Prayers for dh's Job Search

[Praise2Him]

I'm praying for you!

 

[me again]

Has he checked Dell? Not at Round Rock, but the new campus in OKC. DS got a job there about 9 months ago. Promotions come fast because they are not fully staffed. Don't know if there is anything in his area of expertise there, but it might be worth a shot.

Dell just announced layoffs of about 9000 people, evenly split between their Round Rock campus and other facilities. But even as they layoff, they said they will continue to hire

Worth a try, he's already put in an application with Dell RR. Don't know about the new campus in OKC, will look into it. Thanks!

 

[Disneybren]

We will prey for you and your family!!!

 

[Snowysmom]

It is tough to be out of work. My DH was out of work almost 3 years ago for 8 months and it was frustrating for him. He would send out lots of resumes and get no interviews even though he has good skills and kept up to date. Finally he got an interview and got the job. What a relief for all! I hope your DH has great interviews and gets a good job offer soon. I also hope your recovery goes well.

 

[imageid]

We are praying for you and your family. DH lost his job in Dec. He has a new one now, I know the prayers helped us. Good Luck!!
to your DD!!

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Yes, you're quite right, hardware is a tough field to get into right now.

No, it really isn't, so take heart! It might just be the area that you live in. I sent you a PM. I don't know if you're willing to relocate out-of-state, but in a lot of areas there are more open positions for hardware than there are qualified hardware engineers.

Also, if your DH has a masters', would he be open to going into engineering management? It's really not the death sentence that so many EE's seem to think it is I'm an engineer, and my last job before becoming a SAHM was actually engineering management. I liked it a lot.

 

[me again]

No, it really isn't, so take heart! It might just be the area that you live in. I sent you a PM. I don't know if you're willing to relocate out-of-state, but in a lot of areas there are more open positions for hardware than there are qualified hardware engineers.

Also, if your DH has a masters', would he be open to going into engineering management? It's really not the death sentence that so many EE's seem to think it is I'm an engineer, and my last job before becoming a SAHM was actually engineering management. I liked it a lot.

Thanks for the suggestion from your pm. DH will look into it right after dinner! We are williing to relocate, and Fl sounds like a good place to relocate to--closer to WDW!

 

[me again]

Have you and your DH considered other type of work? If you have retirement under control all you really need is to get health insurance and cover your living expenses. You could downsize to a less expensive home to live in and maintain.

This is what DH and I are planning on doing but we are not there yet. Eventually we will step away from our present jobs and do easier and more enjoyable jobs that will pay for everyday expenses and our nest egg will grown but not be added to.

Some good points to consider, but downsizing our home isn't an option. We'd lose on a move. We bought our home at distress price, prices in the area have just about doubled, we couldn't buy anything in the area for less than what we have right now, don't forget closing costs, comissions, etc., plus how do you get a mortgage when unemployed? So unless we could pay cash we couldn't buy a new home, and what we've got is about as cheap as we can live for right now, at least in this area, a move to where? would cost and we'd lose our support of family/friends we've established around here.

Cobra is another issue. Its been subsidized by our former employer, but June is the last month. We are paying $375 /month, which we can barely afford. I don't even want to know what it will be after June, just praying that we get another job before then. Its not an option to switch to another carrier until the end of this year. In anticipation of this possibility, I did opt for the cheapest plan, both for the subsidized premiums and the possibility of paying the entire premiums ourselves for awhile. We're essentailly just keeping coverage to keep coverage kwim? any coverage preserves our right to coverage in the future with previous existing conditions. Let it drop for more than 60 days and we don't have that option.

I recently had back surgery, our oop is more than $8000. I didn't think I would need back surgery when I took out the plan, but it still works for us. We still have insurance, it got me in, now I'm set up on payment plans, better than nothing. We still come out ahead with the reduced premiums, but the whole situation stinks! We avoid the doctor if we can, basically we can't afford it, I don't even go to physical therapy, we went one time to learn what to do and do it at home, but its working, I'm improving. We recently went through all dh and my prescriptions to see how we could reduce costs, found some we could replace with the $4 generics at Walmart, others I checked with our doctors to see if there was an equilivant they could prescribe (went over it with a friendly pharmacist, made many suggestions). Turns out there was a cheaper alternative for every drug except one. And I saved on the office visit, just emailed the doctor with a list of current meds and suggestions for cheaper alternatives, both doctors' were happy to comply. Saved $200 per month!

It really stinks when you have insurance but can't afford the healthcare. Lets see, what do I pay, the insurance or the medical care? Both, pay off the providers $10 a month, they won't like it but it will have to do.Its a good thing we live in Texas, with the strongest homestead laws in the nation, they can't put a lein on your home for anything except unpaid mortgage or work done on the home. We lived in Nevada for about a year, they just slapped leins all over our house for any bill that was a day late, including medical bills, that was when we were paying and on time, they just didn't like it not getting the entire amount up front, they even said it was just routine to file a lein for any unpaid bill. At least we won't lose our home here because I committed the unpardonable act of having back surgery!

 

[grlpwrd]

Your story and details sound awfully familiar... have you been here before?

Even so, prayers to you all!

 

[me again]

Your story and details sound awfully familiar... have you been here before?

Even so, prayers to you all!

By here do you mean to this board or to WDW?

We've visited WDW several times, I just came on this board maybe about a month ago.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Thanks for the suggestion from your pm. DH will look into it right after dinner! We are williing to relocate, and Fl sounds like a good place to relocate to--closer to WDW!

Good luck There is nothing like living closer to Disney

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

No, it really isn't, so take heart! It might just be the area that you live in. I sent you a PM. I don't know if you're willing to relocate out-of-state, but in a lot of areas there are more open positions for hardware than there are qualified hardware engineers.

Also, if your DH has a masters', would he be open to going into engineering management? It's really not the death sentence that so many EE's seem to think it is I'm an engineer, and my last job before becoming a SAHM was actually engineering management. I liked it a lot.

I hope that's true-we have some friends that used to work on imbedded systems at Motorola that have had a heck of a time finding work. I think they're working on rockets down in Melbourne Beach, now.

Which reminds me, I think you might want to check with Nasa and some other quasi-government agencies, and the military, if memory serves, they needed a lot of civillian engineers at one point...

 

[me again]

Well, perhaps those prayers are working!

DH had a phone interview todaythat went very well. They want one more phone interview, then will send him for an on site. Of course, we've done all this before, but this one seemed particularly positive. The phone interview laste 90 minutes--usually they are about 30-45 minutes.

So, thanks for all the prayers and pixie dust!

 

[bmoncher]

I will pray for your husband to find something soon...

On another note, as a manager who has HR responsibilities (hiring/firing employees) has your husband ever asked the HR department why he was not selected for a job?
He has the right to ask that question. I can tell you I personally did not get a job I interviewed for because I told the director on interview I was only "moderately flexible" with early morning hours because of my children.

Just something that might give him some insight!

 

[dawnball]

The other thing that I would suggest is that he really downplay his job loss to offshoring, if possible. A "my position was eliminated" is much better than "My department was outsourced to India". He may already be doing so, but it's really easy to present badly when that particular topic appears.

 

[me again]

I will pray for your husband to find something soon...

On another note, as a manager who has HR responsibilities (hiring/firing employees) has your husband ever asked the HR department why he was not selected for a job?
He has the right to ask that question. I can tell you I personally did not get a job I interviewed for because I told the director on interview I was only "moderately flexible" with early morning hours because of my children.

Just something that might give him some insight!

He did ask that exact question, was told he lacked the technical skills necessary for the job, but they didn't elaborate as to what those skills were. That's after numerous phone interviews, and numerous resumes sent. Couldn't they have determined that basic fact before going through an on site, in another state, with all the expense and hassle? Also, technical skills weren't even the focus of the interview!

 

[me again]

The other thing that I would suggest is that he really downplay his job loss to offshoring, if possible. A "my position was eliminated" is much better than "My department was outsourced to India". He may already be doing so, but it's really easy to present badly when that particular topic appears.

Actually he never brings it up, just states that he was laid off due to down sizing. My venting here is not his interviewing style!

 

[fkj2]

I don't know if you've already tried this but if not, why not ask your church's pastor? Pastors seem to have all kinds of information and yours just might know someone who's looking to hire someone with your DH's qualifications. I had found someone through the church to help me with my mom and it's amazing the contacts you can make there.

Best wishes to your family.

 

[twinklebug]

Prayer said & sounds like you need a hug too.

Rejections are tough. Being out of work so long makes them even more painful. I know as I'm in a similar situation as your DH. You love the attention from the employers when it's given to you, but when you find out that they choose the other canidate it's heartbreaking.

The problem is that for the more highly trained positions the companies are looking for an employee like a needle in a haystack. They get hundreds of applicants, but they need that one person who is the precise fit, with the right experience, training and has even "sewn" their type of product before. A tough fit to find to say the least, and to drop down to a junior level makes the employers say "What's wrong with him/her? Don't bother."

I'm glad to hear you have a retirement fund as a last resort. I hope you don't need to cut into it, but if your husband starts to get depressed from too many rejections it might be worthwhile to rejuvinate his spirits with a small 2 day getaway to the beach, mountains etc. I keep myself going by planning "virtual" vacations - even booked my virtual RT airfare from PVD->MCO tonight. Prices finally dropped to a price I still can't afford

 

[bmoncher]

He did ask that exact question, was told he lacked the technical skills necessary for the job, but they didn't elaborate as to what those skills were. That's after numerous phone interviews, and numerous resumes sent. Couldn't they have determined that basic fact before going through an on site, in another state, with all the expense and hassle? Also, technical skills weren't even the focus of the interview!

He can ask the follow up question and request they elaborate so that he can possible "obtain" those skills if that is what is being looked for in the industry.
It is difficult to ask/hear why you were not selected for ajob... but a needed item!

Good luck!!