NYC: Unemployed, jobless, underpaid & slaved. (gated, wages, cost of living)

[BingCherry]

Originally Posted by Skittles24

Very. I went on 3 other interviews but they chose other people. The last one chose a Harvard grad and event planner with 10+yrs experience for a position to show luxury apartments to potential tenants. Smh

As of right now, I'm limiting myself to NYC and westchester. I used to live out of state during college and there's not much outlook for someone with my background. I am a native NY before anyone persecute me, lol. I'm just looking for something that last more than a few days so that I know for sure that my CC/student loan can be paid for the month. Thank God that's my only responsibility since I'm staying with relatives but it can't (actually I won't have it) last forever.

Keep me updated an Good Luck on your interview.

I guess what I'm asking is...do you absolutely have to stay in the NYC area?

[BingCherry]

Originally Posted by EastBoundandDownChick

Good job Pinky calling out these cheapskate employers! I keep saying they will only keep pulling this stuff as long as people put up with it. And as the recovery gathers steam those in bad situations will leave. The employers SHOULD be humiliated and ashamed. Especially when the partners and CEOs rake in millions. In other countries they take it to the street when they are getting screwed over. For some reason we haven't done that yet, but we should.

Yeah, us Americans like to just bend over and take it if ya know what I mean.

[Skittles24]

Originally Posted by pinkybumpkin

I guess what I'm asking is...do you absolutely have to stay in the NYC area?

As of right now, yes. I was just providing some other background information.

And please excuse all the errors of my previous post. I wrote it on my phone while eating on my lunch break.

[NYChistorygal]

Originally Posted by pinkybumpkin

I just wanted to add that I bumped my minimum salary requirements up to $50,000 and I still have recruiters calling me from the resume I have posted online. It's time for you guys to figure out the features and bump up your salary as well. I was just told that I was overqualified for an office support position that pays $40,000/year. It was funny hearing that since I'm pretty young and don't have any over the top skills, but needless to say, it's time for all of you to bump your salaries up to $50,000/year+++. I have had two recruiters blow me off after they asked me my minimum salary requirements and I stated $33,000 for receptionist and $40,000 for administrative assistant...and I have exec. admin experience! Needless to say, I was offended, but with the recent amount of calls and emails that I am receiving, I've upped my standards. I still do not think things are as good as they were before, but I am crossing my fingers because it looks like we are finally starting to turn the corner and it won't be much longer that employers are holding onto us by the balls.

When I went in to meet with recruiters I also let them know that I had about a dozen other recruiters call me lol. I did it nicely since they always ask if you are interviewing...I said "I just started and I have had about a dozen people reach out to me in the last few days so I am just setting up interviews. I really didn't expect such a response from my resume, but it seems like the economy is improving right? ". Of course they smile and make their comments, but I notice a little cringe of fear.

Recruiters were SUPER aggressive with me yesterday and I'm really not applying for any special jobs. I can only imagine how great it's going to get for those with specialized degrees, skills and experience. I have years of work experience, but my skills are still pretty standard at this point.

PS. Everyone I know is lying on their resume HARDCORE. Why should they make it easier for HR? As someone else said...MORE POWER TO THEM.

That's some good news! I just re-amped my job search and am pumping out a lot of applications. I had slowed down for a while as I was getting so disgusted. Am also looking into going back to school.

It's good to know I may get my old salary back!

[BingCherry]

Originally Posted by NYChistorygal

That's some good news! I just re-amped my job search and am pumping out a lot of applications. I had slowed down for a while as I was getting so disgusted. Am also looking into going back to school.

It's good to know I may get my old salary back!

What are you looking for? I don't want to take less than $50,000 and I think that's pretty fair. I'm a hard worker and present well.

[BingCherry]

Originally Posted by Skittles24

As of right now, yes. I was just providing some other background information.

And please excuse all the errors of my previous post. I wrote it on my phone while eating on my lunch break.

Ohhh I see. I was going to tell you to move if you could.
What kind of jobs are you open to?

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by pinkybumpkin

That's awesome. What field are you in and were they all new grads?

PS. Look at this AWESOME job posting on Monster!
I seriously called up there and played stupid....said "Hi there, I saw your job posting on Monster and I'm very interested in it, but I am pretty sure you guys made an error because the salary is stated as being $25,000-$30,0000/year. Did you mean to put $25-30/hr?" The line went silent..I don't think they knew what to say.

I enjoy bashing cheap employers. It's becoming a hobby of mine. Everytime I see a POS job posting I reply via email and write something like "LOL" ...or"WHAT?!"...or..."Are you serious?"....or.."Wow, what a grand salary. Your future employee is SO lucky. I bet people are just stomping all over themselves to land this job!"

Good for you! I love this--laughed right out loud.

What you are asking for in salary sounds very reasonable. It looks as if a lot employers are doing their best to take advantage of the desperation of the unemployed and are cheaping out left and right.

[BingCherry]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Good for you! I love this--laughed right out loud.

What you are asking for in salary sounds very reasonable. It looks as if a lot employers are doing their best to take advantage of the desperation of the unemployed and are cheaping out left and right.

I will feast on PB&J sammiches and hold off for as LONG as I can. I'm open to temp work, right now, so that I have flexibility to interview and can just get by. I rather hold off an extra 2 months and not have any fun money than settle for less and set the bar so low for myself. I need a company that is going to provide a decent opportunity for me. This job search/interviewing process has been absolutely overwhelming, draining and, at times, downright depressing.

I feel like I am trying to find the right husband. It's worth holding out. If you guys can financially do it, I encourage you to. I can just get by and I realize that an extra month is NOT an eternity if I can get something that's going to pay me at least $50,000/year. Do you guys realize how much those companies are making every year? I mean..it's insane...millions and BILLIONS for the companies I'm looking at. They can MORE than afford $50,000/year.

I have told recruiters that I absolutely wouldn't even consider anything less than $45,000 and if it's $45,000 there better be some AWESOME benefits and opportunities for growth within the company. Glad I made you laugh..you guys should all join in lol.

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by RedJacket

My older brother started working for Niagara Mohawk (utility company) in upstate NY (Oswego) right out of high school back in 1977. He started out at $8.50 an hour.

Some 35 years later, and that's just about what employers are still paying employees. There's a very direct correlation between the demise of private unions and the demise of any decent paying jobs.

Good Lord, before unions we had child labor and 80 hour work weeks. There was little concern over the health and wellbeing of the workers because there were so many poor people who would have taken their jobs.

I would never want to return to that, but capitalism run amok would bring that to us again.

With labor unions came leisure time and discretionary spending and a thriving middle class. It made us the greatest marketplace in the world and everyone thrived.

Yes, there were some unions that went overboard and there should be limits, but we are now throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[BingCherry]

Just a tip..I'm going to post it on my recruiter/employment agency thread too: You can tell prospects that you're making WHATEVER salary you want. I worked at an agency and I have SEVERAL friends in HR. We only released work dates for the most part. I don't know ANY companies that, when employment verification is done, will release what that employee was making. Most of the time it's just verifying the employee worked there for those dates. I can SAFELY say that 99% of companies are NOT willing to give out ANY further information and even risk a lawsuit from an ex-employee. It's TOO risky and NOT worth it. What do they get out of employment verifications? NOTHING. They're not even obligated to conduct them, by law.

At my agency and others, we only confirm the dates the employee worked there, at most. So when you go to these interviews, fib about your pay rate by all means...even fib about why you are looking to leave or have left your old job. Don't be irrational. If you're a receptionist don't say you're making $65,000/year unless you're some kind of executive receptionist. If you're only making $15/hr as a temp, tell people you're really making $40,000/year (that's somewhere around the $19.25/hr rate. That way, you're not entertaining offers for less than that. This is just an example!

I'm telling you guys, previous employers have TOO much to risk by confirming anything other than the dates you worked there.While they are not obligated to even reply to employment verifications, they do so because they also run the risk that previous employees will complain that they are preventing them from gaining meaningful employment by denying their verification..this is why they ONLY DO THE BASICS.

It's true..it is TRUE! I had to see it for myself and talk to a few of my friends in HR, but this is ALL they do. Don't be afraid to ask for a reasonable salary! I left my hometown making EFFING $8/hr and came to NYC and told them I was making $15/hr. I was being offered $36,000/year 4 years ago with NO degree and hardly ANY work experience whatsoever. It doesn't sound like a lot, but that's kind of like the new $40,000/year now..for a young kid without a college degree. It was reasonable for me. I just sat there looking cute at the desk lol. You know how I got it? I said I was already making $15/hr. LOL