Job Hunting

[miffy495]

While I applaud you for taking a principled stand, I've been in situations before where I've had to do something I disagree with in order to afford to eat. I wouldn't begrudge you if you went the other way. In the end, you're the only one who knows your situation well enough to know if you can afford to stick to your principles. At the end of the day, a job is a job. If you can afford to not do it and still get by, then you should forgo things that you disagree with. We don't live in a world where that's always possible though, and everyone has their own line. Personally, "doing a contract job that may also help someone spread a shitty message" is not low enough on the morality scale to rule it out completely. There certainly are jobs that I'd say never really have an excuse (usually those that actively exploit people), but that isn't one of them. It's distasteful, definitely, but not so much so as to be unjustifiable by the "I really needed the money" line.

[Mangela Lansbury]

I've had a few really good job offers from weapons manufacturers, and I find the best way to not burn bridges is to be honest. Just say, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I could live with myself if I did that."

But only if you can live without the money from it. It's a weird conversation to have, but it's not impossible. You have to walk a weird line, but unless people are crazy, they know the industry is controversial and they've made peace with that. It can lead to a kind of political conversation but as long as you can navigate those waters and the other party is accepting of an opposing point of view, it shouldn't be impossible. Just don't be combative.

[syntheticgerbil]

Miffy, had I had the web skills I wouldn't really need the money at the moment, but considering how prominent casino games are becoming around Austin development, I suppose I might have to give in at some point.

 

But yeah, Mangela, I guess I never figured the client would know it's a possible controversial message. I will definitely keep that in mind. I suppose my earlier case with the talk radio guy, had it not been me talking to an animator friend, it would have been him directly and that wouldn't have went well. The ad company who contacted me though, they are cool guys, and I am guessing they would understand if it came to something like this again. But yeah I would never be combative in that situation like my ranting here.

 

OH I almost forgot, I did turn down work two or three years ago for South Park Mexican. Apparently he makes music from prison and his manager wanted me to storyboard his new music video. However considering South Park Mexican went to prison for sexually assaulting a little girl, I didn't even respond to the e-mail because a lot of people feel like he was wrongfully convicted and I figured it would open up a bad conversation if I said no. In that case, I guess I chickened out.

 

It would have been bizarre though, since I don't think anything I draw would mesh with South Park Mexican's music, image, or previous promo videos.

[BobbyBesar]

Is there a reason you have to even mention the content? It sounds like you're an independent contractor, so can't you just say "Sorry, I don't currently have the bandwidth for this job, but please contact me with any future projects?"

[syntheticgerbil]

Well usually if I'm busy with another project I give them a time frame of when I will be available should they want to hold out a little to use me. They never do though.

[tegan]

Dropped off another four resumes just now.

 

IIIIIIII haaaaaate joooooob huntiiiiiiing.

[Dewar]

Just tuned up my Linked-in profile to apply for a job at my wife's work. I doubt they're going to be paying the amount I want, but I figured it was worth taking a shot at it since the commute would be a dream. I hate resume work.

[tegan]

Just got a call from one of the places I dropped off a resume at. I have an interview in two hours. Terrified as fuck, unprepared, and not expecting to get the job.

[syntheticgerbil]

Often to relax during interviews, I go in with the idea that I'm not getting this job so it's okay if I mess up a lot of things I may say. I suppose it's because I usually don't get the job, but it's somewhat freeing.  Maybe this is counter intuitive, but I suppose it works for me, although it probably doesn't speak well for my self esteem.

 

Also if you can follow up the interview with a thank you letter either by mail or e-mail, that can have an impact even if you didn't interview well. But you probably already know that.

 

Good luck!

[tegan]

still an hour left

 

can't stop panicking

 

feel like I'm gonna throw up

[tegan]

The interview went well, but they want someone bilingual. I expected that would be the case. I am fine with this sequence of events. It was good practice.

[syntheticgerbil]

Why is this bilingual requirement so common? Are you in Quebec?

[tegan]

New Brunswick, which I believe is the only legally bilingual province.

[Polish Hill]

Finally found out today that a position I interviewed for was not going to be offered to me.  It is dramatically different from my current position and education but not to a degree that I felt unqualified to apply or interview.  I got a similar response to what has happened when I've tried to change departments in the past.  Basically, great interview and we like you but have candidates with experience more applicable to the role.  At a bit of a loss what to do in those situations but one of the managers I interviewed with wants to meet in the next few weeks to talk so I guess that is better than nothing. 

 

Ah well, not in a position where I need to have another job but I am no longer challenged or interested in what I'm currently doing.  But I also feel like I've gone down a road with a dead end in terms of my current job title and how it applies to openings elsewhere.  Afraid I may have to seek out entry-level positions but since I've got about 5 years of business experience I'm not particularly enthused to get back to square one.  Anyone go through similar situations or have any advice?  A big problem is I don't have a specific job title I desire but rather evaluate if I'm loosely qualified for something and if I'd find it interesting.

[Mangela Lansbury]

Finally found out today that a position I interviewed for was not going to be offered to me. It is dramatically different from my current position and education but not to a degree that I felt unqualified to apply or interview. I got a similar response to what has happened when I've tried to change departments in the past. Basically, great interview and we like you but have candidates with experience more applicable to the role. At a bit of a loss what to do in those situations but one of the managers I interviewed with wants to meet in the next few weeks to talk so I guess that is better than nothing.

I interviewed for an administrative position at a law firm a year or two ago. They tested my typing skills, gave me a spelling test, had me type a letter from dictation, and called me back in for a first and then a second interview.

They hired someone with a law degree.

The job market is fucked up.

[Zeusthecat]

Often to relax during interviews, I...

 

take a Valium.

 

Trust me, it works.

[syntheticgerbil]

If only it were dispensed at corner stores.

[Zeusthecat]

If only it were dispensed at corner stores.

 

Call my mom.

[syntheticgerbil]

Rhea the cat!

[Tanukitsune]

With my parents store closed due to retirement, I'm doing a lot of job hunting now. Before you ask, I couldn't have continued with the store, it's was a grueling task with diminishing returns, my parents were practically losing money before they retired. 

 

Frankly, I've always been job hunting, but I can't even remember the last time I even made it to the selection process... one year ago? Maybe more?

 

I've been working as a butcher's assistant half my life and I don't even qualify for other butcher jobs, which is fine with me since I kinda hate that industry now, but it's still the only place I have any experience in.

 

I'm kinda stumped, I'm willing to work at almost anything, except those call centers where you try to force your products onto others, which is 50% of the jobs listings now, not only do I find these jobs almost scams, I'm too socially awkward for them anyway.

 

How does one ever get a job if you're willing to start from the bottom? And I do mean literal bottom, as in janitors, sewer workers, factory jobs, the kind of jobs most people would rather die before taking. 

 

All I see is job listings I'm under-qualified for, I've sent my CV to stores and malls and so far I've only gotten one email saying they don't have job offers.

 

While I'm not as desperate to start looking up human guinea pig jobs, I am rather frustrated that I'm having trouble finding places I can even send my CV to. 

[Ben X]

I always find temp agencies are the best bet for finding that kind of job. Apply to as many of them as you can; walk in dressed smartly, with a hard copy, electronic copy and prepared email with attachment of your CV and let them know what you're looking for. Then pop in once a week to ask if anything new has come up. They'll try to get you to do everything electronically, but if you do only that they forget about you, so you need to make sure they remember that relaxed, friendly, professional person who is so keen for a job he comes in once a week.

[Tanukitsune]

Come to the think of the last job I got was a temp one, so it's a start at least.

[Mangela Lansbury]

I was told to apply to a backdoor job posting at the place I'm temping at today -- one of those job postings where they don't post it publicly, just give you a link for it? It's basically just for the temp position I'm in now, but the woman I'm working for wants to just pay me what she's paying the temp agency.

I don't have a contract with the temp agency I'm with, just a regular employee, but I'm still not entirely sure it's kosher? And I don't really want to sour my relationship with an agency that's treated me pretty great. Double and, even absent a contract on my end, I know the agency has a contract with the organization I'm at now and don't want to get bitten in the ass because of contractual terms I might be helping to violate?

The whole weird conversation/email chain has just made me uncomfortable, but I'm not really in a position to be picky -- especially considering the money I'm being offered.

 

EDIT: I checked out what I signed 3 years ago, and I'm technically in breach of a 1 year contract that I signed then. I kind of just... was lazy and didn't re-sign it back then when it expired? I was living about 30 minutes away from the office then, so they forgave me for it and said it was fine, and I feel like doing this now would be taking advantage of some forgiveness that's become clerical oversight.

[Ben X]

I don't quite follow all the details there, Mangela, but surely temp agencies are used to their placements getting offered permanent roles. The only contractual quirk might be that they get a bonus from the company for supplying you in the first place if you go permanent, although that might run out after a certain amount of time, But the temp agency has been making money off your employment for the past 3 years, right? The only thing I'd say is make sure you're getting paid more once you're permanent, as obviously the company won't be having to pay the agency a percentage any more and so that savings should go at least partly to you.

[Griddlelol]

I agree with Ben. You really don't owe the temp agency anything, they got that when they got money from your pay. Their job is to find someone to do a job. You're the currency they trade in, not their buddy that they helped find employment for. 

 

They have no reason to turn you down if you need to join them again. You've proven that you can get a job (with their help) and hold it. You're the ideal currency.