4 months and no freaking job?

[fizzak]

Thank you for applying for the HELP DESK ANALYST position with (grocery store chain). In an effort to select the top candidates for interviews, careful consideration was given to formal education, related work experience and overall qualifications as related to the position. Although your qualifications are impressive, I regret to advise you that we have identified other candidates who have qualifications which more closely match those of the position.
Your information will be kept in our files for one year in the event that other opportunities that match your qualifications develop.
Thank you for your interest in this position and in (grocery store chain). . We wish you the best in your career endeavors.

I cannot believe I got turned down for this. I was a system admin AND a tier 3 tech with 12 years experience at a giant 100 year old company. By myself I managed 50 EU's and with a tiny team of 2 others, took care of another 250 remote EU's, half with Mac's on a 2003 infra!! I'm sure I can handle a few local IBM POS machines running XP!!! My BSCS degree is totally worthless now and I'm still paying it off after 15 years.
I've never experienced a market like this in my whole life. So what do I do? Fall back to my other related profession which is freelance web design and development...I've done it before!....nope! The market for devs is also saturated as well PLUS the offshore f'ers bidding jobs at $3hr...And American clients are still paying for their crappy work.

So what else can I do?

I'm very good at mechanics, mill work, and operating heavy machinery. But I have no professional experience with any of it. Perhaps I should go back to retail making $8hr?

Thanks, needed to vent here (again)....Peace

 

[Welshbird]

well, eventually I have now got my job. And I can't stop smiling.

Hang in there - there IS the right job for you somewhere.

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[kjv1611]

I just sorta glanced at this thread. In case anyone is wondering, fizzak hasn't logged in since December 5. I'd think that's either good or bad... good b/c he got work, and is too busy... or bad.

Anyway, hopefully he'll post back before too long.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[hinesward]

Back in 2002, I got hired by a small company. They even gave me paperwork, etc., which said that I was an employee. After two weeks, I was released and given a paycheck. They later sent me a 1099 instead of a W-2, and it was more than $600.

Looking back, I should have seen if they could have gotten them in trouble with the IRS. It would have been sweet and well-deserved revenge. They had definitely hired me as an employee.

One trend I have noticed more and more, too, is the unwillingness of companies to pay for mileage. This especially applies to on-site service companies that expect you to drive possibly 50 or 100 miles per day. I actually refused to work for several companies for this reason. After all, a reputable, honest company is going to do the right thing and pay for your mileage because it is the right thing to do.

Fortunately, I just got a raise and a nice bonus. My situation is actually very good right now. It makes up a little bit for all the crap I have had to tolerate over the years.

 

[fizzak]

fizzak have you found a position yet?

I have a very short term contract with a relatives IT company to repair desktops in a rough inner city school district. He cannot afford to pay me much which is fine as long as I can clear the $150 wk daydare for my kid and regain my grove from being away for so long. The first week into it I couldnt even remember the switch to change to root directory in dos. Thats what I'm so afraid of if I go only a few months away from my profession I lose my edge.

3 Weeks into it I 've regained my groove and hammering these machines out. These machines are so riddled with viruses, students are logging in as User with admin privs, popping out the little DVD drive belts, popping out the PCI slot panels and shorting the MB's...a total mess. But the teachers appreciation with our work is priceless. I miss it when I can save the day for someone.

 

[hjgoldstein]

Well done, fizzak. These short term contracts can turn into permanent. I started at my current place on a 6 week deal back in October 2008. This month they finally made me permanent with health, pension and all the other benefits.

Hang in there, but keep looking in the meantime.

 

[tcsbiz]

Congrats, Fizzak. Sometimes the seemingly meaningless jobs can have a real gem buried. That you have the gratitude of the teachers is one of those. Opportunities can come in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

I once signed up to work in a rural town where the school district couldn't even afford calculators much less computers. I was charged with refurbishing old computers and getting them ready for use in the district. A father of one of the students noticed my work and referred me to a business colleague. I eventually ended up with a nice offer at a fortune 100 company. That was some time ago and I'm in a different situatoin now but be aware that opportunities can come from any angle.

Good luck.