I Feel Like Such A Failure...

[Luv2Scrap]

Do not take it personally. I was interviewing candidates for a clerical position this week and every candidate had at least a bachelors degree and several years of experience. I've never seen anything like it. While I should be excited to have such a great choice, it was depressing to see so many qualified but unemployed individuals who are willing to work way below their skill level and prior pay scale.

I was just going to say the same thing - I was on an interview team for an entry level clerical position and every candidate had a Bachelors Degree. My supervisor said it's been that way for a while now. I didn't have a degree when I got this job, and I feel very lucky that I got in when I did.

Have you thought about receptionist positions at a local Chiropractor's office or maybe a Law office? Are any restaurants opening in the area? When a restaurant opens they need to hire a lot of people quickly. Not the most ideal job, but it's something...

 

[Mrs.Malone]

That's so hard. I'm sorry. Don't take it personally!
Maybe someone has mentioned this but would you consider being a school bus driver? It would be hard but maybe worth thinking of. Our district is constantly advertising for drivers. They will train. Pay starts at about $17 per hour.

 

[goofy!]

i just received a "thanks, but no thanks" letter from yet another job application. i feel like a total loser. i've been looking for a job for over 6 months, and honestly, i'm ready to give up. yes, i have been a SAHM for 11 years, but that doesn't mean i'm an idiot-i am more than qualified for the jobs i apply for. i smile, shake hands, am friendly, and i'm told i come across very well in interviews. i just don't get it. i feel like i've completely failed myself and my family.
i'm sorry, i know there are much bigger issues going on in the world, but this latest rejection letter has just reduced me to tears. DH is at work and DD isn't home (i wouldn't mention it to her anyway), so i'm sitting here all alone, feeling like the world's biggest loser.

You are NOT a failure. There can be many reasons why you would get such a letter that can be in play.

For instance, I work as a para professional in our school district. Last year, most of us were laid off due to the massive budget cuts the schools are facing.

Then, over the summer as the new budget was formulated, the district started re-filling the positions by seniority. There are still a lot of 1st and 2nd year paras on the displaced list. Thus, the district cannot hire anybody outside until their entire list of laid off paras has been rehired or has indicated they got a different job.

So, if you sent a resume to our school district, you would get the "thanks but no thanks letter." But it would have nothing to do with you, only that they have to hire off of the displaced para list before they can start hiring from outside.

You are not a failure. There have been a ton of lay offs in the past couple of years and many companies are going with rehires before they start adding new staff.

 

[momof1princess]

thanks, guys i'm a former legal secretary, so i've applied for every receptionist and secretary position within 25 miles. the temp agencies are overrun-too many applicants, hardly any jobs, but i've submitted applications and resumes to them too. no bus driver jobs open here (the coaches/teachers usually do these jobs for extra $$$), but i check the board of ed. website regularly, just in case! i feel as if i've turned over every rock, and come up with nothing but damp dirt.
i might not feel so bad if my DH wasn't working so hard-he's been working 65-80 hours per week since september, and i feel as if i'm not doing my part, even though i've made finding a job, my job.

 

[diz8297]

As others have said, it is so not you. I think the advice to volunteer is a great one. For example, at a nursing home you might discover that you love the activities and that could lead to a position. Just a thought. Hang in there!!

 

[C.Ann]

Not a loser at all!! Just searching for a job when there are so many people out of work there simply aren't enough jobs to go around.. Please don't be so hard on yourself..

Would you be at all interested in watching children in your own home? That seems to be the one place where there's always a shortage of people available..

Hang in there.. Sooner or later something will come along..

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Please don't be so hard on yourself. It took my DH 20 months to find a job. He was laid off after 22 years with the same company in May of 09. He just started a new job 2 weeks ago. He felt discouraged several times, but didn't stop hunting. It was a matter of the right company seeing his resume at the right time. People kept telling us it would happen and it finally did. It will happen for you too!

 

[kidzmom3]

Is there a hospital nearby? I run the registration area of a hospital and working moms are our bread and butter. We hire mostly part time, limited benefits with evenings, weekends and holidays.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Its really hard out there. Maybe try to brush up on some areas that might help in interviews. I am an excel nerd and that one skill has gotten me job after job.

 

[mjc05]

Are there any residential facilities in your area? Adolescents, nursing homes, etc? The turn over in places like that is usually very high. I had worked for an adolescent facility for years and recently had to go back due to my brother becoming disabled. It's a thankless, tear inducing job sometimes, but it's money and when you help someone who doesn't get to go home to their family at night, it does make it worthwhile.

 

[luv2sew]

You are not alone. Could you do some re-training? The post about residential homes and nursing homes was a good one. The turn over there is high and some of them offer nurses aide training. My DD has been working at one as a fill in, doing anything they will give her to do since she has not been able to find a teaching position...they even let her call off to substitute teach on days she gets called. It's not big pay but she needs anything she can get.

When I was in need of a job a few years ago and was having trouble finding one I went to a temp agency, but I think the above post about them having too many applicants is true..where I work now (at a cemetery, which is where I was placed from a temp agency and got hired) we are always getting calls from the temp agencies asking if we have any positions available for their clients.

I feel so lucky to have my job, my age was an issue....if your over 50 they just don't want to hire you no matter how good your skills are.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You are not alone. Could you do some re-training? The post about residential homes and nursing homes was a good one. The turn over there is high and some of them offer nurses aide training. My DD has been working at one as a fill in, doing anything they will give her to do since she has not been able to find a teaching position...they even let her call off to substitute teach on days she gets called. It's not big pay but she needs anything she can get.

When I was in need of a job a few years ago and was having trouble finding one I went to a temp agency, but I think the above post about them having too many applicants is true..where I work now (at a cemetery, which is where I was placed from a temp agency and got hired) we are always getting calls from the temp agencies asking if we have any positions available for their clients.

I feel so lucky to have my job, my age was an issue....if your over 50 they just don't want to hire you no matter how good your skills are.

Yep. Looking for work at age almost age 46, is not fun.

 

[bellebud]

I know 2 people who recently took courses to become... the people who draw blood... oh, phlebotomists... my sil got hired right away, the other person is just starting her courses I think.

Worth looking into (?)

Small mom and pop shops (we own one) are often looking for varied hours, part-timers, weekend help (a deli shop for the morning rushes, a retail store for Saturdays, etc).

Starting your own business... not hard to do, but hard to think of 'what' to do. Someone else mentioned daycare... there's a thread around here about what to do when both parents work full-time and there's a snow day. I bet there are a lot of parents in that boat in any area (oh, well, not the south... don't know where you're from).

House cleaning... any nice developments in your area? I know so many people who would give up eating dinner out rather than give up their house cleaner, especially when the parents both work full time. Not the most glamorous work, but money in your pocket. And it's actually hard to find a trustworthy house cleaner (we don't have one - dh would never trust someone in our house, but many, many of my neighbors have one). Some do it every other week so the family can afford it, or even once a month for a heavier cleaning that the family just doesn't have time to get to.

Hope you start feeling better about this... it's everywhere, not just you

 

[momof1princess]

thanks, everyone, your posts have helped me so much i'm not physically able to do housecleaning on a daily basis, due to a back issue, but i have been considering going back to school, i'm just not really sure what for.

 

[nathalee81]

I don't really have any new ideas (I was going to suggest temp work, but saw in a follow up post you stated they were inundated), just wanted to tell you that you are NOT a failure.
I know it is really tough out there, but it is the economy, NOT YOU.
Hang in there.

 

[momof1princess]

thank you

 

[bigbabyblues]

Is there a hospital nearby? I run the registration area of a hospital and working moms are our bread and butter. We hire mostly part time, limited benefits with evenings, weekends and holidays.

I work in a hospital also, I was going to suggest trying that. There are other departments in ours that hire part time people, although they may not be for positions you have experience in, it wouldn't hurt to try.

Hope you find something soon!

 

[momof1princess]

I work in a hospital also, I was going to suggest trying that. There are other departments in ours that hire part time people, although they may not be for positions you have experience in, it wouldn't hurt to try.

Hope you find something soon!

thanks nothing in our local hospitals right now but RN and pharm tech positions, but i'm checking them a couple times a week, just in case!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What search engines are you using to locate jobs?

Currently I am on indeed.com and snagajob.com.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I see you say you have a back issue... I also see you are applying for retail positions. Make sure you aren't mentioning this in your interviews! I'm sure you aren't, but the likelihood of them hiring you knowing this going in is slim.