Let's talk about the job market inmates....it ain't rosy out here!!!

[Tremor Therapy]

So,
A couple of inmates know that I was laid off last May and they check in from time-to-time to see how the job search is going. We were talking for awhile over the weekend and one of them convinced me to post what we talked about. Okay....here goes.

I have been on all of the job boards, networking, talking with recruiters, gone to job fairs, and nothing yet. While working the boards and networking, I just cannot believe how many entitled people there are out there now since Covid. I bet I have read 200-300 times someone saying, "if their employer makes them take on any more responsibilities," or "makes them come back into the office," "or, or, or" they are going to quit on the spot! Oh really?

So let me set a baseline of my education, experience, and effort as a job searcher in my field. I have over 20 years' experience in manufacturing and supply chain management in the Aerospace/Medical/Commercial marketspace. I have a bachelor's degree and an M.B.A. with enough coursework in Technology Management that I could have applied for a second Master's degree. I have paid to have my resume and cover letter written by "industry experts" and have been job hunting and researching company sites for openings 6-8 hours a day. Here is what my 100-day national job search has looked like:

Total jobs applied too: 307

Jobs closed, no one hired: 32

Jobs where I was sent “we are moving forward with candidates that more closely fit the role” notifications: 71

Jobs still open: 204 (in many cases the job has been reposted or is now more than 60 days since I applied so that should probably increase the “Dear John” pile from 71 to probably 175 or so)

Number of recruiters who reached out to me: 23

Recruiters who have submitted me for an open role: 6 (I had already applied to 13 of the others open roles)

Initial phone screens: 53 17% of applications

Second round phone screens: 13 4% of applications

Third round phone screens: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Initial in-person interviews: 3 Less than 1% of applications

Second round in-person interviews: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Third round in-person interviews: 1 Less than 1% of applications

Offers: 1 about $120k less than my last job

Given current 2024 stats it takes about 200 applications to get an offer, so I need to apply for another 100 jobs before I will get another offer. I am writing this to say..........if any of you are part of the 200-300 whiners I mentioned, ready to quit on the spot if you have to do more or have to go back into the office, do more than think about that twice. The job market is tough right now, and with the elections coming it could get worse before it gets better. I have never had to look for work in my life, recruiters and employers have come after me for every job I have ever had. Yet here I sit 100 days later still looking for a job, no opportunities in sight.

 

[boatpi]

A few weeks ago we hired another entry level warehouse worker in Vegas. Now understand, these jobs start at about $14 an hour here, with no benefits. I get 31 replies to my ad in 2 hours of listing! This has never occurred in such volume in the past 5 years. We start at $16 and hour, after 90 days they get quarterly bonus and yearend bonus. we have a great team and spirit from top to bottom. So one 20 something applied, and we interviewed him along with 4 others after the typical screening. He has a BS in chemistry from UCSB. That is no slouch of a university. He tells us that he cannot get a job anywhere close to his EDU field and could be facing eviction soon. We hired him, soft heart, I guess. He is below par on the strength needed for this job, so we placed him in our small parts area. He is doing OK, a bit geeky for the rest of the crew as you can imagine, but a good is guy with more talent we may use in some IT work. Point is the current job market as this thread states. Good post Tremor.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

How many applications ask ethnicity, and what box do you check when they do ask?

 

[Your ad here]

I've experienced the same since 2017 but at medium entry level jobs. What I gathered is HR departments in ALL companies suck and don't know shit when it comes to hiring. It's like they're hiring based on what their script is telling them to do rather than read what the position requires and the skillset/capabilities the applying person has. Best of luck finding a job.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

My wife has been looking for a while now, probably close to a year. She's still employed which is good, but she has come to the conclusion that most job openings that are posted do not exist. They are put up to give the impression the company is growing and needs staff and not to actually hire someone.

 

[Singleton]

The market sucks for mid to high level business folks.
Anyone that says differently is full of shit.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

How many applications ask ethnicity, and what box do you check when they do ask?

I would say 99% of them ask ethnicity, veteran status, and disability. I am of hispanic background (6th generation from San Diego) so I check that box. I am not a veteran, and I don't have a disability.....so who knows what the HR people are seeing.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

The market sucks for mid to high level business folks.
Anyone that says differently is full of shit.

This is true.

I am seeing a "reset" of market wages coming in the short-term depending on the elections. I too believe that companies are "posting" openings that they have no plan of filling. Case in point....I applied to half a dozen jobs at a certain Prime back in May. All of the jobs are still open saying application received. Hell, that is what it stated back in May!!

 

[zhandfull]

I have no doubt the job market is tough.

The only thing that caught my eye was the Resume and Cover Letter written by industry experts.

If your getting interviews then you’re good. If you aren’t getting the interviews. I’d suggest doing an individual resume for each position applied for. Highlight your strength for that position and don’t let them get lost in a one size fits all resume.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

I would say 99% of them ask ethnicity, veteran status, and disability. I am of hispanic background (6th generation from San Diego) so I check that box. I am not a veteran, and I don't have a disability.....so who knows what the HR people are seeing.

Interesting. Most jobs applied for are west coast positions?

 

[Andy B.]

My wife has been looking for a while now, probably close to a year. She's still employed which is good, but she has come to the conclusion that most job openings that are posted do not exist. They are put up to give the impression the company is growing and needs staff and not to actually hire someone.

I think you're right!!

 

[HTTP404]

My wife has been looking for a while now, probably close to a year. She's still employed which is good, but she has come to the conclusion that most job openings that are posted do not exist. They are put up to give the impression the company is growing and needs staff and not to actually hire someone.

Ghost jobs.

 

[TBulger]

Great thread, fasten your seat belt people, it’s only begun. Many good companies, mine included, are finding it difficult or impossible to find projects. From what I see and hear, everything seems to be in a holding pattern and conversations begin like this,”give me a quote, but no rush, as not interested in placing the order until after the 1st of the year”. Scary out there.

 

[BHC Vic]

It’s a shift it seems. I always thought it would turn it was just a waiting game

 

[HTTP404]

I've been out of work since March. I have 20+ years in IT, spent 17 years at my last role.
My job search efforts/results mirror @Tremor Therapy.
I guess I'm going to start looking at Home Depot or some shit.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

I spent the first 50 days or so applying within a 100 miles radius of where I live. Didn't get much traction. So for the past 50 days or so I have been applying all over the continental US, including some interesting foreign gigs.

One of the first opportunities I started to go down the rabbit hole was with a company that is producing drones for the Yugoslavian military. They needed a rep on Yugo soil to work with them on developing next generation operational capabilities....real time, in Kiev. Only job I declined the second in person interview.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Not a recommendation, per se, but look at government jobs as well. Less pay, good benefits, less likely to get let go.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

I've been out of work since March. I have 20+ years in IT, spent 17 years at my last role.
My job search efforts/results mirror @Tremor Therapy.
I guess I'm going to start looking at Home Depot or some shit.

HTTP404 and other job seekers,
After looking for almost 4 months, I have come to one overarching conclusion.........I could continue to hold out for a job that fits my skills, education, experience, looking for the paycheck I want all the while making $450 a week from the state of California sh*tting out a big pile of money month-to-month as I continue to make a truck payment, boat payment, put a kid through college, mortgage., etc., etc., etc. Or I can take a job for less, helping to minimize the cash outlay, and get back into the workforce while I keep hunting for my next role.

For the first 90 days I selected option "A." But I can't keep shelling out this financial nut forever, and having a significant paycheck, even if it does not cover all of the bills for right now is better than what Cali pays!!!

 

[Done-it-again]

So,
A couple of inmates know that I was laid off last May and they check in from time-to-time to see how the job search is going. We were talking for awhile over the weekend and one of them convinced me to post what we talked about. Okay....here goes.

I have been on all of the job boards, networking, talking with recruiters, gone to job fairs, and nothing yet. While working the boards and networking, I just cannot believe how many entitled people there are out there now since Covid. I bet I have read 200-300 times someone saying, "if their employer makes them take on any more responsibilities," or "makes them come back into the office," "or, or, or" they are going to quit on the spot! Oh really?

So let me set a baseline of my education, experience, and effort as a job searcher in my field. I have over 20 years' experience in manufacturing and supply chain management in the Aerospace/Medical/Commercial marketspace. I have a bachelor's degree and an M.B.A. with enough coursework in Technology Management that I could have applied for a second Master's degree. I have paid to have my resume and cover letter written by "industry experts" and have been job hunting and researching company sites for openings 6-8 hours a day. Here is what my 100-day national job search has looked like:

Total jobs applied too: 307

Jobs closed, no one hired: 32

Jobs where I was sent “we are moving forward with candidates that more closely fit the role” notifications: 71

Jobs still open: 204 (in many cases the job has been reposted or is now more than 60 days since I applied so that should probably increase the “Dear John” pile from 71 to probably 175 or so)

Number of recruiters who reached out to me: 23

Recruiters who have submitted me for an open role: 6 (I had already applied to 13 of the others open roles)

Initial phone screens: 53 17% of applications

Second round phone screens: 13 4% of applications

Third round phone screens: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Initial in-person interviews: 3 Less than 1% of applications

Second round in-person interviews: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Third round in-person interviews: 1 Less than 1% of applications

Offers: 1 about $120k less than my last job

Given current 2024 stats it takes about 200 applications to get an offer, so I need to apply for another 100 jobs before I will get another offer. I am writing this to say..........if any of you are part of the 200-300 whiners I mentioned, ready to quit on the spot if you have to do more or have to go back into the office, do more than think about that twice. The job market is tough right now, and with the elections coming it could get worse before it gets better. I have never had to look for work in my life, recruiters and employers have come after me for every job I have ever had. Yet here I sit 100 days later still looking for a job, no opportunities in sight.

I’m assuming the salary you are trying to achieve is what could be the issue. Not saying you don’t deserve it, but perhaps a guy who has same background and looking for longer than you is willing work for less now.

Business now don’t not need to pay higher salaries now as the did during Covid.

Maybe go back to the company that offered 120k less but continue to still work.

 

[DWRAT]

Offers: 1 about $120k less than my last job

So you clearly had a job offered to you, but you didn't like the starting pay.
WTF, why come on here bitching, lower your pay expectations and start at a new job.

 

[monkeyswrench]

As a bottom feeder, let me tell you about the other end of the spectrum, at least here in AZ. A typical construction worker makes 40-50k. Higher end, skilled trades tend to be a tad higher. From a mechanic's standpoint, the dealerships seem to pay the highest, and have some form of medical benefits...the problem there is they all start at roughly 20$ an hour. Both the aforementioned examples are also more geared to the younger applicants. At some point a simple reality must be recognized: Do you have food to eat and a roof over your head? Sometimes success isn't the number on the bank statement.

I wasn't always broke, but never made it to baller status either. In school we're taught "zero" is nothing. Losing a zero off your annual income sure as hell isn't "nothing", but it is just another math problem.

 

[boatnam2]

I have been at the same place 30 something years so not much info there but my GF is a pharmaceutical rep, and she is always talking about new jobs being listed and seems most of those are filled by referral for whatever reason, she has gotten quite a few people jobs.

 

[Havasu blue label]

HTTP404 and other job seekers,
After looking for almost 4 months, I have come to one overarching conclusion.........I could continue to hold out for a job that fits my skills, education, experience, looking for the paycheck I want all the while making $450 a week from the state of California sh*tting out a big pile of money month-to-month as I continue to make a truck payment, boat payment, put a kid through college, mortgage., etc., etc., etc. Or I can take a job for less, helping to minimize the cash outlay, and get back into the workforce while I keep hunting for my next role.

For the first 90 days I selected option "A." But I can't keep shelling out this financial nut forever, and having a significant paycheck, even if it does not cover all of the bills for right now is better than what Cali pays!!!

Very smart that job will come

 

[whiteworks]

I graduated highschool in 1994, still have not landed a job. At some point I just started making up shit to do and make money, been rolling down that path for the last few decades. At this point I’m pretty much unemployable

Things are tough out there, not sure how you employed folks do it

I don’t think I’ve submitted more than 10 job applications in my life LOL

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

It’s absolutely tough out there. It took me 3 months to find a suitable replacement position in Aug. and I had to relocate back to CA. Where are you? Have you looked into Anduril? They have been hiring like crazy after their latest round of funding. Are you just applying, or are you sending out messages letting the hiring manager know you’re interested? If you aren’t, you need to. Stand out. If the hiring manager isn’t listed, do some research and find it. Call them, email them. Do whatever it takes to get on their radar. My job search turned around when I figured this out. “Actually my wife told me to do it”

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

So,
A couple of inmates know that I was laid off last May and they check in from time-to-time to see how the job search is going. We were talking for awhile over the weekend and one of them convinced me to post what we talked about. Okay....here goes.

I have been on all of the job boards, networking, talking with recruiters, gone to job fairs, and nothing yet. While working the boards and networking, I just cannot believe how many entitled people there are out there now since Covid. I bet I have read 200-300 times someone saying, "if their employer makes them take on any more responsibilities," or "makes them come back into the office," "or, or, or" they are going to quit on the spot! Oh really?

So let me set a baseline of my education, experience, and effort as a job searcher in my field. I have over 20 years' experience in manufacturing and supply chain management in the Aerospace/Medical/Commercial marketspace. I have a bachelor's degree and an M.B.A. with enough coursework in Technology Management that I could have applied for a second Master's degree. I have paid to have my resume and cover letter written by "industry experts" and have been job hunting and researching company sites for openings 6-8 hours a day. Here is what my 100-day national job search has looked like:

Total jobs applied too: 307

Jobs closed, no one hired: 32

Jobs where I was sent “we are moving forward with candidates that more closely fit the role” notifications: 71

Jobs still open: 204 (in many cases the job has been reposted or is now more than 60 days since I applied so that should probably increase the “Dear John” pile from 71 to probably 175 or so)

Number of recruiters who reached out to me: 23

Recruiters who have submitted me for an open role: 6 (I had already applied to 13 of the others open roles)

Initial phone screens: 53 17% of applications

Second round phone screens: 13 4% of applications

Third round phone screens: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Initial in-person interviews: 3 Less than 1% of applications

Second round in-person interviews: 2 Less than 1% of applications

Third round in-person interviews: 1 Less than 1% of applications

Offers: 1 about $120k less than my last job

Given current 2024 stats it takes about 200 applications to get an offer, so I need to apply for another 100 jobs before I will get another offer. I am writing this to say..........if any of you are part of the 200-300 whiners I mentioned, ready to quit on the spot if you have to do more or have to go back into the office, do more than think about that twice. The job market is tough right now, and with the elections coming it could get worse before it gets better. I have never had to look for work in my life, recruiters and employers have come after me for every job I have ever had. Yet here I sit 100 days later still looking for a job, no opportunities in sight.

Sorry to read this. I plucked a piece of data from your post I'll comment on. You stated you had an offer that was $120K less than previous gig so that tells me you are a more senior level role profile. As such I would suspect there will be larger gaps not only in opportunities but obviously offers and one should plan accordingly. Folks in the bracket traditionally plan on 6-12 months to score next gigs even in more flush economies right. You are at the 100 day mark and ae doing well tracking all that data but be patient is you are able to sustain... could be that you simply haven't been through a long gap prior. Best of luck and don't lose faith or obsess is my 2 cents.

 

[lbhsbz]

Sorry to read this. I plucked a piece of data from your post I'll comment on. You stated you had an offer that was $120K less than previous gig so that tells me you are a more senior level role profile. As such I would suspect there will be larger gaps not only in opportunities but obviously offers and one should plan accordingly. Folks in the bracket traditionally plan on 6-12 months to score next gigs even in more flush economies right. You are at the 100 day mark and ae doing well tracking all that data but be patient is you are able to sustain... could be that you simply haven't been through a long gap prior. Best of luck and don't lose faith or obsess is my 2 cents.

That's an interesting point.

I've come across a bunch of senior level guys in my career and most only stick around for a year or 2, then move on to something else. I didn't realize there was typically a 6-12 months between gigs. If that's the case, and obviously depending on what percentage of your old salary this $120K figure is....it might be the same or better to take a lower level position and just stick around for a while.

I never made a lot of money working for the company I figured I'd retire from, but I was sort of comfortable and I was good at it. I always wondered what would happen if it came to an end, since what I did there wasn't really needed anywhere else and I couldn't deal with working for big companies....So I started screwing around kinda like @whiteworks , figured out ways to make money, then set up a corp and made it official. I'm not in it to grow the business to where I have a bunch of employees, I'm in it to make a good living until I don't want to anymore.

In the mean time, you might consider doing the same thing...with as many companies as there are struggling right now, I bet you could kill it as a consultant

 

[WYRD]

My take is, looking at your education and possibly your resume it reads like you are at the golden years of your employment. I would assume you are late 50s to early 60s. May not be the case and I know it's not legal but age discrimination happens everyday. Companies don't want to invest in on boarding someone that may only be there for 5-8 years.

Maybe dumb down the resume some

 

[RVR SWPR]

As a bottom feeder, let me tell you about the other end of the spectrum, at least here in AZ. A typical construction worker makes 40-50k. Higher end, skilled trades tend to be a tad higher. From a mechanic's standpoint, the dealerships seem to pay the highest, and have some form of medical benefits...the problem there is they all start at roughly 20$ an hour. Both the aforementioned examples are also more geared to the younger applicants. At some point a simple reality must be recognized: Do you have food to eat and a roof over your head? Sometimes success isn't the number on the bank statement.

I wasn't always broke, but never made it to baller status either. In school we're taught "zero" is nothing. Losing a zero off your annual income sure as hell isn't "nothing", but it is just another math problem.

Told you before,knock off the bottom feeder crap. You have the respect of many that do not hesitate to acknowledge their appreciation for your skills.

 

[Andy B.]

So you clearly had a job offered to you, but you didn't like the starting pay.
WTF, why come on here bitching, lower your pay expectations and start at a new job.

Whoa settle down Tex

 

[Havasu blue label]

Told you before,knock off the bottom feeder crap. You have the respect of many that do not hesitate to acknowledge their appreciation for your skills.

We are all bottom feeders to some extent

 

[cofooter]

I took a early retirement package from my job at age 60 because I was burned out and company was going through some challenges, and wage cuts were coming and bonuses were going away for at least some time. So what the hell, figured I'd bank the hefty severance check and easily pick up a comparable job for another few years. I was a Director in a Tech company. Well almost two years later nothing. My statistics are a lot like yours, one firm offer in a job that was going to be even more of a hump than the job I just quit. Several interviews that I thought went really well and they ghosted me. So I do really believe their is definitely an age related stigma as well as not a lot of higher level jobs available. I pretty much quit looking, and luckily I'm ok without a job. At least not a corporate one, I'll do something fun.

Having said that, don't get discouraged, I agree with @HubbaHubbaLife said, it's a numbers game, also get on linkedin and network as much as you can. I'm sure I would have made more progress if I really worked at networking. I didn't try that hard.

Good luck. Did you mention you're last job and what you want to do???

 

[Ace in the Hole]

My take is, looking at your education and possibly your resume it reads like you are at the golden years of your employment. I would assume you are late 50s to early 60s. May not be the case and I know it's not legal but age discrimination happens everyday. Companies don't want to invest in on boarding someone that may only be there for 5-8 years.

Maybe dumb down the resume some

most tenures in exec roles are no where near 5-8 years anymore...

 

[monkeyswrench]

Told you before,knock off the bottom feeder crap. You have the respect of many that do not hesitate to acknowledge their appreciation for your skills.

Not so much bottom feeder in the gelatinous blob, scummy sense. More like low on the fiscal totem pole In a 10-15 year span, I went from making around 200-250, to something less...quite a bit less. That was more my point: Times, needs and options change. With those changes, sometimes priorities change as well. While I've never played in the higher tax brackets, I've been a homeowner, a husband and a father for over 20 years. I assume, aside from the numbers, the game is still played the same. I am in no way demeaning my own life or that of any blue collar. I'm pretty proud of what I'm accomplishing, and any skills I've learned along the way.

 

[RVR SWPR]

We are all bottom feeders to some extent

Tell me about it,all my life. Drove a Street Sweeper over 50 years. Best part of it my wife and i own the Street Sweeper Trucks. Story after story the bullshit i listened to from Residents of Southern Cal cities. Classic i still enjoy thinking about. We were fortunate to run our business from our home. Sheriff brought a resident to our home,the guy claimed we hit his parked car on a residential street. Sherrif checked over the truck,no damage to our truck,sheriff indicated sorry forget about it. The resident really pissed,he asks me how i can afford to rent my house & property. The Sheriff laughs he tells the guy i have lived & owned that house at least 20 years he knows of. LoL

 

[Wizard29]

The job offer you got was $120K less than what you were making before? I have to assume that with your listed skills and education, the jobs you are applying for wouldn't pay less than $100K at a minimum, so you are looking for at least a $220K job?

That will be a tough find. Not arguing that the job market is getting tougher, but a rate that high with no inside track will likely take you quite some time.

This is why I always try to have something in my back pocket. My current company is looking to make some reductions and while I think it's very unlikely they'll let me go, you just never know. A few of our vendors have mentioned if I'm ever available I have a home with them. I've even gone so far as to talk some numbers with the one I'd prefer to work with. So if my current company were to let me go, I'd be very annoyed, but probably financially okay. That of course is a strategy that doesn't help you now, but maybe something to consider for the future.

No matter how loyal you are to an employer, they will junk you in a heartbeat if the numbers dictate they have to.

 

[Joker]

A few weeks ago we hired another entry level warehouse worker in Vegas. Now understand, these jobs start at about $14 an hour here, with no benefits. I get 31 replies to my ad in 2 hours of listing! This has never occurred in such volume in the past 5 years. We start at $16 and hour, after 90 days they get quarterly bonus and yearend bonus. we have a great team and spirit from top to bottom. So one 20 something applied, and we interviewed him along with 4 others after the typical screening. He has a BS in chemistry from UCSB. That is no slouch of a university. He tells us that he cannot get a job anywhere close to his EDU field and could be facing eviction soon. We hired him, soft heart, I guess. He is below par on the strength needed for this job, so we placed him in our small parts area. He is doing OK, a bit geeky for the rest of the crew as you can imagine, but a good is guy with more talent we may use in some IT work. Point is the current job market as this thread states. Good post Tremor.

You’ve got some really good guys working for you in Vegas. They really have their stuff together

 

[JFMFG]

Best of luck on your search

 

[petie6464]

Reading these posts really makes me sick; Seems so many smart educated and skilled people that cannot find employment that require their skills.

I'm thankful I went the self employed route @ 21. Not an easy path but I had complete control over my path and no one to blame other than myself when things didn't go right.

I have a few that I mentor: "You better be on your game and take no prisoners in business otherwise you'll be schlepping shopping carts in the Smiths parking lot."

I also add: "I ate peanut butter on white bread for lunch every day for over a year and slept in a sleeping bag in my shop for a year. You will have to make sacrifices and if you can't self employment isn't for you."

I firmly belive that as our society continues to evolve, (Technology replacing skill) The need for smart people will continue to tick downward. You can't argue it that's pretty much what this thread is repeating over and over.

Sad days ahead....

 

[4Waters]

So you clearly had a job offered to you, but you didn't like the starting pay.
WTF, why come on here bitching, lower your pay expectations and start at a new job.

I may have looked at it wrong but I took it as that was an earlyish offer and he probably thought a better opportunity would come along

 

[gqchris]

When someone says that the pay was 120k LESS then they are accustomed to, I realize that being Director Level in IT pays peanuts and I dont make much more than that total! I picked the wrong field. Lol

 

[attitude]

I was laid-off in June along with hundreds of coworkers, the same company has also done one more layoff since then and has another pre-planned for later this year.

Many people I know who were affected have still not been able to find jobs. One person I used to work with has not been able to find a job since December.

The labor market in my industry seems a lot stronger in AZ than in CA so I applied for jobs in both. Luckily I secured the first job I had an interview with and made the move to AZ.

The rumored Edison layoffs scare me, they have not had a layoff since the 90s from what I have been told. I know a lot of people who work for them and a ton of their employees are into boats and off-road. Where do all those employees go when laid off? Edison essentially has a monopoly on SoCal minus SD.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

I graduated highschool in 1994, still have not landed a job. At some point I just started making up shit to do and make money, been rolling down that path for the last few decades. At this point I’m pretty much unemployable

Things are tough out there, not sure how you employed folks do it

I don’t think I’ve submitted more than 10 job applications in my life LOL

If they ever kick it me out on my ass, I'm going to barber school. Not sure how I got where I am in my W2 career, but I won't pretend for a minute I'll be as lucky to find a suitable replacement in the same field. I signed my non compete with a smile and said, I have no intention of working in this industry if you fire me, let alone am I dumb enough to work for a competitor, they all suck Ha ha.

Yes Barber school. Our towns Barber is retiring, we are all gonna have to go to the Beauty salon now.

 

[Joker]

I was laid-off in June along with hundreds of coworkers, the same company has also done one more layoff since then and has another pre-planned for later this year.

Many people I know who were affected have still not been able to find jobs. One person I used to work with has not been able to find a job since December.

The labor market in my industry seems a lot stronger in AZ than in CA so I applied for jobs in both. Luckily I secured the first job I had an interview with and made the move to AZ.

The rumored Edison layoffs scare me, they have not had a layoff since the 90s from what I have been told. I know a lot of people who work for them and a ton of their employees are into boats and off-road. Where do all those employees go when laid off? Edison essentially has a monopoly on SoCal minus SD.

We’ve got a friend who’s really high up at Edison and he said it’s gonna be bad.

 

[Havasu blue label]

Tell me about it,all my life. Drove a Street Sweeper over 50 years. Best part of it my wife and i own the Street Sweeper Trucks. Story after story the bullshit i listened to from Residents of Southern Cal cities. Classic i still enjoy thinking about. We were fortunate to run our business from our home. Sheriff brought a resident to our home,the guy claimed we hit his parked car on a residential street. Sherrif checked over the truck,no damage to our truck,sheriff indicated sorry forget about it. The resident really pissed,he asks me how i can afford to rent my house & property. The Sheriff laughs he tells the guy i have lived & owned that house at least 20 years he knows of. LoL

And you made great money doing that job

 

[Done-it-again]

Tell me about it,all my life. Drove a Street Sweeper over 50 years. Best part of it my wife and i own the Street Sweeper Trucks. Story after story the bullshit i listened to from Residents of Southern Cal cities. Classic i still enjoy thinking about. We were fortunate to run our business from our home. Sheriff brought a resident to our home,the guy claimed we hit his parked car on a residential street. Sherrif checked over the truck,no damage to our truck,sheriff indicated sorry forget about it. The resident really pissed,he asks me how i can afford to rent my house & property. The Sheriff laughs he tells the guy i have lived & owned that house at least 20 years he knows of. LoL

My wife’s uncle owned Coffelt street sweeping and did very well back then.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

My take is, looking at your education and possibly your resume it reads like you are at the golden years of your employment. I would assume you are late 50s to early 60s. May not be the case and I know it's not legal but age discrimination happens everyday. Companies don't want to invest in on boarding someone that may only be there for 5-8 years.

Maybe dumb down the resume some

This is a seriously accurate statement..... "Agism" is actually a term broadly used in corp speak currently. I loved working as I got into my best years ~45-60 but definitely felt interviews/ opptys slipping past my grasp once I got to face to face staged interviews later in career. I had some younger friends in the HR world insisting I die my hair to appear younger. I could tell times had changed... or at least I had changed in age more accurately.

It entirely makes sense when you consider their position.... they can pay someone younger so much less money as well as have the benefit of their skills for a much longer period of time.

 

[4Waters]

I was laid-off in June along with hundreds of coworkers, the same company has also done one more layoff since then and has another pre-planned for later this year.

Many people I know who were affected have still not been able to find jobs. One person I used to work with has not been able to find a job since December.

The labor market in my industry seems a lot stronger in AZ than in CA so I applied for jobs in both. Luckily I secured the first job I had an interview with and made the move to AZ.

The rumored Edison layoffs scare me, they have not had a layoff since the 90s from what I have been told. I know a lot of people who work for them and a ton of their employees are into boats and off-road. Where do all those employees go when laid off? Edison essentially has a monopoly on SoCal minus SD.

We’ve got a friend who’s really high up at Edison and he said it’s gonna be bad.

@CLdrinker did mention in another thread a couple months ago that there is gonna be some serious restructuring at Edison by the end of the year

 

[DWC]

Heard from a friend of a friend that things are tough out there. . It’s no secret that things are a little slow in most industries. The market is being held up by “pending” interest rates cuts. The good news is that there’s plenty of room to cut to get things going. The bad news is that if inflation ticks up the whole party is over. Rate cuts go away, market drops, companies cut costs across the board to keep stock prices up. That means jobs and spending. Double whammy mother f’r. Friend also had his boss clipped last Monday out of nowhere. 2024 can’t end too early.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

So you clearly had a job offered to you, but you didn't like the starting pay.
WTF, why come on here bitching, lower your pay expectations and start at a new job.

Since your reading comprehension skills need some work, let me spell it out for you, okay?

The conversation my friends asked me to post about is that during my job search I kept running into folks' commenting about how unhappy they were with their jobs. It was so unfair that their employers wanted them back in the office or were asking them to take on additional responsibilities, or train new people, so they were going to quit.

I wanted to show anyone who was on the fence or contemplating just quitting without a safety net what my current situation is, what I have encountered for the past 4 months, and use that as a baseline to gage what the job market looks like right now. Not trying to do anything other than share some info.

So to clear it up for you, yes, I was offered a job at $120k less than my previous position, a temp job for 3 months. Yes, it was very early on, yes ,I chose not to take it, and yes, I have been applying for jobs that pay less than 50% of what I used to make. Always amazing the mentality of some of the people here, that and their comprehension skills.

To answer some of the other questions, I only have 10-12 years left to work, so you got the age right. I actually have 13 different resumes that I use, and I only put work experience since 2005 on my resume. Ageism is real, so is being over-qualified.