Looking for work is so frustrating

[Phobia]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

In a lot of occupations, employers went from preferring a bachelors to masters. A associates degree is pretty much worthless these days and a bachelors degree is not worth it if your going to stop at that.

My advice to kids these days, trade schools. Sure trade schools may not be glorious but if you have the chops for a 4 year university, you will stand above the crowd in a field like electrical work or elevator work. My dad has no school, is a Elevator mechanic and he makes a obscene amount of money

Yea I agree with this, my cousin went to trade school to learn to be a helicopter mechanic. He now works for Chevron in his field and he brings in 6 figures(He is only 31). Just crazy to me no college degree and he is making more than some CEO's.

[ehh]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

More than ever I would recommend going soloprenauer/consulting if you can. Entrepreneurship is a major grind but it's so worth it IMO, though not everyone is built for it. Create a job, don't find a job.

The only time in my life I've had to look for a job was last Fall and it sucked. All of my other jobs are ones I've been offered without looking, an associate of mine knew my work and offered me something better.

Looking cold turkey though, good lord I don't think I'll ever do that again. Just garbage out there, like 23 described in his first post. There's a running joke in the IT field that 99% of the job descriptions/requirements posted are ones that only Bill Gates could meet. And the rest they'll pay you $30k and make your life hell. I lasted a month at the job I took before returning to my old/current gig. The pay bump was nice but the place absolutely blew.

I interviewed for quite a few jobs in NYC and they were all absurd. I interviewed SEVEN times for one gig, then they low-balled the hell out of me after they low-balled a Princeton grad in computer science who turned them down. It would have been a pay cut when factoring in the cost of living of moving down from CT. I was irate.

Too many companies have that awful corporate mentality where they only care about their bottom line. I guess it's how a company can be successful but I don't see how those companies would retain talent. It has to be a great/fun/fair place to work or people won't last - or if they do they'll put in minimal effort.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

Why on EARTH would any company need to do 7 interviews? Goodness.

[ehh]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

So stupid. Two phone, one Skype and four in-person. Not exactly a cheap trip into NYC for me either. $28 round trip Metro North ticket and had to burn a vacation day each time because it took 5-6 hours out of my day. Idiotic.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

So stupid. Two phone, one Skype and four in-person. Not exactly a cheap trip into NYC for me either. $28 round trip Metro North ticket and had to burn a vacation day each time because it took 5-6 hours out of my day. Idiotic.

1 phone and 1 face to face is all that's needed. Anything more is just a waste of everyone's time. I just can't imagine you can gain anything from interview 5 that wasn't there after 2.

[23]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

That's exactly what Im seeing out there, its absolutely gut wrenching to see what I see right now. It honestly doesn't take all of that for a company to be successful but somewhere someone has decided to make these ways the norm.

It has to be a great/fun/fair place to work or people won't last - or if they do they'll put in minimal effort.

How many companies are out there looking to integrate people into places like this? LOL... I spent a whole day one day on the internet, and I went home in disgust. Why?

Well for one, the motivation is just that bad, the way things seem to go backwards here when trying to do my job, and the amount of time I've spent here for me shouldn't even be at this point.

[Husker_OS]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

Having a dream job is difficult these days. I worked in radio for peanuts. Had 3 years of experience and the bachelor's degree in communications. Still couldn't get a job that paid more than $9/hour. Got out of the radio business and work with one of the biggest companies in the country now. The job security is good and they give you a decent amount of vacation time.

My beef with the company though is this. When I started, roughly 160 people did the same exact job I do at the Birmingham location(there are 4 other locations in other cities nationally). We probably could have 200 and still kept busy 40-45 hours per week. Over the last 8 months, we've dropped from 160 to about 90 due to promotions/firings/people moving to other companies. The workload is picking back up and we're behind heading into the busiest part of the year. We're all stressing out and praying they hire more people to help us out. But as you see with so many other major companies, they don't want to hire new people right now in this economy.

The other beef I have is that it's a requirement to hold a bachelor's degree for this job. They hire you then train the hell out of you. My knowledge of this field is tremendous now after the constant training the last 8 months. However, the only raise I've seen is a measly $0.14 per hour. The chain of command has added a new person high up the ladder and he's talking about changes coming. People seem to think working Saturdays is going to be mandatory soon. Not sure I'll be able to do that considering the OT pay I get is less than what every single one of my friends makes at their base level.

Am I wrong for thinking $29,000 net pay for a job that requires 45-50 hours per week, a bachelor's degree, and an extensive knowledge of the field is too low?

I wish I could be in the same boat as those of you saving 10% annually. My fiancee contributes much, much less than I do since she's in medical school and they don't have very much money after tuition and rent is paid.

The whole situation is made worse when my group of friends have **** going on like weddings and bachelor parties. It's easy for them to afford it since they're engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc. Not to mention I have my own wedding next spring.

Just sucks.

[jeremym480]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

Back in 2009 I left my job as an Assistant Manager at furniture store and took my current job as the Assistant Controller of a Electrical/Instrumentation company. At my old job I was on salary so working 45-60 (if it was a holiday week) hours a week was the norm. Plus, since I was in management I wasn't afforded sick days like other employees and I had my vacation request turned down multiple times due to have a shortage of managers to cover other stores in the area. Basically, it sucked really, really bad.

When I took my new job, the salary was around 20k less per year. However, it was a M-F, 8-5 job and in four years I've haven't worked a minute of OT. By the time that I factor in working all of the 45-60 hours a week in retail vs. 40 hours a week at my new job my hourly wage ended up being fairly close. Even if it wasn't it was that important for me to have nights, weekends and holidays off and luckily I've gotten 3-5% raises every year and so that margin is even smaller now. If anything ever happened to this job I'm not sure what I would do. Honestly, I don't even like to think about it.

[23]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

Having a dream job is difficult these days. I worked in radio for peanuts. Had 3 years of experience and the bachelor's degree in communications. Still couldn't get a job that paid more than $9/hour. Got out of the radio business and work with one of the biggest companies in the country now. The job security is good and they give you a decent amount of vacation time.

My beef with the company though is this. When I started, roughly 160 people did the same exact job I do at the Birmingham location(there are 4 other locations in other cities nationally). We probably could have 200 and still kept busy 40-45 hours per week. Over the last 8 months, we've dropped from 160 to about 90 due to promotions/firings/people moving to other companies. The workload is picking back up and we're behind heading into the busiest part of the year. We're all stressing out and praying they hire more people to help us out. But as you see with so many other major companies, they don't want to hire new people right now in this economy.

The other beef I have is that it's a requirement to hold a bachelor's degree for this job. They hire you then train the hell out of you. My knowledge of this field is tremendous now after the constant training the last 8 months. However, the only raise I've seen is a measly $0.14 per hour. The chain of command has added a new person high up the ladder and he's talking about changes coming. People seem to think working Saturdays is going to be mandatory soon. Not sure I'll be able to do that considering the OT pay I get is less than what every single one of my friends makes at their base level.

Am I wrong for thinking $29,000 net pay for a job that requires 45-50 hours per week, a bachelor's degree, and an extensive knowledge of the field is too low?

I wish I could be in the same boat as those of you saving 10% annually. My fiancee contributes much, much less than I do since she's in medical school and they don't have very much money after tuition and rent is paid.

The whole situation is made worse when my group of friends have **** going on like weddings and bachelor parties. It's easy for them to afford it since they're engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc. Not to mention I have my own wedding next spring.

Just sucks.

That's the thing most people working hours like that with that kind of education usually have higher paid salaried jobs kind of like you say your buddies do.

[Husker_OS]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

double post

[Phobia]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

Having a dream job is difficult these days. I worked in radio for peanuts. Had 3 years of experience and the bachelor's degree in communications. Still couldn't get a job that paid more than $9/hour. Got out of the radio business and work with one of the biggest companies in the country now. The job security is good and they give you a decent amount of vacation time.

My beef with the company though is this. When I started, roughly 160 people did the same exact job I do at the Birmingham location(there are 4 other locations in other cities nationally). We probably could have 200 and still kept busy 40-45 hours per week. Over the last 8 months, we've dropped from 160 to about 90 due to promotions/firings/people moving to other companies. The workload is picking back up and we're behind heading into the busiest part of the year. We're all stressing out and praying they hire more people to help us out. But as you see with so many other major companies, they don't want to hire new people right now in this economy.

The other beef I have is that it's a requirement to hold a bachelor's degree for this job. They hire you then train the hell out of you. My knowledge of this field is tremendous now after the constant training the last 8 months. However, the only raise I've seen is a measly $0.14 per hour. The chain of command has added a new person high up the ladder and he's talking about changes coming. People seem to think working Saturdays is going to be mandatory soon. Not sure I'll be able to do that considering the OT pay I get is less than what every single one of my friends makes at their base level.

Am I wrong for thinking $29,000 net pay for a job that requires 45-50 hours per week, a bachelor's degree, and an extensive knowledge of the field is too low?

I wish I could be in the same boat as those of you saving 10% annually. My fiancee contributes much, much less than I do since she's in medical school and they don't have very much money after tuition and rent is paid.

The whole situation is made worse when my group of friends have **** going on like weddings and bachelor parties. It's easy for them to afford it since they're engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc. Not to mention I have my own wedding next spring.

Just sucks.

I honestly couldn't live on 29,000 a year and I currently don't have a college degree (1-1/2 years left "hopefully"). So for a college degree to make under 30 to me is insane that stuff goes on. I work 40 hours a week and I'm in college full time, which is partly why I HAVE to work full time to pay my house note and bills. I

So no I think you right 29 grand is insane for all that and is top end company with college degree. We all gotta do what we gotta do man and take what we can get, the job market is to slim to be picky. I'm just bitching about how companies get away with this stuff because of this market.

My current desired salary is 60 a year, I have had several interviews and nothing panned out yet. I have one company that said if I'm still looking by the time I graduate they will offer me 65 to start the day after I graduate. So that is part of my incentive to get through the next year and half as quick as possible.

Me and the lady together bring in close to 100 a year combined and it is STILL pay check to pay check which to me is crazy. I carry $2,000 in bills a month and she is pretty close to the same. School loans, medical bills, mortgage payments, truck note, care note, and then all the small bills like cable, internet, etc. I know living expenses differ greatly in each state and so forth but it is crazy to me the cost of living even in a place such as my city which is on the low end. Gas and food costs are the real killer. I must put $800 dollars in food in the fridge a month. You go pick up 6 to 8 items and that is 60 bucks are more. To really go shop and get stuff you need its 200 bucks a trip A WEEK!

lol I don't know where my rant is going. I guess complaining that minimum wage should be higher to match the inflation of everything around us while pay rates have not rose at all. While me and the lady make decent money we still don't live "comfortably". Which you take the same money we make and place it in my parents hands in the early 80s and we would be living good and not worrying as much month to month.

[ehh]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

1 phone and 1 face to face is all that's needed. Anything more is just a waste of everyone's time. I just can't imagine you can gain anything from interview 5 that wasn't there after 2.

It was a huge waste of time.

The 3rd in-person interview was with their two CFO's. One guy basically told me they weren't interested in me for the current open position, but they liked me and would be interested in me filling another position (I'm sure a terrible, near entry-level job). Why not just tell me that over the phone? Then the second SFO had no clue I was even coming in. He wasn't prepared at all and asked me like five BS questions. By the end of the interview I was pretty short with them, it was pretty clear I wasn't happy - yet it didn't end up costing me the job offer.

The 4th and final in-person interview lasted less than 20 minutes. I don't even remember what it was about, I met with one insignificant manager-level person. I was also pissed as hell about that. Especially since I was up until like 3AM the night before working on a project and was so exhausted. Even the secretary asked if I was okay because I was so out of it. And they drag me down to NYC, again 5-6 hours out of my day, for a 15 minute waste of time. Clowns.

[23]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

That's ridiculous

[Husker_OS]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

I honestly couldn't live on 29,000 a year and I currently don't have a college degree (1-1/2 years left "hopefully"). So for a college degree to make under 30 to me is insane that stuff goes on. I work 40 hours a week and I'm in college full time, which is partly why I HAVE to work full time to pay my house note and bills. I

So no I think you right 29 grand is insane for all that and is top end company with college degree. We all gotta do what we gotta do man and take what we can get, the job market is to slim to be picky. I'm just bitching about how companies get away with this stuff because of this market.

My current desired salary is 60 a year, I have had several interviews and nothing panned out yet. I have one company that said if I'm still looking by the time I graduate they will offer me 65 to start the day after I graduate. So that is part of my incentive to get through the next year and half as quick as possible.

Me and the lady together bring in close to 100 a year combined and it is STILL pay check to pay check which to me is crazy. I carry $2,000 in bills a month and she is pretty close to the same. School loans, medical bills, mortgage payments, truck note, care note, and then all the small bills like cable, internet, etc. I know living expenses differ greatly in each state and so forth but it is crazy to me the cost of living even in a place such as my city which is on the low end. Gas and food costs are the real killer. I must put $800 dollars in food in the fridge a month. You go pick up 6 to 8 items and that is 60 bucks are more. To really go shop and get stuff you need its 200 bucks a trip A WEEK!

lol I don't know where my rant is going. I guess complaining that minimum wage should be higher to match the inflation of everything around us while pay rates have not rose at all.

I live in an apartment run by a terrible management company and I hate it. But it's the lowest monthly rent without being in a sketchy area.

My vehicle was paid off upon purchase back in 2006, so no car payment.

I eat ramen a lot to save money and haven't bought a bottle of liquor in 5 months. I occasionally buy a nice six pack, but that's it. I don't go to bars since I can't really afford them.

I never buy clothes for myself unless absolutely necessary. I buy 2 video games per year(NCAA and The Show). The fridge is never stocked with anything that isn't essential to make dinner. Same for the pantry.

It's easier to pull it off when it's cold outside. But now that it's warming up, it's going to be so sh***y. I'm going to want to go to Barons games or go to the beach or lake.

I just tell myself that 10 years from now my household income will be in the $500,000 range and climbing, mostly due to the wifey, so deal with the paycheck to paycheck life for now.

[23]

Re: Looking for work is so frustrating

I just get an email offering me a opportunity to call this company to see if im interested in a position I may fit.

I've worked in accounts payables before for about 5/6 years so I have some experience, but I hate accounting with a passion and one reason is because of redundancy. Even now I do still process audit code and submit invoices but that's not a bother to me. That's the extent I want to deal with accounting.

This job says Accounting Analyst. It entails, payables, CAM, leasing work, and if you didn't know, those are all seperate jobs here where I work, but this is combined into one job

The pay is a few bucks less but it looks like the place is closer to my house, which would save me a ton on gas thats for sure.

Im like so conflicted.