The job hunt continues....

So it's the month of September- I have been out of work for 7 months now. My baby boy continues to grow and progress...he eats cereal and fruit, rolls and scoots on the floor, enjoys his exersaucer and jumperoo and his TV shows on Noggin. I have been looking for work and there has been NOTHING out there for me. This week was a good week- I found 2 jobs to apply to on Careerbuilder, but so far I have not heard a thing. At this point I am pessimistic about finding any kind of employment in 2009. I pray daily for a referral to a job. Despite a lot of networking, I have turned up very little. The job situation in FL continues to be bleak.

My spot of joy is my baby boy. He is literally the light of my life, and I don't think I'd get out of bed in the morning if it weren't for him. He keeps me going- mostly because baby care is all consuming, and the reward of his development is my incentive as well. He laughs all the time, he is learning new things all the time, like "clap hands". I taught him that in 2 days. He's a bright and observant little one. I look forward to seeing more of his discoveries about life. Maybe this is what I am supposed to be doing at this time- just being a Mom to him and caring for him. I have to keep faith that God has me in this situation for a reason, and I need to work through it. In God all things are possible, I truly believe that.

I don't have much more to say, but to keep your children close to you, enjoy them and have faith that all is how it is supposed to be.

That's it and that's all!

The Job Hunt Continues....

So I have officially been out of work for a couple of months (my last paycheck was on April 5th) but I haven't actually worked since February 5th. It's starting to wear me down being out of work... last year I found a job within 3 months.... at this point I am looking at a much longer unemployment. I wish that I didn't need to find a job, I'd rather just be a stay at home mom, but we can't live on my husband's salary alone. Plus, I'd like to be contributing to the household budget...baby stuff is expensive...the diapers and wipes alone are a fortune, and my little angel is now starting to supplement with formula as my breast milk supply is starting to slow down and he needs the extra calories.

I have been searching every day on the internet, and ATTEMPTING to network with anyone that could help me. So far my networking attempts have been pretty unhelpful. I have reached out to former colleagues and some acquaintances that I have met in the business world and I have been rebuffed. It's as if I have fallen off the face of the earth and I have become invisible and irrelevant.

I have had only 1 interview since I have started this job search 2 months ago...I thought it went well...however, I came to find out 3 weeks later that the job had been filled. The stupid agency that sent me on the interview couldn't be bothered to return my calls about that job, so I had to contact the company directly and that's how I found out. I guess since they weren't going to get a commission for placing me I had no use for them. It's pretty pathetic in my opinion. The courteous thing would have been to call me back when I asked about the status of the job. It was on the internet for weeks after it was filled, so I was surprised to find out it had been filled. Whatever...it's another example of how the unemployed gets screwed with by potential employers like staffing agencies. I swear they cherry pick all the applicants to fill their job orders and can't be bothered with anyone else.

As far as motherhood goes, I do enjoy my son. He's my pride and joy and I adore him. He's 4 months old now, and he's started to roll over on his own, he grabs at toys, and he has found his feet..he likes to try to bite them, and in fact has pulled his socks off in the process. He's now sleeping through the nite most of the time, and I am ALMOST ready to let him sleep in his crib in his bedroom, he is currently still sleeping in his carseat/stroller next to my bed at nite. I wake up several times to check on him to make sure he is ok. I am neurotic and I know it. I don't know any other way to be.

Well, that's it and that's all for now...I need some good luck to come to me so I can stop worrying so much...

TTFN

Exasperation is setting in.....

It's safe to say that I am fully exasperated with my job search. I have been pounding the internet for hours a day, seven days a week for over 2 months now. So far that has yielded me only 3 face to face interviews, and one phone screen. The job market SUCKS. Employers SUCK. You can't seem to get past the computer screen outs that filter resumes, and no one will return a phone call either.

The most promising job lead that I had came thru a relative in a company that I have tried to get into for the past year. I had a GREAT interview...it looked really promising...and then they told me that the job wasn't actually available yet, and they weren't sure when it would be available. Fast forward a week and a half, and I see that job posted on the internet. I called and left a message to follow up on my application. I rec'd no call back. I give this guy the benefit of the doubt and think...ok, he may have been off from work that Good Friday...maybe he took a long weekend. Finally, on Wednesday of this week, I call again... I left ANOTHER message asking about the status of my application, and let him know that I was aware that the job was now posted....could he please return my call at his earliest convenience??? NOTHING. No phone call yet. It's now Thursday and I feel like my hands are tied. I have done my part as a job seeker...I sent that thank you note THE SAME DAY after the interview (which would mean he'd get it the next day), I followed up a week and a half later, and then made one more call after that. I don't know what else I am supposed to do in order to get my name in the running for this job that I want SO badly. I was as professional, poised and cool as a cucumber as I am able to be. I did not show desperation- I did not stumble on words. I had a great feeling about that interview- which for the record lasted over an hour and a half.... I really thought that I had a good shot this time. I really did. And now I am more than confused....I am totally confounded.

Is there anyone out there reading this? I am putting this out there in the hopes that someone can give me a point of view that I am not seeing. I am trying to be as open minded as possible, and trying NOT to be negative or take this personally- but it is getting much harder to keep that attitude as the weeks fly by and I am still not gainfully employed.

I cannot think of one other thing that I can do to find a job that was the level that I was at (or better.) I apply online to jobs that correspond with my vision, I registered my with some agencies and a couple of recruiters that I have spoken with. So far not one lead from those contacts. I have networked with everyone I know... What else can I do? It's getting to the point where I will have to take a job for $8 and hour in order to have employment.... I made 3 times that in my previous position. Is there a point where it's acceptable to take such a step down? It's more than just ego- I really can't afford to work for $8 and hour- my bills are too high to do that...BUT I can't live on unemployment.... $275 a week just won't cut it ($6.87/hr...ouch!) I don't want it to hurt me to take a lower paying job just to be employed..and have that be my most recent job history and salary history for a potential employer to go by. It's a real issue for me...and I am not sure what to do anymore.

I'm putting this out there - I need some guidance... someone comment...PLEASE!!!

That's it and that's all.....

An update on the job search.....

Well, so far I have only had ONE interview in almost 2 months of being unemployed...and let me tell you...it's not for a lack of trying. One thing I learned for sure...the job market these days is really competitive...and really hard. I had no clue how hard it would be. I am on the web for hours a day chasing down job postings... I apply...I get no response. I would follow up on the job postings...BUT they are almost ALL anonymous- meaning, you can't contact any human being regarding the application at all. In fact, most of the jobs posted don't even give you the name of the company you are applying to, and many don't specify what the pay scale is either. It makes me wonder if most jobs listed on the internet are only dummy jobs that aren't really there. For instance, the job may have been posted internally, and they INTEND to fill it internally, but some sort of protocol specifies that they MUST offer it outside. Basically, a lot of ghost jobs are out there. I am on Careerbuilder, Monster, HotJobs, and Craigslist constantly. Hell, I even got on some smaller sites like GoliathJobs, and Jobing. Alas, to no avail. I have worked my network to death, and so far it has not yielded one legitimate job lead. I am trying to stay positive, honestly I am, but the truth is that I am worried about finding something soon. I am starting to consider taking a job at the local Publix store just to be employed. Considering that I was making almost $50k a year in my previous job, it's a hard pill to swallow....

Stop the presses....I just got a call back on a position that applied for twice on Careerbuilder....yeehaw...an impromptu phone interview that sounded pretty promising.... I should hear back from them by later this week or early next week....

I think blogging about this was good luck, I need to do this more often...

Wish me luck.... that's it and that's all...... ;)