[Roark123]

I had to change employers (old employer was bought out), but found it easier to find a new job than would I have expected.

If you were recently in the job market, what was your experience?

[Night Runner]

I am this board's self-appointed patron saint of unemployment, so I guess I'm qualified to respond.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Depending on your state's unemployment situation (the official figure for Nevada is around 11%), you might be able to find a job sooner rather than later. It's almost always possible to find a job. The only question is whether it's something you could stand to do day after day... For example, motels are always looking for somebody to clean their rooms and deal with the unbelievable mess their customers leave behind. Restaurants and other food establishments are almost always on the lookout for dishwashers (a very ungrateful job that pays around minimum wage). The list goes on and on...

As for moi, my current gig is as a temp at the local Amazon warehouse. I found it just before Thanksgiving - their busiest season was coming up, and they were hiring everyone with a pulse and semi-reliable transportation.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[ziggeee]

I have been unemployed twice during this recession. First time was because I had just graduated from college: it took me about 3 or 4 months to find a job. Then I got laid-off from that job six months later and it only took me one week to find my next job. I attribute it to a little bit of good luck and and a whole lot of hard work.

[Warrior]

I haven't actually changed jobs in a long time, but I periodically look for positions elsewhere to see if a company might be a better fit for me in some way. Sometimes this goes as far as interviewing and receiving an offer. I haven't found it too hard to find open positions in my industry and, more specifically, within my specialty in the industry. I've rejected all the offers I've received for one reason or another, but finding an opening in the somewhat narrow field I am looking hasn't been a problem.

[NoStoneUnturned]

I heard that it's just hard to find a job if you are without a degree and/or work-experience. Also, males (of such class) were hit the hardest too, I heard.

In the end, it makes me wonder if it was all part of some government conspiracy to crash it’s economy so that more people (under-educated males) would join the military. But that’s just my INTP side coming out and I don’t seriously believe that.

[SimplyOtter]

A nightmare.
The thing that drives me insane is how ads are written...I don't even understand the job titles anymore...

Mid-Weight Front-end Developer.
Director of Practice and Regions.
Team PA with Projects.

what the hell does it mean, exactly? what do you have to DO?
do they feel sophisticated and "avant garde", just cause the rest of the world feels silly reading their ads?

Im quite lucky as a I have just a couple of keywords to search, but what if I was an important manager eh? I wouldn't even know if they are looking for me...
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Forgive the rant.

[Monte314]

I changed companies in August, but I'm still doing the same thing. I just got tired of the problems associated with being in a big company, so I decided to switch.

I'm an old geezer who is well known in my field. Lot's of groups have recruited me in the past, so I thought about who I wanted to to work for, and sent them an email saying I was ready to make a switch if they would make me Chief Scientist, match my current salary, and let me work at home (I do math all day). I got an immediate offer, which I accepted.

[phej]

I switched companies in May 2008 (I began my interviewing in Feb/March of the year). From what I understand, the company had slushed hiring right around the same time I was hired on 2008. So I consider myself lucky. (I was terribly frustrated with the old job; I probably would've just quit the old job w/o finding a new one if interviewing didn't pan out.)

[Malkavia]

Havent even graduated yet and a couple of people I know have offered me jobs.

[Taylored]

I changed my job recently with relative ease. I changed industry and took a bit of a cut in pay, but jobs are available to those who have ability and are able to market themselves. People just need to be reasonable in their exspectations.

[Josephine1012]

I got laid off in October of 2008, right after the whole Bail Out hoopla. People were panicking, etc. I started interviewing immediately, but every interview I had was set up via my network of friends and acquaintances. Both of my interviews rendered the same thing, they really liked me and they wanted me to wait out their temporary hiring freeze. I finally got a job with a very large quasi-government agency in December 2008, roughly 5 months later they also went into hiring freeze. I consider myself very very lucky.

[Monte314]

Yes; never underestimate the value of personal contacts (friends, family, church, clubs). If an employer has 150 resumes on her desk for one position (not unusual), one way to get yours moved to the top is to get someone who knows you inside the organization to give her a good word about you.

Hiring mistakes are costly to employers in many ways; a favorable word from a trusted employee greatly decreases the boss's chances of hiring a "dud" who looks good on paper or interviews well. This kind of recommendation is money in the bank.

It's even better if you know the boss yourself. Are there business owners at your church, club, or hobbyist group? Ask them whether they have a spot for you. If they don't have openings, do they have friends who are in business that they would be willing to put in a good word with for you?

Work your network; there's probably more opportunity there than you think.

[Doppelbock]

A year and a half ago, I landed a great job at Johnson Space Center, after spending the first 20+ years of my career in the defense/intelligence community. I would never have thought it possible, given my lack of experience in manned space flight, but here I am. The company I work for likes to occasionally hire people with experience from other industries, which in this case worked in my favor.

[MassHysteria]

It's proving very difficult for me, I'm afraid :/ I've been unemployed for about three months. It feels like all my leads are dried up and I'm out of places to look. My lack of people skills don't help--especially in Tennessee. I'll be okay for a little while longer, but this is getting scary.

[Causa Mortis]

	Originally Posted by MassHysteria To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	It's proving very difficult for me, I'm afraid :/ I've been unemployed for about three months. It feels like all my leads are dried up and I'm out of places to look. My lack of people skills don't help--especially in Tennessee. I'll be okay for a little while longer, but this is getting scary.

Be afraid. The current Fed Chief is infinently more concerned with the balance sheets of Wells Fargo than he is with unemployment or inflation. He's bad, his focus is questionable, and he has no balls except for when it comes to bailouts.

[Brittle]

Being in Australia, I'm not sure if my experience to the US market is that valid, but having spent the last 6 years out of work for health reasons, and the 3 years preceding that working as a temp, I found a new full-time job ridiculously easily.

I probably applied for 7 jobs in all, rejected one job-offer because the manager conducted an "over the phone" interview and came off as a complete meglomanic moron, interviewed for 2 others - one of which I was offered....

...well, kind of.... I talked myself out of the advertised job and into something better.


Finding work has never really been difficult for me however and I think that comes down to researching the company, tailoring my CV, and not "trying too hard" at the interview. I've always found that rather than putting on a "professional interview face" which really obsures most people's real personality (I've also been on the other side of the table plenty of times), I behave as if I'm with friends and keep it fairly light. It may not be the traditionally recommeded way - but it always seems to work for me.

[thiagofralves]

I was on an intern before I went to my exchange program and when I came back I had go through all that again.

I can say that it was easier to get a job the second time... I knew what people like to hear and all that stuff. I was even in a position to turn down a job which didn't seem nice to me. So it was quite easy.
The first time around was quite hard... it took some months and I had no experience on interviews, so I made lots of mistakes.

[plotthickens]

I temped before choosing. This allowed me income and an overview of possibilities. Yeay!

[Nameless]

	Originally Posted by NoStoneUnturned To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I heard that it's just hard to find a job if you are without a degree and/or work-experience. Also, males (of such class) were hit the hardest too, I heard,

I'm in that class and it is really hard. Jobs around my area are all "oh, you must have ___ experience and are the kind that require a degree. Lot of manager positions." I've never even had a job.

[KHBaker]

Well, about three years ago the company I had worked 21 years for was bought out. The new owners didn't seem to be too closely tethered to reality. At the time the sale was announced (July) I was working on a project for a customer I'd known for almost twenty years. He said "Need a job?" I declined at the time. A couple of months after the sale finalized (February) I called him up and said "About that job . . . " I went to work for him in March of '07. The new company was purchased about a year and a half after I came on board. There were some changes in upper management. The bottom fell out of the economy. We didn't have much work to do. The guy who hired me left the company. Management decided about four months later that it didn't really need our division and laid everyone in my department off Dec. 7. I've been unemployed for six weeks. I start a new job Monday. Getting interviewed and hired in this economy over the Christmas/New Years holiday period was fairly tough, but I managed. Then again, it's a small market, I have work experience and a good reputation. I figured I'd be working before 1/31/10, and I am. Thankfully.

[cmrain]

I have relied on recruiters unsuccessfully for quite some time now, since April. If I don't land something decent in the next 6 months or so, I may have to make a geographic move of some sort. I have a good network of references and a strong resume.

Alternatively, I might try submitting my resume directly to a company without going through a recruiting firm. That is an idea. In a different economy, it doesn't seem like it would take much to get a job. But right now, the corporate world doesn't appear to be doing much hiring.

I am dense as all hell when it comes to starting a career. It is quite pathetic.

[Luminates]

Iv'e had numerous problems when it comes to just finding a job. I'm currently 18 so i'll graduate here soon, I do plan on going to college since its considered a requirement now, especially if I want a Decent paying job.
Anyhow, the reason it's so hard to me is because I have to hold a job with a certain range of hours, and I won't be able to work a lot in one week since I have school and such. many current hiring areas are looking for people who has a wide range or multiple options when it comes to work hours, putting me in the slump. Many places are also looking for people with the most experience, yet again putting me in last as an option.
It's not that I need a job right now, and I guess my Laziness is a factor, but it would be nice if I could get one soon before its too late.

[Luciferi]

I've been lucky enough to have had a job since graduating from college without having to look for one. My bf, however, has been unemployed for nearly a year and has few prospects. There are not a lot of jobs available in his field in a good economy and even fewer when states are cutting environmental programs out of their budgets. I think he could easily be without a job for another year or two unless he wants to start looking into other fields.

[Hallow]

It was very difficult in fact it is still difficult however I am at a handicap compare to most of you. When I was still in high school many people thought I was lazy and just didn't bother to look for a job. But the truth is they are just full of shit and like to assume without reasonable facts. It was back in 2003-2004 that's when I realize the economy was falling greatly.

I'd applied at every place that was willing to hire people my age. Even places that I consider beneath me (fast food) yet I didn't get a single call. I manage to get hired seasonal at a clothing store for 3 months before they let me go. So I worked hard and finish High School early in 2005. Thinking that with a High school diploma I could land a job.

Nothing.... But like one poster said it's good to have connections and I luck out and had one. I got hired as a supervisor (I became manager) at a jewelry store however it was ridiculous working 7 days a week open to close. I couldn't follow my dreams and I wasn't going to do this forever. Tried applying for the military so I could go to college but for some reason I never managed to past the ASVAB even though I score a 75 on the practice numerous times. << This was in 2005-2006

Eventually had enough and move, was unemployed until 2007. And that's when the world knew the economy was falling. Been working at a crappy retail store going on 3 years now. I've tried applying at a lot of places but they won't pay be anything close to what I make right now. Did I mention that I only work part time because no one wants to hire full time anymore. My hours have also been cut and the places that I can get more hours at will hinder my personal goals and career.

A close friend of mine urges me to go to college, he does so often in an irritating way. What he doesn't understand is I can't obtain financial aid until I am 24. Also in order for me to get a student loan I need a co-signer or wait until I am 24. This is garbage! So college is out of the question. In horrible irony back in high school I was studying for computer science and took as many courses related to that subject.

Well you know how computer related fields turn out in the U.S . But anyway I'll stop with my depressing story and reveal the pros to this.

- I became a man, not just any man but the man I wanted to be
- Working in retail help me with my social skills and at the time lack of self esteem.
- After landing my job in retail I can invest my time in my career
- Due to the recession I've met many different types of people working at my company. From teachers to people with master degrees (yes I said master degrees). Learned their views made good friends.
- A friend at my company introduce me to MBTI. Turns out my friend was an ENFP, and I well you know this already. How interesting 2 rare individuals together.

[Luciferi]

Not to sound rude or anything, but do you think your inability to find a decent job might have anything to do with the fact that you don't seem to have a very good grasp on the English language? Since your profile says you are from North Carolina, I would assume you are probably American and English is your native tongue. Correct me if I'm wrong. However, I don't think I would hire someone, not even to work at a fast food place or retail store, who struggled to conjugate basic verbs. If that is how you speak in real life, you may not be making a very good impression on the people who interview you and it could be seriously hindering your chances at getting good paying jobs.