Job hunting

[. . .]

When's the last time you went job hunting? Days ago? Weeks ago? Months ago? Years ago?

It's been a long time for me . . . that's all I'll say.

 

[Geordie]

I looked for a job for four months. Gave it up in favor of further studies...

 

[142857]

I've been job hunting for months. Finally landed one last week and I start on Monday.

It has been less than 2 years since I realized that I am on the spectrum and I've been unemployed for nearly 3 years, so it will be interesting to try and apply what I've learned to the work environment. I know that it has been helpful during the job search knowing that I need to work on things like eye contact and appearing self confident and marketing myself.

I just hope that we are not on the verge of GFC2 - there has been enough hardship already.

 

[juffur]

I left my old job in May, and found my new job about a week ago. I'm lucky that I'm very qualified for numerous positions within IT, network security, computer tech, etc. Usually I go to the front of the list for interviews.

Typically I use online sites to find work, and found my most recent through a job site setup at my university (which is where my new job is!). craigslist.org is very popular for my area (it's where it was founded).

I'm very socially awkward and terrible with interviews, so I really emphasize my qualifications and skills. That seems to be a good move for people on the spectrum imo.

 

[Geordie]

I just hope that we are not on the verge of GFC2 - there has been enough hardship already.

Indeed, this is what we are - in this global economic climate, it's hard to even get a job that pays us according to what we can do.

 

[Geordie]

I'm very socially awkward and terrible with interviews, so I really emphasize my qualifications and skills. That seems to be a good move for people on the spectrum imo.

I am more social, though I admit still not ready for interviews. Plus, my hometown is already home to 2 universities that are rankd highly globally, and I don't attend either of them. Maybe i can consider further study in an university equivalent to their global standings, before coming back and apply for jobs that provide similar opportunities to those who have studied in these 2 universities.

From my understanding, Interviews require a lot of know-how to stand with the psychological grilling, particularly for those who are into Business. This could be less true for those in IT.

 

[Occasional_Demon]

I find with interviews, it's basically remembering what the selection criteria was because a lot of the questions they will ask in the interview will be based on what they wrote for the job's selection criteria.

I'm currently in the job hunt. I do have a job [of sorts] but it's a very casual job and I wouldn't mind something more long-standing. My current job as a music journalist requires me to maybe work 1/2 hours a week, really. I joined up with a government agency and hopefully they can help me find work. I'm not too sure which area I want to work in. I could easily do office admin work, or youth work, but the former is boring and the latter doesn't pay well.

I used to go through temp agencies to get contracts, so I've got a long list of short-term jobs in the government. It's good and bad. Good: I have a lot of experience in various areas. Bad: people think I actually enjoy working temp work, when that's actually not the case.

 

[Geordie]

I used to go through temp agencies to get contracts, so I've got a long list of short-term jobs in the government. It's good and bad. Good: I have a lot of experience in various areas. Bad: people think I actually enjoy working temp work, when that's actually not the case.

Just curious,

What is so important about perm jobs in these days anyway?

 

[Arashi222]

I am still job hunting for what I got my degree in (Master's of Social Work). Now I know I am qualified for a lot of things...problem is I suck at interviews when I actually do get them. The problem is most interviews for social work involve completing scenarios in front of the interviewer. They will ask you a question about a particular client situation now...my contention is that all the variables that they are screening for are not evident in these questions so I usually miss something when telling them what I would do....plus I am also visually impaired and that makes it hard as well.

 

[Dragon's Tooth]

I'm unemployed ... not far off a year now. I have reached a new low and applied for a job at subway. Oh well work is work. At least I will be able to pay for further study so I can work for myself

 

[Geordie]

Hugs for everyone looking for a job.

I will most likely be officially unemployed this September, as defined by the economists, who say I am available, not employed, but still looking for employment. Even though I study Accounting as my subject, I do not feel really great in whatever I do, and economic conditions are getting tougher. I am not even better than my classmates, let alone the rest of the world?

But I will persevere. Better to be unemployed than to be discouraged completely from looking for a job.

 

[Perkinsj88]

Its been close to a year since I really searched because I ultimately fear I will find one. I'm just not ready to do all of it again. Its a bit of a challenge to keep my unemployment, if I lost that then I would be forced into working pretty much...gotta survive some how. Most importantly my wife and kids must be provided for.

 

[Fox]

Been looking for work for about four months now.
Average job interviews per month: 1
Average jobs gotten per month: 0
Sadly I'm not in a position where I can choose whether I'd like to work or not. If boyfriend gets a job before me he says I don't have to work for a little while if I don't want to/can't. If he gets this apprenticeship his mom found then I'll probably take him up on the offer while I pursue my AS diagnosis.

 

[Perkinsj88]

Been looking for work for about four months now.
Average job interviews per month: 1
Average jobs gotten per month: 0
Sadly I'm not in a position where I can choose whether I'd like to work or not. If boyfriend gets a job before me he says I don't have to work for a little while if I don't want to/can't. If he gets this apprenticeship his mom found then I'll probably take him up on the offer while I pursue my AS diagnosis.

I've been there before, thankfully my last job I had an idiot for a boss and he fired me for ******** reasons honestly. He didn't even bother fighting my unemployment claim. I'm trying to focus on my AS diagnosis now as well, stupid unemployment requirements get in the way. I have a meeting with them tomorrow to assess my reemployment eligibility or something. I must get my AS sorted out first, I finally found the career I want but I need to be sure I can get there, I have a feeling I'll be spending lots of time in therapy before returning to college to get a masters in GIS.

 

[anne.bc]

Been looking for 4 years. NOTHING. I hate Fresno. They only want experienced people here. It sucks.

 

[robertwnielsen]

Been looking for 4 years. NOTHING. I hate Fresno. They only want experienced people here. It sucks.

I feel your pain, anne.bcl...I've been looking for over six years (at least), with NOTHING. Of course, in my case, I'm sure my track record has a lot to do with it.

 

[Peter A.]

I've been searching since October of last year. Well... not really, because I've basically given up this time. I've had too many jobs to count, and I can't stand working with most people, with all of their silly 'office politics', gossip, back-stabbing - ugh! Being a regular in full-time work is just too frustrating, even when things go the way they are meant to (which is hardly ever). :banghead:

 

[robertwnielsen]

I've been searching since October of last year. Well... not really, because I've basically given up this time. I've had too many jobs to count, and I can't stand working with most people, with all of their silly 'office politics', gossip, back-stabbing - ugh! Being a regular in full-time work is just too frustrating, even when things go the way they are meant to (which is hardly ever). :banghead:

Peter, I can SO RELATE!! Been out of work for over six years myself...and like you, I've basically given up lookin', because my track record (fired from practically every job I've ever had...which is too many to count) sucks,...then when you combine it with the s****y economy (I don't give a rat's you-know-what WHAT the media says, the economy STILL SUCKS!!), the recipie doesn't look too good.

Seriously, though, the only reason the unemployment rate keeps "dropping," is because of people like you and me (and hundreds of thousands of others, at least) who have given up looking for work, and their unemployment benefits ran out (I never had any to begin with, so I wasn't even counted)...and once their benefits ran out, they're no longer counted...so, if enough people give up looking, and are no longer counted among the unemployed, naturally, the rate goes down.

 

[Peter A.]

Yes Robert,

Where I am (Australia) we are constantly being told how wonderful our economy is compared to the rest of the world, and that our official unemployment rate is always five point something percent. They obviously do not factor in those who have simply given up looking, those who work part-time, casual, through a private agency - in other words, if you even so much as work one day per month, you are considered to be 'employed'. What a joke.
Benjamin Disraeli was right when he made his comment about there being 'lies, damned lies, and statistics'. You can do almost anything with statistical information, twist it any way you like.

 

[King_Oni]

It's interesting how statistics are black and white, but also, how these same statistics do not leave open any room for "anomalies". Add in how statistics are being used wrongly and to paint a weirder picture on how in fact there isn't a lot wrong with it all. While I don't advocate total control on everything, having each and everyone registered in terms of employment (or whatever his/her daytime activity is) would paint a better picture. Perhaps they should look into averages of hours of work per week/month on the workforce, and realistically look how many people actually do not qualify for a fulltime job, and perhaps even look into reasons why. Yes, it requires a lot of work and such research apparently is easier if we can just make up numbers... and that's probably what's happening to some degree.

Over here, about 7,5 million people (out of almost 17 million) are part of the workforce, and about 5,5 million have a job. Perhaps they have 2 jobs, perhaps they work fulltime, parttime, freelance... there is nothing said about how many hours and how exactly they earn their share. What's more interesting is that approximatly 2 million people have no job. About half is technically, by age employable, but medically not cleared (and as such on some kind of disability income). The other half is unemployment benefits or social security... well, at least, those numbers are the simplified version and in more exact percentages it comes down to about 8 percent right now. I do however hear nothing on why these people actually have no jobs... all while, the amount of jobs available is nowhere the number of unemployed people that can work (thus not on disability of any sorts). Makes me wonder if some people have 2 jobs, and perhaps don't even need them... and as such pretty much deny some people participation on the jobmarket.

Yes, I'm probably really socialist, and perhaps even communist here... but wouldn't it be fairer (for lack of a better word; since life in general isn't fair... but neither is having that freak accident where you end up under the bus ) to at least spread out employment and jobexperience more. Heck, if we want people to have equal jobexperience to get somewhere on the jobmarket, I might even suggest cutting everyones shift back with a few hours and spread it out evenly on the unemployed... and compensate everyone a bit out of the benefits that are being paid in full on unemployed people. But that's not happening... even though everyone screams "we need people that are motivated and have decent job experience"... well, perhaps I should get job experience (and maybe experience to know what kind of jobs are NOT for me). It's stuff like this that makes me wonder how much a government actually doesn't want problems fixed... since it would make itself obsolete. Why need a governing force if it's an autonomy?

Oh, and here's a funny thing... depending on how you read into it. A duty if you receive social security is that the government can "force" you to any job they might need you for (provided your qualified and all). The way it sounds to me is that they in fact have jobs around, just for those on social security... how is that not sabotaging the system to start with? Are they telling me they can get over half a million people employed... by the snap of a finger? Where do these jobs come from? And if it's not available for everyone... why do I get picked to do this job, and not John, who hasn't been employed for say, the past 20 years? Questions, questions, questions