Friend moved here, can't find a job anywhere, Help! (Surprise: vs, health)

[seabreeze-nh]

My plan is to move back to AZ as soon as I find work. Careerbuilder is one avenue I am using as not only do they have hundreds of job openings, when you apply for one they provide many others as well.

I recommend you inform your friend of this. Maybe help him with his resume and cover letter.

You don't always get to start at the top.

[PheenixJobless]

Originally Posted by observer53

Then he is not working hard enough at it to find something, as you describe it, "worthwhile".

I do Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation. So I don't think it's just that he's not trying hard enough.

[EnicAZ]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

I do Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation. So I don't think it's just that he's not trying hard enough.

You are correct. The data link for Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate was posted earlier in the thread. More people need to be sensitive to the real state of the job market. It is one of the Phoenix area's biggest problems.

What other avenues have you given your friend for this?

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

I believe I said it earlier, that he is looking for ANY kind of work. The only thing he has been able to find is part time work at a gas station.

Then he is not trying hard enough, period. Tell him if he'd put more effort into finding a job he will find one. Tell him to quit being so lazy.
That's what I would say, anyway.
The jobs are out there. Thousands and thousands of them. He's got to put himself out there. The jobs aren't going to magically find him.

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

I do Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation. So I don't think it's just that he's not trying hard enough.

U-6 means very little. The high rate of college students looking for or hoping for full-time work but only finding part-time (that counts as U-6 Unemployed), the large number of retirees (that also counts as U-6 Unemployed), the large number of stay-at-home moms who used to work in California prior to moving here but don't have to now (that counts as U-6 Unemployed, too), plus some other "questionable" factors, all make the U-6 look "bad" for us.
The real and actual Unemployment rate is 8.4% and falling.
It really sounds like you are making "excuses" for your friend (or maybe he's making them for himself). And you know what they say about excuses....

I have doubted the "authenticness" of this thread from the beginning. It seems my suspicions were confirmed.
This has nothing to do with someone finding a job. It's about bashing Phoenix.

[PheenixJobless]

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

U-6 means very little. The high rate of college students looking for or hoping for full-time work but only finding part-time (that counts as U-6 Unemployed), the large number of retirees (that also counts as U-6 Unemployed), the large number of stay-at-home moms who used to work in California prior to moving here but don't have to now (that counts as U-6 Unemployed, too), plus some other "questionable" factors, all make the U-6 look "bad" for us.
The real and actual Unemployment rate is 8.4% and falling.
It really sounds like you are making "excuses" for your friend (or maybe he's making them for himself). And you know what they say about excuses....

I have doubted the "authenticness" of this thread from the beginning. It seems my suspicions were confirmed.
This has nothing to do with someone finding a job. It's about bashing Phoenix.

I'm surprised by your quickness to try and dismiss an official government statistic that is frequently cited as central in many publications. Arizona being in the worst tier of unemployment rates in the countries should a great deal about why my well educated, sharp friend is having such a hard time finding any work in the area.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

I do Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation. So I don't think it's just that he's not trying hard enough.

Originally Posted by EnicAZ

You are correct. The data link for Arizona's U-6 unemployment rate was posted earlier in the thread. More people need to be sensitive to the real state of the job market. It is one of the Phoenix area's biggest problems.

What other avenues have you given your friend for this?

I see there's an echo in the forum, again. . .

Spouting statistics is not helping your friend get a job, if that's all you are really doing for him. If he's got the attitude that the job market is too bleak for him to bother based on your statistical quotes, then he's not helping himself. Given what is out there that would be entirely "worthwhile" and "suitable" work even if it doesn't require a teaching certificate, I'll stand by my earlier statement that he's not making looking for work a full time job.

This thread is just going around in circles. Your friend has been given some useful feedback. If it keeps going around in circles much longer, it's closing.

[PhoenixAirConcerns]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

A friend of mine moved here 8 months ago. He has been searching high and low for a job, and he hasn't been able to find anything worthwhile. He has been offered part time hours at a gas station for $7.75 an hour.

He has a Bachelor's degree and three years of teaching experience. School districts continue to lay off, so there are no options there.

My friend is running out of all his money. Does anyone have any advice? He is about to move back.

I had a cousin who tried doing this last year. She had to move back because she couldn't find a job, and also because she missed her family. Tell your friend there is no shame in moving again. Maybe the lesson will be learned to not move complete prepared for what lies ahead.

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by PheenixJobless

I'm surprised by your quickness to try and dismiss an official government statistic that is frequently cited as central in many publications. Arizona being in the worst tier of unemployment rates in the countries should a great deal about why my well educated, sharp friend is having such a hard time finding any work in the area.

U-6 Unemployment is rarely cited by credible sources. Most will cite the very commonly used U-3 (also known as "The official unemployment rate" according to International Labor Organization), which is 8.4% for Phoenix. Most people understand that U-6 has too many variables to give an accurate picture. As I stated, the large college and retired crowd, plus the large influx of people from high-cost-of-living areas (where both spouces worked to pay the mortgage) sway the U-6 data for Phoenix. Certainly you can understand that counting a teenage Starbucks employee who works part time as "unemployed" and a stay-at-home mom who used to work but now doesn't and doesn't even want to as "unemployed" is not an accurate way to gauge actual unemployment.

I also question how "sharp" your friend is if he cannot find employment despite over 5,000 current openings.

[Ritchie_az]

Well, it looks like the three-headed poster has come full circle....

PheenixAirAZ......