How to Land a Job in Pittsburgh Area (Economy, Youngstown: credit, daycare)

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by Scott2187

From what I've seen, your hunch is very much reality. I've talked to many senior people who were thinking of retirement a few years ago. The general response I get from them is their retirements took a huge hit in 2008. Now, they're worried it will happen again, so they're staying in the work force.

Yes, this has played a huge factor in the lack on entry level positions. The other kicker is that when people do retire, their position is just rolled into someone else's and that person does two jobs for the price of 1.

[Augie6]

Originally Posted by GeneW

The only way that I've found jobs in the last decade is through friends and ex-coworkers. I know that doesn't really help anyone who doesn't have a lot of network ties in the area but that does seem to be the way that Pittsburgh works.

This is the total truth. I have a job now only because I was refered by a ex employee. I spent about a year with every search site available. Networking is so key.

I like to keep current on what the field is like, I have lost jobs out of thin air.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Scott2187

From what I've seen, your hunch is very much reality. I've talked to many senior people who were thinking of retirement a few years ago. The general response I get from them is their retirements took a huge hit in 2008. Now, they're worried it will happen again, so they're staying in the work force.

My parents and many of their peers have also postponed retirement plans by at least several years to build a better retirement nest egg as a direct result of the recession.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

The other kicker is that when people do retire, their position is just rolled into someone else's and that person does two jobs for the price of 1.

Until a couple of days ago I was working two jobs simultaneously. I finally stood up for myself and quit the one position after realizing how I was being stretched beyond my capacity across numerous functional areas as those who were "let go" were intentionally not replaced. It was a very unfortunate situation in an inceasingly hostile working environment. If you're going to expect co-workers to continuously pick up the slack of those whom you let go in cost-cutting measures then at least show them some sort of appreciation for working more and assuming greater levels of responsibility for the same level of compensation.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Until a couple of days ago I was working two jobs simultaneously. I finally stood up for myself and quit the one position after realizing how I was being stretched beyond my capacity across numerous functional areas as those who were "let go" were intentionally not replaced. It was a very unfortunate situation in an inceasingly hostile working environment. If you're going to expect co-workers to continuously pick up the slack of those whom you let go in cost-cutting measures then at least show them some sort of appreciation for working more and assuming greater levels of responsibility for the same level of compensation.

Listen here son, that talk sounds like ENTITLEMENT to me. You better get boot strappy if you want to make it in this world!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Listen here son, that talk sounds like ENTITLEMENT to me. You better get boot strappy if you want to make it in this world!

I'm growing more and more aligned with the viewpoints of those in the "Occupy" movement on a daily basis. I actually had to chuckle at a recent South Park episode in which Cartman was tasked with trying to prevent illegal immigrants from returning to Mexico due to the horrid nature of the current U.S. economy. This probably wasn't a distant exaggeration from the truth, though, in what's currently occurring here.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Until a couple of days ago I was working two jobs simultaneously.

Which one did you quit?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by jay5835

Which one did you quit?

I'd rather not discuss that, and it's off-topic, anyways. Suffice to say, though, I've had better Fridays. I've spent the entirety of today thus far sitting in my boxer-briefs firing off dozens of job applications online. Tomorrow I may just get dressed up and walk around Downtown handing out resumes and shaking hands as well.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Tomorrow I may just get dressed up and walk around Downtown handing out resumes and shaking hands as well.

Just as a heads up, doing this at big companies is somewhat frowned upon. They want a resume online so they can put you in "the system" and weed people out through some software horsesh*t scheme. You'd have more luck at a networking event of some kind.

[ferraris]

Looks like I get to be the stick in the mud in this thread!

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

My online job search technique in order of priority go like this:

1. Indeed.com
...
7. Craigslist

I actually found a real, actual full time employee, IT job on craiglist, as well as a few "permatemp" ones. I'm no longer in any of them, but craigslist and directly applying on company websites is the only way I've ever gotten a job (IT or otherwise).

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I'm finding that I'm not having much luck, really. Most "permatemp" positions pay roughly the same as I'm making now in unrelated fields, which offers me no incentive to leave, and there's definitely no guarantee an employee will welcome you into their ranks, especially when they can just keep "using" you as a quasi-employee while not having to pay benefits. My partner graduated with his Bachelor's Degrees in Mathematics and Statistics in May 2009 (the same time I did), and he's been a "permatemp" ever since, now earning a whopping $11/hr. with no benefits (although I'm envious of him getting weekends off). Why would his current "quasi-employer" hire him on when he could just keep working for a dirt cheap wage and no benefits? This is why I immediately ignore the advice of some on this sub-forum who really champion me becoming a permatemp because I see how this set-up has NOT benefited my partner or many of our mutual friends in similar situations.

Sheesh, if you have any office job available to you, TAKE IT. It's going to be infinitely more related to your field than delivery driving, and it will also begin to build your network. I see you guys talking down about how you have to have a network to get a job. That doesn't mean your Uncle Dave or your Father in-law, it can mean your old boss, professor, or coworker, too. As a sweeping generalization, you'll make more meaningful connections in offices than in delivery driving.

I've permatemped a few times, and all of them led to future networking (which led to future jobs and grad school recommendations). And get this, one of the places even hired me in as a full time employee....and it was cheaper for them to do so! My quasi-employer was literally paying the permatemp agency over double what I was actually making. Even considering insurance, taxes, time off, etc they have let me know that it was still a few thousand cheaper to hire me in (even with a raise), the only thing they lose is the ability to fire me at the drop of a hat. Permatemping is absolutely frustrating, and legally questionable, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't use it as a path to get your career started.

In short, you ask what incentive you have to take a permatemp job; I ask what incentive do you have to keep being a delivery driver? They both seem about equally crummy in the short-term, so why not take the one that at least has potential to turn out better in the long run?