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The area he lives in Haverhill/Lawrence is a fairly depressed area of Massachusetts even in a better economy.
Yup. I know YOU know that there is no major employer around here. The few we had shut down in the 90's (wang laboratories, gillette). Even back in the 90's when things were supposed to be better, it was still pretty dead around here. People automatically think "Boston! Lots of jobs stop making excuses" when they don't realize I am almost 40 miles away. Taking the commuter rail is fun but it's almost $400 for a monthly pass, which also includes free subway and bus access, and there is a slim if any chance someone down there is going to hire me for a minimum wage part time job when there are people right in that immediate area also applying. I have bills to pay. I don't get to live for free with mommy and save up money to buy a 2013 Honda Accord like a few certain people here are doing.
The area he lives in Haverhill/Lawrence is a fairly depressed area of Massachusetts even in a better economy.
The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is 6.0% while the unemployment rate in Lawrence, MA is 11.9%.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in Michigan is 7.4%, while the unemployment rate in Detroit is 14.5%. I graduated high school when Michigan's unemployment rate was over 14% and Detroit's unemployment rate was 28%.
Yet, I've managed to do better than the OP. I don't have any connections and no one lended me a hand in my job search when I cried for it, despite my effort.
Detroit is also a bigger city than Lawrence. It's a metropolis. Lawrence is around 77,000. Detroit is 700,000. You had much more opportunities (businesses to apply for) in Detroit, even with a high unemployment rate.
Detroit is also a bigger city than Lawrence. It's a metropolis. Lawrence is around 77,000. Detroit is 700,000. You had much more opportunities (businesses to apply for) in Detroit, even with a high unemployment rate.
lol, ok...
My first real job out of high school was at a fast food restaurant working part-time with a 30 minute one-way commute all the way out in the suburbs (it paid minimum wage). My co-workers were in complete shock that I came so far for a such a low-paying job with so few hours. With gas being $3.00+ per gallon, I'd say a good 2/3rds of my weekly check went directly to keeping gas in the car.
I only landed that job after submitting numerous resumes at different fast food restaurants and retailers throughout Michigan and calling them back relentlessly, demanding to speak with the Hiring Manager. I can't even begin to remember how many rejections or blow-offs I got.
Then eventually, the one restaurant that hired me gave me instructions to follow, and I followed them exactly. Somewhere in there (I'm not sure what it was), they took a liking to me, invited me in for an interview, and the rest was history.
I also made sure to submit a Resume and Cover Letter with all of my applications...
I have bills to pay. I don't get to live for free with mommy and save up money to buy a 2013 Honda Accord like a few certain people here are doing.
A couple questions if you don't mind me asking:
1. What bills do you have to pay?
2. If you don't live at home, how are you able to support yourself without a job?
3. Are there any temp agencies near your location?
As I suggested before, if you haven't done so before, create a resume and cover letter. There are an infinite number of templates you an use on Google. Even if you have no experience, it won't hurt you and it can let an employer know that you're very professional and have great writing skills.
1. Help my mom pay the rent and utilities when I manage to find a job
2. See #1.
3. There are a few scattered around (spread out over 20 or so miles) but all the positions they are hiring for are skilled jobs, that are looking for experience. Every listing they have says the same thing. Experience: 2-3 years. Temporary. 1 year recent work history. There is no unskilled general labor available. I even had one place tell me to stop applying, because I was unqualified for all of their positions. They told me even if I was qualified, all applicants must have at least 1 year of work history according to their policy, which I do not have. They also want people with reliable vehicles. Expresspros and Coworx staffing are two I remember.
For the most part, there is no unskilled work here, as a whole for the state of MA there is very little, unless you have connections, or work in the service industry (fast food, retail, blah blah blah).
You guys can accuse me of lying, and making stuff up and excuses all you want, but you'll never go through all the anguish I did (and continue to) trying to get a simple job, and even just getting a manager to take me seriously without blowing me off out of laziness or just not caring about anything.
What would they care if I had $20 to my name and spent $18 on a commuter rail ride to malden for an interview at a chain store and told me how much they like me and that they will "let me know" if I get the job or not in a few days (and never let me know). But when I call they claim they hired someone else. Am I the center of a practical joke? Am I being used as legal fodder? If so, please tell me so I can hang up the phone before I make a trip.
What do I mean by legal fodder? I mean when a person is brought in for an interview with no intention of ever being hired, so that a company can look for an H1B visa holder or immigrant to take the job by claiming that no american citizen was qualified, when they are really just looking to pay someone less than minimum wage. Also if they want to hire a friend via nepotism, they'll bring other people in with no intention of hire, but just to satisfy the higher ups.
1. Help my mom pay the rent and utilities when I manage to find a job
2. See #1.
3. There are a few scattered around (spread out over 20 or so miles) but all the positions they are hiring for are skilled jobs, that are looking for experience. Every listing they have says the same thing. Experience: 2-3 years. Temporary. 1 year recent work history. There is no unskilled general labor available. I even had one place tell me to stop applying, because I was unqualified for all of their positions. They told me even if I was qualified, all applicants must have at least 1 year of work history according to their policy, which I do not have. They also want people with reliable vehicles. Expresspros and Coworx staffing are two I remember.
For the most part, there is no unskilled work here, as a whole for the state of MA there is very little, unless you have connections, or work in the service industry (fast food, retail, blah blah blah).
You guys can accuse me of lying, and making stuff up and excuses all you want, but you'll never go through all the anguish I did (and continue to) trying to get a simple job, and even just getting a manager to take you seriously without blowing you off out of laziness or just not caring about anything.
If nothing else, have you looked into an online college you can attend from home?
Given that you and your mom appear to have a low income, you should qualify for the full pell grant ($5,500 per year) as well as the full stafford loan (another $5,500 per year). It shouldn't disrupt any other government assistance you guys are getting either since you're still considered a dependent.
You say there is high unemployment in your area for a job in a fast food restaurant. Advertise an available position, and you may get 200 applications. You have them apply on line, as there is no way you can go over all the applications. You do not have the time to do it, along with your other duties. Especially you do not have time to fool around with walk in applications. You have to limit the time spent on taking applications and talking to people.
By having applications done on line, you can use a computer program to kick out all but the best applicants. It is the only you you can do it due to time restraints. You set up appointments in your most available time to talk to the few applicants that get through the computer screening.
You then select which one you feel best fit your needs. Again you were looking for the one person that stands out from the other applicants you have interviewed, and that person is offered a job.
That same basic concept is followed, if you are hiring a fry cook at minimum wages, or a Petroleum Engineer for the highest paying starting wages in the country.
When you are applying for a job, you are selling yourself. First you have to meet the company criteria on the application to get through the computer process. Then you have to make the sale with your application to be selected for an interview. After that, you have to sell the interviewer you are the right person at the personal interview. Do a bad job selling yourself at any one of the levels, and you will not get the job.
Back in the days I did a lot of hiring, I had a lot of applicants that really did nothing to sell me on hiring them. They seemed to think because they showed up for an interview they should be hired. WRONG. Another applicant would sell me on hiring them, and they got the job.
If you want to be hired, you have to be ready, willing and able to convince the prospective employer you are the best. Do a good job of selling yourself, or don't even bother to apply for a job. Reason: Someone else will convince the HM that they are the right one for the job. The only reasons you are not getting the jobs, is you are not convincing the HM that you are the person they just have to have working for them.
So, what's the topic for chapter 20 of your novel?
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