[hiknapster]

You are offering opportunities and there are no takers?

That's just crazy, MrTudo.

I'm going to elaborate a bit more. My story is not what to do, but what not do.

I graduated high school in 1980, just as a recession was hitting the country. I had very few skills and even less experience. I remember Linda Ellerbee reporting on the overnight edition about lines at soup kitchens. Every night. It wasn't the Great Depression, but it wasn't good for a kid fresh out of high school with no means of attending college.

During my lifetime, I have had a poor set of circumstances, no family backing, and I consistently made poor choices. Some of my problems were a direct result of my terrible decision-making skills, some were things beyond my control.

At some point, in Florida, I found myself standing on the side of road with a trash bag. I was a 35-year-old who use to drive a Volvo, rented a beautifully restored 200-year-old home in Massachusetts, was a newspaper reporter for ten years.

Then I found myself standing on the side of the road without the trash bag. My children's pictures were gone. All mementos of my previous life only resided in my head.

This is not a sob story. This is a story of hope.

Granted, a bad US economy is hard for someone just starting out. I've been there.

For others, a bad economy is a great thing. We are now poised to leap, having worked to put ourselves in a positive position. It has been a long hard road, but the current state of affairs is actually good for us.

But, it can be good for a young person willing to take advantage of the circumstances, too.

What about all those houses that are unoccupied? Can you create a business that watches over them, doing landscaping, security?

There is an old Asian saying: Out of crisis comes opportunity.

Take it.

[8.00 per hour]

If I had skills with HTML, Dreamweaver and so forth, I would take it immediately but I don't. My school never taught me HTML or anything directly related to Web Design. I'm mostly trying to get into Networking and at the time I'm studying for my N+.

I prefer to teach myself, I get the best bargain on my money that way outside of the local Community College. I'll teach myself some HTML and so forth and I'm interested in opening a website soon.

[8.00 per hour]

As far as my resume is concerned... mostly jobs such as Security Guard, Billing Clerk, Carpet Cleaner for Stanley Steemer and a couple other jobs... as a matter of fact, I need major resume assistance and if anyone is interested, shoot me a pm.

I'm still a work in progress but I have hope....

Thanks.

[Karry]

8.00 per hr.

Another area to check on jobs are at universities and college job boards.

I came from Ohio and belonged to the AFLCIO union, and was a member 15yrs. before leaving the union and going into management. The company paid for my management training at the local college. They paid for many type courses connected with the company. I'm sure this has changed as well. Lost Touch!

Check these big businesses around the NW FL. or wherever you go and just see what, (Bells and Whistles) they do have. My cousin worked in an office at DuPont for years and took advantage of every bit of training they had.

there will alway be jobs for the IT'ers because changes are made all the time. Hardware end getting into the guts of a computer on how it thinks goes from so many types of computers.

[hiknapster]

Yep. You are black, and sometimes that works against you and sometimes it works for you.

Sometimes being a middle-aged, out-of-shape white woman works for me, sometimes it doesn't. When I was a pretty, young, in-shape girl, it sometimes worked against me, too. Life is a crap shoot.

Their loss.

Yes, Walmart is the evil empire, and America is going to hell in a hand basket. No doubt. So what. Move on. You and I can probably change it, but in the meantime, we have to survive.

The same crap that you were told about the American dream, well, I was told, too, along with PSLOldtimer and everyone else.

A janitor makes less. So does a waitress, which has got to be be one of the hardest, most back-breaking jobs out there. But the market says that they will not be paid well. They are a dime-a-dozen and someone else will come along and fill the position.

Still, it doesn't guarantee a key to your own apartment or home. No one owes you or I living. That is socialism, my friend, and there are good reasons why people risk their life to come here from Mexico, Cuba, etc. They know that if they work extremely hard and think of ways to provide a service they will have a go of it.

I knew a young bi-lingual gentleman that started selling cars where I worked. All the other sales people ridiculed him. But he started selling like crazy. Spanish-speaking people were thrilled to buy from him. He did fantastic because he served a niche.

A resume and and a positive interview are 100 percent sales, as is getting the actual job. You need to sell yourself.

Good for you concerning your continuing education. You are headed in the right direction. But that negative thinking-which I am so guilty of myself-will not get you a job.

I can help you with your resume, if you would like.

[Cougar31]

Originally Posted by 8.00 per hour

I've always wondered about this... the low wages and mostly service type jobs that South Florida usually has to offer. I live in Pembroke Pines, been here for close to 30 years and I really hate this place. Usually, I'm a individual who has to find a job often and usually it's a below $10 position and I know I'm not a educated individual, nor one that can demand a certain amount of money but I always felt that even though a individual isn't "educated" nor might he/she be a "role model" for society, I felt that everyone that at least puts something into the economy is entitled to get something back. What I mean is that I've always felt a person shouldn't be denied to make a honest living even if they're working at McDonald's or washing dishes or sweeping floors. I feel affordable housing is a must and everyone is entitled to something in America..... regardless of qualifications... yes I know I'm crazy.

Back to Florida, if you live around the Fort Lauderdale area then you've seen the mass advertising that "scam" schools like Keiser University do. I'm a graduate of Keiser University and I've learned how much of a scam these schools are. They usually paste ads on every bus, paper, T.V, radio station advertising and telling about how a "degree" from their school will "change your life" and make you a "success" and in "18 months" you'll start off as a "insert made up profession" and enjoy your new career. Also, some of these schools make course names up outta their ass, for example "Computer Network Security" I don't think that's really a name for a degree, what happened to good ole "Computer Science"?

Anyways basically they target a certain range of individuals and take them for a ride, they end up with a pretty worthless degree and they didn't learn much from the actually school, everything was accelerated. They got taken... of course they can only market a certain area, other areas like Weston or Coral Springs get very little advertising....

Basically, I wanted to know about the job market, with no many fortune 500 companies in South Florida, where does the opportunity come from to make a living? Especially for young individuals.

I want to know what are my chances down here in Florida for at least some kind of success.

We have entered a Global economy. This means that employers, Business owners, have the upper hand in hiring. More and more jobs are being eliminated in the US and “relocated” off-shore. The current administration has signed a Bill to encourage businesses sending work off-shore by providing them with Tax breaks. And, with the “Work Permit” program signed as well, there is a direct cheap labor market across the border. With that, I noticed more and more people going in business for themselves. And the number one choice is providing services such as Electrician, Plumber, Handyman,…etc. Some of those require a license and some don’t. Working for a Business/Company ain’t going to be the future. You are better off working 12 hours a day for yourself than 8 hours for someone else.
Only my opinion.
Regards,

[firemed]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Yep. You are black, and sometimes that works against you and sometimes it works for you.

Sometimes being a middle-aged, out-of-shape white woman works for me, sometimes it doesn't. When I was a pretty, young, in-shape girl, it sometimes worked against me, too. Life is a crap shoot.

Their loss.

Yes, Walmart is the evil empire, and America is going to hell in a hand basket. No doubt. So what. Move on. You and I can probably change it, but in the meantime, we have to survive.

The same crap that you were told about the American dream, well, I was told, too, along with PSLOldtimer and everyone else.

A janitor makes less. So does a waitress, which has got to be be one of the hardest, most back-breaking jobs out there. But the market says that they will not be paid well. They are a dime-a-dozen and someone else will come along and fill the position.

Still, it doesn't guarantee a key to your own apartment or home. No one owes you or I living. That is socialism, my friend, and there are good reasons why people risk their life to come here from Mexico, Cuba, etc. They know that if they work extremely hard and think of ways to provide a service they will have a go of it.

I knew a young bi-lingual gentleman that started selling cars where I worked. All the other sales people ridiculed him. But he started selling like crazy. Spanish-speaking people were thrilled to buy from him. He did fantastic because he served a niche.

A resume and and a positive interview are 100 percent sales, as is getting the actual job. You need to sell yourself.

Good for you concerning your continuing education. You are headed in the right direction. But that negative thinking-which I am so guilty of myself-will not get you a job.

I can help you with your resume, if you would like.

But you can play the game and sue Wal-mart, Spanish is a languange based on gender. Under U.S. law that would be considered sexist. Since everything in the language is based on masculine or feminine. Theres no denying this, and we do know how Wal-Mart enjoys sexist law suits. Wow! This started out to be humorous,but the more I think about it the more likely it is to happen. I've heard of more bizare law suits than this. Come on, when you can spill a cup of coffee on your lap and get a settlement of millions, imagine what this would do to pandoras box. But back to the topic the pay has been bad here all my life but the last few years it went down more.

[121804]

One of my professors in grad school taught in a manner & told us something I have never forgotten : "Think outside the box". Now this was for educators, but I think it can be applied to just about anyone.

The US economy is changing and it always will be changing.

To be competitive in today's job market, one has to think outside the box. One has to figure out a way to get the job or get the buyer or seller; whatever it is; in a way that no one else is doing.

There is a job out there.

[ddlove01]

Originally Posted by firemed

But back to the topic the pay has been bad here all my life but the last few years it went down more.

The pay for starting any job isn't all that great, I admit. But I have been working at the same job for 6 years and I have more than doubled my entry wage of $9.00 an hour. If you are persistant and strive to be the best you can, the money will come. I have been in FL all my working life, started working for a stockbroker part time at the age of 15. I honestly can say I have never struggled. I am 27 and have a AS in computer science. However, I didn't need a college degree to do what I do, but it definitely won't hurt me if I need to look for another job. We are moving to NC where the job market in our area stinks! It took friends of ours months to get a decent job with a good company. We will be working for the same company from home, so finding a job isn't an issue not, but may be in the future.

I think job experience and tenure is what looks best on a resume, not so much the college you attended. I have been across the table interviewing many college grads with no work experience at all and we have chosen the applicants that had worked a steady job for more than a few years over them.

I feel if you are a job flipper, you will not advance to the salary you wish to make. Quitting a job for .50 more usually doesn't work out as you want it to, especially if you are happy where you are. On the other hand, if your current position has absolutely no room for growth, I would consider putting yourself out there. I am glad I made that decision 6 years ago or I would be going from one job to the next trying to make a little bit more money.

[LingLing]

I didn't read all the posts. We just hired some IT guys to do some networking. Their rate ranged from $100-$175 per hour. I only found out this after some research. It is hard to find a good one who is willing to work for less than $150 per hour. Just my personal experience.