Perhaps we could have a thread where people who have lost their jobs and gotten new jobs during the recession can explain what they did. I mention it because I'm one of these people. I had a job offer within a week of losing my job.

I want to hear what other people are doing right.

That could fail because people may think others are saying that they are doing something wrong and respond with "I can't do that," "that didn't/wouldn't work for me," and "one size doesn't fit all."

We've had a couple of unemployment threads now with suggestions (was there ever a job posting thread?) that people can take or leave.

^^^Well said. :)

I found a job about 4 months after graduation. I took a month off, then found temp work for a couple months. I was hired at my current job about a week after my temp assignment ended. Very little had to do with things I "did right." I just consider myself blessed to have it all fall into place that way.

I'm on the verge of being laid off due to lack of funding so I read up on everything related to finding a job, including this thread.

A lot of the problem with applying for so many jobs and not getting calls is experience. I've seen friends who are working in their careers bounce around to different companies. And I've seen friends (I'm included in this) not find work because companies don't want to train anyone. They want the lazy, quick way out and to hire people with experience who know what they're doing. I get so pissed when I hear of people going from one job to another because so many others are struggling. And they aren't moving around because of getting laid off or let go. They quit those jobs and go to the other.

In the last year and half, I've sent out probably over 500 resumes. I apply for jobs almost daily, and definitely weekly. Sometimes there is just nothing I am qualified for. What have I done to change this? I've applied for financial aid. I will hopefully be starting school again in the fall for a career that will most likely never die. In the meantime, I will continue looking for a job. If I don't find one, I'll be really screwed. Thankfully I still live iwth my parents so I have that comfort zone, but what happens when their businesses flounder because unemployment stops and people can't afford to spend money or pay rent?

I will admit it has been a very long time since I rented an apartment, but I do know they pulled a credit report every time that I did. Employers pull credit reports too. I know people who have lost out on jobs because their credit report was dinged. I don't see it being that easy to recover from a foreclosure/bankruptcy.

I don't believe that the area is simply going to collapse when support is withdrawn but it does take time for new industry to come in. There are things in the works, but they take time. It takes more than 6 months to get back to school and enhance your skills so that you're even more marketable in newer areas. I don't think that increasing blight and crime is helpful to a geographic region's recovery. The reorganization of the economy that you refer to does take time.

If I saw a lot of people just sitting around making no attempts to find work, improve their skills, happy and content to be in the unemployment line, I would be more inclined to agree with you. That's just not what I see on a daily basis. Our community college tech programs (medical assistant, radiology, IT tech certifications, etc.) are filled to the brim with people learning new skills. They had to close admissions for the first time ever because so many people are going back to school.. people with high level degrees in other areas.

I'm trying to stay away from the "my ex" list of things he is doing because that's too anecdotal but I see others doing things like what he is doing. I know he's hustling and I do believe that he will find another job. Quite honestly, I'm freaking out more than he is about the idea of him losing his house or relocating because of how either event affects me. HE should still have a couple months of unemployment because he deferred his payments while he was doing census work. He is lined up to go back to school in the fall, is studying for his CPA exam, is talking with recruiters in numerous cities, refuses to apply for a bridge card, the free lunch program for the child he claims on his taxes, is liquidating stuff little by little as needed, etc. When he told me he would be using the rest of his savings to pay his property taxes, I suggested that was one expense he shouldn't bother with right now because they don't foreclose due to property taxes until you've been in arrears for two years. I don't know if he can bring himself to NOT pay them though because he's very conscientious about stuff like that. And, what I find is the ultimate irony is.. he's a Republican who thinks very much like you do. He may not even support the extension of unemployment benefits. LOL

I'm not sure if anyone's fraternity or sorority belong to InCircle, but AXiD's InCircle site has places to network and look for/advertise job opportunities. I used to get stuff every week from employers (I turned off the option because I am not in the job market), but I'm guessing that at least some of your groups offer this kind of service. Then again, my areas of expertise were highly transferable to other careers outside the typical career paths an English/Journalism major would typically pursue (advertising copywriter, tech writer, project manager, business analyst).

Sometimes, you have to think outside the box when positioning yourself for "off label" uses of your degree/skills/experience.

For example. Irish Lake - you might position yourself as an expert in thing pertaining to land development for industrial or retail companies. My husband's family has a long history in Walmart corporate (only using the example bc he knows how they operate, and without any grass-roots pro/against WM), and they employ experts in areas pertaining the scouting for new locations (I'm sure that franchises, retail chains, hotel management companies, etc. would have similar people on staff).

Could you possibly use your environmental science degree to do something like this? Or working for a town/state department of environmental services or parks & rec (recycling program, developing playgrounds for the town, being on staff with a political candidate with an interest in the environment, etc.)?

I believe that any higher-level degree gives you skills that are marketable across industries, and not only in the "exact" industry your major is in. A lot of this could be contract work, which has seen many people though tough times. I've also seen people not want to leave contract work and go back to salary/FT because the money is usually better.

I know that you did find a job, but does it make sense to anyone else who is reading this?

FWIW, for you folks in the Midwest, a recent development in my circle of friends and client base (two circles I try to keep far, far apart) is that I'm seeing a lot of midwesterners, particularly engineers down here in Oklahoma. We have a pretty high demand for highly qualified labor here in OKC. If the summers don't melt you, both OKC and Tulsa are good job markets and pretty good places to live.

And what ree just said made me think of one of my clients. A midwesterner-for-life, worked at Ford forever 'til he got laid off. Took a job with a company in OKC [amazingly, not oil and gas related] and has been doing VERY well.

Another individual I know, who is a geologist, just got a job with an energy company in Tulsa. They are building a house for her, which she will own free and clear, and have given her a nice company house to live in for the time being. If you are a high-level talent, you'd be surprised what some companies will do to get you relocated.

Same definitely goes for DFW. Probably moreso.

^^^ They make sense but I haven't seen those sorts of jobs either. Most places I would have been finding a job a year ago are cutting services due to state budget reasons.

I'm just not seeing those opportunities out there. If I was an RN or an MD, I'd be set. But everything cares about the degree and the title. (And in mental health in this state they have reasons for not hiring under the MA and keeping you afterward, they want the MA + 1k hours of experience now.) And I wouldn't even know how to find "contract work."

I did contract work while looking for a FT position. Sometimes the money is better but often with the 1099 crowd there are no benefits AND you have to pay all employment taxes out of pocket. If you're making enough it's fine it's just something to be on guard about.

Also, you can do contract work through an agency (or temp work - 2 very different things though) where you fill out a W-4 with the agency, are their employee, and therefore are eligible for any benfits they offer and unemployment if your client company unexpectedly cuts your position. The money isn't as good, though.

I worked through an agency, many contract workers at my current job were just laid off, and were 1099ers, so they're having some trouble figuring out what their next move is, if they were working with us only. For the most part, though, they're not as worried as a full-timer would be.

ETA: Drole, contract work often times depends on who you know, but companies will also put job listings out that say "contract" in them. Agencies are also helpful in getting you into the contract world.

You may not be able to find something in the mental health world, but there are contract firms out there for a lot of different sectors. For example, live-in worked with an IT contracting firm, my contract firm was Financial Staffing in particular but they also focused on office services and did place temps from time to time (although they don't like that).

Yeah that makes sense. I have a feeling they'd mostly be looking for someone with more experience than I have anyway. Thanks.

Our InCircle turned into a MLM pit (Arbonne, Partylite, etc etc) which IMO is why a lot of people quit using it. If there were actual *jobs* in there, they were smothered under the crap.

You never know. Contract positions are a good way to get experience, particularly if you're working through an agency. And, if you find something better, there's not really hard feelings if you leave, just the nature of having contract employees.

When I signed on I had next to no experience, and none in the industry where I was placed. I was placed as "office support" - not an administrative assistant or receptionist, but not a full-blown "insert title here" and they really got to know my strengths and weaknesses. Because one of my particular strengths is actually a spot they were needing to fill, I ended up being hired away from my agency as an FTE for the client. I can give you more details later about how it worked if you're interested.

My position now isn't in "my" industry, but it uses the same skillset. I never would have thought to even apply with my current company had it not been for my placement through my agency.

It worked for me, but I also work in a city where contract workforce is very popular and successful, so YMMV. Many people I know have either been contrators full-time or do contract work on the side where there's no conflict between their FT job and the contract work.

RE Recruitment agency work: An industry specific company and I have been in touch ever since I was laid off. It was through them that I had one interview that I thought was going to lead to a job. However, the company lost the contract with the client I would have been working with (BP, haha). The same agency has called me about many other jobs. They have almost all been technician jobs. I'm not a technician, but and familiar with what they do so was more than willing to learn the mechanics involved. The downside? The pay. Pay was less than what I was making on unemployment. Can't justify that at the time. Plus, a lot of travel was involved. Considering how often my husband travels for work (he's in construction), and considering I have a 2 and 4 year old, and I live in a town where I have one aunt and uncle (who both work full time) to help me out, and no other family or friends to really rely on for help, it wasn't going to work. This agency even contacted me a month or so ago about going down to work on the release in the Gulf... the company that has been contracted to do a lot of the cleanup was looking for technicians with emergency response background. Bad thing? They wanted to pay $10 an hour. Sorry, no can do. Relocating someplace where I know no one and can't rely on anyone to help when I need it with my kids (childcare) and someplace that can't guaruntee my husband a job... can't justify it.

My father in law is also laid off, and he's looking at contracted positions. He's a plastics engineer, but he's in his early 60's and not ready to retire. He hasn't found anything in about 7-8 months now.

It's just never as easy as some people make it seem. When you have a spouse to consider and young children in the picture, it's much harder.

Most of the work here is state work, or agencies that are contracted to the state, but with regular employees. If I saw contract work advertised I'd totally apply, it just doesn't seem to be as common here.

Blah. I'm in a rather negative phase of the job hunting anyway. It'll come back around but I'm pretty well disheartened for now.