ARRRRGH!!!! What to do? (Los Angeles: fit in, insurance, crime)

[nighthouse66]

Originally Posted by readymade

Errrr... who would hire a guy nanny with no (I assume) babysitting experience? Who apparently has crappy credit (no judgements here, I'm in the process of repairing mine, myself) and used to live in a van? It's an odd job choice you're steering this guy towards.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the above link and checked the "slave labor" woman's only other post in which she OFFERS UP HER NANNY to the OP (in a differerent thread)! I wouldn't want to work for her.

To the OP, that really sucks. I've read many of your posts about there being no jobs. Like, at all. I was wondering... have you applied at places like McDonalds and Starbucks? Are THEY not hiring either? Do you have any computer skills where you could work remotely (i.e. for someone in another state)?

I think, just like the opposite sex, job hunters can sense desperation. They don't want to hire someone who's unemployed and they ESPECIALLY don't want to hire someone who's been unemployed for 2 years. Make up a business or something you've been doing for the past 2 years other than being unemployed. Make a website for this business. Do people even call on references anymore? My previous company emailed my references a friggin' survey to fill out!

Originally Posted by pacific2

Oops, my mistake. I thought nighthouse66 was a woman.

FIRST OFF, i am a woman. and not taking too kindly to the veiled judgement of me as being some sort of freak. well, i suppose i am, because when i lived in my van i was a receptionist. i never fit the stereotype. i am quite girly. i am also of a pioneer mentality, and i came out here in my van from 2300 miles away and lived in it a couple months (apart from being homeless in venice). i am a freak, but a freak who can take care of herself. judge me if you want, but if you saw my van you have a whole other outlook on how you can be homeless and elegant. just because i was homeless and have little credit and am a female doesn't mean you know any thing about me or my character. so lets please not judge. sorry, but i am getting a little bit touchy in general as of late.

and thanks, but i do NOT HAVE CRAPPY CREDIT. i have LITTLE credit. there is a BIG difference. i spent most of my adult life being paranoid about going into debt after i watched my mother and sister drown in it. i freaked out when i first got a CELL phone. i thought, "what if something happens and i can't pay this bill?" i am probably a little neurotic on that tip, having grown up very poor and at times almost homeless with mum over bad financial decisions. so i never, ever got a credit card. if i can't pay for it outright i don't get it. most of the places i have rented from have been private individuals. i have bought a couple cars, with a cosigner, and paid them off early. i just don't do that spend-and-die-american thing like everyone else does. you get penalized for it. believe it or not, and doubtless some of you won't believe it but i would rather have little credit that be deemed a good credit risk because i went and ran up 20,000 at the mac store. i know people who have done that. but the idea of people blithely going out and buying a house with a 20-30 year mortgage to me sounds like a horror movie. it always has. the foreclosure freakout we just saw happen is WHY i am terrified of owning property.

and to the poster who asked if i was trying to be a CEO- nice one. no, i am not. i am trying to work. yes i have gone to starbucks. have you looked for a job lately? its scary.

[nighthouse66]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

They announced yesterday that the unemployment rate in LA County has gone up to 13% California jobs: California unemployment rate ticks up to 12.5% - latimes.com

Some of the employment sites make it look like there are plenty of jobs here - but somehow, when you're here, it just doesn't seem to be true. I wish we had that many available jobs!

As for Yard Goat Operators, I googled it! Yard Goat Job Description | eHow.com

nighthouse66, the suggestion above about looking at retirement homes might not be a bad one - I've heard the same thing - that they tend to have fairly high turnover, so it might be something you could do for now, until something better comes along?

Originally Posted by pacific2

I'm obviously stretching here, but I posted this info on another thread:

Try Aliso Viejo if you cant' find anything closer. PetSmart in Aliso Viejo is always hiring, but I don't know how much they pay. Many of their employees are college students who come and go depending upon their class schedule. Others seem to be freelancers who just want to use the part-time job to supplement their income from other sources.

Also, try the Renaissance ClubSport hotel and spa in Aliso Viejo. Currently, they have openings for the following:Banquet Server, Esthetician, Fitness Attendant, Hotel Sales Manager (SMERF), Income Auditor, Massage Therapist, Nail Technician and Steward.
Renaissance ClubSport Aliso Viejo | Sports, Fitness, Hotel & Spa | Orange County, CA

I would recommend concentrating your search in South County, even if it means a longer commute, because you are likely to find much less competition for jobs that are paying at the $12/hr level.

guys, thanks alot. thats the sort of thing i am looking for. til something better comes along? hell, i don't even care. i have worked many a job in my life where others would run screaming and i hung on. i got no pride about that stuff. zero. none. i really appreciate it and i will be checking on that stuff.

also, to the person who said there are 24,000 listings on some job place- yeah. do you know how many of them are fakes? at least half. i have learned to spot them. anything with "clerk" in it. anything that doesn't mention the company's name. anything that writes back wanting credit check. and so on.

[Ceece]

Well I hate to say it but maybe you would have better luck somewhere other than LA, where everyone with stars in their eyes and no work experience seems to migrate to.

[nighthouse66]

Originally Posted by Ceece

Well I hate to say it but maybe you would have better luck somewhere other than LA, where everyone with stars in their eyes and no work experience seems to migrate to.

well, i didn't have stars in my eyes and i had 15 years of work experience. and yes, that may be what happens. but im not going down without a fight.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

They announced yesterday that the unemployment rate in LA County has gone up to 13% California jobs: California unemployment rate ticks up to 12.5% - latimes.com

Some of the employment sites make it look like there are plenty of jobs here - but somehow, when you're here, it just doesn't seem to be true. I wish we had that many available jobs!

As for Yard Goat Operators, I googled it! Yard Goat Job Description | eHow.com

nighthouse66, the suggestion above about looking at retirement homes might not be a bad one - I've heard the same thing - that they tend to have fairly high turnover, so it might be something you could do for now, until something better comes along?

Any place where you have a large minority population you are going to have higher unemployment numbers. This for two reasons.... First of all, typically minorities have higher unemployment rates and secondly, illegal aliens are going to be filling jobs resulting in higher unemployment for non-illegals.

We all know that Los Angeles has significant minority influence and this accounts for the high unemployment figure. I am certain that if you factor out minorities, that the unemployment rate is much, much lower.

Even so, they still have 200 jobs at Domino's for delivery drivers.

20yrsinBranson

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by readymade

... they ESPECIALLY don't want to hire someone who's been unemployed for 2 years. Make up a business or something you've been doing for the past 2 years other than being unemployed. Make a website for this business. Do people even call on references anymore?

They do. Hope you're not serious about the above.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

...maybe there is some sort of program somewhere- maybe a ranch somewhere where i can work in exchange for a room until the economy improves..

Check some seasonal jobs: California Jobs | CoolWorks.com

or maybe you could relocate?
Where U.S. Jobs Are: Finding Work in a Not-Great Recovery - TIME

[Ari Gold]

Hats off to you for not giving in.

Quitting is easy and you clearly have bundles of pride.

Good luck.

[readymade]

I'm sorry... I thought you were a guy. Hard to tell on CD sometimes.

I didn't mean to make you feel like a freak, I just meant that people vet nannies pretty thoroughly, and you might be the most responsible person in the world... but you need to be very "clean" on paper. Good credit, relevent work history, etc...

I have the utmost respect for alternative lifestyles (and "freaks," for that matter)! I'm even more impressed now that you lived in a van now that I know you're female! Were you ever worried about safety? I would be. Hell, if anyone is a freak, it's me... I keep moving around the country trying to find "home." I guess I have a pioneer mentality too. I honestly didn't mean to judge. Especially since people in glass houses...

In regards to the references, I just meant that people seem to be moving away from calling each other and more to messaging/emailing/texting. My last company was a pretty big one, and I was surprised that they didn't call my references... they emailed them. I wondered if that's now becoming the norm. I do freelance now, and haven't had anyone call on a reference in years.

I'm not saying it's great to lie on your resume, but it's preferable to being homeless. Gaps in the resume are a red flag which is why I suggested "creating" your own company.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

We all know that Los Angeles has significant minority influence and this accounts for the high unemployment figure. I am certain that if you factor out minorities, that the unemployment rate is much, much lower.

Why would we want to factor out anyone? If someone lives here, and they're unemployed, they count...