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Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,995,252 times
Reputation: 40635
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations
Temp jobs are just that - temporary and often low paying. You may be working two weeks, out of work for six, working for four, out of work again, etc. They are a last ditch effort to stay afloat, and with no regular income and no real assets, what landlord would rent to you?
Also, if someone is in this bad of a position, the odds are that they were in one of the hardest hit areas and are probably underwater on the home.
This is why you don't make temping/contracting a last ditch effort. As soon as you're laid off, or within a few weeks, get out there and sign up. They'll likely pay about the same as UI (roughly) and you'll be keeping the resume current, which is critical. When you're at this point and you have UI coming in (or have applied) you can be picky about what gig you take. I only accepted ones that were over 6 mos.
Getting a temp job nowadays is not easy. Most temp agencies are just stockpiling resumes and hoping to poach your contacts especially managerial references. I've had temp agencies send me to interviews even more vigorous than a company would give a direct hire one was all day and I met with 6 different people. I even got rejected from one for HR horse crap I interviewed for several hours and they claim eh he didn't seem ethusiastic enough.
The days of anyone with a pulse getting a temp job are over.
Very true. I don't know what temp agencies are looking for, but it's not me, apparently. Because I moved here from another state and have been self-employed for pretty much my entire time here, even my contacts are useless to local temp agencies, so I never get callbacks.
That said, I'm fortunate to live in a decent-sized metro area, so there are always PT opportunities that you can stack up to create at least something of a living - I've worked as many as five PT jobs concurrently. If one is in a more rural area without those opportunities... I wouldn't want to think about it.
Let's say you've been unemployed, or only marginally employed, since the meltdown of 2008. By now, your emergency unemployment compensation has long since ran out, you've exhausted your savings trying to keep the house while trying to find employment, and your car was repossessed. Maybe you have an older, unreliable but paid-off clunker, maybe not, but you don't have consistent or reliable transportation. Even getting to an interview is a real hassle, assuming you can get one in the first place. With the house gone, you rely on public WiFi and perhaps a Skype or Google Voice number, as you're too poor for a phone.
What do people in this situation do? Do they stay permanently at a shelter or with family and friends? Do they get fed at soup kitchens or simply beg? What would you do in this situation?
I was thinking about that last night. It is a scary reality for me. I have no one in the world to help so I am not sure what would happen to me. All I can do is continue looking for employment and pray. I wish I possessed the ingenuity to be a self starter and start a lucrative company. Unfortunately, I am just an average Joanne and this society is not kind to average folks.
This is why you don't make temping/contracting a last ditch effort. As soon as you're laid off, or within a few weeks, get out there and sign up. They'll likely pay about the same as UI (roughly) and you'll be keeping the resume current, which is critical. When you're at this point and you have UI coming in (or have applied) you can be picky about what gig you take. I only accepted ones that were over 6 mos.
I worked at a call center in VA several years ago that used to bring on everyone as an FTE. They only hire contractors today. Many come in on an "indefinite" contract and I haven't seen any shorter than six months. However, I've seen many of these contractors end up fired, either walked out the door or the client manager just calls the agency and tells them not to come back, with no explanation and the employee typically has no idea what went wrong.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,995,252 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations
I worked at a call center in VA several years ago that used to bring on everyone as an FTE. They only hire contractors today. Many come in on an "indefinite" contract and I haven't seen any shorter than six months. However, I've seen many of these contractors end up fired, either walked out the door or the client manager just calls the agency and tells them not to come back, with no explanation and the employee typically has no idea what went wrong.
Ok, not sure of your point. You take the contract and continue to look for FTE. What you don't want is a gap on the resume.
If I am out of work for more than 2 month and see no potential of employment, I will find work elsewhere including foreign country. Fear is the greatest enemy!
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,995,252 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations
What's worse? A gap or multiple short term jobs? Either is not good.
Again, you're presenting a false dichotomy. Anyway, a gap is worse. Multiple contracts aren't a bad thing, really. During the interview you say the contract ended. Nothing at all wrong with this, especially not when compared to not working for years. Sheesh.
Anwyay, the benefit here is not having your car repossessed, etc and almost being homeless.
Hmmm if I had enough income and resources maintain my household while unemployed for 5 YEARS
I would...
write a book
start a business
return to school for a marketable education/ skill, credential or license
join the military if young enough
AMERICORPS
PEACECORPS
mission work
start a church
MLM
get a job over seas
granted during the first 3-9 months your probably don't think it will be five years but at some point before the repo or bank account hits 0 you have this feeling that without a drastic change and shift in thinking/action things are going to get worse
I have no idea what people did when things were bad. I have always worked and have always found ways to make money. With the economy on the rise and with home values increasing I am thinking that it will get better now. Then again I am only looking at the LA metro area.
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