My apologies for the lack of posting. Just got another rejection, this time from the academic institution I had applied to and gone to an on-site interview with. It was one of those jobs in a different field than I’ve worked in previously, but in a somewhat similar kind of role. I was attracted to the academic environment for its stability, and for the fact that I’d continue to work with researchers (who have very different IT needs, and bring you more interesting problems). The downside is the pay isn’t that great, but I’d trade pay for stability and a research environment.
I think I was the top candidate when I went in for the interview, but there was one other candidate who came along and had the exact experience and background they were looking for, so then it would seem my lack of direct experience in this field became a problem for them. My guess is at that point I became the number two candidate, but they didn’t want to get back to me until the other guy accepted or rejected.
So now I’ve pretty much exhausted all the jobs that looked interesting. Now I need to move forward looking for work. I am doing some part time contracting for my former employer now, but its not nearly enough to pay the bills. Not even enough to affect unemployment. But it does look better on the resume to say I’m doing some part time contract work for the previous employer. I’m trying to get the message across that I wasn’t let go in a round of cutting, but that the company actually close, and I was one of the last remaining people when it did.
I’m still in good financial shape. I’m not really concerned about that. But needless to say I don’t like being out of work, and not knowing when I may finally land a position.
Hang in there. I was downsized in February. The job market sucks. So I know what you are going through.
I got two rejections yesterday. It really takes the wind out of your sails. I am finding that employers have the “Goldilocks Syndrome”….otherwise perfect candidates are being rejected because employers really don’t know what they want.
The biggest downside to unemployment is my ammo budget has all but disappeared.
Wild idea. Call the place back, ask them if there is a similar opening or role in another department.
I’ve already explored what’s available in other departments, and it’s not that great.
The job market is not likely to recover, regardless of what is done in Washington, Wall Street, etc. (Decades of globalization is catching up with our poor planning to deal with it, but that’s an argument for another day…)
Plan now for possibly being unemployed long term–form a LLC under your own name and start contracting for short-to-medium length projects in your field, or even tangentially to your field. Companies have figured out they can beat costs by having the army of unemployed bid against each other to do as contractors what used to be done by employees. This can work well or bady for you, but if you have rare skills, it can work to your advantage. Founding an LLC creates a permanent job record–even if you don’t work every month, you’re looking for work, and you don’t have employment gaps. It also lets you deduct the legitimate expenses you might right now be eating; e.g. reserved space for work, your internet bill, software purchases, office supplies, etc. Think about it–almost the only jobs in the economy right now are those you make for yourself.
Sure ya don’t want to take a job in Afghanistan? I can probably help you out. You get your very own kevlar :) I’d offer a spot here in Iraq, but this gig is ending soon. The ‘stan will need bright IT guys for at least the next two or three years.
What Greg said. I can look in DC for you. Try USAjobs
Might want to explore putting ads on here too. Not sure how much revenue they generate, but anything is better than nothing.
I feel for you, my man. I was just notified that the refinery where I work is up for sale and will be closed down by next July if they can’t find a buyer. My income will probably be halved at any other job I might be lucky enough to find, and into a strong headwind of rising prices for just about everything (except for official CPI numbers…..).
I worked in a University for Years (one doesn’t work *at* a University, it is more consuming than that) and my wife still does. Teh-University, both public and private, is the last vestige of the Feudal System in existence and hangs on to its prerequisites tenaciously, and one thing it does is create jobs for its *own* – so that “opening” may have only existed theoretically and on paper, but you naively intervened and forced an acknowledgment – and caused them to do some actual “interviewing” when the outcome was already chosen and per-determined. Don’t feel and about that, it’s The Way of The University.
Feel the pain, been out of work and crappy paying work at that since Dec 10. Best of luck man, and hey “smile things could always be worse” at least you get to make fun of the Antis. (But frankly that’s getting a little to easy)
I know of at least one person who was initially rejected because he had self-employment on the side, due to the hitting manager being worried about the employee leaving for full-time self-employment. In this particular case the hiring manager changed their mind and the employee became an asset to the department…