I wanna rant!

[Whiskybear]

I spent 12+yrs on hiatus from W2 type employment to keep my grandparents out of medicare level nursing home "care." That stint recently ended with the death of my grandmother, right before my 55th birthday. Since, I’ve been looking for a job because my savings is long gone and (minimal, but not nothing) family support ended with her passing. For context, before I came back to Kentucky to take care of them I had been at one job for about 2 decades, so the last time I went on the job hunt was 30ish years ago. Things have changed!
All applications are now taken online only. Doesn’t matter if the job has nothing to do with computers, you need one to even apply. No company wants to see you show up in person, they want to look at a resumé and decide your worth from an online info grab. I interviewed people for 15 years and would never consider hiring anyone I hadn’t looked in the eye, never looked at at a written resumé that was handed to me; anyone can write anything. But HR specialists now have the secrets of humanity down to an art and can tell the "good candidates" from their resumé writing skill. God forbid any supervisor or anyone who actually does/did the job get to vet applicants in person!
I’ve been declined without an interview expressly for my lack of recent work history from companies that advertise that had my dozen years hiatus been due to a stint in prison, they’d invite me to apply. (Keep in mind, mostly they don’t even know my age.)
I can’t even get a response for a position as a traffic flagger. Apparently taking care of my family means I’m unqualified to handle a stop/slow sign for a road crew.
"Recent experience in an industrial environment required." I’ve worked in a factory briefly a couple times. No matter what you’ve done, they need to train you to their machines anyway. Any hominid with a 70+ IQ and most of it’s fingers can do these jobs with an hour (tops) training. Factory operations are that way by design to increase potential labor pool and decrease training investment. So apparently it’s experience standing in a loud warehouse that they’re demanding.
I’m frustrated beyond description. I’m not a fan of humanity right now. I’ve got 10+ years or so left to work and it seems it’ll take most of it to find a job.
Thanks for listening to my rant.

 

[Debbie292d]

In Wisconsin and I assume most states, they can look us all up on something called CCAP here which is public access of all records such as rental history, traffic citations, criminal convictions, etc.

If I were in your boat, I think I'd try to find grants to attend a two-year technical college in your area. Yeah, I know, at your age doesn't make much sense to have to do that, but perhaps it could be something you'd use later. Such as something in electronics, computers, etc. People your age and mine (64) do that all the time.

 

[Whiskybear]

In Wisconsin and I assume most states, they can look us all up on something called CCAP here which is public access of all records such as rental history, traffic citations, criminal convictions, etc.

If I were in your boat, I think I'd try to find grants to attend a two-year technical college in your area. Yeah, I know, at your age doesn't make much sense to have to do that, but perhaps it could be something you'd use later. Such as something in electronics, computers, etc. People your age and mine (64) do that all the time.

Yeah, I’ve had background checks done by 3 employment agencies in the last couple months. They aren’t concerned with what showed up on theirs, and further back than the seven years they do, my criminal history is a couple public intoxication and disorderly conduct raps in a couple states 20 yrs ago. (I was a bartender, after all.) My credit score is circa 800. And you’re right, two years just isn’t feasible for career training at my age. Half a year isn’t. Again, at least 3 companies have declined to interview me because of lack of recent work history when they advertise encouraging ex-cons to apply ("second chance" employers).

 

[Debbie292d]

Yeah, I’ve had background checks done by 3 employment agencies in the last couple months. They aren’t concerned with what showed up on theirs, and further back than the seven years they do, my criminal history is a couple public intoxication and disorderly conduct raps in a couple states 20 yrs ago. (I was a bartender, after all.) My credit score is circa 800. And you’re right, two years just isn’t feasible for career training at my age. Half a year isn’t. Again, at least 3 companies have declined to interview me because of lack of recent work history when they advertise encouraging ex-cons to apply ("second chance" employers).

Well, then all I can say is keep trying. Eventually, the right one will come along, and even if it's not, take it to get that blasted work history! Then you can go from there a bit easier.

 

[Evadig]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm just starting the job search and also can't find work due to no experience. Like, how am I going to get any experience if no one hires me!! Then if I do manage to get an interview, I'm too shy and so no one wants me then either. I'll pray for you that you find a good job soon!

 

[azurbanclucker]

OK so my wife went back to work after almost 30 years as stay-at-home Mom about 18 mos ago. Yeah, lots of "apply online" stuff. She got calls back from our local grocery chain (albertsons), Kohl's, and target at first. She ended up taking 2 of those for 6 mos, and in that time got hired at Costco. We were juggling schedules around for a few months, but Costco picked her up full time and she's been good to go since.

I have no idea where you're at, but retail places are desperate for people who will actually show up and work. It's not ideal, but it's a job, and it's way easier to find another job if you're already working.

School districts here always seem to need people too. Bus drivers and cafeteria people in particular. Might try those as well.

It's an adjustment, especially if you've been out of the game for a while. A lot of what you're going to find is entry-level, but if you show up consistently and work (You're gen-x you know how to handle yourself), you won't stay entry-level for long. Kids these days don't want to work, so companies that find people who WILL tend to hang on to them.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm just starting the job search and also can't find work due to no experience. Like, how am I going to get any experience if no one hires me!! Then if I do manage to get an interview, I'm too shy and so no one wants me then either. I'll pray for you that you find a good job soon!

I'm in the same boat. No one wants to train anyone anymore, they just want a ready made person who will do their job perfectly without any assistance. I've had interviews with restaurants, a grocery store, retail...no one hired me. They want experience for you to be a dishwasher for crying out loud.

Sorry for ranting on your rant.

 

[Whiskybear]

OK so my wife went back to work after almost 30 years as stay-at-home Mom about 18 mos ago. Yeah, lots of "apply online" stuff. She got calls back from our local grocery chain (albertsons), Kohl's, and target at first. She ended up taking 2 of those for 6 mos, and in that time got hired at Costco. We were juggling schedules around for a few months, but Costco picked her up full time and she's been good to go since.

I have no idea where you're at, but retail places are desperate for people who will actually show up and work. It's not ideal, but it's a job, and it's way easier to find another job if you're already working.

School districts here always seem to need people too. Bus drivers and cafeteria people in particular. Might try those as well.

It's an adjustment, especially if you've been out of the game for a while. A lot of what you're going to find is entry-level, but if you show up consistently and work (You're gen-x you know how to handle yourself), you won't stay entry-level for long. Kids these days don't want to work, so companies that find people who WILL tend to hang on to them.

In the few gigs I’ve gotten through agencies, showing, on time or at all, has been enough to make them praise me like an Olympian. Not playing on my phone all shift also got me kudos. It’s amazing how little it takes to fulfill expectations today. But the same places where the supervisors wanted me full time won’t consider me because they have “standards.”

 

[Whiskybear]

I'm in the same boat. No one wants to train anyone anymore, they just want a ready made person who will do their job perfectly without any assistance. I've had interviews with restaurants, a grocery store, retail...no one hired me. They want experience for you to be a dishwasher for crying out loud.

Sorry for ranting on your rant.

I have nigh a couple decades experience managing a business. But HR folk look at resumés and they’ve been schooled that RECENT history is what counts.

 

[Whiskybear]

I have nigh a couple decades experience managing a business. But HR folk look at resumés and they’ve been schooled that RECENT history is what counts.

And they have to justify THEIR jobs.