I need a job, but have nothing in my favor.

[IAmSupernova]

I'm sure I could go back to Retail, but I do not do well in that environment. Would like to find something I enjoy doing. Problem is I don't have much work experience and no real qualifications. I have my TWIC, I've also got my Radiographer's Assistant card.

Friend is trying to get me hired back on with him (He got me hired once before but it was for a different field and things just didn't work out, I got laid off). I just don't know what to do at this point. I have put in applications and tried and tried til my eyes bleed to find a job on my own, I only ever seen to get hired when someone in the company can get me in.

Can't go back to retail or fast food, or really any service industry along those lines.

Any ideas because I'm spent. Gotta find something soon. Know it's a long shot, but I'm kinda hoping someone here has a company they hire for and would be willing to give me a shot and see how hard I do work, but if someone can give me something other than "temp agency" or one of the things listed, I'd be more than willing to check it out and try.

 

[benenglish]

I only ever seen to get hired when someone in the company can get me in.

First, that's called networking and you'll learn it's how many jobs are filled. Don't view it as a negative. View it as an additional avenue to employment and try to think of ways to exploit it.

Expand your networking one level out and see if something opens up. You have your friends, relatives, and former colleagues who think well of you. Do any of them have a friend, relative, or colleague who might have a line on a job or, better yet, hiring authority? As long as you're not a hermit, you'll find that's a surprisingly large group of folks, any one of whom might have a lead for you.

If that doesn't work, pursue networked contacts that don't work. It sounds counterintuitive to pursue leads that you know won't work but consider this case. If your colleague A has an uncle B with a company that isn't hiring right now, have A introduce you to B. Make a good impression, even if you know B is going to turn you down. Then when B turns you down, ask B if he knows anyone who might be hiring and could he arrange an introduction.

Lather, rinse, repeat, and, by all means, keep up with everyone in your ever-expanding circle of contacts. I don't care if you have to put together an index card file, a spreadsheet, or just a running text file on your smartphone but when you ever run into any one of those people in the future, you shouldn't have to be re-introduced to them. You know who they are because you're staying on top of your network. You'd be surprised how, the next time you run into him, remembering B's name, the name of his wife, and the name of his daughter who is going to A&M, then asking (by name) about their lives will make you stick in the mind of someone who would otherwise be just a random third party. You've turned that random third party into someone who might know someone who is hiring and put a bug in their ear. At minimum, you might learn a good name to drop.

Yes, it sounds tiresome. It is. But it's part of pursuing employment for most people these days.

Second, is your CV up to snuff? Do you always have the generic version with you? Think hard and re-write it. Get some help with that, if you can. You'd be surprised how a second set of sympathetic eyes will see in your work history notable knowledge, skills, abilities, and specific examples of good performance worthy of mention. These will often be things you don't think about because it was just part of the job. To fresh eyes, though, they can be re-interpreted as markers of more general, more transferable skills.

Third, I'm too tired, it's too late, and I've ingested sufficient chemical compounds this evening (sheesh, morning, now) that I have nothing further to write without sounding like an idiot. I'm subscribed to the thread and will try to add more later.

For now, good luck.

 

[IAmSupernova]

Networking is not an option. I have no friends or family really. Suffice it to say I do not tolerate shady people who screw me over which I just seem to attract. I don't give second chances, steal from me or pull some shady stuff, and you're out. I'm not really an outgoing person, so I haven't really replaced those who I've cut ties with. My pool of friends has done nothing but decline over the years. I'm also the black sheep of my family and my family has always been pretty fractured to begin with. Literally the only person in my family who I ever talk to anymore, is in far worse shape than me when it comes to employment.

My wife is really no different. Pretty much everyone she knows, that might even give the slightest thought of getting her husband a job, is for the same company I was fired from. So that's a no-go.

My friend (the only one I have left at this point) swears up and down he can get me a job, and not just a crappy retail one, an actual career, but right now there is a strike going on and hiring is frozen. Been this way for months (marathon strike). He's the reason I have my card for Radiographer Assistant. I REALLY want the job, but my time is running out. We had quite a bit in savings when I lost my retail job, but it won't last forever and I have no idea how much longer this strike is going to go on. So I need to start looking.

 

[kyletxria1911a1]

Can you get a CDL

 

[IAmSupernova]

Would I be restricted in getting one, no. Can I afford to do it on my own on the off chance I might find a job somewhere down the line, no. I can't gamble anymore money on a possible future at this point. I spent a lot of money getting to the point where I could do NDT work for the plants and that didn't pan out well the first time around.

 

[kyletxria1911a1]

They have school where you can get a CDL but you owe them time

 

[IAmSupernova]

I read up on those and from what I've read it's bad news. Stuff like docking your pay for ridiculous things, expecting you to do ridiculous hours for basically no pay, making chicken scratch per mile, etc. Been awhile but yeah I looked into that stuff awhile ago and pretty much everything I read said "stay away".

 

[kyletxria1911a1]

Look around and talk to some companies like concrete plants rock quarries get on with them and get a class b start there

 

[ray22]

It's outside the petrochemical industry but have you checked with any pipe line companies? I know that they use NDT a lot. Might look into a company called Strike construction. They have a couple locations in the Houston area. It might require that you travel some but pipe line inspectors can make damn good money. Just a thought.

Govern wisely and as little as possible~Sam Houston

 

[ROGER4314]

I taught Industrial Instrumentation for about 10 years part time. The going rate is $35/hour and EVERY plant, pipeline uses instrumentation. I know of places where a company offered a good wage increase so a WHOLE SHIFT "Drug up" and left!

Work the online employment systems. After I quit teaching, that's how I got both of my industrial maintenance jobs.

Flash

 

[Dawico]

I read up on those and from what I've read it's bad news. Stuff like docking your pay for ridiculous things, expecting you to do ridiculous hours for basically no pay, making chicken scratch per mile, etc. Been awhile but yeah I looked into that stuff awhile ago and pretty much everything I read said "stay away".

While that can be the case with any job, you usually just have to put in a year or two and then you are free. There is and will always be a demand for CDL drivers and it is a good, respectable career.

There are also tech schools, but again, you are looking at two years. You would probably have to get a side job to help tide you over until graduation.

 

[orbitup]

There are also tech schools, but again, you are looking at two years. You would probably have to get a side job to help tide you over until graduation.

Long story, but that's what I did. I went to school for paint and body and now I work for an auto finance company. You are going to start at the bottom and struggle for a bit. That's just how it is.

I did start with the military. It's not for everyone but it did give me a good work ethic which helped me stand out in school and in my first few jobs.

 

[Tejano Scott]

Networking is not an option.

First, you say that, yet you are here networking on this site.

Second, Ben is right. Networking is very important.

Third, it sounds like your attitude needs a major adjustment. I could be wrong, I'm just basing that off your posts in this thread that sound self defeating. Also, you shouldn't publicly share that your at odds with family, friends, etc. Usually when people tell me stuff like that I think "what's the constant and what's the variable".

If you're in Houston area look up between job ministries. If you're not in Houston, get active in church or volunteer work. Very easy and cheap ways to expand your network. Also the volunteer work will keep you humble and feeling like you've invested your time into something meaningful.

Most of all, good luck. I pray for you. Read Jeremiah 29:11 and believe it.

 

[Bithabus]

TDCJ always needs Correctional officers.

Apply for a Correctional Officer Position

 

[Stoeger12]

TDCJ always needs Correctional officers.

Apply for a Correctional Officer Position

Solid career path, steady paycheck and lots of overtime. Plus, a good State retirement. If I were you, I'd check into it.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Networking and attitude are the two most important things for your career.

When I hire I heavily weigh a candidate's ability to work w/ others and if they are hard workers w/ a good attitude.

If you can't network you will have trouble doing your job in an unstructured team environment.

 

[ROGER4314]

I worked for TDCJ and friend Bonnie retired as a CO4 last year. It's a good, steady job because the prisons are always going to be full....snicker. You MUST follow the rules and those who don't, don't last.

The unit I worked in was 39 officers short. Bonnie worked in a unit where they ran staff so short at times, only 6-7 Officers ran the whole place! Why? They were short handed!

Flash

 

[SA_Steve]

You've ruled out lots of opportunity.
Reality will get you back on track sooner or later.
Get a job, then find a better one.
There's major concern by an employer if you are currently unemployed.

 

[Mike1234567]

Do what the rest of us did. Find something you truly love doing and get very very good at it. Then sell your skills to the highest bidder to get a good-paying job with very good benefits. Once in, work very hard and learn to make the bosses happy and say "Yes, sir" all the time. Become very politically correct for the given environment you're in and apply for every single step up the ladder you can get no matter how much you hate that job. You'll soon completely compromise and ruin everything about this thing you once loved until you can't imagine ever giving a damn about it and you'll eventually grow to passionately hate it way deep down to your bones. At this point, you'll be completely jaded, unhappy, frustrated, resentful, angry and... LONGING for retirement.

Yeah, that's the road to success.

 

[SA_Steve]

"a good paying job with very good benefits" choked me on my coffee

a thing of the past, even for most college grads