Is exessive pickiness by employers towards job candidates the new normal? (credit score, 401k)

[Soilworker1986]

Originally Posted by bluebelt1234

I totally agree. I once applied for a teacher assistant job at this really good charter school while I was living in Phoenix. Well, the school didn't have any openings for teachers, but had an opening for a teacher assistant. The employer responded, "Why are you applying for a teacher assistant job, when you are a certified teacher?" What the heck? They won't even let us apply for an entry level job anymore. Do these employers like paying for 99 weeks or UE insurance or what?

Both your post and nik's post remind me of interactions between coworkers and I at my current job, which is in retail. Granted, it's not from the people who interviewed me for my job, but it's still frustrating to deal with nonetheless. Anyway, if I make conversation with any of my coworkers and since most of them are college age like myself (I'm 24, the bulk of the people I work with are in the 18-25 range) along with the fact that a medium sized state school only ten miles away, they inevitably ask if I'm going to school for anything. When I tell them that I've already graduated, 99 times out of 100, I get a blank stare and a variation of "why the hell are you working here then?" Then I end up having to explain that jobs in my field are few and far between along with the fact that if an agency in question has any openings at all, it's for maybe one or two positions (if that) and hundreds of people apply for them. Of course, it falls on deaf ears. Kills me every time to have to do that.

[Jimrob1]

I hope at some point the employees are the ones that show the excessive pickiness with employers. Like telling many of them where to go. Thankfully Im old enough and not in need of a full time job. I would not want to deal with todays type of employers.

[artwomyn]

Originally Posted by lookup138

Employers are seriously "wage-gouging". At this point, I'd rather work for myself. How about this, someone recently accepted a $16,000/year job with a company that was paying $42,000+ just 5 years ago. Senior and mid level management have maintained their 6 figure salaries. Lower levels are still about the same minus about $3-8K. It is pretty sad but brutally true.

However a brighter side to this would be to look into self-employment. I have started to do some financial planning in hopes that I would be self-employed by the end of 2011 doing some outsourcing work for some small/medium sized businesses. I have started to market my skills to employers with an independent contractor's approach. We will see what happens.

Good luck with self employment. If I had the money, I would start up my own business, in a heartbeat. But I don't, so I'm stuck depending on employers, for my livelihood.

I got laid off without warning, from a company that always praised me to the skies. So I didn't expect to be laid off. The company owner, is a colossal cheap skate. So I was underpaid, and couldn't save any money.

So now I'm depending on UI benefits, as my only source of income. I'm in my early 50s, African American, and female. I'm also aoverweight (due to genetics, which I've tried to correct with no success), so I'm not young and beautiful. I have no family to fall back on, and my friends are all too poor themselves, to help me financially.

For the above reasons, I'm not a prime choice for these choosy employers out there. Even though I'm well educated, and have 15 years experience in my field (marketing). I think that having my own business would be the best thing for me too, if I could only get the funding to get started.

[izannimda]

It's always an employer's market during a recession. There are more applicants than jobs to fill, and they tend to be more selective. It was the opposite in the 1990s when the job market was red hot. It was an employee's market back then where applicants could be more selective about a job.

[artwomyn]

Originally Posted by izannimda

It's always an employer's market during a recession. There are more applicants than jobs to fill, and they tend to be more selective. It was the opposite in the 1990s when the job market was red hot. It was an employee's market back then where applicants could be more selective about a job.

At my age, I've seen many changes in the job market since the 60s. Back then, you could get a job if you had a pulse. Some say that the golden job market in the 60s, allowed middle-class young people to reject that way of life. After all, they could take getting a job for granted then, especially if they had a college degree.

During the 70s, the first cracks appeared in the booming post-WWII job market. We had a severe recession in the mid-70s, when the unemployment rate soared to double digits. I was a teen in 1975, and was unable to land a job anywhere, that summer.

The 80s saw the unemployment rate go down. But job security already started disappearing. Blue collar workers saw their wages drop, as unions were rapidly declining. Those with college degrees, often found themselves underemployed, and most new jobs that were created, were in the low-age service industry.

Yes, the 90s did see a boom in the job market. HOWEVER, the job boom benefitted mainly those in the high-tech industry, and those who were qualified only for the numerous low-wage service jobs. Those of us who fell outside those two job sectors, were not so blessed in the 90s job market. Besides, job security was long-gone by the 90s, and employers were increasingly turining to temp workers, to staff their offices. So the job market in the 90s, was NOT really an 'employees market' for most people.

[nikorock28]

Originally Posted by Alley01

Actually, most would rather hear that you settled for something so that you could continue your work experience rather than not be in a job for months and months. I must say that I admire anyone who takes other opportunities to gain experience that may end up benefitting my company more in th end. The more diverse experience people have, the better assets they are. If people are far too specialized, it hurts them because it creates limits. Say, the industry you work in is doing great today, but then all of a sudden starts to tank and your company starts to look at other opportunities to expand but all their employees are stuck with only the tanking experience? The best business is one that evolves and if you think people judge you because you took a job in Accounting, you are wrong. There are people on both sides and frankly, I would rather have a VP in my company with a Financial background than a typical background because ultimately businesses are in the business of making money. It helps to have someone that has experience to defend budget cuts, understand financial reports, etc. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of the Financial people in the company without industry background.

Sometimes we just have to make sacrafices and If I had to take a minimum wage job I would. Would it be difficult? Absolutely, but there are many things I can do without - my standards of living would change and perhaps it would be the most worthwhile learning experience ever. I know I have more respect for those in the entry level positions.

The more hats you can wear, the better marketable you are...you just have to be flexible. If someone comes off to me as too prideful - too good to take a position that doesn't fit their standards, they are automatically taken off my list. No company needs arrogant people like that. They need go getters. Ones that can be humble when needed and always hard working.

I don't think you even read my post. The point is that no employer will give me the chance to settle for something. I am not the one creating the limits, it is the employer.

[collegeguy35]

I myself have applied for minimum wage jobs no luck. I am college educated so I know that cuts me out of alot of menial jobs. I just do not get any call backs. I have had 3 interviews in a year. One face to face and 2 by phone. My buddy has 3 in 16 month seems to be the going rate for interviews. I need health benefits I am handicapped. I am alot like artwomyn I am not a prime choice for employers. But I still need to work. What happens to Soilworker is very common if you are college educated.

[artwomyn]

Originally Posted by collegeguy35

I myself have applied for minimum wage jobs no luck. I am college educated so I know that cuts me out of alot of menial jobs. I just do not get any call backs. I have had 3 interviews in a year. One face to face and 2 by phone. My buddy has 3 in 16 month seems to be the going rate for interviews. I need health benefits I am handicapped. I am alot like artwomyn I am not a prime choice for employers. But I still need to work. What happens to Soilworker is very common if you are college educated.

Lots of us 'old folks' over 45, have been put out to pasture in this job market, and might never regain our foot-hold in the workplace.

[manderly6]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I hope at some point the employees are the ones that show the excessive pickiness with employers. Like telling many of them where to go. Thankfully Im old enough and not in need of a full time job. I would not want to deal with todays type of employers.

It was like that. And it will be again at some point.

[WestPhillyDude75]

I always get confused when people said they applied for minumum wage jobs. I know it's tough out here but why go all the way to the bottom? Like here in Philly minimum wage is $7.25 and I never thought of applying to a job paying that. I just encourage people to find something higher even if it's a dollar or two more. Now if you are using that miniumim wage job as a side job then that's fine