Why is it so hard to find a job?

[czechmate82]

Well, she could work but she has no college degrees and I have two (Bachelors and Masters). She hasn't worked since 2002 when we were married, and was a customer service rep at her last job (low paying). Unfortunately, at this time at least, I have all the experience and degrees so I have to work. Plus someone has to watch my 4 yr old all day. So I'm the breadwinner for awhile still.

Since it is your wife's requirements to be closer to friends and family and limited to WA & OR how about you suggest she go back to work and you be the stay at home dad? My wife and I did this from about age one with our daughter - and I ran a business out of my home shop at the time.

 

[Certaindeaf]

There's a lot of childcare going on these days. They say that Oregon has the highest cost of childcare in the nation.. I forget what it was/is but it's a crazy crazy amount.
You/they don't need a license if the kids number under a certain amount etc.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

All these responses sound like excuses. 14 applications in one day?
Shoot, before my second warehouse job I must have done triple that. I even worked in a restaurant for a while just to put food on the table.

Its easier to find a job when you have a job.

My father and his father before him went through serious job losses and had to readdress their living situations but they made it work.
They WANTED to work.

As for the wife.. this day and age.. most of the time NOT working isn't an option, plenty of employers out there have daycares in house OR have daycare options.. Or perhaps she couldwork at a daycare?!. is it harder to come by? yes, but they are out there. There is a whole host of options for child services, heck you two could have flex schedules and find a way to make it work.

The more I reread your post it comes off as whining and not bad luck and dead ends.

Instead of "job fairs" and driving around to countless "employers" why don't you roll up your sleeves and get two jobs to make money?

I had a family friend lose his tech job and became a bus driver.. After YEARS of working in the tech industry and having NO other skills he found a very available position.

This is the problem with our country.. We don't have folks who are hungry any more.. No one wants to break their back, learn a skill or apply innovation.

Unsubscribing from this thread of which Ive became disgusted..

 

[coop44]

nothing I say can make it any better, I've been fighting an uphill battle too. going from 5-6k a month to part time work is depressing. all I say is don't let them get you down.

 

[NoFlinch]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[The Heretic]

Only read the first page, so please bear that in mind if something I suggest conflicts with one of your requirements.

I've been down this road a number of times. When I left the military 30+ years ago, and a number of times since. I have come to the conclusion, that for the most part, most employers could care less about your military service. They are not going to give you any extra consideration for that - in fact, some may see that experience as a detriment for reasons I won't go into here. Accept that and move on.

Work over your resume and have a good resume coach (or two or three) critique it.

Go where the jobs are. That means where the people are, in Oregon that would be Portland, other cities (Salem, Eugene, etc.) being a distant second to Portland. I had to move to Seattle from the Salem area to get a job back in the 80s, and I had temporarily gone to Calif. but got called to Seattle a week after arriving there. It was tough, it took a while to move back to Oregon, but it got me a job that eventually led to where I am now (a six figure job that I more or less like).

Nothing says "employable" like having a job - almost any job above flipping burgers will do. Accept a job outside of what you are looking for if it can possibly help you get to where you want to go.

But the main thing is to look where the jobs are - you aren't going to get a job if there isn't one there or if you are competing with a bunch of other people for it.

 

[Toxic6]

I have lived in Oregon 11 years now and noticed that in Oregon some jobs are not advertised. They seem to get filled by word of mouth. A lot of people move here, fail to get established then leave. I would suggest to take any job that pays the rent and keep looking for the job you want. Perseverance will pay off. Good luck.

This-especially in the more rural areas, positions are filled word of mouth or MAYBE via local newspaper. Not a lot of online postings at all, almost like most don't know how to use computers or don't trust the internet (go figure). I can speak from the experience in that we moved there, got "established", and still moved away.....depending on your trade, don't expect competitive wages or benefits when you find something

 

[PuddleMonkey]

(Wilsonville, OR) – Crimson Trace, the recognized leader in laser sights and tactical lights, announces a search to fill the company's Director of Engineering position. This key employee provides strategic vision and leadership to the engineering and product development functions in support of the company's revenue goals and drives the focus for new and sustaining products. This position is responsible for staying abreast of new technology and product platforms to meet consumer and OEM customer needs while establishing deadline-driven objectives, initiatives and processes for industry leading products. The Director of Engineering serves as a member of the Crimson Trace Executive Team to support overall company objectives and organizational needs.

The individual selected to fill this opening will work closely with Manufacturing, Sourcing, Sales and the Marketing departments and should have a high technical aptitude and broad experience in new product development and manufacturing / assembly environments. This position must be driven to exceed NPI goals in an aggressive, fast-growing organization. Additionally, the Director of Engineering manages the company's design and patent portfolios in conjunction with outside legal counsel. The person selected should be highly comfortable and experienced working in a branded consumer product category (firearms accessories) and be ready to drive key areas of an industry-leading brand.

As the Director of Engineering, this employee motivates, mentors and challenges the engineering organization to increase new product output in alignment with business opportunities in the consumer, OEM and military / defense customer segments. As the department leader, this position is responsible for supervising and directing a team of design engineers, electrical engineers and a document control specialist, as well as directing the work of engineering contractors.

To be qualified, all applicants should have a BS in Engineering (Mechanical or Design preferred), a minimum 10+ years directing/managing people in a growth-oriented organization and have at least 15 years in product development, preferably at a growing consumer products company. All persons applying should be proficient in multi-engineering disciplines (CAD design, tooling, electronics, software, mechanical, test & evaluation, manufacturing, quality). Familiarity with FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) requirements desired.

For full details about this exciting employment opportunity or to apply, visit: www.crimsontrace.com.

 

[NoFlinch]

I was just re-reading this thread, and realized that the OP has come up with an excuse "I can't/tried/did that/wife, family, etc." for almost every bit of advice given.

Maybe if you give up, become a meth head, sink to the bottom, and then claw your way back, you will be happy for any job, just to have a job.

I've taken a few jobs I said I would never take, just to have a job. It wasn't the end of my life, it was a transition.

OP, time to either lower your expectations for a while and take anything while you keep looking, or get off your "excuses trip" and get aggressive and get the job you want...and quit whining.

 

[Certaindeaf]

(Wilsonville, OR) – Crimson Trace, the recognized leader in laser sights and tactical lights, announces a search to fill the company's Director of Engineering position. This key employee provides strategic vision and leadership to the engineering and product development functions in support of the company's revenue goals and drives the focus for new and sustaining products. This position is responsible for staying abreast of new technology and product platforms to meet consumer and OEM customer needs while establishing deadline-driven objectives, initiatives and processes for industry leading products. The Director of Engineering serves as a member of the Crimson Trace Executive Team to support overall company objectives and organizational needs.

The individual selected to fill this opening will work closely with Manufacturing, Sourcing, Sales and the Marketing departments and should have a high technical aptitude and broad experience in new product development and manufacturing / assembly environments. This position must be driven to exceed NPI goals in an aggressive, fast-growing organization. Additionally, the Director of Engineering manages the company's design and patent portfolios in conjunction with outside legal counsel. The person selected should be highly comfortable and experienced working in a branded consumer product category (firearms accessories) and be ready to drive key areas of an industry-leading brand.

As the Director of Engineering, this employee motivates, mentors and challenges the engineering organization to increase new product output in alignment with business opportunities in the consumer, OEM and military / defense customer segments. As the department leader, this position is responsible for supervising and directing a team of design engineers, electrical engineers and a document control specialist, as well as directing the work of engineering contractors.

To be qualified, all applicants should have a BS in Engineering (Mechanical or Design preferred), a minimum 10+ years directing/managing people in a growth-oriented organization and have at least 15 years in product development, preferably at a growing consumer products company. All persons applying should be proficient in multi-engineering disciplines (CAD design, tooling, electronics, software, mechanical, test & evaluation, manufacturing, quality). Familiarity with FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) requirements desired.

For full details about this exciting employment opportunity or to apply, visit: www.crimsontrace.com.

I can see that you are a fully qualified price of tea in China futures arbitrage derivatives specialist.

 

[jluck]

http://www.bkcareers.com/

 

[clearconscience]

I would agree with some of the above posts. Mostly for higher paying management jobs a lot of good positions get filled by people who know people. It's all about the networking and connections you make.
Find a couple places you want to work and hang out at the local coffee shops and restaurants. Rub some elbows.

You also have to look at the fact that for management and supervisor positions a lot of businesses promote from within so to get in you may have to start in a lower job and work your way up. Mos people have a really hard transition or hiring because they have a mindset that they are above smaller positions.
You managed 20 people and aren't willing to be a worker bee again. That's a mindse that kept a lot of people on govt assistance for too long.
Also companies want that person that is versital and are willing to get the job done no matter what, not someone that can't get their hand ls dirty.
I hired a couple Vets for some maintenance positions and they were the most lazy and self entitled people I've ever hired, However, I hired a couple others that were rock stars. So sometimes you may have a employer that had a bad experience with a Vet and is leary about it.
I always tried to recuit and hire Vets and went out of my way to do so, but I've had 4 Vets I hired trained and put a lot of time into that turned out to not represent their service well. They ended up burning me in the long run. So you can't always look at someone's military service and assume they are hard workers and competent.
You have to sell yourself and not the background, previous experience, or military service.
I will still try to hire Vets because I feel we owe them a debt of gratitude this country to needs repay any way we can. But a new hire needs to sell me on who they are now and what they can bring.

Thank you for your service, and Good luck.
I have a lot of work experience and I relocated a while ago trying to start over and it was miserable, i worked the worst jobs i've ever had but i took any job someone would give me. I would rather work a crappy, low paying job barely scraping by then take a hand out.
I ended up moving back here and getting my old job back. I couldn't be happier. Job has it's problems but it gives me a decent pay check

 

[Certaindeaf]

Now if you were a vet and black, you'd have it made!
that was a joke

 

[clearconscience]

Did you check usajobs.com
Or indeed.com?

 

[RVTECH]

Lots of "Leaders" but not enough hard working blue collar workers.

No one wants to break their back, learn a skill or apply innovation.

Ain't this the truth! Saw it coming many years ago, about the time keyboards began to outnumber power & hand tools.

I had a family friend lose his tech job and became a bus driver.. After YEARS of working in the tech industry

A guy started the same day I did at my new company and he is a Certified A&P and went to work as an RV Tech in one of our shops.

 

[clearconscience]

Sounds like a lot of us are being kinda rough.
A couple other things.
Change your resume often, i was told a lot of companies use software to read resumes/application to find key words used in the job description.
So reading the job description and using words from it in your resume may help.

In interviews you need to know your business as well. If you get an interview do your research and know the company your trying to get a job with. Hi-lighting not only your experience, but what you can bring to that company will help. Show control in a interview, not aggressively but show your a leader and ask them questions, lead them to believe it's their loss if they don't hire you in a humble way, ask questions about the business, it's direction, it view, and give the presence your interviewing them as an employer.

Never say anything negative, about the job market, about other employers, previous jobs, etc

Be witty, make them smile. People want to hire people they will want to be around.
I've interviewed people that would have been grea employees and techs but i dreaded spending 4 weeks one on one training them so i didn't hire them.
Same with the opposite. I've hired people that had no experience but i knew that i wanted to hang out with them and working would be fun

Always dress for success. Dress to show respect to the employer and interviewer. Have a fresh hair cut, shave, make sure your socks match, and wear a suit or at least slacks and dress shirt/ tie

Ask them when they plan on filling the position. Ask about contact info.
Most businesses don't advertise contact info. Because they would get a million calls a day.

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE. A day after you interview send a note or drop it off and thank the interviewer for their time and consideration.

 

[RVTECH]

I have come to the conclusion, that for the most part, most employers could care less about your military service. They are not going to give you any extra consideration for that - in fact, some may see that experience as a detriment for reasons I won't go into here. Accept that and move on.

I am glad I caught this because I was going to post something similar, and like the OP states I will not go into it either but you might want to take a look at yourself in the mirror and make sure you are not 'Still In' the Military.........

 

[RVTECH]

dupe

 

[40calruler]

Like I said in my first post and this comes with 15 years of being the guy doing the hiring. The old saying about the Squeaky wheel is very true....Just do not go being too squeaky or you get trashed for being annoying rather than hungry.

 

[jvp]

I know networking and word of mouth overall get more jobs, but it's hard to network when no one you know but family lives here. Also, the working out idea to remove stress, I totally need to do. I just need to find a low cost gym now that I'm getting unemployment...

stairs, sidewalks, wooded trails etc. etc. those are affordable gyms. that is what i used in my many times of unemployment. good luch with the job hunt it isn't fun as i am sure you know.