Just need to ventSo here's my story: Two days before Thanksgiving last year (2006), my entire company was called into a conference room for an "all employee meeting." At this time we were all told that the parent company was closing our facility effective December 2007. Initially we were all told that if we wanted to relocate to the home office in another state, there would be a position waiting for us. As it turns out, they had absolutely no intention of keeping most of us. A few people have been courted and given generous offers, but the rest of us are on our own. Anyway, that very day I started actively looking for a new job. Over the last 7 months, I have sent my resume out countless times and have had 4 interviews. I have had no offers. I happen to be in a not so unique position of being overqualified (educated) but under experienced. I have 3 degrees, BLS, AA, AA of Criminal Justice. I have been in my current position for 3 years. I work in an office now but all the rest of my jobs have been "joe jobs" that I worked while in college and stuff. The way I see it, there are only about 3 types of jobs for those of us who aren't doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. Those 3 types (in order of jobs available) are customer service (retail, mostly), industrial (manual labor) and office jobs. Since I have just spent the last few months and several hundred dollars being treated for plantar fasciitis and heel bursitis, I'm scared to death of having to stand on my feet all day doing retail or factory work. I also have this problem where I totally hate people. I like individuals but I HATE people. Anyone who ever worked in retail probably understands the difference. If I could just sit alone in a room and do whatever work I'm supposed to do and then go home at 5 I'd be happy as a clam. If I have to stand all day and deal with people, I will probably sink into a deep depression. Well, I'm halfway there as it is now. According to my mother in law (who apparently is in the know) there are really only 3 employers in this area worth working for: the State (at the DOT), the Univerisity, and the local utilities company. They must be so great to work for because they are so exclusive. I'm starting to think they are harder to get into than elite Hollywood clubs. Twice I've made it to the "qualified candidates" list at the DOT, but then after I filled out a mountain of paperwork for them, I've never been called for an interview. The University has had about 7 postings that I was qualified for and applied to, they've never called. And the utility company? Two months ago I applied to some posting online. Last month they called me in to take a typing and Word/Excel proficiency test, all of which I passed. Then they called me to schedule an interview in 2 weeks. I had the interview, I thought it went well, then in 2 weeks, I got a rejection email. They didn't even xerox a form letter to mail to me, they just emailed me. I think that's just as rude as being broken up with on a Post-It. I even had the courtesy to mail them a thank you card after my interview. Anyway, after they rejected me, I took it pretty hard. I really wanted the job, it was perfect for me, I would have been great at it, and the pay was a little better than I make now (which is crap, by the way). A depression that has been welling up inside me has finally come to a head. I made an appointment with a clinical psychologist for this Monday. I wanted to get in sooner, but what can you do? I don't really know what I expect to get out of it. I have no intention of making a long term commitment to therapy and I don't think I need drugs. Although to tell you the truth, if I could just take something now and then and just zone out, I would. I am feeling really bad about myself lately. Like, why doesn't anyone want to hire me? I'm educated, competent, and despite my hatred for people, am genuinely friendly and outgoing. Other than my job situation, I am pretty content with my life. But the stress of trying to find a new job is starting to make other aspects of my life not so good. I have a wonderful loving and supportive husband. He thinks it's his job to take care of me so he should be able to make me feel better. He does when I'm sad, but he can't fix this. Not unless he can start earning double his salary so it wont' matter that I can't get a job. By the way, he has no degree and makes $3 more an hour than I do. I'm starting to feel like I have no future except as a 30 year old check out girl at the grocery store. Oh wait, they wouldn't hire me because I'm overqualified. Don't employers understand that regardless of qualifications and job satisfaction, everybody's got bills to pay? When someone says what are your career goals, the first thought that comes into my head is "to get an effing job!" I'm 28, so I'll be in the workforce (if someone will hire me, that is) for at least another 40 years. What I want is a job that I can go to every morning without wanting to kill myself on the way that pays decently. 40 years is a long time to be miserable for the majority of your day every day. I don't have to have a dream job, just one that is ok. If I can feel good about myself and the job I do, can pay the bills and am not suicidal, I don't really care that I don't have the perfect job that makes the rainy days sunny or anything. I'm getting really scared now after having read these boards. I feel better that I'm not alone, but I'm really scared by how long some people have been out of work. I've been looking for 7 months and it seems like an eternity, I don't know how I would handle being out of work for 2 or 3 years. I wish to God I hadn't bought the lie that a college degree is a the golden key to a wonderful future and that I had just gone to a trade school and learned a skill instead. This is a very valuable lesson to teach your children people. If you don't KNOW that you want to be a doctor, lawyer, etc, DON'T waste all that time going to a University. Learn a skill instead. I wouldn't be in this mess if I had become an electrician or something. Hindsight is always 20/20. Anyway, I know this was a long post, but I really needed to get some of this off my chest. I know lots of you can probably relate. Good luck to all of you in your job search. Hello, While I certainly understand your cynicism, I could not disagree with you more about the value of an education. A college education is not about getting a skill it is all about stretching your mind and getting you ready for life. If you learn a skill and that skill becomes useless, you are screwed; you have nothing else to fall back on. With an education, you learn the ability to mold what you have and apply it to many employment opportunities. Regarding the difficulty you are having searching for a job, you must live in a small town or small city with not a great deal of industry. You may need to consider moving to a larger metropolitan area that has jobs and is growing. I know where I live in Boston, without a good education you will have difficulty getting a well paying, interesting job. With an education, and certainly some experience, the picking is yours. Bill Thanks for your perspective. I didn't mean to suggest that an education is meaningless, just that if it isn't focused, it doesn't really get you anywhere. I know lots of "stuff," but that doesn't pay the bills. I also recognize what you say about moving. However, that is out of the question. My husband and I rent a house from his parents (it was his grandma's) at a fraction of what a one bedroom apartment would cost us. We can't afford to pay higher rent, and therefore, cannot afford to move. Yeah, when you live near a University, everybody has a degree (making yours worthless) and the cost of housing is outrageous. We live about 45 miles away from a bigger city, but also cannot afford to commute that far. > I'm starting to feel like I have no future except as a 30 year old check out girl at the grocery store. Honey, you're that young? Your message made you sound like you were in your 50s. Young people do not talk about their medical conditions; they don't even bring them up. I see what half your battle is right here: you present yourself like a frumpy old woman. I'd bet money even if you look good on paper you're messing up somewhere in the application/interview process. See, that's why places like these can actually be helpful. Other people can point out stuff that's wrong with you that would never even occur to you. Although honestly, I feel that my feet problems are extremely relevant, they're why I can't take retail or industrial jobs. People have always thought I was older than I am because of the way I speak, and I write the way I speak. Actually both of my sisters have the same problem. It used to get my older sister in trouble, and my younger sister is often accused of being a know-it-all. I've been called an elitist. I have a nose ring and a tongue ring (which I of course NEVER wear to an interview) and I know I'm going to have to say goodbye to them soon, but I'm reluctant because I feel like it's finally kissing my 20's goodbye forever. They're all I've got left. Honey (no slight intended, I'm an old lady) if you read any of my posts you will see that I, along with many others, share your pain. You do have the advantage of youth on your side. I am 52. I have my BBA, law degree, admission to 2 state bars, and several years of great work experience, but have been unemployed for 3 yrs., 9 months. In desperation, I applied at Wal-Mart in Dec. '05. Surprise, they called me for an interview and hired me. My interviewer did not even know I was an attorney, though my experience, education, bar admissions were clearly typed on my resume and the job application. I think that being literate and passing the pee test will get anyone hired. Literacy, however, is not that important based on my observation of others during orientation. I assisted some of the others with their paperwork, one person did not know the name of the city or county we were in; however, the space she was putting the name of the county in actually said country. I finished the computer-based-training in record time. They were amazed. Whoopee. After a few hours at the cash register, and bagging items, I wan't able to stand up due to lower back problems. I quit after 3 days. I agree, with your "foot problems" standing for extended periods of time will probably exacerbate the condition unless/until they improve or heal. Nothing against your advisors, but until they have walked in your shoes and tried out their own advice, they have no idea how difficult the job market is. My dear mother insists that "the state of TX will get you a job." I asked her to give me the telephone number so I could call the magician she believes will hand me a job, but she didn't have an answer. (I did not ask her in that sarcastic manner, however) Yes, unless you are applying for jobs where the nose and tongue rings are commonplace, it is best not to wear them until after you get the job. Appearance should not matter if you are qualified for a job, but people making the decisions make appearance-based judgements routinely. Small towns provide fewer options. State, county and municipal government jobs are very competitive, contrary to popular belief. There is nothing wrong with speaking and writing correctly. Proper grammar and writing skills are becoming increasingly rare, they indicate literacy, not elitism. Don't lament the loss of your 20s. You are still very young. The best years of my life were my 30s! They will be for you, just persevere! As soon as I get a job, I am getting a tattoo, my first. It will be located in a discreet place. It's going to say "FREEDOM." The cycle of unemployment has been a miserable, vicious trap, when it finally ends, I will celebrate my freedom, and cherish it. I plan to get my second tattoo when I once again own my own home; it will say, of course, "home sweet home." Here's the thing. You've got degrees. 2 AA and some sort of BS. Honestly, I've no clue what a BLS is, so I'm assuming that's a BS in something or other. The only one that anyone would be interested in would be the BS. The real question is, what SKILLS do you have? What did you train in? What experience do you have? What jobs have you had? That's where you need to focus and then focus your job search accordingly. In 7 months, you should be able to find another generic office job if you've got good basic skills. If your basic skills are missing something, then now's the time to take some classes and fix that before the clock stops ticking in December. Now's the time to really look at what can you do, what do you want to do, what should you be doing, rather than just look for "any job". So, I highly recommend that after you see your doctor about the depression (which by the way is VERY common in job seekers), you should see a career counselor. If your doctor sends you to a therapist, they may be able to help you with this or refer you to someone. Otherwise, there should be a career counselor at your alma mater or the local community college. Baring that, try the yellow pages. It may cost you a few bucks but it would be really worth it to have someone sit down with you, do some testing on skills, abilities and interests and then point you in the right directions. They can suggest careers you've probably never considered. You need to be looking at CAREERS, not just a job. They can also help you polish and focus your resume, practice your interview skills and show you what level of jobs you should be applying for. Remember, a degree does not guarantee a job. It does open the door to professional positions that would otherwise be closed and it does allow you to move up past the people that don't have them. Most important now is a solid, focused plan of attack on employment. If this drags out until December, you're going to be up against everyone else in your company that's also out on the street and didn't move on fast enough. Make use of any employee services about finding new jobs that your employer offers. Most do resume classes, interview classes etc. when they make these kinds of cuts. Take them. Make use of all the resources that exist. As to focusing your job search, make a list of every company within a reasonable commute. Look up all their webpages, put them in your favorites and check them 3 times a week for jobs your'e qualified for. Let everyone you know, know that you're looking and what you're looking for. Make finding a new job your second job until you have it. All the best! Tess You are not alone! I was in your shoes a few years ago and let me tell you I was so close to rejoining the US military hoping I would be shipped to Iraq. I also have a BS and an MBA degree BUT no one would offer me a job. I sent out hundreds of resumes with only a few token contacts. One soft drink distributor even told me I did not qualify because I did not have the experience. Excuse me? Twenty eight years of sales, management and finance experience under my belt and I do not qualify? Because of my unemployment, I faced auto repossession, forecloure and only ate three times a week. The rest of the week, I ate like a pauper. A few months ago I started a thread about how the poor eats. I could write a pauper's cook book. I was so ashamed. My nieces and nephews without college degrees were earning a salary tremendously better than myself. Everyone took vacations but me? I was barely surviving. Ever go to your ATM and the receipt says you have $5.86 in your account? And that has to last you two weeks? The mortgage is due as well as the utilities and other bills. It can drive most people to suicide! You then drive by million homes or people who drive nice expensive SUVs and wonder what the hell they do for a living that they can afford such luxuries. Then you see guys and gals wasting their money like it is nothing and you think why aren't you so lucky? When I was about to sign on the dotted line (US Navy), my current company called for my services. I am rebuilding my credit which is still terrible but at least I am putting away 12% of my salary into my 401k account which I depleted because of my unemployment. Hang in there and DON'T give up! You are a winner and some company will be seeking your abilities so keep the faith. Good luck and keep posting. We are here to give you support! Congratulations and good for you! I am still in your former predicament. Lost my home, eat - sometimes. The only positive, I own my car. Had to renew my driver's license 2 months after it expired, could not pay the $25 renewal fee. Auto liability insurance, required by law, pleeese. I am yet another judgement-proof driver, like those for whom I used to have great disdain. Spent my retirement within the first of my nearly 4 yrs. unemployed. Good for you, put as much as possible in the 401K, the credit will fall into place. Thanks for the happy ending story, we need to hear them! OP and All, Not only are the preceding posts upbeat, they are right on target. What a great bunch of posts to see. To the OP, the best years I have experienced are the 40's. If you think the 20's were good, you are in for the best surprise at 40. I didn't think much of the 30's and found the 40's to be much, much better. Bid the 20's god-bye and never look back. You are on your way to much better things. Life has great stuff in store for you.
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Career Tips
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