How many of you Chicago posters here are Unemployed? (Washington: house, buy)

[mayhem_223]

I am employed currently but have had so far trouble finding a new job right for me within the last 6 months. Got already a few interviews but did not make it through the interviews to land a job offer. The recruiters must get freaked out by my thick eastern european accent that make sound like a borscht whisperer to them.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by mayhem_223

I am employed currently but have had so far trouble finding a new job right for me within the last 6 months. Got already a few interviews but did not make it through the interviews to land a job offer. The recruiters must get freaked out by my thick eastern european accent that make sound like a borscht whisperer to them.

I don't know what kind of positions you are interviewing for, but if you are concerned about your accent and you're looking for professional-level jobs - ones that pay a decent amount of money - you may want to seriously consider paying for speech therapy. A good accent coach will cost somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 for a course of sessions designed to improve things, but if it successfully minimizes your accent and helps prospective employers focus on your skills instead of wondering if you can effectively communicate with their other staff, it's well worth the investment.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

Update to this thread:

I'm still long term unemployed, but at least now I have had 4 job interviews at companies. But 2 perm Tech Writer jobs didn't hire me because they were lowballing salaries... My minimum of $48,000 / year was too much for them and they probably went with a cheap candidate.
...

Seriously? $48k/year for a tech writer? One who's been out of work for over 2 years and has a felony record? You're insane. The best technical writers I know, who work free-lance, make about $60,000/year. A very few earn more than that but only if they work a lot of side jobs. Most make less. In your situation, being offered anything over $30,000/year should be considered a gift. Take a "low-ball" job, work at it for a year or two, get your resume active again, and you'll see your numbers rise or at least be able to ask for more at your next job. Eventually, record or not, you'll get back to $48k/year, but we're not talking about being out of work for 3-4 months where taking a lower job might mean missing a higher-paying job. We're talking about a situation where the longer you're out of work, the less likely it is you even get an interview. Take what you can get or retool for a new career.

[CoolSocks]

Originally Posted by emathias

Seriously? $48k/year for a tech writer? One who's been out of work for over 2 years and has a felony record? You're insane. The best technical writers I know, who work free-lance, make about $60,000/year. A very few earn more than that but only if they work a lot of side jobs. Most make less. In your situation, being offered anything over $30,000/year should be considered a gift. Take a "low-ball" job, work at it for a year or two, get your resume active again, and you'll see your numbers rise or at least be able to ask for more at your next job. Eventually, record or not, you'll get back to $48k/year, but we're not talking about being out of work for 3-4 months where taking a lower job might mean missing a higher-paying job. We're talking about a situation where the longer you're out of work, the less likely it is you even get an interview. Take what you can get or retool for a new career.

^ great advice

[Jesse69]

Originally Posted by emathias

Seriously? $48k/year for a tech writer? One who's been out of work for over 2 years and has a felony record? You're insane. The best technical writers I know, who work free-lance, make about $60,000/year. A very few earn more than that but only if they work a lot of side jobs. Most make less. In your situation, being offered anything over $30,000/year should be considered a gift. Take a "low-ball" job, work at it for a year or two, get your resume active again, and you'll see your numbers rise or at least be able to ask for more at your next job. Eventually, record or not, you'll get back to $48k/year, but we're not talking about being out of work for 3-4 months where taking a lower job might mean missing a higher-paying job. We're talking about a situation where the longer you're out of work, the less likely it is you even get an interview. Take what you can get or retool for a new career.

Bull**** advice... If you saw my resume with skills in CAD, Mech Eng, Tech Writing, and Programming knowledge a minimum wage for me should be $56,000 a year, - which is like entry level pay for a Mech Eng. I also graduated from the 6th best college in Mech Eng. Companies are just being cheap on workers and getting record profits at the same time while overworking their current employees. - This is what's destroying America!

I have only 1 career and that's anything related to my Mech Eng degree and experience in CAD & Tech Writing. I can't expect any other job to pay as much so I have to dedicate myself to this career. I'm not going to study for a different career.

Back in 2001, I got hired at $45,000 a year and I considered that a good salary for that time and my current level of experience. Now 11 years later that seems like "minimum wage" for a professional.

I'm not desperate and I keep alive because of my parents and SSDI. I HAVE MONEY MAKING VENTURES TO TRY, GOTTA LOSE WEIGHT, and I can improve my job skills self training for a higher paying job while unemployed.

[MannheimMadman]

What your wage 'should be' seems to be a thing of the past. Companies have the upper hand; as long as there is way, way more supply than demand, you're going to see suppressed wages. If someone is taking these jobs for $45,000, then this is the new wage floor for the particular position.

We could argue all day on what's 'destroying America', but I think what you're talking about is the tip of the iceberg. The scary thing is that we ARE heading towards a place where even skilled workers aren't getting all that much money. I read somewhere that $16-$17/hr is now considered 'higher wage' ...which is downright scary.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

Bull**** advice... If you saw my resume with skills in CAD, Mech Eng, Tech Writing, and Programming knowledge a minimum wage for me should be $56,000 a year, - which is like entry level pay for a Mech Eng. I also graduated from the 6th best college in Mech Eng. Companies are just being cheap on workers and getting record profits at the same time while overworking their current employees. - This is what's destroying America!

I have only 1 career and that's anything related to my Mech Eng degree and experience in CAD & Tech Writing. I can't expect any other job to pay as much so I have to dedicate myself to this career. I'm not going to study for a different career.

Back in 2001, I got hired at $45,000 a year and I considered that a good salary for that time and my current level of experience. Now 11 years later that seems like "minimum wage" for a professional.

I'm not desperate and I keep alive because of my parents and SSDI. I HAVE MONEY MAKING VENTURES TO TRY, GOTTA LOSE WEIGHT, and I can improve my job skills self training for a higher paying job while unemployed.

Have fun being unemployed...

[Aleking]

always fun when this troll crawls back out from under the bridge

[sarahdeanne]

Originally Posted by emathias

Seriously? $48k/year for a tech writer? One who's been out of work for over 2 years and has a felony record? You're insane. The best technical writers I know, who work free-lance, make about $60,000/year. A very few earn more than that but only if they work a lot of side jobs. Most make less. In your situation, being offered anything over $30,000/year should be considered a gift. Take a "low-ball" job, work at it for a year or two, get your resume active again, and you'll see your numbers rise or at least be able to ask for more at your next job. Eventually, record or not, you'll get back to $48k/year, but we're not talking about being out of work for 3-4 months where taking a lower job might mean missing a higher-paying job. We're talking about a situation where the longer you're out of work, the less likely it is you even get an interview. Take what you can get or retool for a new career.

After reading through this thread I would have to say I completely agree. The things you have going against you right now are not going to let up the longer you stay unemployed. Good luck and wisdom to you and all of those out there still looking!

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

Bull**** advice... If you saw my resume with skills in CAD, Mech Eng, Tech Writing, and Programming knowledge a minimum wage for me should be $56,000 a year, - which is like entry level pay for a Mech Eng. I also graduated from the 6th best college in Mech Eng. Companies are just being cheap on workers and getting record profits at the same time while overworking their current employees. - This is what's destroying America!

I have only 1 career and that's anything related to my Mech Eng degree and experience in CAD & Tech Writing. I can't expect any other job to pay as much so I have to dedicate myself to this career. I'm not going to study for a different career.

Back in 2001, I got hired at $45,000 a year and I considered that a good salary for that time and my current level of experience. Now 11 years later that seems like "minimum wage" for a professional.

I'm not desperate and I keep alive because of my parents and SSDI. I HAVE MONEY MAKING VENTURES TO TRY, GOTTA LOSE WEIGHT, and I can improve my job skills self training for a higher paying job while unemployed.

If you're that highly skilled and have all these things employers would want for your profession, you're doing something wrong either in your attempt to contact employers, your interview, resume, etc.
Some ideas:
-Have you had a professional critique your resume and provide advice?
-Are you simply looking online for job postings and doing a resume dump to as many as possible (ill advised...guess how many others are doing the same thing. Get creative, show some initiative. Instead of emailing a resume, drop it off in person).
-How are you dressed for interviews? Sorry to say it, but unless you're applying to pour coffee at Starbucks, you need to look very conservative and dress the part.
-Are you saying things during the interview that's turning people off (politics, religion, etc?)