Can't find a job...Topeka (Hope: job market, school district, college)

[Char_Char]

My boyfriend has been jobless for over a year. His last job was at his friends mechanic shop in MO, under the table. The job before that was through someone else he knew. Both jobs went out of business. He was at each one for at least a couple of years.

He enjoys working on cars, though he does not have any certifications or extensive work experience. He also enjoys just about anything else that involves working with your hands, such as carpenty, welding, etc. But again, not a lot of working experience in these fields.

He has applied for so many jobs and rarely gets any sort of call-back. He has a pretty decent resume, with the exception that many of his most recent jobs are out of business. It doesn't help that most job ads are fake. And when he tries to physically go out and talk to potential employers, they are downright rude to him. How dare he show up in person to introduce himself and inquire about a resume that he put in a week ago?!

He is great with people, very social, gets to work on time, and works hard. Whatever he is doing, he always strives to do it well. He is not the greatest with computers, but not the worst either. And despite his outgoing personality, interviews make him very nervous. So, his first impressions are not always the greatest.

He has applied for everything from Burger King to auto technician to call center rep. We are getting very discouraged and don't know what else to do. I only make $11/hr at just under 40 hours/week.

Can anyone give us any advice or insight into the job market here? Is there anything different we can be doing?? Even suggestions for places to apply? Or how to have better chances of getting a call-back? I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

[DontLookPhoto]

I have no solid answers for him but I have a few tips:


Working under the table is a great way to trash your future and perhaps be charged with tax evasion.

I think he should work on becoming certified as a mechanic. That will help.

Play a part from "The Grapes Of Wrath" and move to find work.

Just keep plugging away at trying to find work there.

Try to start a repair shop on his own. (That's what I would do.)

.
That's all I have, good luck to both of you. ~♥~

[hc130radio]

I wouldn't be too concerned with tax evasion - the Feds are looking for fat cats not paying taxes. But if I'm wrong, make sure you give the kid that cuts the grass and mows your lawn a W2.

Has he tried to advertise his auto skills as a service on Craigslist while he is looking for a job?

Maybe he can work for the county or city motor pool (think police department/school district) as an apprentice to work towards a certification. Hell, maybe the police department is recruiting...

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by Char_Char

My boyfriend has been jobless for over a year. His last job was at his friends mechanic shop in MO, under the table. The job before that was through someone else he knew. Both jobs went out of business. He was at each one for at least a couple of years.

He enjoys working on cars, though he does not have any certifications or extensive work experience. He also enjoys just about anything else that involves working with your hands, such as carpenty, welding, etc. But again, not a lot of working experience in these fields.

He has applied for so many jobs and rarely gets any sort of call-back. He has a pretty decent resume, with the exception that many of his most recent jobs are out of business. It doesn't help that most job ads are fake. And when he tries to physically go out and talk to potential employers, they are downright rude to him. How dare he show up in person to introduce himself and inquire about a resume that he put in a week ago?!

He is great with people, very social, gets to work on time, and works hard. Whatever he is doing, he always strives to do it well. He is not the greatest with computers, but not the worst either. And despite his outgoing personality, interviews make him very nervous. So, his first impressions are not always the greatest.

He has applied for everything from Burger King to auto technician to call center rep. We are getting very discouraged and don't know what else to do. I only make $11/hr at just under 40 hours/week.

Can anyone give us any advice or insight into the job market here? Is there anything different we can be doing?? Even suggestions for places to apply? Or how to have better chances of getting a call-back? I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

I would recommend he apply at every Jiffy Lube/Meineke/Tires Plus type business, Walmart/Sears type auto service center, and car dealer in town with the hope of getting a job as a tire and lube guy or even a detailer/carwasher. I wouldn't avoid the locally-owned and independent shops either, as his plea for a job might rub some shop owner just the right way that they'll hire him and give him a chance, which I guess could happen with a corporate shop's manager too. I don't think it would be a bad idea for him to ask for the manager or owner at each place and personally ask for an application and communicate his readiness to work and need for a job, hopefully with a handshake and walking away having left a good impression. As far as actual mechanic work, I'm not sure how many places do on-the-job training anymore. Generally I believe an individual needs at least ASE certification from some sort of training. School is a good option, even a short program.

Otherwise I think the place most unskilled/non-college folks get entry-level jobs nowadays is through staffing agencies. That may be the way to go for your BF, especially considering his lapse in work history and little experience. Staffing agencies seem to be the way most decent employers that can provide somebody a job that can be turned into a career recruit nowadays.

[Char_Char]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Let me start by saying that he would really like to get away from working under the table but if thats what he gets, then I can't say he'd turn it down. I'm not sure if he is quite cut out for starting his own business at this point in time, but it is something he has expressed interested in.

He has advertised himself on CL a couple of times. I'm not sure employers actually look at those though. He'd love to work as an apprentice but I guess we just haven't found those opportunities yet. We'll have to do some more searching there.

MOKAN he has also applied at virtually every place you mentioned in your first sentence. And he keeps going back to those places periodically when he sees that they are hiring again. I think he is perfectly qualified for those jobs but no one ever wants to give him a chance. I know they get a million applications a day but its hard not to think that they are using a little too much personal judgement. This is one thing that brings him down as he does his search. I'm sure there are a lot of people who get to feeling this way after so much time and effort gets them nowhere in their job hunt.

He will be going to another staffing agency this week. The last one did nothing for him. Hopefully this one will be different. I'm trying to keep him positive as I know it's bringing him down more and more. At this point I'd be ok with him not working and just working towards his certification. It would be difficult, but we've already gone this long, and we are getting really good at being frugal

Thank you all again for the great advice

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by Char_Char

....I know they get a million applications a day but its hard not to think that they are using a little too much personal judgement....

What do you mean by this?

[Char_Char]

I'm talking about judging a book by its cover types. He gets some stares when we are out and gets the whole "you aren't from here are you?" rundown. He is not unprofessional by any means. He has tattoos, but always covers them. He always dresses the part and all he wants to do is show his face so he can try to stand out a little. He always here's the same thing.."we aren't hiring". Even though the ad was posted and the associate said that they were. I'm not saying they are always lying, but after so much, my guy can't help but feel that he is not getting the chances he deserves because of what he looks like.

We have noticed this pattern a lot with other guys, but with the few female managers he has spoken with, it was quite opposite. They tend to adore him.

I'm not sure if this is a big part of the equation, or part of it at all. But it sure is something he thinks about.