feel your guys' pain. But this is one time where I'm glad I work for the state. I've often heard that I could be making anywhere from 10%-25% more in the private sector, but then when the economy fluctuates the pressure is on for private sector folks to perform. My state job is rather vital for my workplace and has been in place since time immemorial, so now when I have so many friends sweating it out I am sitting relatively comfortably in my underpaying state job.