PHOENIX JOB MARKET is SO BAD it SPAWNED a REALITY SHOW (foreclosure, neighborhood)
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I'm not sure if this thread is about the show or economic data. The not new Mercedes disappeared from the driveway and a late model Honda Accord appeared in front of the house. The children were doing their best to reassure mom that life would go on without leather seats. I believe that this started filming in July. I looked for beads of sweat on the family and complaints about the heat in the house. Maybe the APS bill was included with the rent they couldn't pay. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was a better reality show to me than this. It's good that the shallow heads of household produced so many shallow offspring.
Hello! I happen to own a 2002 Honda Accord (with leather seats, but I did buy it used ) and I like it just fine. Of course, I just happen own it and my home as well (IOW, I own it - the bank owns not one cent of it). Is this coincidence? I think not. No refi's, no ATM lines on the house, no equity lines. Just a few new light fixtures and what has needed to be done to make it salable, if it comes down to that.
Look, this is the land of $30K millionaires (and I refer to Scottsdale). I can't speak for Phoenix.
I happen to have an advanced degree and don't think McDonald''s is beneath me. If I could stand on my feet all day, I'd have no issue doing it. You do "realize" there are PhD's doing janitor work, right? Some money is better than no money and, since a lot of our decent jobs have been outsourced (or will be, thanks 2010 election!), people had better get used to the idea of the "new normal."
Oh, and I never watch that reality TV crap. I abhor it so no comment.
I have to agree that the Job Market in Phoenix is bad.
I have 7 years of Clerical/Administrative/Data Entry experience from Government Work from which I got laid off due to Cut Backs earlier this year.
I have Military Experience as Infantry (In other words, I'm qualified if I went down town and paid the fees for a Carry-Concealed Permit and the I.C. License to be a Bodyguard)
I currently have an Unarmed Security Guard License
I've worked Less than a Year each in Construction, Retail, Interbussiness Sales
I've now been unemployed for the last Six Months, Applying for Everything I can find that I am qualified for (which is vry little considering I do not have an Accredited Degree, only an Honorary one) and I've got nothing. So, please tell me about All the new jobs that are coming, and the supposed improvements, and how the 10,000 new jobs in Phoenix is a good thing when there is over a 9% unemployment rate, which with 1.6 million people means that there are about 160,000 people like me who do not have a job and are looking for one.
I have to agree that the Job Market in Phoenix is bad.
I have 7 years of Clerical/Administrative/Data Entry experience from Government Work from which I got laid off due to Cut Backs earlier this year.
I have Military Experience as Infantry (In other words, I'm qualified if I went down town and paid the fees for a Carry-Concealed Permit and the I.C. License to be a Bodyguard)
I currently have an Unarmed Security Guard License
I've worked Less than a Year each in Construction, Retail, Interbussiness Sales
I've now been unemployed for the last Six Months, Applying for Everything I can find that I am qualified for (which is vry little considering I do not have an Accredited Degree, only an Honorary one) and I've got nothing. So, please tell me about All the new jobs that are coming, and the supposed improvements, and how the 10,000 new jobs in Phoenix is a good thing when there is over a 9% unemployment rate, which with 1.6 million people means that there are about 160,000 people like me who do not have a job and are looking for one.
First of all, I want to say happy belated Veterans Day, and thank you for your service. I'm sorry to hear that you were laid off from work. While I'm not sure how you landed a job doing clerical/administrative/data entry work (unless it was because of your military background), considering that with your other jobs you only worked less than a year in each doesn't show that you've been consistent in holding down jobs for a long time (this is what others may see). Add to that the fact that you are not holding an accredited degree (but you didn't mention anything about what you are doing to change that) isn't helping your situation either. The controversy surrounding an honorary degree is that it can be awarded to someone with no prior academic qualifications, or be given to someone in exchange for large donations. Not to downplay your achievements, but when you consider the fact the Kermit the Frog was also given an Honorary degree for his achievements, sometimes people will not look at Honorary degrees the same way they would look at a degree received from a regionally accredited university. Sure, the job market isn't great here, but it isn't great (and possibly worse) in many other areas as well. Moving out of Phoenix will not necessarily change your work situation or make you more marketable. Because you are not alone in this bad economy, you might want to consider going back to school because many of those people you are competing against for jobs could be holding higher degrees. Good luck in your pursuit!
I have to agree that the Job Market in Phoenix is bad.
I have 7 years of Clerical/Administrative/Data Entry experience from Government Work from which I got laid off due to Cut Backs earlier this year.
I have Military Experience as Infantry (In other words, I'm qualified if I went down town and paid the fees for a Carry-Concealed Permit and the I.C. License to be a Bodyguard)
I currently have an Unarmed Security Guard License
I've worked Less than a Year each in Construction, Retail, Interbussiness Sales
I've now been unemployed for the last Six Months, Applying for Everything I can find that I am qualified for (which is vry little considering I do not have an Accredited Degree, only an Honorary one) and I've got nothing. So, please tell me about All the new jobs that are coming, and the supposed improvements, and how the 10,000 new jobs in Phoenix is a good thing when there is over a 9% unemployment rate, which with 1.6 million people means that there are about 160,000 people like me who do not have a job and are looking for one.
No offense intended, but your work history and lack of advanced training (college or trade, etc.) might be more of a factor in your extended unemployment than anything else. Having said that, however, I do know from close family that even with a college degree and stable work history, the current job market's pretty tight. But I don't think this is unique to the Phoenix metro area, despite what others on this board might say.
Thank you for your service, and best wishes to you in your job search!
I have to agree that the Job Market in Phoenix is bad.
I have 7 years of Clerical/Administrative/Data Entry experience from Government Work from which I got laid off due to Cut Backs earlier this year.
I have Military Experience as Infantry (In other words, I'm qualified if I went down town and paid the fees for a Carry-Concealed Permit and the I.C. License to be a Bodyguard)
I currently have an Unarmed Security Guard License
I've worked Less than a Year each in Construction, Retail, Interbussiness Sales
I've now been unemployed for the last Six Months, Applying for Everything I can find that I am qualified for (which is vry little considering I do not have an Accredited Degree, only an Honorary one) and I've got nothing. So, please tell me about All the new jobs that are coming, and the supposed improvements, and how the 10,000 new jobs in Phoenix is a good thing when there is over a 9% unemployment rate, which with 1.6 million people means that there are about 160,000 people like me who do not have a job and are looking for one.
Keep your head up. Many people in Phoenix have had to leave the area to find better areas of the country for jobs. You are far from alone in your troubles, and frugality and family ties are important for you to continue.
So, they lied. What employer is going to turn down a more qualified candidate who's willing to work for the same pay as a less qualified candidate? That's like you going into a car dealer and saying, "That's too nice of a car for the money. Please give me a worse one."
A smart employer will skip the over-qualified if they don't think they are likely to stick around once they find something better. They don't want to train you and have you quit 6 months later when something better comes along or spend your time whining about how the job is beneath you.
They aren't altruistic, they are in business. Hiring and training is expensive so the BEST candidate is likely the WELL-qualified rather than the OVER-qualified.
If you ARE over-qualified, you need to be able to sell why you really WANT said job and are going to hang around, not how you are so desperate for a job you'd even work for them.
A smart employer will skip the over-qualified if they don't think they are likely to stick around once they find something better.
Well, that's certainly the prima facie definition of "over-qualified". On the other hand, It is also the classic excuse given when they're really discriminating by age.
"I have to agree that the Job Market in Phoenix is bad.
I have 7 years of Clerical/Administrative/Data Entry experience from Government Work from which I got laid off due to Cut Backs earlier this year.
I have Military Experience as Infantry (In other words, I'm qualified if I went down town and paid the fees for a Carry-Concealed Permit and the I.C. License to be a Bodyguard)
I currently have an Unarmed Security Guard License
I've worked Less than a Year each in Construction, Retail, Interbussiness Sales"
To add to what the others have said, there are so many unemployed people in the Phoenix area with mid-range and high level qualifications. Keep trying to consolidate because it isn't likely, sadly, that things are not going to improve.
I have seen Downsized and I have to admit that I do feel sorry for the children in this household (at least before they get paid for doing the reality show). The father stated that in 2007 his construction company netted 1.5 million dollars then in 2008 he netted around 500000 to six. He was able to provide a good lifestlye for his family with that as they spent around 20000 a month. He stated that they ate out to dinner everynight and usually spent around 300 to 400 a night on dinner. Most people are outraged by the ways the family have downsized if you will parden the pun. To them they have downsized but to a lot of us they still are living with more income than the average american. Especially in some areas of course. The financial planner stated that they were making a little over 60000 a year take home. But were spending 6 thousand a month. Of course when he broke that down it seemed to make some people feel less sympathy! The mother was spending 50 dollars a week on coffee at starbucks and they were spending 500 a month eating out. The family recieves food stamps as well. The children were costing them 600 a month in baseball sports fees and the ten year old was spending 150 a month on cheerleading lessons. The father was calling people looking for jobs but was only bringing home 2000 a month in odd jobs for people and his wife is a school teacher. The financial planner told them to cut out the activities for a year for the children and if they saved that money they would be in a home of their own in one year basically and be out of the danger part of their financial problems. And he told the mother to basically cut out buying coffee and make it herself and told the father to get out there and work harder. Mother started crying and stated that she would not stop drinking her coffee from starbucks because she had MS (a health disease) that made her tired. The Planner stated that they needed to cut out the eating out of 500 and mentioned that they were on food stamps. The mother replied we enjoy that and if we cut out the 500 to 200 we can only eat out twice a month! The mother stated that her teaching salary was so low that she felt like she was volunteering!
My opinion on this is that when I started watching this I thought about he pictures of the "tent" cities all around..and people setting around the tents roasting hotdogs and feeling sadness and shock about the children living in tents. And seeing people taking day jobs trying to get enough money that day to buy the hot dogs. And seeing the hope they had that they would get back into another home and start fresh. That takes real determination and I dont know if I would have that in me myself! That takes a lot of spunk. This show, however, is about a family who has downsized in their minds. To them spending 6000 a month is a struggle. To cut out her coffee at starbucks and to cut out 500 eating out is a struggle. Now to the majority of us we know that if we were about to be evicted because we could not make rent we would never go out to eat. They were short 300 on their rent last episode but ate out for 500. This show really does not show the real plights that people are going through in this hard financial climate!
I lived in Tucson Arizona around 2002...and times have changed a lot..I realize that for sure...but I knew of a family of 7 who lived on less than 30000 a year and did not get food stamps at all. They didnt have cable cause they could not afford it and they really cut costs. It can be done that way and perhaps the next time that a network will try to show the a program about downsizing in the economy they will pick someone like her.
All I can think about when I watch downsized is why isnt the father working at Lowe's or somewhere and why cant the mother sell her Chanel ear rings! I have noticed that she is wearing different expensive earrings in the few episodes as she announced they sold everything of value!
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) and I like it just fine. Of course, I just happen own it and my home as well (IOW, I own it - the bank owns not one cent of it). Is this coincidence? I think not. No refi's, no ATM lines on the house, no equity lines. Just a few new light fixtures and what has needed to be done to make it salable, if it comes down to that. 
