People who want to work, but cant..

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:32 pm

Your snark, will not impress me here.

Ive found it difficult, going from a truck driver, to a simple line cook. All I want to do is work! I piss on you people who complain about your job. Give me a pencil, I will push it...show me a burger, I will flip it. Just give me a fucking job.

a figment · Post by **a figment** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:12 pm

been in that position in the past and hope it does not come back again, being told you are over qualified when you can't get a job to feed your family really sucks, at the time i applied at many entry level and unskilled job opertunites only to be told over qualified.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:20 pm

yeah, dang that........it seems, for me, the only thing that works is making my own job.
can you promote your talents, in such a way as to get people to hire you to do stuff?
Make a product?
There's a fellow here, who makes great tamales.......stops in all the businesses, selling them.
He's developed a "route".........and, does pretty well for himself.
I don't see any evidence of business license or health dept. stickers.
Can you run heavy equipment? weld? weedeat and mow?
Paint?.........all those things.

I Hope something can work out for you soon.

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:00 pm

Tom, I reserve the right to snark about not having a life.

Hope you find something.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:12 am

I've rewrote this post 4 times, and I'm like fuck it. It is what it is. Type and post and if anyone doesn't like it fuck 'em.

1 year ago 4 of us were sitting in BFE Nebraska. The nearest IT jobs were 240 miles away in Omaha. Unemployment was about gone...in my case I was a 99'er and tapped it all.

We had to make some very tough decisions. We ended up relocating. First to Denver, then to Las Vegas. Yep, at the time America's highest unemployment rated city...and we ended up in a roach motel where I literally had a meth dealer on one side and a pot dealer on the other and the gang unit breaking down our door by mistake at 4 am and life sucked serious ass. And we were about out of money....to even afford that.

I caught a lucky break by going back to a job I swore I would never do again. I dumbed down my resume to get around the overqualified bullshit. I called my references and told them flat out what was up and got them onboard. I worked Craigslist, i went to some job fairs (some are legit, some I learned are a fucking joke, and I hope you don't find one of those), I worked LinkedIn, I worked the job boards (Indeed.com got us more responses than anything on Monster or Careerbuilder ever did)....and it paid off. On the last week before my money ran out I got 2, yes 2 job offers. I jumped, and have not looked back.

Others in our group applied for student aid and went back to school and got enough money to cover basic expenses too even if it was a loan. Fafsa.gov is where anyone can apply, this year's deadline is June 30, 2011. One worked part time jobs doing handyman work......and turned that into a part time gig that helps make ends meet.

In the end it took us totally reinventing ourselves. It took networking. Extensive networking. I went from being shy to being able to walk up to almost anyone and I can strike up a conversation and it's opened doors. I took community college classes online at night to boost skillsets. We relocated....with a 6 month old at the time...which having your income run out with a baby is about as scary as it gets. Oh and do this while still having a head injury giving you trouble...yeah, you can do this. My dad is in the same boat...his truck driving job is running out, and at 62 he can't retire. Driving is all he knows. But he's got that PC and he's retraining himself to use Word, Excel, and is now in line to get in as a safety officer with the company he worked for...

I'm preaching...I expect you to rip me a new ass over this long post. But dammit I've been there and got back on my feet and you can too. Your post is one of those steps forward. I wish you luck, and if I could be of any help...ask! Another thing you have access to is the BM community...and it's a vast and deep resource. Again, networking. Tap those contacts. Build a social media presence on Twitter and build up a Facebook presence...yeah I made money off tweets and FB posts. It wasn't easy but one can only stare at job boards for so long before you go nuts. I hope something in here may be of help....but again...I've lived this, and you can find a job again...and not just a McJob, but a good job. And last but not least...Ygmir's post is spot on as well...and a lot shorter to read.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:51 am

When you get that magic job, can I be your trophy wife?

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:57 am

I would hold out Tom.
Till you find out what position she takes on A. Weiner first.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:04 am

*spits coffee on screen*

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:10 am

goathead wrote:I would hold out Tom.
Till you find out what position she takes on A. Weiner first.

When it comes to voting for A. Weiner, I'd certainly push his buttons.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:34 am

This economy sucks and A. Wiener is a dick.

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:09 am

C.f.M. wrote:
goathead wrote:I would hold out Tom.
Till you find out what position she takes on A. Weiner first.
When it comes to voting for A. Weiner, I'd certainly push his buttons.

Are you saying you would have various positions on A. Weiner?

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:58 am

goathead wrote:
C.f.M. wrote:
goathead wrote:I would hold out Tom.
Till you find out what position she takes on A. Weiner first.
When it comes to voting for A. Weiner, I'd certainly push his buttons.
Are you saying you would have various positions on A. Weiner?

I'd have to check out his poll, see how hard and reliable the data is.

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:12 am

So, no soft data on A. Weiner will satisfy you?

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:20 am

goathead wrote:So, no soft data on A. Weiner will satisfy you?

I'd think most prefer hard to soft - I suppose as long as A. Weiner stands hard and firm where and when it counts, soft data wouldn't need to stand on its own.

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:43 am

I'm in the same boat. Been doing welding to cover expenses. Good thing is I have plenty of time to work on BM art projects.

You know I rather enjoy welding, more than what I was doing as an Engineer/Geologist. Its how I put myself through school.

I'm trying to avoid relocating but I may just have to go that route.

Anyone need any welding done, or any rocks licked?

maryanimal · Post by **maryanimal** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:19 am

Tom, I, was an electronics assmbler for a defense plant and was laid off after five years. I was making top pay and was living well. then a company bout out the compound I worked at and sold it of piece by piece. I lost my apartment and moved up to a small community in Calif. I went to school and got my AA dgree in Lib Arts. When I moved to Spokane, WA, elecetronics was a booming industry and the pay wasn't as good, however I had the skills they desired. Then they all moved to Mexico, China, Japan, a lot of people lost there jobs. I went to college and floundered trying to find what I wanted to do. I decided to get into the health field.

That's what I do now. Not the money I was making, but I love my job. Not a lot of people can say they love their job. I'm thinking od standing somewhere with a sign asking for $1 to make a dream of mine possible. I need to gather about $7000. I want to own a hot dog cart. Sound crazy? I love talking with people, being sicilian, feeding people is an innate part of who I am. And I love to make people smile most of all!

So don't give up, especially on yoursef! You are you own best asset!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:35 pm

Wait, we have two wanna-be vendors of hot dogs on ths thread? or is it just sliding to A. Wiener all the time?

can't sit still · Post by **can't sit still** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:01 pm

Don't forget Rabbi Rick, he wants a cajun hot dog cart.
I had the advantage of growing up poor,,, 9 kids. I started working at 7 y.o. For my 8th B-day, my parents bought me a 12 lb sledge hammer,,, so I could split the eucalyptus logs that I had sawed by hand. I picked pomegranates and sold them to the kids at school for 5 cents. They stained their clothes and that came to an end. I crawled under burned houses to scrap out the copper wire and the lead in the drain plumbing. I walked all over town looking for 3 cent deposit bottles.
None of this hurt me and it gave me the idea early-on that I had better be able to take care of myself. I did a lot of different jobs. I worked as a mechanic in 29 Palms for a shop that was disorganized. I had to work 100 hours a week to make $100 a week. I always found something. I've always tried to pick up a new trade whenever possible.

Bin Noddin · Post by **Bin Noddin** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:26 pm

Same boat, and not for the first time. Just that it gets scarier when you're close to 60. Doing weekend flea market, e-bay in addition to the job hunt. Glad we have each other, and glad for your success, Kinetic.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:35 pm

ygmir wrote:yeah, dang that........it seems, for me, the only thing that works is making my own job.
can you promote your talents, in such a way as to get people to hire you to do stuff?
Make a product?
There's a fellow here, who makes great tamales.......stops in all the businesses, selling them.
He's developed a "route".........and, does pretty well for himself.
I don't see any evidence of business license or health dept. stickers.
Can you run heavy equipment? weld? weedeat and mow?
Paint?.........all those things.

I Hope something can work out for you soon.

Ygmir, I can play piano with a back-hoe, press buttons, BBQ, sew kilts, design bikes, mow, edge, trim bushes (the plant ones), I make the best potato salad, forklift, gently move two ton objects with a bulldozer, pop a wheelie on a Bobcat, cook hot dogs, cook menudo, operate excavators, run a Colorliner printing press, custom mix inks, stretch screen printing screens, fix CD players with duct tape, and even rug hook. But my resume, for the past 7 years is truck driver, truck driver, truck driver. My best artwork is done by hand, and try to avoid computer art. It doesn't help, that Solano county is more depressed than other bay area communities. Its a mess.

burner von braun · Post by **burner von braun** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:07 pm

Tom, I don't really have much to add, but I truly hope something opens up for you soon.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:03 pm

Doing the best I can, just enhancing my Cover Letters. All my interesting jobs were around y2k, and before.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:12 pm

I tell ya, TS........you've got some talent!!
I guess it's just finding a place that recognizes it, and, can use it.

What is the wage you ask for?
You don't need to answer, but, one thing I find at times, when wanting to hire someone, (in the past, hoping they'd be full time), they'd want a journeymans wages, to start......and then, not necessarily show up 3 days in a row. Or, screw up so much I had to send 'em packin.
I always said to new people:
I'm starting you at "x" (fairly low), but, if you show you can do it, and all that, I'll raise you up fairly fast, as you prove yourself.

I never asked anyone to work harder, than me, or, do anything I wouldn't, but, often, they didn't come back after a few days.......they'd call in "sick", or, just not show.

dang.

Packoderm · Post by **Packoderm** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:20 pm

ygmir wrote:I tell ya, TS........you've got some talent!!
I guess it's just finding a place that recognizes it, and, can use it.

What is the wage you ask for?
You don't need to answer, but, one thing I find at times, when wanting to hire someone, (in the past, hoping they'd be full time), they'd want a journeymans wages, to start......and then, not necessarily show up 3 days in a row. Or, screw up so much I had to send 'em packin.
I always said to new people:
I'm starting you at "x" (fairly low), but, if you show you can do it, and all that, I'll raise you up fairly fast, as you prove yourself.

I never asked anyone to work harder, than me, or, do anything I wouldn't, but, often, they didn't come back after a few days.......they'd call in "sick", or, just not show.

dang.

That must have been back when it was a worker's market. It's the boss's market now. Workers are desperate now and will work for less pay, longer hours, allow to be cheated some hours, etc. Nobody's late or absent anymore.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:31 pm

Packoderm wrote:
ygmir wrote:I tell ya, TS........you've got some talent!!
I guess it's just finding a place that recognizes it, and, can use it.

What is the wage you ask for?
You don't need to answer, but, one thing I find at times, when wanting to hire someone, (in the past, hoping they'd be full time), they'd want a journeymans wages, to start......and then, not necessarily show up 3 days in a row. Or, screw up so much I had to send 'em packin.
I always said to new people:
I'm starting you at "x" (fairly low), but, if you show you can do it, and all that, I'll raise you up fairly fast, as you prove yourself.

I never asked anyone to work harder, than me, or, do anything I wouldn't, but, often, they didn't come back after a few days.......they'd call in "sick", or, just not show.

dang.
That must have been back when it was a worker's market. It's the boss's market now. Workers are desperate now and will work for less pay, longer hours, allow to be cheated some hours, etc. Nobody's late or absent anymore.

yeah, it was a few years ago.........but, even recently I find it.
I just don't work enough to hire people, except sporadically any more.

and, I do not, and would not, cheat on hours.

But, it's tough.
I hired a guy to help form the slab we poured.
It was easy, already leveled, all it took was putting the forms in, laying steel and dobies, and, pouring.
When we got done, I asked what I owed him.
He said he was giving me a "break" and would only charge me 40 bucks per hour............
and 12 for his kid (seemed correct for the kid, he was not so good).
The guy was fine, and all that, but, not very fast.......
so, I paid him, told him to get his stuff and leave. I'd finish the slab myself. And, I won't hire him, again.

Maybe I'm way out of touch.
But, 40 bucks per hour seems a lot of money, for doing what he did.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:31 pm

Tom, after reading that I would hire you in a split second...you got some skills I wish I had. Hmmm...thinking it over did you ever think of doing a side business in the past that used those skills you listed? If you had a name for it....you could list it as a side job or two or more somehow on your resume. The side projects I started doing turned into a Wyoming based LLC that in turn helped springboard me into so many other things...maybe you could do the same.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:39 pm

ygmir wrote:I tell ya, TS........you've got some talent!!
I guess it's just finding a place that recognizes it, and, can use it.

What is the wage you ask for?
You don't need to answer, but, one thing I find at times, when wanting to hire someone, (in the past, hoping they'd be full time), they'd want a journeymans wages, to start......and then, not necessarily show up 3 days in a row. Or, screw up so much I had to send 'em packin.
I always said to new people:
I'm starting you at "x" (fairly low), but, if you show you can do it, and all that, I'll raise you up fairly fast, as you prove yourself.

I never asked anyone to work harder, than me, or, do anything I wouldn't, but, often, they didn't come back after a few days.......they'd call in "sick", or, just not show.

dang.

The only journeyman levels I've ever reached, were as a press operator and maybe truck driver? Neither were Union. All the heavy equipment experience, was cause I liked operating big things. The afore mentioned bulldozer, was a D9N. I just want to pay rent, eat and buy beer...and of course BM. Kilts, however, will cost you! It is a messed up market. My whole family is blue collar, and it seems were being getting swept under the rug. And, I'm confused...

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:42 pm

TomServo wrote:
ygmir wrote:I tell ya, TS........you've got some talent!!
I guess it's just finding a place that recognizes it, and, can use it.

What is the wage you ask for?
You don't need to answer, but, one thing I find at times, when wanting to hire someone, (in the past, hoping they'd be full time), they'd want a journeymans wages, to start......and then, not necessarily show up 3 days in a row. Or, screw up so much I had to send 'em packin.
I always said to new people:
I'm starting you at "x" (fairly low), but, if you show you can do it, and all that, I'll raise you up fairly fast, as you prove yourself.

I never asked anyone to work harder, than me, or, do anything I wouldn't, but, often, they didn't come back after a few days.......they'd call in "sick", or, just not show.

dang.
The only journeyman levels I've ever reached, were as a press operator and maybe truck driver? Neither were Union. All the heavy equipment experience, was cause I liked operating big things. The afore mentioned bulldozer, was a D9N. I just want to pay rent, eat and buy beer...and of course BM. Kilts, however, will cost you! It is a messed up market. My whole family is blue collar, and it seems were being getting swept under the rug. And, I'm confused...

well, if anything comes up, and, I can offer you enough work to make it worth coming up here, I'll sure let you know.
I have a backhoe, bobcat, crane and such........
one big sticking point with taking on heavy equipment work, is, the state demands you be licensed contractor, have insurance, bonded, all that.......so, it keeps me really, really low key.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:54 pm

Kinetic V wrote:Tom, after reading that I would hire you in a split second...you got some skills I wish I had. Hmmm...thinking it over did you ever think of doing a side business in the past that used those skills you listed? If you had a name for it....you could list it as a side job or two or more somehow on your resume. The side projects I started doing turned into a Wyoming based LLC that in turn helped springboard me into so many other things...maybe you could do the same.

My only side job is pressing buttons for burners, for free. I don't feel its right to charge burners, and it keeps me busy....which is almost as important as being employed. I like keeping busy.

burner von braun · Post by **burner von braun** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:32 pm

Regarding computer art, well there is nothing I like more than drawing with a pencil (or good pen), but to be employed in many art fields, you have to go to the dark side. I use computers to create 'artwork' every day. I gotta tell ya, some of that software is kickass, and fun, and some of it can challenge you beyond your limit. Photoshop especially is fun to use and well behaved. It is ubiquitous. I endeavour to create my own art at home using whatever media I choose, and use computers for commercial work. With your press and screenprint background, and having seen some things you've posted around here, well you have skills, but computers are part of it. Limited openings in today's market, but it is a possibility.

Believe me, I understand the desire to work with your hands, I'm just throwing it out there, for what it's worth.

/