this economy sucks!!!!!

[DZLBUG]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

I agree Dzlbug. I too will be in the same boat as you. Searching for job after job...with little to apply for but meaningless minimum wage jobs. I do like the bird cage anaology too. Makes sense.

I feel more like a beaten and abused dog, fighting to not be stuffed into a cage from which I will never truly emerge.

Good luck to you as well Michelle, I've been reading your posts and it is like reliving my layoff all over again. I would never wish it on anyone. Good luck to you and your fellow co-workers on finding new employment. I know it kind of draws out the pain, but at least your company has been doing this gradually and they are giving people notice.

We only had a week where we knew that the axe was going to fall...except we had no idea who or how many were going to be cut until it happened. It was very demoralizing to be working my a$$ off trying to get a project done for a client, and then receive the call to go in and speak with the Senior VP. By the time I got back to my desk, my computer was already gone. All that I was given was a box and an hour to pack up my stuff and say my goodbyes. What a $hitty day in that office, it was like an assembly line of pain. Person after person making that walk, from the bottom (like me) to just about the top.

Originally Posted by wawalker

AG is great, but I'll take some BB any day.

YouTube - BB King - Paying The Cost To Be The Boss

You can never go wrong with BB, nice choice of song.

[thorgipsy]

Sounds like I'm not alone on the layoff cruise ship. My ex-company cut the entire Eng. Dept. but a handful, a skeleton crew. That was back in April.
I sold my '01 Tundra a few weeks later to pay for bills if I need to.
My field (mfg. eng.)is dried up for now. I've only had a handful of interviews with no offers. The frustrating search continues.
Good luck to you all!

[cep]

If you're willing to move, try the Honeywell plant in Kansas City.

Home - Kansas City Plant

They hire manufacturing engineers from time to time. You gotta check it often, though, some jobs are only posted for a few days.

[overlander64]

You can add another to that cruise ship. Received notice that my employment would be terminated in March of 2008 effective on June 1 of 2008. Have been unemployed since then -- exhausted my unemployment benefits in early September. Since September, I have been drawing down my savings and cutting expenses as much as possible. The small bit of good news is that I found that I was eligible for the 14-week extension of benefits approved on November 6.

I have had a grand total of 3 interviews in my field and one interview in a related occupation in the 18 months that I have been unemployed. In each case they went with a recent college graduate who would cost 30% to 50% less than me. I have 22 years of service in my field and am six semester hours short of my masters degree. Being past 50 doesn't help either.

I have heard various forms of the same statement in almost everyone of my interviews. "We would like to have you on our staff, but you are vastly over-qualified for the position and we are concerned that you would leave us for a more lucrative position once the economy turns around." In all truthfulness, I can't refute the statement as in each case the pay was only about 50% of what my annual salary was the last three years that I was employed.

Kevin

[my99vdub]

Originally Posted by thorgipsy

Sounds like I'm not alone on the layoff cruise ship. My ex-company cut the entire Eng. Dept. but a handful, a skeleton crew. That was back in April.
I sold my '01 Tundra a few weeks later to pay for bills if I need to.
My field (mfg. eng.)is dried up for now. I've only had a handful of interviews with no offers. The frustrating search continues.
Good luck to you all!

Originally Posted by overlander64

You can add another to that cruise ship. Received notice that my employment would be terminated in March of 2008 effective on June 1 of 2008. Have been unemployed since then -- exhausted my unemployment benefits in early September. Since September, I have been drawing down my savings and cutting expenses as much as possible. The small bit of good news is that I found that I was eligible for the 14-week extension of benefits approved on November 6.

I have had a grand total of 3 interviews in my field and one interview in a related occupation in the 18 months that I have been unemployed. In each case they went with a recent college graduate who would cost 30% to 50% less than me. I have 22 years of service in my field and am six semester hours short of my masters degree. Being past 50 doesn't help either.

I have heard various forms of the same statement in almost everyone of my interviews. "We would like to have you on our staff, but you are vastly over-qualified for the position and we are concerned that you would leave us for a more lucrative position once the economy turns around." In all truthfulness, I can't refute the statement as in each case the pay was only about 50% of what my annual salary was the last three years that I was employed.

Kevin

me too, on the same cruise ship - but where the heck is it going????? next month begins month 18 of UEmp for me - ONE interview in my field in that time and the job got yanked before I left the building after my interview - I think they might have offered me the job but I'll never know now there's isn't even anything to apply for, it distresses me so much to hear about how the economy is turning around - turning around which way? and for who??? not the everyday "worker bee" I fear, the fat cats keep getting fatter is all I read about - well, the bit of business reading about the local scene here in the "insurance capital".

OK, time for to turn off the and find some humbleness in my heart

[wawalker]

I'm taking a different approach. My recent field and my college degree field are dead. I am now working a PT job next to "kids" 1/2 my age in a job totally unrelated to anything I've done in recent years. I decided just to not participate in the recession, I know, easier said than done. I am still drawing down my savings a little each month to meet all the bills, but I have a strategy--get in at entry level with a big stable international company and move up over time. I have an interview for a possible step up next week. It's my first attempt, honestly I don't expect success right away, but in time it will come. Personally, I don't think we've seen the worst of this economy yet.

[thorgipsy]

Originally Posted by cep

If you're willing to move, try the Honeywell plant in Kansas City.

Home - Kansas City Plant

They hire manufacturing engineers from time to time. You gotta check it often, though, some jobs are only posted for a few days.

Thanks, cep. I'll keep that in mind if/when the economy keeps spiraling downward, although it will be a battle to stretch the wife's umbilical cord.

[cep]

I know the feeling. In my case, it's my own umbilical which won't stretch. I've had chances to work in FAR more interesting jobs than what I'm in now but did not want to move the kids away from their grandparents.

[huck731]

well, this month i got a nice check from uncle sam for going to school, to bad i'm already down to like 200 bucks, christmas is expensive, hopefully my check keep coming in like they are sopossed to. (dont worry, im not mooching off uncle sam, i get the checks becuase of my military status and the fact that i am goign to college). cant really complain about this because it's my fault.

[vibelife]

I was a waiter in my younger years and made great $$$ doing it. I had a flexible schedule and I like the work. If I were you guys, I would go to a chain restaurant like a chili's, or a Fridays and get a job (all chains are always hiring). 2 weeks and you are in the $$$. It can get you thru the tough times like this and keep the bills paid whilst being able to go to school and it is great to socialize yourself if you need confidence. Just do not get too tied up in the "lifestyle" like many of my friends.

If you try for a higher end place like a cheesecake factory, they are pretty selective and you are in training for 6 weeks before you actually make money and they have a rigorous training program. (been there done that).

retail is the same way and you make less and have to buy your work clothes and end up spending your check.

I always said if I had to take a 2nd job or, G-d forbid, get laid off, I would go back to serving until times got better.

[Smileybug]

I'm currently working back at Target over the holidays since I need the extra cash during my break from school. They are doing really well and are doing really good about getting me hours. I was working there last early this year (I think I stopped in Feb. or early March) and I was maybe getting 10 hours a week, but usually one shift a week (6 hours-ish). This week I have 24 hours and next week I have 15 (I only requested an avg. of 15-20 per week for my own sanity's sake) This year, at least at my store, they are open until midnight up until Christmas. Let me tell you, its busy in there! I gotta say, for retail, the pay ain't too bad either. $8/hr to start. It does kinda suck working retail but its money. And they are actively hiring again for the first time in awhile.

[huck731]

[QUOTE=vibelife;613431]I was a waiter in my younger years and made great $$$ doing it. I had a flexible schedule and I like the work. If I were you guys, I would go to a chain restaurant like a chili's, or a Fridays and get a job (all chains are always hiring). 2 weeks and you are in the $$$. It can get you thru the tough times like this and keep the bills paid whilst being able to go to school and it is great to socialize yourself if you need confidence. Just do not get too tied up in the "lifestyle" like many of my friends.QUOTE]

reminds me of the movie, "waiting", lol
I have thought about getting a job like that, but i keep remembering from when i worked at mcdonalds, and i hated that job.

[vibelife]

TOTALLY different than a McJob, and ALOT more $$$. On a weeknight, I used to walk home with at least 100 cash. On weekends, it was up from there :-) You will NEVER have trouble getting hours. I usually made about 600+ a week at a DON PABLO's, but I worked thursday-sunday and took off Monday-Wednesday

[huck731]

maybe i'll try it out, thanks