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I went through the same thing for 3 years before I finally gave up. Not one offer.
Didn't matter what I did, no one would hire me. Never in my life had I put forth so much effort for so long to reach a goal that I never achieved. No one should have to go through this.
After you gave up, did a job finally come your way?
Quote:
Originally Posted by High Altitude
You get into this twilight zone where the professional jobs you are qualified for consider you "unqualified", and the low wage jobs consider you "overqualified" and that is that, no job for you. The longer you are unemployed, the worse it gets.
I feel the "universe" wants me to be unemployed and homeless. No matter what I do, walls get thrown up in front of me. You are right, the longer you are unemployed the worse it gets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by High Altitude
Oh yeah, and through the whole ordeal you get to listen to just about every single person tell you how great you are, how educated and smart you are and there are so many jobs out there you won't have any problem finding one. But of course, not one person who tells you this has a job to hire you for.
Exactly. People give lots of advice, but I never seem to run into people who have actually jobs available and are willing to hire me.
So how did it work out for you? Did you finally land a job or have you been surviving other ways?
OP - Have you checked out contract work like at TEKsystems?
I'm sure there are many like that, I just happened to have known someone that worked there once upon a time.
Staffing firms like Teksystems will summarily reject you if you have a large employment (especially current) gap and if you appear to be "older". The problem is that it is 'assumed' that "something is wrong with you" if you have any significant current gap in employment and are not working or don't have the exact skills, & industry experience required for the position.
My problem is 'too much contract work' and the fact that I am over 40 years old makes me "unemployable" and is an immediate "red flag"
OP - Have you tried applying for retail jobs or jobs at the local supermarket? I see "older" people working there all. the. time. And in every supermarket I've been to.
Going through my big spreadsheet of "failures" (aka jobs I have applied to over the past year):
I applied to:
1. Home Depot - never received a response
2. Staples - received a phone call, I called them back twice but never got a hold of anyone (was on hold forever, very strange)
3. Lowes - Received TWO rejection emails for the same job - both said I wasn't the right fit for a cashier position. Thank God they sent me TWO rejection emails, as I am too stupid to realize I was rejected on the first email (jeez).
4. Local Grocery Store - applied for cashier position - never received a response
5. Two local casinos for minimum wage cage/cashier positions - Rejected by both casinos - said I was not the right fit.
That is why I wrote this post, I am not the right fit for high-end cashier positions (even though I programmed a POS system from scratch - whatever ), so I figured I would try my hand at hotel housekeeping, I mean, how many people really want to work cleaning up after people? I guess over 300 people in my area have no problem cleaning up after people for minimum wage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oasiscakes
If you are in IT, perhaps Ageism is a thing.. they probably want to hire the young kids who just graduated because they're more "up to date" and can pick up quickly.
I don't apply to many IT/Database positions as there really are not that many available. Plus I know it is "cheaper" for companies to hire the young kids or just hire an H1B applicant.
I can go round and round why I cannot find a job, but in the end, I think I am just unlucky and I am fighting against the universe. Strange as that may seem, I really believe if the universe doesn't want you to have something, you are NOT going to get it no matter how hard you try. Time for me to own up to it.
I wish I could offer some advice OP but it sounds like you've done all you can, and you get all kinds of advice like I do. All I can say is that I feel your pain. I've been looking since January 2016. I'm 57. I will send some luck your way.
Thanks milesfive. I believe Ageism is alive and well in the workplace, but we are told to suck it up and accept it. Oh well, what can you do? Not much.
Good luck will always trump hard work. At least that has been my experience. We both need some good luck in our job search. Right time, right place, right person. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee good luck will ever make an appearance in life.
A lot of people in the employment forum need therapy or read some self help books. A lot of people on this forum are their own worst enemy. If you don't think the negativity, self pity, woah is me, I am unemployable attitude doesn't ooze out of you in an interview, you are sorely mistaken.
A lot of people in the employment forum need therapy or read some self help books. A lot of people on this forum are their own worst enemy. If you don't think the negativity, self pity, woah is me, I am unemployable attitude doesn't ooze out of you in an interview, you are sorely mistaken.
Hm. Perhaps you should try to *take out* some roles on your resumes when applying for retail/minimum wage jobs, have you tried that so you don't look over-qualified?
My advice for someone who keeps falling into HR unemployment traps is to lie your @ss off. Fake jobs fake references, fake paystubs whatever.
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), so I figured I would try my hand at hotel housekeeping, I mean, how many people really want to work cleaning up after people? I guess over 300 people in my area have no problem cleaning up after people for minimum wage. 
