Is there some magic or something..........

[Hound dog]

that someone forgot to tell me about as far as this whole job thing??

I have applied to all sorts of places, and I do mean all sorts. Not a single call back. Not one. If I could get to the interview part of the process I have no doubt I could easily land most of the jobs I'm applying for. I just do not ever get that far, not even for the simplest ones.

I applied for one I'd really like to get on monday. Pay is decent (means I can at least pay the bills) and it's not too far away, factory work but I'll survive....not too hard and routine might do me good. I really want this job. You have to go through a temp co to get it. That is who I applied with. Haven't heard a word and it's making me nervous........again.

It's getting down to the wire money-wise around here. It won't be much longer and we'll not be able to pay bills, so I may be sitting around without internet, lights.....or much of anything else because that house payment will be made.

I just need them to call me in for that interview. Usually once I can explain why my application looks the way it does.....it's enough and I get the job. I'm a hard worker. I only call off in dire emergencies or when I'm on my death bed. I'm the type of employee that looks for work to do instead of just standing around yakking or wasting time.

I'm trying hard not to panic but it certainly is not easy. Really.

So prayers in that direction, good thoughts, major mojo.........would be much appreciated.

My own daycare is an option, but one I'd rather not do unless forced to do so. I need to get out of the house and among adults again for a while.....I really need to. Otherwise I might just become that hermit that is hovering around in my genes.

 

[AnnieO]

Sweetheart... There's nothing magic... For about every 30 apps husband puts in he might get one call or email... It's awful.

I know how you feel about daycare... But...

 

[InsaneCdn]

The other half is... you're over 35. I know, ageism is discrimination, but THAT one isn't against the law. SO it happens all the time. Being over 35 should be a major advantage - us old folks know how to WORK. But... a lot of the bosses aren't much over 40, and find it intimidating.

ARGH.

 

[busywend]

How often are you calling them to check in on the process? I often find that calling them to check in results in hearing that they cancelled the job posting. Weird.

 

[recoveringenabler]

Lisa, just to set your mind a little at ease so you don't take it personally, the way the economy is right now, there are an average of 100 or more folks showing up for every single job, the days of being called back to say, sorry, you didn't get the job, are over. And, as IC says, there is ageism too............and having said all that, hoping you can let go of the 'it must be me' part.............keep at it, there is something that will reveal itself.

Have you ever thought of doing something to share your expertise, you excel in ways to live within a small budget, this is valuable knowledge that you could share, perhaps in a community college, or an adult Ed. or a community center where classes are held. Here where I live, there is an adult ed program that is run at the HS but it is the community college that sponsors it and you can apply to teach there, anyone with any expertise can do that. The classes are varied. You have so much life experience and knowledge and you are very good at articulating your knowledge in a way that is easy to understand.

If all of that doesn't work, perhaps a church would let you have a room and you could advertise the class around town and do it yourself. So many people are looking for ways to live simply out of necessity and unlike you, they have no clue how to get there. You know budgets, gardening, shopping at garage sales, cooking, care of animals in an inexpensive way, Lisa, you know a lot. Make that work for you. As the saying goes, if you can't find a way, MAKE a way. Sending good thoughts, prayers and hopes that you are guided to the perfect place where your expertise will be valued. (((HUGS))))

 

[rejectedmom]

I have been looking off and on for about a year and a half. Got to one telephone interview for a job as a hospital greeter/receptionist and they told me that I would be working entirely different hours than those advertized From (advertized morning but told me they wanted me late night to early morning) and also that I would have to shovel snow and park cars in the satelight parking and walk back. None of which were in the job description. So I declined the interview and three weeks later got a letter stating that they decided I was the wrong person for the job. LOL Sorry for your frustration but this is the way things are now. It stinks. I so feel like a dinosaur in this world anymore. -RM

 

[TerryJ2]

I'm with-Busywend: when you turn in the application, ask about the timeline, how long the advert is being left open, and how long it will take them to make a decision. Get to know at least the person who accepts the app so you can as for that person by name, or name drop when you call the receptionist. "Is Terry there? We spoke the other day ... "
Like you're pals. Can't hurt.

 

[Hound dog]

Busy.........these are jobs applied online. If there is a number to call to check on an application I've not yet seen one. The one I'm waiting for though is here in town and what would be an appropriate amount of time to wait before calling them and checking on it? I know from others who have worked for them they sometimes wait until they have enough people to start a group orientation before calling people. The interview consists of a simple exam, you don't even talk to a person.

I am so hoping they're just waiting to have enough people for a group orientation.

I know it also is not helping that I'm rural and our area still has a very high unemployment rate, a percentage of which have no desire to work. Age is working against me too. Although this place is far better at hiring my age and older than anywhere else as they DO get that these are more likely the ones that will stay.

I was foolish and sort of got my hopes up. I should've known better.

RE your suggestions are all good except our community college doesn't do anything like that........and well my social anxiety might make that a bit difficult. I'll have to think on that.

I know it's not me personally with this whole thing.........and yet it's a struggle not to get depressed or to trip over into panic mode.

 

[Hopeless]

Lisa the company I work for actually puts application responses and resume through a system that looks for "key words". If it dies not find those "key" words, our HR department does not even see those. ....they get tossed.

 

[cubsgirl]

I've been looking too and nobody is contacting me either - and everywhere I've applied so far has been internet applications. I feel like you do - if I could get in front of a person I would do well. I recently applied for a job where I actually know the people and in fact they sent me an email inviting me to apply. I turned in my letter of interest and resume and just received a short email back that they will contact me soon with regards to the next steps. I really hope I hear from them - I do have an advantage in that they know me and one employee there told me that this office thinks very highly of me

 

[PatriotsGirl]

Cubsgirl - what do you do? My company is in real estate and we are always hiring!!

Lisa, have you signed up with other temp agencies? That is how I have found my jobs. I signed up with as many as I could find.

 

[DDD]

Don't know if you have one in your area but we have a State agency that helps people find jobs locally. They receive funds periodically for getting people back into the workforce and pay half the payroll for small businesses. I hired an awesome guy a couple of years ago and just hated it when the twelve weeks were up as I couldn't afford to keep him...and he was a keeper. You're a keeper too. Hugs DDD

 

[Signorina]

Ditto that cubs girl- I am from and still work in the Chicago area (live in WI) and a few acquaintances have recently posted jobs opportunities on LinkedIn. And I am forever a cubs fan... North side all the way! Shoot me a pm and I will keep an ear open for you!

by the way PG, I am working by OHare on 2/20 - I may pm you about dinner once I know my schedule....I would LOVE to meet you!

 

[PatriotsGirl]

I am flying into Midway....but please let me know! That would be awesome!!!!!!

 

[Hound dog]

PG we don't have many in the area. Remember, I'm rural and small towns, not cities. But if this one doesn't call soon......I will certainly do that and look to see if there is a State agency to help.

I have a little hope. Their ad is still up which usually means they haven't had enough people apply to set up an orientation yet.

 

[tiredmommy]

Is the company local and likely to have an on site HR person? If so, find a way to get your fanny in the building in front of the person that makes hiring decisions. Applications are used for one of two reasons: to weed out applicants and use for reason of dismissal if they realize you lied on it. That's it. I used to help with hiring in a few jobs and the idea when going through the apps was to get the pile down to a reasonable number to interview; we were brutal in rejecting applicants.

 

[susiestar]

You have got to find people who work at these places now, and get them to mention you to their supervisors, or get the supervisors names and figure out how to find them. It isn't about your application anymore, if it ever was. It is about who you know. Start contacting everyone you have ever met, let them know you are looking for work, and that you are willing to do just about anything/everything no holds barred.

I once had to hire waitresses and grill cooks. No job got more than a buck among minimum. The least number off applicants per job was fifty and the economy was doing well. It was HARD to pick someone from applications. most of the mgrs I worked with didn't even LOOK at applications unless the applicant knew someone who already worked for us who spoke well of them. I have gotten more jobs that way than any other.

If you want that factory job, figure out where they hang out. Go hang out when they do, talk to them, make friends. Then you have a shot. If you can figure out where the supervisors hang out, even better. If you cannot, go drop off an application at the factory. Tuck a plate of cookies or banana bread or something in with it. You have to be personal, memorable, and stand out. That extra mile? Is now an extra ten or twenty miles. Find them on facebook if you can and figure out how to friend them. Often that works well to find the other stuff. Sometimes if you can find the company fb page, or web page, you can find others who link to it and then find employees and supervisors and hiring managers.

Without that? Well, my husband has a good graduate degree from a good school, same for his bachelors, many years of teaching with commendations, and he put in over 100 applications and got a job with a rinky dink chain jr college that was mostly there to soak up funding from the govt. In two quarters he had no more than six people in his classes. He was lucky because his old advisor and dept head just loved him, as did his students, and when they had a bunch of grad students come in who couldn't speak the language well enough to pass the exam to teach, they called. He had four days to prep for 3 classes of a min of fifty students each. He is only three quarter time, but it is doing well for us. He is FINALLY getting serious about his phd and we can get scholarships for that, so it will be paid for plus he will get money to live on for teaching, bc they cannot run the dept with-o him at this point. They are talking about full time even with-o the phd for next year because they are desperate. But with-o a phd he cannot be permanent, just a 'visiting' prof. Either way, we lucked out and it was TOTAL who you know, not what you know. His 'what you know' is very high, esp for teaching because he is just amazingly gifted and it is fun for him, but with-o me having known his bosses for decades first, and my mom being very close friends with them, well, I am not sure they would have thought of him. Add in his willingness to take on short notice classes wehn people hired show up with zero English skills (it is super common here, but frustrating as they are often scrambling to fill 3 -10 classes with instructors because people commit to teaching with-o telling them that they don't speak the language, then they show up days before classes expecting students to just accept them the way they are. they sent six people back to their countries from just one dept in the college of business last semester due to this. Ugh.) and he is tailor made to fill their needs. Plus the kids adore him. His evaluations are the highest in the college of business, not taht he realizes it. I know because I know these people and tehy tell me things they don't tell him.

You have got to find these people and make yourself known, or the job won't happen. Maybe if you don't want to do daycare at home, you could bake and sell things? Knit/crochet doll clothes to sell? Around here sales for these things are really picking up. People are looking for local products rather than buying in chains when they can. Consider teaching knitting/crochet/cooking/whatever at the local michael's/joann's/whatever? or an area arts coop?

 

[susiestar]

FYI, those key word programs are in every company. They are the norm, not the exception. Do some searches on google to see what key words are looked for when the job ad uses the words in the ad. I am sure there is a way to search for that, but not sure how to do it right now.

 

[flutterby]

A lot of the key words can be found in the ad itself. For example, if the ad says they are looking for a "team player", you'll want to have that in your resume somewhere. http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumewriting/g/resumekeywords.htm

For the job through the temp agency, I'd call them directly even though you have applied online. Just say you applied online and are very interested in the position and would like to know if there is any additional information you can provide to them.

 

[susiestar]

It is true that many of the keywords are in the job listing, but if you look up other key words, it can increase the number of 'hits' on the keyword software, which increases the desirability of you application. Some HR depts sort applications by the number of keywords used. Just using the ones in the ad is not enough, you need to try to figure out others also. One of the spouses of one of husband's coworkers in in mgmg/hr as a professor and she is consulting with major companies and was saying that they are looking for more than the keywords listed in the app, because anyone can use those.