Please help the Jobless workers

[IrishLake]

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.

[groovypq]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

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.

My dad's in a similar boat. Got laid off five months ago from the company he worked for for 28 years. He's in his late 50s and also not ready/able to retire. Very, very slim pickins out there.

I have a friend who was laid off from my old company a few months before my dad lost his job. He's still out of work too. He's in his late 40s, but what he's finding is that companies want to hire some recent college grad for a third of what he used to make.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by groovypq

I have a friend who was laid off from my old company a few months before my dad lost his job. He's still out of work too. He's in his late 40s, but what he's finding is that companies want to hire some recent college grad for a third of what he used to make.

One of my associate's (not a friend per se) is in his early 40s and was making great money as an accountant before he was laid off. He is now working for just about 1/3 of what he was making and has had to do some major life changing moves to stay in his house and so forth. But, he has a great attitude about it and says a bad day employed is better than a good day unemployed.

Best believe, though, he's out there looking still! But, now he won't have a gap.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

One of my associate's (not a friend per se) is in his early 40s and was making great money as an accountant before he was laid off. He is now working for just about 1/3 of what he was making and has had to do some major life changing moves to stay in his house and so forth. But, he has a great attitude about it and says a bad day employed is better than a good day unemployed.

Best believe, though, he's out there looking still! But, now he won't have a gap.

WTH? Did I really use an apostrophe to make a word plural? I'm so disappointed.

[christiangirl]

^^^I wasn't even going to say anything because I knew you'd be disappointed if you realized.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There are mental health (and other fields of expertise) contractors in many cities who do unadvertised jobs for various mental health private and state-funded companies. They make a lot of money and lasting networks doing it.

This is what was happening at my job. There were 2 contracted workers in FT positions. I didn't even know there was such a thing.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

You did something "right." You took a temp job and did well in it to the point where you were wanted/needed beyond the temp assignment.

Some people won't take a temp job or they'll take a temp job and treat it like a temp job. It's similar to work study jobs in undergrad and grad school. For a number of reasons, most students don't treat those jobs like they will ever result in fulltime pay with benefits or a career.

Thanks! It's so funny, the interview I had today was in the mental health field, but it was my training in the temp job (internet-based customer service) that made me suitable for it. I've noticed that most jobs I have applied for in the human services field consider it a plus if the applicant has a background in customer service--it means you know how to interact with people without pissing them off. Unfortunately, this job won't work out but my cousin's bf is looking for work so I'm passing on word to him. It really is all about networking.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

pepoole

I'm just picking on you.