Job Market: Is it that bad?

[Ahura Mazda]

As an employer, I can tell you that we have a greater selection of resumes nowadays to select from. I recently was looking to hire a part time accountant to help out my Chief Accountant and whereas just a year ago I would be looking at secretaries with some accounting experience we were able to hire a full CPA that had gotten laid off from Price Waterhouse's audit department.

It is a very tough market and the only advice I would give is be persistent as well as patient. Also be very mobile. Do not limit your search to just your immediate environment.

 

[NHawk19]

At least from what I'm told the Hospitals are on hiring freezes, they are even talking about closing some down in our area.

I'm also an Engineer, and I do a lot of municipal engineering as well as private work. No one is building right now so what use to be almost a 50/50 thing between public and private has pretty much become 90/10.

i work for a large GC. The market has bidders cutting their throats trying to build a backlog for 2010. Plus the work is 90% public so its a good thing we have a heavy and highway side.

 

[Catman]

I'm graduating with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in poltiical science, and the market for reporters right now is very weak.

The industry in general is VERY weak. A lot of people have been laid off while others are getting their hours cut. I feel bad for anyone graduating from college now. There's nothing for them. I graduated in 2004. I did an internship my final semester and that led to me getting hired afterwards. Nowadays it ain't that easy. No one is gonna hire any of the interns, even if they're great and have a bright future ahead of them.

 

[Darthphere]

Why do you think I'm still in retail? There are no jobs. If you got one, hold on to it, tight.

 

[BatMatt]

The industry in general is VERY weak. A lot of people have been laid off while others are getting their hours cut. I feel bad for anyone graduating from college now. There's nothing for them. I graduated in 2004. I did an internship my final semester and that led to me getting hired afterwards. Nowadays it ain't that easy. No one is gonna hire any of the interns, even if they're great and have a bright future ahead of them.

Which is exactly what I am right now

 

[Darthphere]

You need to start blogging. That's where journalism is heading.

 

[JStorm]

As an employer, I can tell you that we have a greater selection of resumes nowadays to select from. I recently was looking to hire a part time accountant to help out my Chief Accountant and whereas just a year ago I would be looking at secretaries with some accounting experience we were able to hire a full CPA that had gotten laid off from Price Waterhouse's audit department.

It is a very tough market and the only advice I would give is be persistent as well as patient. Also be very mobile. Do not limit your search to just your immediate environment.

Agreed, on most.

As for being mobile, I can not, as my finances are depleted - hence having to move home with the 'rents.

I've had offers from friends. One told me I could move in with him, in Houston, because the job market was stronger there, than here.

Also, he offered to "put me up," until I found a job. As nice as that sounds, I do not think I could take that chance, with my looming finance, of "mooching" too long, on a friends dollar.

 

[Shemtov]

Where I am, convenience stores are always hiring.

 

[Hobgoblin]

I'm seriously considering taking a job teaching English in Asia. As someone said, you have to go where the jobs are, even if they arent in your area.

 

[JTIZZLEVILLE]

I feel everyone's pain. I'm a Broadcast Journalism major about to graduate in about 2 weeks. The place I did my internship loved me so much that they offered me a position after I graduated. Now they are on a hiring freeze and my lined up job is gone.

I do have a part-time job in a local retail store. I've asked if I could go full-time. They say they would love for me to stay with them but don't know if any full-time positions will be open for the summer.

So, I'm stuck without a job. Every job out there, like many have already said, are either stuff out of my educational zone (computer programming, nursing) or they require 3-5 years experience in the field.

Right now, it may just be smart for me to stick with my part-time job.

 

[Anita18]

Yup, it's like that here, too. No one is getting bonuses or raises this year. They're spreading the staff at my hospital as thin as possible, too. It's awful.

My hospital (I work in the research institute, not with patients) is actually offering bonuses to any employee who recruits a qualified RN who is then hired. This was a month or two ago, not sure if it's true now. But it did seem kind of like desperate bribery at the time.

But it's a cancer treatment hospital, so maybe nurses specializing in oncology are rare to begin with. They don't do regular hospital stuff, it's funny. If we get hurt in lab, we have to get shipped over to another hospital 2 blocks away.

I feel your pain dude, I have a marketing degree, and I'm currently an assistant manager at Walmart. I interviewed against like 200 people for my job, and found out later that I only got the job because the managers who interviewed me thought I was attractive. So here I am, marketing degree and all, very happy to just have a job at Walmart. It's crazy out there right now. I left a job at Progressive Insurance right before all of this went down figuring I'd find a similar job no problem, now I kick myself everyday for leaving.

Ouch, that's the double whammy, after getting hired at Walmart. It's like, "Thanks, you mean the degree I spent 4 years in college for didn't mean a thing? I just had to be hot? "

I feel everyone's pain. I'm a Broadcast Journalism major about to graduate in about 2 weeks. The place I did my internship loved me so much that they offered me a position after I graduated. Now they are on a hiring freeze and my lined up job is gone.

I do have a part-time job in a local retail store. I've asked if I could go full-time. They say they would love for me to stay with them but don't know if any full-time positions will be open for the summer.

So, I'm stuck without a job. Every job out there, like many have already said, are either stuff out of my educational zone (computer programming, nursing) or they require 3-5 years experience in the field.

Right now, it may just be smart for me to stick with my part-time job.

Hold onto it with your life, man. Your life.

I'm happy where I am right now, even though my boss thinks I could easily get a job in industry because I'm extremely good with lab protocols. (And I don't blow stuff up.) Maybe not now, but eventually. I'm not sick of this job yet, and I really love the people I work with. I swear, the day I leave I'll cry.

 

[BatMatt]

You need to start blogging. That's where journalism is heading.

In ways, but the pays not so great

I feel everyone's pain. I'm a Broadcast Journalism major about to graduate in about 2 weeks. The place I did my internship loved me so much that they offered me a position after I graduated. Now they are on a hiring freeze and my lined up job is gone.

Wow, we have much in common I wasn't offered a position, I walked into a hiring freeze, and this is the best station in the market!

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Where I live in Sumter, South Carolina the job market is extremely bad. I'm a Doorman/Box Office Cashier at the Beacon Stadium Twelve Cinemas. When this recent recession started many of the employees and management were concerned. We saw many, many businesses shut their doors and when I say businesses, I mean everything from restaurants, foot lockers, jewelry stores, clothing stores, and so forth.

The Regional Office called the Theatre to calm those who were worried about their jobs. Stating that places like a movie theatre will always be secure due to the people needing a place to escape via entertainment.

Although I can honestly tell you I wouldn't have the job that I have now if it wasn't for my co-worker Kyle who is a projectionist there. So many people weren't hiring and would either just accept my application/resume, or would just state that I didn't have enough working experience.

In a nutshell the job market is extremely bad and I can't tell you how many people I see coming to the theatre looking for work. Everyone from teenagers, to adults, and to even some older individuals who just want to work and are willing to accept a minimum wage paying job. Whenever someone asks me if we're hiring I always direct them to the General Manager.

I can never look someone in the eye knowing they want to work, knowing they need a job, and knowing how hard it is right now and tell them we're not hiring or I have to let you go. Mainly the only places that seem to hire are fast food places, janitorial services, or if you're lucky the occasional security officer or correctional officer job.

Even though the entertainment industry is considered "recession proof", I have noticed a considerable drop in customers at the theatre. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday it was a guarantee busy night and it didn't matter what movies were playing it was always busy. So things are still tight, jobs are still being cut, and managers, corporations, and other businesses don't hire due to them watching their payroll these days.

 

[Catman]

Even though the entertainment industry is considered "recession proof", I have noticed a considerable drop in customers at the theatre.

Attendance was down even before the recession. People have other escape like internet and video games.

 

[Manic]

My current job is already part-time, but my employers are reducing hours so badly that most of us are working less than 10 hours per week. This wouldn't be so bad with me living at home, but I have a car note and upcoming tuition for when I re-enroll in school to learn a new trade. I can't afford a stick of gum off of 8 hours per week on minimum wage.

 

[Catman]

most of us are working less than 10 hours per week.

How long are your shifts? 2 hours?!

 

[Manic]

4 hour shifts. I worked Thursday, and will go back this morning. I'm one of the workers fortunate enough to get more than one day this week.

As soon as I bring my website back from hiatus, I'm selling ad space.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I'm seriously considering taking a job teaching English in Asia. As someone said, you have to go where the jobs are, even if they arent in your area.

Sianara

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Attendance was down even before the recession. People have other escape like internet and video games.

That I do agree with. Saves money, gas, time, and of course the people aren't sitting around a bunch of rude individuals with cell phones, bad attitudes, and of course spending a lot of money for a movie and concessions.

 

[Tanin]

My fiance has been looking for receptionist job for a year now. Hard to come by

 

[JStorm]

Well it's nice to have empathic voices; but it's sad to read the same problems as mine.

 

[Manic]

I just checked next week's work schedule. I'm working a single half-day. Hooray!


*starts looking for a second job*