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Thanks for all your feedback. I have, of course, posted my resume on all major job boards. Also I have sent out my resume to the major engineering companies (with good response, but most of them are/were looking for civil). I'll send my resume out to CM Hill and Hitt Contracting as I think I've missed them. Also I hadn't heard of constructionjobs.com so I will try that again.
I have gone through a professional resume service, just in case I wasn't getting responses because of a poor resume. Also I have gone through all of my connections, and my wife's. We have friends of friends with engineering connections, which is apparently too tenuous of a link. My wife and I both spend hours each day trying to get somewhere.
We simply don't have the network here, and I worry if I wait much longer companies will consider me unhirable due to being out of work too long. Which leads me back to my original question as to where an effective place for me to post my offer to pay someone that helps me find a job. I know it sounds ludicrous, but aside from money, I'm someone that needs to be working. I've worked everyday since I got my degree and I'm going stir-crazy not working.
Thanks for all your feedback. I have, of course, posted my resume on all major job boards. Also I have sent out my resume to the major engineering companies (with good response, but most of them are/were looking for civil). I'll send my resume out to CM Hill and Hitt Contracting as I think I've missed them. Also I hadn't heard of constructionjobs.com so I will try that again.
I have gone through a professional resume service, just in case I wasn't getting responses because of a poor resume. Also I have gone through all of my connections, and my wife's. We have friends of friends with engineering connections, which is apparently too tenuous of a link. My wife and I both spend hours each day trying to get somewhere.
We simply don't have the network here, and I worry if I wait much longer companies will consider me unhirable due to being out of work too long. Which leads me back to my original question as to where an effective place for me to post my offer to pay someone that helps me find a job. I know it sounds ludicrous, but aside from money, I'm someone that needs to be working. I've worked everyday since I got my degree and I'm going stir-crazy not working.
I want my cut....
LOL....
The whole idea of paying someone to get a job is not going to go over well anywhere you post it, to be frank it is just rude which we don't do down here as a general rule....
You moved to an area with higher than average unemployment without a job lined up, this is against what we tell everyone who moves here for this very reason, now you seem desperate and that is never a good way to get a job...
Just my $.02, but wouldn't it come across as kind of desperate to potential employers to offer a relatively large amount of money to someone to help you get a job? I realize you're in a rough spot, but if someone came to me offering $4,000 to help them find a job, the first thing that would pop into my mind would be, "Hmm...what did he do that he can't get hired on his own merit?" I'm sure you did nothing wrong, and you are just in an unfortunate position of being somewhere where it pays to know someone, Charleston just seems like that kind of a town and now you've confirmed it, but still...
This is probably not a viable suggestion, but could your wife transfer to another city with her job where companies would be more open to hiring you based on your resume and excellent job experience? Like you pointed out, if you go too long without working, that will only compound the problem. My husband and I relocated to AZ from MI a few years ago and I couldn't find a job to save my life. We ended up leaving AZ. My career was just too important to us, for personal as well as financial reasons, and we knew if we stayed there I would only get more and more stale.
Whatever happens, good luck to you. I truly know how you feel.
As far as not looking good to prospective employers -- the employers would not need to know that you paid anything so I don't think that's the reason NOT to do it.
I just think that you are doing what you can, there really isn't that much more to do. I don't think it is a good investment. You have covered all your bases. There is no secret network and Charleston is not that big.
Even with an improving market in your field, there are not that many jobs opening up and when they do -- the competition is stiff. Hope something pops up soon!
I always thought head hunters worked both ways and that you could pay a fee to them to help you find a job.
I also forgot to address the gap in your work history. I think, given the economy in the last 5 years, that an employer will not discount someone just because of a gap in the work history, especially in the engineering field. It has been tough out there.
It wasn't clear, because, unless I'm mistaken, don't you call the headhunter and they tell you what their fee is? The OP is talking about approaching someone and telling them how much he is wiling to pay. That sounded unusual to me, like maybe he wasn't specifically looking to use a professional headhunter, just anyone who can help him get his foot in the door. If I go on Craigslist, for example, and offer to pay $4,000 for someone to assist me in getting a job, I could get a response from anyone; the brother of someone who owns a company and has some inside connections, etc. That person could and possibly would tell the employer that they were paid to help someone get a job in their company.
I don't know, just a thought, I guess. I know how tough it is out there.
Stinks that you are having such a difficult time. My husband is going to check with the HR staff about where they go to seek out engineers. His work isn't hiring at this time but they may be able to give you some ideas on where to seek employment (maybe a professional headhunter).
If I were you, I'd be really hesistant to suggest a payment for a foot-in or lead. I know you are just looking for some help, rather than paying for a job but that could be a line easily crossed. I'd worry about it coming across as a quid-pro-quo deal and I think that may be illegal. I could be very wrong about the legality, so don't hold me to anything.
Actually I think he is quite clever and right on. These days it really comes down to "who you know" or "who knows who"..there are 6,000 resumes sitting on the desk of each employer or recruiter. You MUST network in order to find a job. If he doesnt know sonmeone in his industry in the area and it triggers the mind of someone on this great forum and they know someone in the industry, why not? Seriously, what has he got to lose? People put their faces up on billboards and that has to feel defeating, but guess what? It makes national news and amazing job offers come in. I think you are right on!
There are several threads on Linked-In (www.linkedin.com) I would subscribe to and explain your situation; not necessarily the $ part. Also what about visiting the three counties and researching permit applications and the companies applying for them. I know for a fact that a lot of building is about to commense in the Dorchester Road corridor near Wescott, and the Palmetto Commerce Parkway.
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