I HATE WINTER

[Boogeyman]

And isn't that what winter is supposed to be?????? I am beginning to believe people have lost all perspective. As I have suggested before, move if it bothers you that much. You don't see me posting every summer that I hate the heat. Problem is, every region gets warm weather at some point. That isn't the case with snow.

It's not that easy. I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who has moved to another state, and I'm still struggling to find a better job. Just today I got an interview and hours later a letter denying my application.

Besides, where would people move to anyway? I rather deal with the freezing cold than things like hurricanes and tornados. I moved down here because of my boyfriend, but if I were to move anywhere else, I'd have to start from scratch which would be difficult for someone who's in loads of debt and doesn't know anyone. A lot of times, it's not the talent that finds people jobs, it's who you know. Unfortunately that might just be the case with Pumpkin Man.



However, I think perhaps the best people can do is just try to do the best they can with the time they have, even if it is freezing cold. Try to turn it around into a positive. The winter season can be nice for photography since you can capture some pretty amazing images with the snow gathered on fences, and get a nice rustic country scene out of it.

Now if I were to win the lottery, I'd establish a winter home in the southern states where it's more likely to be warm, and a summer home closer to the north where my family lives. If we were rich enough to be able to migrate like birds, moving back and forth would be an option. But unfortunately, I doubt anyone on this forum has that kind of money even if they have met all of their career goals.

Spooky if you think that's bad, we're getting 2 to 21 above zero tonight with freezing wind chill advisories from 15 to 24 below zero with winds at 10 to 20 MPH with gusts at 30MPH. I'd gladly trade the weather with you if you'd like. XD

I can sympathize. I have also gotten the rejection letter the same day as the interview. I think in that case, they needed another person to interview due to company policy.

If I may ask, what type of job are you looking for? Have you considered going to a placement company? You will have to do some research on them first. Some charge you for finding you a job. Others are hired by companies to find them employees so you don't pay at all. I would recommend those.

I had a bad experience with one just after I graduated college. It was an agency I would have paid if the placed me. I specifically explained that I didn't want to work in a restaurant. After getting a sport tcoat as he suggested and letting him know, he had someone else from the office contact me to have me come in. Guess what they had for me. An assistant manager position at a Wendy's. I wasn't very happy at all and even more that he didn't have the guts to present the info to me himself because he knew i would be mad. I walked out and never dealt with them again.

[Spookymufu]

YIKES!!!! look what I woke up to this morning

[Spookymufu]

and two more

[Boogeyman]

So is everything closed, Spooky?

[Spookymufu]

as far as I know just the schools are closed and there arent too many people out on the streets which is a good thing because people here dont know how to drive in inclement weather, Living in SLC for 7yrs helped me to deal with this little cold snap.


heres a little pic of the bush out side my front door

[Boogeyman]

I know, that is why I asked. I know during the ice storm last month, everything was pretty much shut down for three days. Don't get me wrong, I understand why, but still find it funny.

[MauEvig]

If I may ask, what type of job are you looking for? Have you considered going to a placement company? You will have to do some research on them first. Some charge you for finding you a job. Others are hired by companies to find them employees so you don't pay at all. I would recommend those.

I had a bad experience with one just after I graduated college. It was an agency I would have paid if the placed me. I specifically explained that I didn't want to work in a restaurant. After getting a sport tcoat as he suggested and letting him know, he had someone else from the office contact me to have me come in. Guess what they had for me. An assistant manager position at a Wendy's. I wasn't very happy at all and even more that he didn't have the guts to present the info to me himself because he knew i would be mad. I walked out and never dealt with them again.

I have a Medical Administrative Assistant degree, which is basically a degree that deals with office receptionist type of work, such as medical coding, billing, checking in patients for appointments, schedule appointments, etc. It doesn't have to be limited to a medical office either though. I'd be just as happy working in a school or any other company that does filing, paperwork and doing stuff on the computer. I was trained in keyboarding which I was already pretty good at anyway, and Microsoft Office applications. To be blunt, I was basically trained to be a glorified secretary. I chose the medical variation of the degree because I thought that it would open up more options.

The job I applied at though however, was a call center. One of my previous jobs as at a call center so I enjoyed that sort of work, though I chatted to people online with the Live Person chat console over the Verizon Wireless website. As I said before, those are real people on there, although they do use a lot of canned and prescripted responses.

Either scenario would be ideal. Basically, I just want an office job, as a receptionist or a secretary. Ideally the less I have to deal with the public the better, but I'll settle for front desk receptionist as opposed to someone who might be doing medical records in the back.

Being a cashier just is not the job for me, but unfortunately it's all I can find and I have experience in it. But I see it more as a temporary set back until I find the kind of job I went to college for, or at least something similar. A call center would be fine, it has some similarities I think. I have experience in online sales. So basically first choice would be office receptionist, second choice call center.

I've dealt with temp agencies before. I don't think I'd trust anyone I'd have to pay for assistance. My aunt recommended flex jobs as an opportunity to find legit jobs to work at home from online, which would be awesome, but I'm too much of a skeptic to pay any money for services which is something they require. So maybe if I actually knew people who used flex jobs, I might be more willing to give them a chance. It's pretty low that the one you went to suggested a job with wendy's, and I would have not only walked out, but demanded a refund as well if you payed for their services. It annoys me that most of the jobs I search for that say "customer service" are basically just cashier jobs.

[Boogeyman]

I don't mean temp agencies. There are agencies that will place you in permanent jobs. Like I said before, some are pretty good and some aren't. Did you see the news story I posted on my training class? That will be a call center resolving computer issues.

Oh, I never paid them. They only get paid if you get placed in a job thankfully. The problem with those type is that they want to turn you over as quick as they can and move on to the next paying client.

I assume you job search online. Which sites do you use? Indeed is nice because it pulls leads from several sites. I have had interviews on jobs leads from that site. I have used Monster but never found much there and Indeed pulls from Monster anyway.

[MauEvig]

I have been using indeed.com to search for jobs but I haven't had a lot of luck.

I've used career builder, and the state's job search.

I think I have used monster before, along with snagajob.

No luck. Most of them point to either cashier jobs, or the jobs I have applied at I never even got the time of day.

I can probably take a look at it. I asked for some advice at a local library and I heard the local college trains people specifically to be placed in jobs, where the job sites have asked the college specifically for people to be trained in those fields, since employers are supposedly having trouble finding skilled employees since they lack the experience. I might look into it, can't hurt. The trouble is how do I get the experience when no one will hire me? I don't think it's necessarily that employers can't find people who have experience, but that there's too many people who do have the experience leaving the people out who are essentially entry level like myself.

I really want to find a job I can settle into and retire at when I get to be 65 at least before I'm 30, and I'm 28 now and will be 29 in July. I feel like time is slipping away from me before I start having the same problem with age discrimination, where cashier jobs may end up being my only option. I don't want that to happen. I want to be able to have a decent retirement by the time I'm 65, and if I don't find one soon, it might not happen at all. That's a concern I have, and I think a legitimate one as well. Unfortunately with this economy, it makes me feel like I'm on a tread mill running but not getting anywhere.

I have decided though that every day off I get from work, I'm going to search for jobs.

[Boogeyman]

I completely understand where you are coming from. These days you are either overqualified or underqualified.

If I may, I want to make another suggestion. If you have a Goodwill office nearby, I highly recommend going there. They have programs that will help people find jobs. I know they have a program here that is called Achieve.

Here is the flyer for the program here.

http://www.goodwillgr.org/documents/ACHIEVE.pdf

From what I understand, you stay in the program until you get a job that you are comfortable with. And while every Goodwill office may not offer the same programs this one, if available in your area, might be of some use.

[MauEvig]

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look into it or even ask.
The worst they can say is "No we don't offer these sort of things."

There is a Goodwill store nearby that I know of. Is that the same thing? They're those thrift stores similar to the Salvation army right?

I think the forum went way off topic though. Perhaps a Job search thread would be advisable for helping with employment opportunities and such.

In any case, the funny part though is when Mike posted this, I was thinking the exact same thing about hating winter because my car got stuck in the drive way.

[Boogeyman]

No not the stores. If you want another idea about the kind of things Goodwill does, watch the link I posted in my threaad "Training Class". The training is being conducted through Goodwill.

Here is the link to their website. Just type in the nearest city and see if there is an office.

http://www.goodwill.org/

[MauEvig]

Edit: I found a couple locations, but they are no where near where I live. The closest I think is about a 3-4 hour drive. Yuck!

[Boogeyman]

I am going to post my response in your job search thread.

[Kolchak]

MauEvig, we'd all like to retire and enjoy our golden years without fear of want. But instead of looking at an end game, perhaps you should be looking a little closer to now and today.

Less than 15% of the people employed today remain with the same employer or job for their career. Back in the days of high paying assembly line jobs at auto makers, not only could you find a job for life, with good pay, benefits and retirement, but it was almost a guarantee that your kids would follow in your footsteps and have the same life guarantee.

I'm afraid those days are gone forever. You are not alone I can promise you. I know well educated and trained people who are working way below their levels just to put food on the table and some aren't even doing that.

I understand your reluctance to deal with people. Once you've been a cop as long as I have, there are days you get of bed and think....Oh I don't think I put up with the bull**** today. But you got to do it.

I have sat on several hiring boards myself and have talked with human resource people about what they want and how to up your chances of getting the job.

I'm sorry to have to tell you, but ALL jobs want someone who is a people person. If you go in and tell them you're not, it really does hurt your chances. An employer wants someone who will not just listen and do what their job description entails, they need someone who is positive in thought and deed. Someone who will take the lead and think. Use their brain.

In other words you need to show yourself as being bright and positive and mature. The way you portray that to a prospective employer is to come across as a people person.

For instance: You make eye contact with the interviewer. You smile a lot, and you speak in a strong(not loud)voice. You sit up straight during the interview and don't fidget in your seat.

If you get a question that you're not familiar with or understand, look at at the person who asked and say, could you please explain what you mean? Could you please repeat that? Always say please and thank you. Look and behave sure of yourself.

Tell them your long term goals are to climb the ladder with the company. This is what they want to hear. They are looking for someone who will make a commitment with them.

Always wear conservative clothes too. Leave the goth or hip hop clothes at home and understand that these people are offering you a job and it is they who set out the rules and morays to adhere to.

Never speak badly about a former employer. Even if you hated the job. You tell them that your old job was a learning experience and you were happy and grateful that you had a chance to work there, but you also felt you had done as much as you thought you could accomplish and wish to move on to new challenges to continue your search for personal and job fulfillment.

If you were fired and nobody asks you if you were, don't volunteer the information. If you are asked why you were fired, be simple and direct with your answer and tell them the official reason given. Don't say things like "the boss didn't like me" or "they were out to get me" To an employer that just sounds like sour grapes and you refuse to accept responsibility for your actions.

At the end of the interview thank the panel or person and always remain upbeat and positive during the interview.

Portray yourself as a winner and your chances of winning the interview and getting the job increase greatly.