I thought So Many People Where Looking For Work

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

If you're interested in building anything resembling a meaningful career, the worst thing you can do is stay out of work for an extended period of time.

To prospective employers, the longer you're out of work the worse you're regarded. It says that you either haven't been able to beat out others for available jobs (you're not that good) or that you haven't been looking very hard (that you don't care).

I absolutely agree however I place a greater value on a paid sabbatical during the most unrestricted years of my life then I do on a red flag that can be creatively explained away and that will be diminished exponential over time. Plus I think a work history gap vs. temporary job or taking a job that youre overqualified for can create just as much confusion or questions regarding your worth to prospective employers.

I wouldn’t squander the “opportunity” to sit out of the job market for 2 years either. I would search for a dream job in a dream location, work towards professional credentials, do what it takes to make a career switch, give that business idea you have a shot, do a cross country road trip, get in extremely good shape, go on a epic bender, post more on thewarpath, ect.

If youre the type of person that adds value and creates revenue 2 years of soul searching aint gonna derail anything.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I absolutely agree however I place a greater value on a paid sabbatical during the most unrestricted years of my life then I do on a red flag that can be creatively explained away and that will be diminished exponential over time. Plus I think a work history gap vs. temporary job or taking a job that youre overqualified for can create just as much confusion or questions regarding your worth to prospective employers.

I wouldn’t squander the “opportunity” to sit out of the job market for 2 years either. I would search for a dream job in a dream location, work towards professional credentials, do what it takes to make a career switch, give that business idea you have a shot, do a cross country road trip, get in extremely good shape, go on a epic bender, post more on thewarpath, ect.

If youre the type of person that adds value and creates revenue 2 years of soul searching aint gonna derail anything.

No it wouldn't derail anything, it would just reveal that you don't have your priorities aligned well enough. Is that judgmental? Hell yes, but that's what the interview/hiring process is all about.

Just my 2 cents.

[over the mountain]

How can you collect unemployment for 2 years? Doesnt it have a cut off after 6 months or something? Based on how much you put in? taken out of your SS contributions?

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

How can you collect unemployment for 2 years? Doesnt it have a cut off after 6 months or something? Based on how much you put in? taken out of your SS contributions?

You can get unemployment up to 99 weeks depending on what state you live in. I think in VA it works out to where you can "only" get a year and a half or so, it depends on how bad you states problems are. Its tricky though, i think the first 6 months are techniqely on the state's unemployment resources and then additional amounts are purely subsidized by the federal gov.

Theres a movement brewing called “the 99ers”. Theres a bunch of people who are coming up on the end of their 99 weeks of unemployment and are still out of work (think Cal., Arizona, Detroit areas) who want/need continuation of benefits. I think they have or are attempting to create a union of unemployed people and people who support them in order to lobby to get more entitlements and stuff.

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

No it wouldn't derail anything, it would just reveal that you don't have your priorities aligned well enough. Is that judgmental? Hell yes, but that's what the interview/hiring process is all about.

Just my 2 cents.

I guess it depends on what your priorities are.....

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

You can get unemployment up to 99 weeks depending on what state you live in. I think in VA it works out to where you can "only" get a year and a half or so, it depends on how bad you states problems are. Its tricky though, i think the first 6 months are techniqely on the state's unemployment resources and then additional amounts are purely subsidized by the federal gov.

Theres a movement brewing called “the 99ers”. Theres a bunch of people who are coming up on the end of their 99 weeks of unemployment and are still out of work (think Cal., Arizona, Detroit areas) who want/need continuation of benefits. I think they have or are attempting to create a union of unemployed people and people who support them in order to lobby to get more entitlements and stuff.

Drug testing and city clean up work should be mandatory. Some people know how to work the system hard with no shame.

mlmpert - I completely agree with schneed. anything more than a few months off is a red flag, a year or two is a death sentence in the prof field if youve completed grad school.

[Monkeydad]

I do bookkeeping for a small business on the side as a second job. We've had a few salespeople quit and are actually not finding people who actually WANT to work...either on the sales floor or direct labor.

It's true, people just do not want to work with now...not everyone, but far too many of them.

With the guaranteed unemployment for what, 2 years now, it's becoming easier to stay unemployed and collect tax payer money than take a lower-paying position. Many lazy people are actually discovering that the Government handouts are actually allowing them to make more money than if they were actually working.

Sad thing we've done to society.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

Drug testing and city clean up work should be mandatory.

1st part- hell no

2nd part - I can go along with that.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I guess it depends on what your priorities are.....

It's pretty simple. If you prioritize having a good career over having a good time, the only choice is to get to work.

If you don't prioritize it that way, then nobody should want to hire you anyhow.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by dblanch66

Was there as much bad grammar and spelling errors in your email as there is in your thread title and post here? That might have had something to do with getting no response..

LOL. No my wife did the ad and it was in the local paper. We tried Craigs list and only had few response from people who made my spelling and grammer look first class.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

It greatly depends on the job and where you're advertising it. When I had an entry level financial analyst job open back in the winter, I advertised it on tons of college boards and my inbox filled up because of resume submissions.

Putting a help wanted ad in the local paper, for example, is a horribly inefficient way to advertise for a job. Not saying that's what you did, but you have to consider how many qualified eyes your job ad is reaching.

Administrative assistants, insurance agents etc. should all hit sites like career builder, and most importantly, LinkedIn.com. Leverage your own personal networks. If you're not on LinkedIn, get on it pronto.

I used the local paper like we have done in the past. So your telling me that with all the unemployment no one is looking in the paper for jobs? That makes no sense. There maybe better ways to find an employee as you pointed out but I figured I'd get swamped.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I absolutely agree however I place a greater value on a paid sabbatical during the most unrestricted years of my life then I do on a red flag that can be creatively explained away and that will be diminished exponential over time. Plus I think a work history gap vs. temporary job or taking a job that youre overqualified for can create just as much confusion or questions regarding your worth to prospective employers.

I wouldn’t squander the “opportunity” to sit out of the job market for 2 years either. I would search for a dream job in a dream location, work towards professional credentials, do what it takes to make a career switch, give that business idea you have a shot, do a cross country road trip, get in extremely good shape, go on a epic bender, post more on thewarpath, ect.

If youre the type of person that adds value and creates revenue 2 years of soul searching aint gonna derail anything.

That would tell me the person was a worker and would rather have a job then taking unemployment. It would be very easy for them to explain why.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

How can you collect unemployment for 2 years? Doesnt it have a cut off after 6 months or something? Based on how much you put in? taken out of your SS contributions?

Employers pay unemployment and I'm not sure how much it cost the govornment.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

Drug testing and city clean up work should be mandatory. Some people know how to work the system hard with no shame.

mlmpert - I completely agree with schneed. anything more than a few months off is a red flag, a year or two is a death sentence in the prof field if youve completed grad school.

Back about 10 years a city in our area said if your going to live in public housing you have to work so many hours per month doing up keep around the public housing. I think it was like 5 or less hours a month. You would think that it was 60 hours a week without food or water. The people raised so much he!! yelling slavery and everything else the city dropped the idea.

[over the mountain]

I was at the balt city dept of health and hygeine yesterday. Decided to sto by the HR dept on the first floor. Geezz louise there are so many freakin gov't city jobs available paying people from 42k to 88k. Alot of it is admin BS, sit on your ass jobs. The lady receptionist (orca fat) was on a personal call for a good 5 mins. After I looked over the listings on the wall I stood in front of her and waited. When she was finished, she didnt say anything to me. I asked her my question, she managed an "uh-huh".

I hate, absolutely hate how incompetent, overpaid and lazy most gov't employees are. On top of the fact they get pensions and all types of benefits the priv sector could only dream of.

Lazy overpaid gov't employees is the no 1 thing that gets me super pissed. SUch a huge huge waste of money on these "admin" do nothing jobs. Its ****ing argggghhhhhhh im driving my tractor to the reflection pool!