This job seeking thing is getting to me.

[rumsfald]

Problem with this is you need money for certs/school, which is unaquireable if you have any type of bills and are working a shit job. More money for school to get a better job to make more money. Bad circle.

At one point I had 3 jobs while I was paying for full-time graduate level study, with undergraduate loans, and one of said jobs was being the janitor of the building of 60~ aparetments that I rented in and the neighboring building. Bad circle, maybe. But how bad do you want out?

[CaffeinePowered]

Anywhere I actually want to work isn't hiring. I'm probably going to have to work for my local Grocery Store.

I built my first computer on money I earned bagging groceries

[Mission Difficult]

What job is it that you're looking for, Chrono?

[Blues]

[quote author=Pokemon Trainer Blues link=topic=3243.msg96088#msg96088 date=1247179624]
Problem with this is you need money for certs/school, which is unaquireable if you have any type of bills and are working a shit job. More money for school to get a better job to make more money. Bad circle.

At one point I had 3 jobs while I was paying for full-time graduate level study, with undergraduate loans, and one of said jobs was being the janitor of the building of 60~ aparetments that I rented in and the neighboring building. Bad circle, maybe. But how bad do you want out?
[/quote]
In your area this might work, here, like I said, Best Buy won't hire a comp engineering graduate. Last fall McD's took more than 2 months to give me a callback, and not a single grocery store/retail store is hiring within about a 15 mile radius. Ask Honest, he's on the shit side of that because he won't go fast food, which is literally the only thing available around here, and even then you have to hope you get in while they're hiring. It's like this in a lot of places, and like I said, throw in any real bills and even 2-3 min wage jobs are barely covering you.

Also, seriously Karth? Grocery retail is one of the easiest jobs in existance, and you can actually get manager training in a decent amount of time there.

[Honest]

[quote author=rumsfald link=topic=3243.msg96104#msg96104 date=1247180465]
[quote author=Pokemon Trainer Blues link=topic=3243.msg96088#msg96088 date=1247179624]
Problem with this is you need money for certs/school, which is unaquireable if you have any type of bills and are working a shit job. More money for school to get a better job to make more money. Bad circle.

At one point I had 3 jobs while I was paying for full-time graduate level study, with undergraduate loans, and one of said jobs was being the janitor of the building of 60~ aparetments that I rented in and the neighboring building. Bad circle, maybe. But how bad do you want out?
[/quote]
In your area this might work, here, like I said, Best Buy won't hire a comp engineering graduate. Last fall McD's took more than 2 months to give me a callback, and not a single grocery store/retail store is hiring within about a 15 mile radius. Ask Honest, he's on the shit side of that because he won't go fast food, which is literally the only thing available around here, and even then you have to hope you get in while they're hiring. It's like this in a lot of places, and like I said, throw in any real bills and even 2-3 min wage jobs are barely covering you.

Also, seriously Karth? Grocery retail is one of the easiest jobs in existance, and you can actually get manager training in a decent amount of time there.
[/quote]

I dunno why I just really do not want to do fast food. It's not even out of some elitist "I'm better than that" mentality, because I fucking know I'm not. I just would not enjoy it in the slightest and do a subpar job, getting me fired which will look even worse when I apply to places I would enjoy.

[Squishy3]

advice for people who do go to fast food: if you become manager or some shit, but end up getting a job in your field, don't quit that shit and either make your fast food schedule work around that or your schedule for the job in your field work around it.

I learned this because my friend with a master's degree in physics was a manager a Wendy's for a year or two after graduating and finally got a job in his field and he quit Wendy's. He got fired 2 weeks later and now has to work his way back up the food chain. (great worker too, they were just fucktards for no reason.)

[Blues]

advice for people who do go to fast food: if you become manager or some shit, but end up getting a job in your field, don't quit that shit and either make your fast food schedule work around that or your schedule for the job in your field work around it.

I learned this because my friend with a master's degree in physics was a manager a Wendy's for a year or two after graduating and finally got a job in his field and he quit Wendy's. He got fired 2 weeks later and now has to work his way back up the food chain. (great worker too, they were just fucktards for no reason.)

More advice for people who do fast food: don't become manager unless you have a valid chance of going store/area/regional manager. Swing/shift manager/hourly managers are nothing more than crew members who get more blame placed on them, make 50 cents more, and the title means next to shit to any other job, even other/the same fast food chains sometimes.

Also, make yourself scarce when shit hits the fan. Don't pass blame though. Instead, when you know that a bitchy manager is coming in and something looks bad, find yourself conveniently doing something important, like stocking or cleaning restrooms, that is no where near what's going to be bitched about. If you get blamed head on, take the flak or you just sound like a little bitch and everyone will hate you. If you find a good balance, you can put yourself in the position I'm at now, where you have the responsibility and authority of a manager, without the blame being placed on you when shit goes down. Honest happened to be in the store a night or two ago when I decided to start ruining shit just because I could, he knows.

Honestly, if you can make it a good job, fast food is not that bothersome, as long as you don't try to make it your primary source of income. I've hopped around a few day jobs trying to find something secure/that didn't jip me out of pay for the last few months and kept McD's as an overnight job, and it works out pretty well in that I pretty much get to do whatever the fuck I want there at this point because they know no matter how much I bullshit I can get my work done before it's time to go.

[KorJax]

I'm kind of in the same spot, fast food is pretty much the only place around here that would even remotely be hiring.  Hell I went to a local supermarket just for kicks and the only position they had avalable was pretty much night shift workers (which I can't do).  And this place is huge, bigger than most walmarts.

I do NOT want to do general retail (what I currently work).  While I enjoy the job more than my old Skyline Chili fast food job, the problem is that they ONLY give good hours if you work in the winter/fall.  Unless you work full time are are a manager, they'll drop your hours down so much any other time of the year.  My last paycheck was $96, biweekly.  Good thing I'm currently not living on my own in an apartment (will be in two months though), and good thing my school is 90% paid for by my scholarship (minus supplies) and I'm not doing schooling atm.  Otherwise I'd be screwed.

Since I'm looking for something a bit more sustainable, the only places I have even the slightest hope to getting into is food service again, and the best I can hope for is a more "non-standard" foodservice like a coffee shop or something.

Currently the best I have going for at the moment is to this coffee shop I applied for a few days ago.  They are not hiring at the moment but the lady inside said they are expecting people to be leaving within the next couple of months, so I can only hope I have a good chance of getting a -paying- job then.

[Blues]

I'm kind of in the same spot, fast food is pretty much the only place around here that would even remotely be hiring.  Hell I went to a local supermarket just for kicks and the only position they had avalable was pretty much night shift workers (which I can't do).  And this place is huge, bigger than most walmarts.

I do NOT want to do general retail (what I currently work).  While I enjoy the job more than my old Skyline Chili fast food job, the problem is that they ONLY give good hours if you work in the winter/fall.  Unless you work full time are are a manager, they'll drop your hours down so much any other time of the year.  My last paycheck was $96, biweekly.  Good thing I'm currently not living on my own in an apartment (will be in two months though), and good thing my school is 90% paid for by my scholarship (minus supplies) and I'm not doing schooling atm.  Otherwise I'd be screwed.

Since I'm looking for something a bit more sustainable, the only places I have even the slightest hope to getting into is food service again, and the best I can hope for is a more "non-standard" foodservice like a coffee shop or something.

Currently the best I have going for at the moment is to this coffee shop I applied for a few days ago.  They are not hiring at the moment but the lady inside said they are expecting people to be leaving within the next couple of months, so I can only hope I have a good chance of getting a -paying- job then.

Wouldn't count on it. Small businesses/shops like that will often hire friends/family members long before they look at real applicants. It's like trying to get a job at a Gamestop.

[Tragic Hero]

The sad thing about the job market is that its no longer what you know but who you know.  Unless you are lucky, most of the job openings are given to friends or family or a current employee, be it a desk job in an office or a job at a super market.

Hell the only reason I have my job now is that my the post master at my current office was the supervisor at my dads office 3 years ago and it helped that my dad got me a job delivering mail in the summer time years before.  Otherwise I would probably be jobless too.

Guess I am pretty fortunate right now to have a good job that pays very well.  Unfortunately I'm probably going to get terminated at the end of the year but I have enough money to work towards my certification.

But like Caf said, you'll get a job.  Unfortunately as you are aware it is a pain in the ass finding one.  You practically have to turn job hunting into a full time job. 

[Totla]

[KorJax]

[quote author=KorJax link=topic=3243.msg96177#msg96177 date=1247191067]
I'm kind of in the same spot, fast food is pretty much the only place around here that would even remotely be hiring.  Hell I went to a local supermarket just for kicks and the only position they had avalable was pretty much night shift workers (which I can't do).  And this place is huge, bigger than most walmarts.

I do NOT want to do general retail (what I currently work).  While I enjoy the job more than my old Skyline Chili fast food job, the problem is that they ONLY give good hours if you work in the winter/fall.  Unless you work full time are are a manager, they'll drop your hours down so much any other time of the year.  My last paycheck was $96, biweekly.  Good thing I'm currently not living on my own in an apartment (will be in two months though), and good thing my school is 90% paid for by my scholarship (minus supplies) and I'm not doing schooling atm.  Otherwise I'd be screwed.

Since I'm looking for something a bit more sustainable, the only places I have even the slightest hope to getting into is food service again, and the best I can hope for is a more "non-standard" foodservice like a coffee shop or something.

Currently the best I have going for at the moment is to this coffee shop I applied for a few days ago.  They are not hiring at the moment but the lady inside said they are expecting people to be leaving within the next couple of months, so I can only hope I have a good chance of getting a -paying- job then.

Wouldn't count on it. Small businesses/shops like that will often hire friends/family members long before they look at real applicants. It's like trying to get a job at a Gamestop.
[/quote]

It's not really a family owned coffee shop, it's basically a "fast food chain" except replace burgers and gum-filled seats with coffee, biscotti and free wifi.

Basically they are a chain that's a competitor to Starbucks.

[Blues]

[quote author=SUPER MACHO MAN link=topic=3243.msg96028#msg96028 date=1247173476]

[/quote]
I sat down after taking a piss and grabbing a soda, started taking a drink and clicked this thread.

Not only is soda now all over my monitor, mouse, and keyboard, it's all over my lap because I dropped it when I started choking in laughter.

Bravo.



And yeah, Korjax, my point was if it's not a brand name retail, I wouldn't count on getting a job there because they all end up treating things like it is a family owned business in terms of hiring. Even Wal-Mart and Shoppers and shit do it at this point.

[zaneyard]

[quote author=Tortilla link=topic=3243.msg96193#msg96193 date=1247193954]
[quote author=SUPER MACHO MAN link=topic=3243.msg96028#msg96028 date=1247173476]

[/quote]
I sat down after taking a piss and grabbing a soda, started taking a drink and clicked this thread.

Not only is soda now all over my monitor, mouse, and keyboard, it's all over my lap because I dropped it when I started choking in laughter.

Bravo.



And yeah, Korjax, my point was if it's not a brand name retail, I wouldn't count on getting a job there because they all end up treating things like it is a family owned business in terms of hiring. Even Wal-Mart and Shoppers and shit do it at this point.
[/quote]
oh god that's awesome
ilu all

[rumsfald]

....and not a single grocery store/retail store is hiring within about a 15 mile radius.

That's a pretty small radius. When staying local, 60 to 90 miles has been my minimum search distance, and twice I've relocated more than 1000 miles for a job, once 300 miles, and once 45 miles. The larger the area you search in, the more jobs you can apply to, increasing your odds of getting one better than you have now.

[Blues]

[quote author=Pokemon Trainer Blues link=topic=3243.msg96119#msg96119 date=1247183167]
....and not a single grocery store/retail store is hiring within about a 15 mile radius.

That's a pretty small radius. When staying local, 60 to 90 miles has been my minimum search distance, and twice I've relocated more than 1000 miles for a job, once 300 miles, and once 45 miles. The larger the area you search in, the more jobs you can apply to, increasing your odds of getting one better than you have now.
[/quote]
90 miles for a minimum wage job is ridiculous. I don't know about you, but I'm not aware of any areas where a 60-90 mile radius is still local, and not another county. Relocating for a job that might be losing workers soon is also ridiculous. You're applying a very specific criteria to this. Not everyone has the initial money, transportation, or creds necessary to search outside of an ACTUAL local area until they get the money to do so. Again, bad circle. The only reason I even have a car is because my ex dropped 2k for a down payment for me a few years ago, so that I could take the job search outside of walking distance.

[Mr. Face]

[quote author=SUPER MACHO MAN link=topic=3243.msg96028#msg96028 date=1247173476]

[/quote]
Tortilla wins

[rumsfald]

You're applying a very specific criteria to this. Not everyone has the initial money, transportation, or creds necessary to search outside of an ACTUAL local area until they get the money to do so.

I am applying very specific criteria to this: How bad do you want to do things differently to improve your life?

When I didn't have a car, I had family and friends drive me to my first job shredding medical records in a dusty old attic of a run-down clinic. I busted my ass at that so hard that one of the bosses offered to start picking me up and dropping me off. Later, when I was a poor student, when I worked the 3 jobs I mentioned above and was a janitor, when I ate boxes of mac and cheese day after day so I would have enough change to operate the coin-operated washer in the basement of the 3-story apartment complex, I car-pooled.  4 years of car-pooling. I've used the bus, I've used the train, I took a gig at school so I didn't have to drive 2 places. I've done temp office secretarial work. I've done temp telemarketing (that was icky). I've been a per diem hospital orderly. I've been I volunteered and took below-min-wage positions and loans for school to boost my creds.

The specific criteria I am applying is: Do you have the necessary attitude to bust your ass to improve your circumstances? Frankly, Blues, you seem more focused on arguing about all the obstacles you perceive and use them to try to win an internet argument. But my advice isn't just for you, it's for anyone here that wants to read it.

[KorJax]

There's a difference between busting ass at your job and doing your job right, than driving 1.5-2 hours just to get paid $7 and hour for 5-6 hours of working.  I'd spend more gas driving there than I would get paid!

That might be applicable if it were not for the fact that I'll be having bills to pay and school to go to, and homework to do there in the next few months.

Soooo yeah.  I can't imagine in this day and age working 3 jobs at 15-20 hours each (I assume so), working a full 18+ hour week at classes (not including homework), because I'd have no time to do such a thing.  Unless I had the goal of making a million dollars in 3 years and severely castrating my health by not sleeping there's no way I'd do that.  Rent for me will be about 350 a month including utilities when I move out, and as long as I can work a total of 22-30 hours a week at minimum wage I'll be able to pay it.

Money for me isn't something I lust for, it's just something I use when you need to get stuff paid for.  In the case of college lilfe as long as I can pay for the bills, gas, grocery and any other dues I'll be good.  If I don't have enough money to get something extra, I wont. 

Of course I'm also of the opinion that it's better to take your time in college if you know you won't be able to afford/pay for it right off the bat.  If I find myself needing money I'll take a break off school for a quater/semester, work full time/two jobs, and then come back later.  I don't see myself doing that though atleast for my associates since I only have to pay $85 per quarter at a community college as a scholorship pays for the rest.

[at0m]

bah, my reply to caff's post didn't post properly when i posted it yesterday and now isn't relevant. gg internets.