Never Encountered This Before (Atlanta: houses, employment, bankrupt)

[RoslynHolcomb]

Okay, could someone please tell me how to deal with this dilemma? I think I've mentioned before that I've probably sent out a hundred resumes in my quest for employment here. Thus far I haven't even gotten an interview. This morning, I got a call from someone who wanted an interview. We set it up for Monday. While I was in the midst of mapquesting their location so I could do a trial run this weekend, she called back and said that 'upon further reviewing my credentials she didn't think they could afford me.'

Now, first, I'm in social services. As far as I know nobody in that field has ever made a ton of money, so I haven't a clue as to what she's talking about. Of course I told her that salary would be negotiable and that with fifteen years experience I'm accustomed to the going rate in the field. I asked for a salary range, but she wouldn't tell me, so I don't even know what I'm up against. What do y'all think? Were they trying to lowball me?

No dice. Try as I might I couldn't convince her that I wasn't going to bankrupt her. What the heck's going on? I've been working for almost thirty years. This is my third recession, but I've never heard this level of nuttiness. Has anyone else encountered the same? And what the heck are you supposed to do when someone says something like this?

Really, I'm not that highly credentialed. For such a poor paying field social services requires a minimum of a Master's degree. I suppose I could take some of my experience off the resume. As it stands I've already trimmed it considerably.

I don't think I've ever been so desperate for a job in my life.

[jlynlewis]

I have been having the same problem. But I am in another field. I have been in management for 7 years. For the last 2 months, I have been job searching. I have sent out countless resumes, redone my resume 2 times (thinking maybe that was the problem), still nothing. I have signed up on every career or networking site known to man. I have had a couple of phone interviews, and one face-to-face interview... nothing. I am seriously beginning to doubt "me".

The funny thing is that I am open to relocation, so obviously I put that on any job profiles I fill out, and the only serious inquiries that I have had are in Va. So, I am wondering...is it just Atlanta??

Give me strength.

[dlh891]

I hear where you are coming from.

I just landed a great job after almost a year of sending out resumes. I have had only two interviews and I had to leave one because it would require evenings and I have a daughter in a regular hour preschool. The position I actually got was not the one I applied for but the woman hiring said that she thought I would want too much money because of my degree, job experience and that I used to own my own business, so she never called me. Luckily for me, no one hired before me had worked out and she called to interview me months later. We clicked right away and I told her the money was no problem, my sticking point was working 'banker's hours' because of my daughter. After the background check, they called to formally offer me the position, gave me more money than I agreed to, and a heck of a vacation package!

Don't give up hope!

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

This morning, I got a call from someone who wanted an interview. We set it up for Monday. While I was in the midst of mapquesting their location so I could do a trial run this weekend, she called back and said that 'upon further reviewing my credentials she didn't think they could afford me.'

Could it be that they just decided not to fill the position at all? Believe me, after 30 years in Corporate Hell, I saw many instances where a potential hire had the rug pulled out due to a budget crisis, management change, blah blah blah.
Don't lose heart, Roslyn...I find it's best to be fatalistic about jobs and houses..."Que sera, sera...whatever will be, will be"...
I always wanted to be Doris Day growing up...

[TheDoctorswife29]

I just wanted to drop my two cents. Sadly, there's now a trend of a lot of employers not wanting to hire older workers. Legally, they cannot say " Hey, we think you're too old so we don't want to hire you" but when you put that you have 30 years of experience on your resume, they kind of assume that you are more than likely an older worker.

I don't agree with this logic, but I really believe that's what a lot of employers are doing right now. They would prefer to hire younger workers becuase they can pay them considerably less for the same job a person with 30 years of experience did before them.

That's just my opinion though.

[ebs964]

It could be that the positions that were advertised were never filled. I am a small business owner and was looking to fill an entry level part time position. After finding the "perfect employee", when I called to offer her the job - she had found something else. I then hired another person who failed to show up on her first day. Thanks but no thanks. I then decided that maybe I don't need this position filled and restructed some responsibilities to eliminate the need for this position for now. Everyday you hear "doom and gloom" and smaller companies are rethinking cash flow. It had nothing to do with the age of the applicants - my "perfect employee" was in her mid 50s and my no-show candidate was in her 20s. The rate of pay was the same because the position paid xxx dollars and didn't matter the age.

An employer that schedules an interview and then calls to cancel may not be one that you would want to work for anyway.

Maybe in your cover letter you could state your acceptable salary range so that potential employers would see that you are affordable, even with all of your experience.


Take care - there is a job out there for you!!

[j0ja]

While I was in the midst of mapquesting their location so I could do a trial run this weekend, she called back and said that 'upon further reviewing my credentials she didn't think they could afford me.'

It is so hard to take stuff like this, I know exactly how you feel. At least she gave you the courtesy of a " reason." It is hard not to take it personally. She had the courage to let you know, believe me. Many recruiters or HR People hide behind voice mail, email, etc and will not talk to you. Many of them filling jobs avoid possible major disappointment. The issue is probably something completely unrelated to you happened, as others said, maybe a budget change or something very sudden. Job hunting is tough. I had scheduled interviews completely canceled with no explanation at all and it has happened on more than 1 occasion.

I went through some struggles with locating work several years ago, but it stays fresh on my mind often due to my friends' and family members who have lost jobs recently due to reasons beyond their control (downsizing).

I have found usually what works is getting a job through someone you know is better than answering ads online, etc. Just plug away, but be very leery of scams, if something is too good to be true, it definitely is. There are scammers out there who take your personal info and commit identity theft. On job boards, if I see a job posted that smells scammy, I report it. It is galling that scammers are going after those most vulnerable, people seeking work. Just be very careful with online job postings. Since your work is in the government / non-profit area, you probably have less there to worry about.

If you find something in the Atlanta area, let us know how it worked out, I do wish you the best of luck!

Just thought of something, have you considered another area of the country at all as a possibility?

[RoslynHolcomb]

Just thought of something, have you considered another area of the country at all as a possibility?

Unfortunately, we just moved here for my husband's job, so I don't think we'll be going anywhere else--at least for a while.

I admit that whole situation really got to me yesterday. I think you guys are right. Something happened that really had nothing to do with me. I think I'll go over my resume again anyway just to see if I can tune it up further. I've already 'fixed' it a half dozen times, what's one more.

I guess I could put in salary requirements, but I was always advised not to. Of course, these are strange times we're living in these days.

[goozer]

Job searches can be incredibly frustrating and it is hard not to feel beaten down by the process. I think this is a particulary tough time to be looking for a job because the economy is down and trending lower. All businesses are hurting right now (it's amazing who the price of oil effects the entire economy, not just drivers), and they are probably apprehensive to hire until they have a better sense of things getting better. This is not to say that you cannot land a job in this market, it will simply take more time and effort. Don't get discouraged or take it personally. Great job applicants everywhere are facing the same situation.

[grumm0x]

Originally Posted by TheDoctorswife29

They would prefer to hire younger workers becuase they can pay them considerably less for the same job a person with 30 years of experience did before them.

This is just another result of everything being run by the bean-counters.

Of course older workers cost more.
A logical, experienced manager would know this, and also know the older
person would likely be a better, more conscientious worker, requiring less training, and being less likely to leave. Making them worth more.

But the bean-counters rule.
Doing a good job doesn't matter at all to them, only that you work for the very lowest wage possible. That leaves more money to hire more bean counters.