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Job hunting in the time of Covid


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Soooooo the media company I was downsized from last year is hiring a receptionist.

 

I asked the editor (who remains a friend) what she thought about me applying, and she was over the moon about it.

 

My dad thinks its a step backwards. But we knew that, my health cant take a full-time schedule anymore, so anything I do would be a step back. And at least I know I have friends in the office.

 

So, well see, this is a company that was fine with giving me the axe before, who knows if glowing recommendations from their own staff about a former employee does anything anymore.

A step back isn't always a bad thing, and it's always harder to get a job when you're unemployed. People want people with jobs.

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Sometimes a "step backwards" is what you need when it comes to your well-being. That said, I am also struggling with this because I probably really need to move to part-time because of my son, but I think 32.1 hours is ridiculous for half-vacation/sick leave benefits, and because I'm technically the primary breadwinner so losing my salary is a bigger hit. I've applied for FMLA instead, but haven't needed to use it.

 

Theyre willing to train you, though

To be a sadist?
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Yep. I mean, most HR people start off as sweet young girls who dont know what theyre doing but want to do the right thing. They gotta learn to enjoy hurting others.

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Sometimes a "step backwards" is what you need when it comes to your well-being. That said, I am also struggling with this because I probably really need to move to part-time because of my son, but I think 32.1 hours is ridiculous for half-vacation/sick leave benefits, and because I'm technically the primary breadwinner so losing my salary is a bigger hit. I've applied for FMLA instead, but haven't needed to use it.

 

Theyre willing to train you, though

To be a sadist?

 

FMLA is like taking a pay hit too I think. If my understanding is right. I can't get it for taking care of Tina while she's here.

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Soooooo the media company I was downsized from last year is hiring a receptionist.

 

I asked the editor (who remains a friend) what she thought about me applying, and she was over the moon about it.

 

My dad thinks its a step backwards. But we knew that, my health cant take a full-time schedule anymore, so anything I do would be a step back. And at least I know I have friends in the office.

 

So, well see, this is a company that was fine with giving me the axe before, who knows if glowing recommendations from their own staff about a former employee does anything anymore.

Is it really though? You liked that place and the people were so much better than the last shithole. That's worth so much right there.

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It might be a step backwards, but really anything you can do is a step forward from where you are.

THIS.

 

I think people in the world sabotage themselves by not realizing this.

 

Also, sometimes you have to make a lateral move first before a forward one.

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Ive mostly gotten where I am by taking lateral moves or steps back. Seriously, the idea of a career thats constantly moving forward is mostly a Boomer myth.

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Sometimes a "step backwards" is what you need when it comes to your well-being. That said, I am also struggling with this because I probably really need to move to part-time because of my son, but I think 32.1 hours is ridiculous for half-vacation/sick leave benefits, and because I'm technically the primary breadwinner so losing my salary is a bigger hit. I've applied for FMLA instead, but haven't needed to use it.

 

Theyre willing to train you, though

To be a sadist?

FMLA is like taking a pay hit too I think. If my understanding is right. I can't get it for taking care of Tina while she's here.

Not sure why you wouldn't be able to use it for Tina. She is your family member and lives with you, so I assume you are her primary caretaker. Is the issue how your employer defines FMLA or the state? Our state FMLA program now pays us partially for the hours missed.

 

I'm honestly not worried about getting 7.9 hours less pay. We'd be fine. It's me quitting my job entirely right now that would really screw things up. I'm a sufficiently senior enough engineer that I've reached a level where my organization never does outside hires for this level. And its because they're cheap, plain and simple. They lose out on a ton of talent this way. So if I go, it would likely be permanent. We could refinance the house to a longer-term (we have 9 years left on a 12-year term, so obviously we are being aggressive), that's not an issue. Its knowing that I would be out of the workforce for potentially 3-5 years while the global economy and especially aviation takes a hit. Really I just need to get through this whole stupid work from home situation, because it doesn't work without childcare. I don't see my son being able to attend any more than 2 days/week for the rest of the year, and the proposed schedule looks like I need to sit with him from 9-2 4 days a week. That is much more than 7.9 hours. I can try to swing my schedule but that is not working out very well with meetings from 9-3 every day.

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I think it's the state rules. We will see how it goes when she gets here August 30. I am working from home for now for school but it could change in three weeks.

 

I am sorry you're having to make these choices for your kiddos.

 

Icy, I would take the job if only because it's a job. HA.

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The way FMLA works in my state, as of the last time I looked into it, it's basically just that they hold your job for you. In some circumstances you get half pay, but mostly you just have a job to go back to when you can work again.

 

I just sent my application in for the receptionist job. The hiring manager is still a friend. The was a weird cover letter to write. "Hi, we only worked closely together for four years and have stayed in touch since, wanna hire me?"

 

This still feels like going back to an ex, which is disconcerting.

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Its even weirder when the ex calls you to ask you to come back and then wont take you. I had that with a job. The old library director always let the head of the individual department make hiring decisions, so when they were opening a new branch the guy who was head of all the small branches called and asked me to apply because he really wanted me. A week later, the new director had turned me down.

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I ended up getting a better job, after taking a shitty job waiting tables in a rich town.

 

Never wait tables for rich people, they will screw you for every dime. Middle class or lower celebrating will always tip you well, though. At a fancy restaurant at least.

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I hired someone to do my resume for me. Ive got good experience but I hate writing resumes and I hate trying to get through the automated systems.

 

Ive heard from maybe a dozen recruiters since I marked myself looking on LinkedIn. A lot are sales, or sales related, and Im not interested. A couple are interesting, though. Compliance, property claims supervisor, and a fully remote job handling pet insurance claims. And that one pays really well, and pet insurance is super easy. Im gonna wait until I get the resume back before I really talk to anyone though.

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Yeah, all Ive ever gotten from LinkedIn are recruiters asking me to go basic call center jobs, offering about half what I make now. It probably doesnt help that my job title was invented by my company to do a job thats not really transferable to other companies. Im trying to get some BA training in, in hopes of going that route eventually.

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Im surprised that I have gotten real contacts through this. I know that its the government job. I just got an email from a recruiter with a job, but the salary is $10k too low. I emailed her and told her that, and she got back to me immediately and said shes going to talk to her manager once I get her the full resume, which I can do in a day or two. This is a compliance job, which is exactly what I want.

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Never wait tables for rich people, they will screw you for every dime. Middle class or lower celebrating will always tip you well, though. At a fancy restaurant at least.

I live In DeVos land, I have heard horror stories.

 

One of the magazines I used to work for / may work for again is targeted toward rich people, and you have never heard anyone try to bully down the price of a $38 subscription like a 1%-er.

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I ended up getting a better job, after taking a ****ty job waiting tables in a rich town.

 

Never wait tables for rich people, they will screw you for every dime. Middle class or lower celebrating will always tip you well, though. At a fancy restaurant at least.

The truthiness in this is SOOOOOOOO hard to accept. Dear rich person you can afford to tip 15%. Douche.

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Yeah, all Ive ever gotten from LinkedIn are recruiters asking me to go basic call center jobs, offering about half what I make now. It probably doesnt help that my job title was invented by my company to do a job thats not really transferable to other companies. Im trying to get some BA training in, in hopes of going that route eventually.

BA training? Also I too get that on LInkedIn. It's all call center nonsense. I am looking for part time online teaching to supplement my income. I don't want to talk to dumbasses that cannot manage their own money and are bullying me into taking away a service charge/fee for their bank because they overdrafted eating out at Wendy's (That's all that is left of call center jobs now I feel in my area).

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