Today's job guide email

[cmdr_zoom]

"Still Haven't Found a Job? You Have Alternatives!"

Reading the text, a more appropriate subtitle would be "Lower Your Expectations!" :p

I've tried that, but it seems to me that I'd just be competing with a different group of job seekers. My office experience and skills are the only advantage/qualification I have over any random twenty-something; if I discard those by trying to find work in another field, especially some minimum-wage entry job, why would anyone hire me (at one year shy of 40) instead of one of that vast pool of young and desperate labor? I'm fairly desperate too, and cheap, but I can't offer youth.

Apologies if you've heard this before. On the upside, I did just get a call to come in tomorrow morning at one of the agencies I've applied at (though they want me to fill out all the paperwork again).

Comments

[caluche.livejournal.com]

You have a degree, which is something you can offer over the random twenty-something. Sometimes when you are really desperate you have to do more radical things though - massive change in something like job market (either the city or job type).

I really think that city has a lot to do with it. Another friend of mine got laid off from HP almost 3 years ago (in Corvallis) and hasn't found a job yet - but refuses to leave Corvallis. Part of that is that he has a house there, but part of it is that he has a fundamental dislike for large cities, and even Portland qualifies as large, to him.

Another friend of mine in Portland was laid off on December 26th and had another job on January 5th making $30k more per year (and he shifted from kind of IT help desk stuff to Exchange Server management). Anecdotal as that all is, it does seem easier to find work of all kinds in Portland rather than Eugene / Corvallis / Salem. If you are intent on staying in Eugene, you might just have to ride out the recession the way things are. But look on the bright side, you've lasted this long and things like likely turn around in 2010.

[cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com]

I will say this again.
Moving is not an option.

[caluche.livejournal.com]

Yep. It wasn't really intended as encouragement to move, it was more intended to underscore that there are jobs out there, but to find them people have been having to do more extreme things like move or change their job title. If for whatever reason you can't do either of those things, then you'll have to ride it out the way things are. If you expect things to be bumpy for a year or more, it might not be a bad idea to actually change your qualifications - get certified at something or other, or if you're more ambitious and can qualify for the appropriate aid or loan or even pay for it yourself, get a masters.

[cathaus.livejournal.com]

maybe this will help: I'm trying to spread my good luck re: getting a job.

i can't give you the little noogie that comes with passing out the luck, but here's some luck for you!

can't hurt...

[cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com]

Aw. :)
I appreciate it, I really do. Thanks.