Job Highs and Woes

[ausdon]

{{From Claygary}}

I know all is different over there, but is there some professional organisation/association, or union, or government dept that is involved in workers rights or could tell you what the "industry standard" severence package might be?

Sending good wishes to all those on a job hunt.

[djs111]

I know all is different over there, but is there some professional organisation/association, or union, or government dept that is involved in workers rights or could tell you what the "industry standard" severence package might be?

Bwahahahaha!

Sorry.

Two weeks notice seems to be de riguer. Any package that comes with that is generally as little as the company can get away with and keep the departee from suing.

Just had my resume submitted for another job - where my hopes die is when I am asked when I graduated from high school.

I have de-aged my resume - "Over 20 years experience" is better than what evidently reads like "from 1812 to 1903, I taught CICS even though computers were not invented as yet."

[FromClaygary]

I must look real stupid now - quitting a job I despised. If I had just left in June rather than letting them talk me into staying that extra 6 months. Seems the country went to hell in a handbasket in that next 6 months. I've never had a problem finding a job before..usually wasn't unemployed long enough to even collect unemployment insurance. And I can't get it now since I quit. I know I haven't looked constantly but still..I have sumitted at least 100 resumes and I'm just hearing a big fat nothing. Today I called a few agencies because I'm willing to take a temp job at this point. While I have this contract job it just isn't secure. I have no idea if or when I'll be dropped and everytime something goes a bit wrong I get stressed out -- like last week. So I'm just holding my breath and throwing everything into job searching. I've even expanded the parameters of my search. We'll see what happens!

I'm sending good wishes to FromClaygary and all of us who are out there looking.

Oh, couchie, I don't think you look stupid at ALL! Surviving at a job where you're unhappy every day is SO hard on the stress level, it's just crazy to stay.....and the good news is, from what we hear up here, you're through the worst of the "depression" (which in my mind was created by the media). Things are already looking up.

Having worked at a temp agency for a while, I would definitely pursue that option. We worked hard (you have NO idea how hard....) to find our clients jobs at the best salary possible. Also, agencies, decent ones, have a finger on the pulse of the job market and will creatively market you to opportunities that you might not even consider for yourself.

Often, they will also offer assistance with resume-writing, upgrading of your skills in necessary softwares etc etc.

Do NOT, though, EVER sign on with an agency that wants money from you.....SCAM ALERT!! Reputable agencies get their revenue from the employer.

At the moment, I feel like I'm really spinning my wheels; I was supposed to sign off on my severance yesterday, but one of the items in the legal agreement asks me to acknowledge that I have receved all the $ owing to me...and I have received nothing. Nada. Bupkuss. So there ain't no chance in hell I'm signing that baby. I have also not received a Record of Employment, which is the paperwork you need up here in order to apply for Unemployment Benefits.

The HR rep I'm working with is OK with that, and has provided me something in writing to say so (unasked) which I thought was good of her, even though I would have asked for it if she hadn't.

I'm kind of seeing, though, that I may have trouble getting the money owed to me for overtime hours worked etc....and that just makes me want to puke. I SO just want to get on with my life and leave this behind!! Hopefully....I'm "borrowing trouble" as my Dad would have said.

Ahhh.....onward! I sent out my first (redone) resume yesterday....which promptly came back to me through the Mail Failure!! Good Gawd. What next. I've verified the email address, and it is correct....so the company is posting an email address for applications that doesn't work. THAT's a good sign!!

Oh....yeah.....and I went to have my eyes checked last night, before my benefits run out....and I have to go see a specialist, the optician believes I have fairly advanced macular degeneration. Great!! What next???!

Enough whining...on to the resumes!

[FromClaygary]

I know all is different over there, but is there some professional organisation/association, or union, or government dept that is involved in workers rights or could tell you what the "industry standard" severence package might be?

Bwahahahaha!

Sorry.

Two weeks notice seems to be de riguer. Any package that comes with that is generally as little as the company can get away with and keep the departee from suing.

Just had my resume submitted for another job - where my hopes die is when I am asked when I graduated from high school.

I have de-aged my resume - "Over 20 years experience" is better than what evidently reads like "from 1812 to 1903, I taught CICS even though computers were not invented as yet."

Re the government agency and severance packages.....LOL....exactly! And it's a very fine line.

Sounds like you and I are in the same boat djs; I've "de-aged" mine as well. Up here it would be illegal to ask when you graduated, though....and isn't it there as well?

[djs111]

Of course it is illegal! But then again, it is asked early on, and there is no way to prove why I was not hired.

[jmh123]

Another de-ager here. I was even told that I should list only the last 10 years of my work experience and say things like "5 plus" years. I dunno about that because if you get to an interview, they're going to see that you're older than dirt. Too bad accumulated wisdom has no value in this world. Sigh.

[FromClaygary]

Of course it is illegal! But then again, it is asked early on, and there is no way to prove why I was not hired.

Yes, but up here it would be literally illegal even to ASK...and they could be reported for doing so. (Not that that would get you the job!!)

Well, I did get SOME good news just now..... .....I just got an email from my HR girl to tell me that they are paying out my OT hours at time+1/2. I didn't actually expect that, as I am not really entitled to overtime, just time in lieu....so Of course....I haven't seen it yet! But at least she's been able to weasel the # of hours out of my boss, which she hadn't before today.

She is also paying my car allowance for the severance period!! I NEVER expected that! But they consider it part of the benefits package, so......

[FromClaygary]

Just a quick update.....and a note that I appreciate the accumulated wisdom and support here SO much!! :thbighug-1:

I have now received most of my severance dollars....lost 40% of it to income tax! Still waiting for expense reimbursement and a ROE and a disposition letter for my RSP (retirement savings plan, in Canada=pension) but that will come, as will winter....

I'm pleased so far with my success with resumes....I've sent 17 resumes for things I thought were apt, including some part-time stuff to tide me over. I've received 4 calls for interviews, and I'm now in the third-interview process for a part-time position I'm very interested in...and second-interview for a part-time position I'm interested in if #1 doesn't work out .....and got another call today to come in for an interview for a fulltime position at a decent salary.

So I'm encouraged! At least I know my resumes are working, and that people do have an appreciation for my skillset. It's a good start.

Couchie, jmh123 and others looking....persevere!! I have my fingers and toes and all appendages crossed for you!!

[Scarlett]

Good luck and lots of hugs {{{everyone seeking jobs}}}!!!

Times are tough everywhere. Some women in my workplace formed a networking group and we share relevant articles, have a monthly lunch with a speaker or featured video and assign mentors to those who need or want them. These are some of the more interesting articles that have been posted recently. I hope you find them useful or interesting. Since these are generally geared towards 'women at the workplace' issues (I won't say 'working women' because that's always been redundant since prehistoric times), maybe I should put them in a different thread? Just wanted to post them here first since I think the folks who would appreciate them come visit here.

==================================================

Interesting article on women's role in business:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9071002358.html

White House Council on Women and Girls

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office...omen-and-Girls/

One Reason Why Women Don't Make it to the C-Suite

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dir...site=ehost-live

Revenge of the Nerdette

http://www.newsweek.com/id/140457

Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success by Claire Shipman and Katty

Kay - discusses the power of women in the marketplace both as consumers

and in the workplace.

This is an extended abstract:

http://800ceoread.com/book/show/9780061697180-Womenomics

Time magazine articles about changing roles in the workplace

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages...1898076,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages...1898078,00.html

Centered Leadership: How Talented Women Thrive

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Centered_...men_thrive_2193

Saving the World's Women

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine...en-t.html?_r=1#

At a recent meeting, our networking group watched this video together and found a lot of useful tips and insights:

http://www.enterprisemedia.com/product/006...s_pat_heim.html

- Pat points out the main difference in how we communicate by reciting the Boy Scout and Girl Scout promises. One goes "I will do" and another goes "I will try". Girl Scouts say "I will try" because they believe that being honest about the situation is the important thing. However, if you were conducting a job interview who would you hire, the person who's says he's going to do it or the person who says that "she will try"? Uh-huh... even though both of them would have just "tried their best" anyway.

- Some tips from the Heim group: http://www.heimgroup.com/freetips.asp

[Couch Tomato]

Scarlett.... thanks so much for sharing the info. I really appreciate it.

FromClaygary--I'm so proud of you..sorry I haven't checked in before now to say it. You inspired me to take a look at my resume... it's really dated since I've been basically using the same format for 15 years. I've tried to personalized my letters a bit more to the job rather htan copying and pasting the same old same old. And every now and then I'll do somehting whacky to get somebody's attention heee.

[jmh123]

Thank you Scarlett! I look forward to checking out those links.

I've been working on my resume too. I went to a job workshop and we were supposed to have our resumes critiqued by an expert. Unfortunately she totally bummed me out by offering no critique whatsoever, and saying that I was unemployable outside my field, but I still got some good ideas from the workshop. I'm trying to work on a resume that highlights all the skills involved in college teaching in language that is more in line with the job market, things like instructional design, public speaking, etc.. It's tricky because it's such a hybrid of different approaches to a resume, and I still haven't come up with something I think is really good.

[FromClaygary]

Scarlett.... thanks so much for sharing the info. I really appreciate it.

FromClaygary--I'm so proud of you..sorry I haven't checked in before now to say it. You inspired me to take a look at my resume... it's really dated since I've been basically using the same format for 15 years. I've tried to personalized my letters a bit more to the job rather htan copying and pasting the same old same old. And every now and then I'll do somehting whacky to get somebody's attention heee.

Couchie :thbighug-1: thanks!! What a nice thing to say! Resumes have definitely changed over the last few years...so far I'm having the most success with a skills-based resume format.

Thank you Scarlett! I look forward to checking out those links.

I've been working on my resume too. I went to a job workshop and we were supposed to have our resumes critiqued by an expert. Unfortunately she totally bummed me out by offering no critique whatsoever, and saying that I was unemployable outside my field, but I still got some good ideas from the workshop. I'm trying to work on a resume that highlights all the skills involved in college teaching in language that is more in line with the job market, things like instructional design, public speaking, etc.. It's tricky because it's such a hybrid of different approaches to a resume, and I still haven't come up with something I think is really good.

What a completely ridiculous, untrue and unhelpful statement to make at a job workshop! THAT's the kind of expert you need!...or not!

Well, I'm now headed for a 4th interview Wednesday for the job I completed a 3rd interview for... . Good news is, they've bumped me up a job level, so the position I'm 4th interviewing for is a supervisory one with more money and more hours. With a guarantee of at least the lesser position if this one doesn't work out.

I've been made an offer by one company, but am trying to hold off a bit until the above falls one way or the other. If I lose it, I lose it. I've learned NOT to jump at the first opportunity.

The fulltime position did not work out; honestly, I think it was a teaser for a placement company, in retrospect.

Would it be of any interest for some of those looking, to have a little roundtable on resumes? I do have a fair bit of hiring/employment background, and would be glad to have a look at your resume and provide some feedback, if you would find that helpful. And I'd love to let someone have a look at mine and provide the same.

If you'd like to do this, PM me or post here, and we'll exchange

[jmh123]

That's a great idea, FromClaygary. I'm definitely interested.

[Couch Tomato]

I am too. I know mine is way outdated.

[djs111]

Count me in!

[FromClaygary]

Count me in!

Cool! will send you a note....

[Couch Tomato]

Thank you FromClaygary. She gave me lots of pointers to get my resume to a 21st century format!

[FromClaygary]

Here's a podcast (first link) and a short article on resumes (second link) that I just got in my mail this morning! Talk about timely LOL!

I haven't listened to the podcast yet, but it sounds good LOL!

Podcast here

Article here

These are "Canadian content" but I think should still work for you.

[FromClaygary]

I GOT MY JOB!!!!

The 4th interview one!!

The very first one I sent a resume to....it just took this long, can you believe it??

I'm familiar with the company from being a customer....and I've liked the sounds of things all the way along. This is the one I really wanted...although I did receive another offer yesterday as well...which I regretfully (to them) and with my fingers crossed behind my back, turned down. Thank goodness!

Thanks SO much to everyone for all the encouragement! Keep sending those resumes as they happen! :thbighug-1:

ETA: I am SOOOOO going to enjoy this weekend!

[jmh123]

Congratulations!!! :twinklewhore: :twinklewhore:

[Couch Tomato]

Yay!!!!!

Congratulations!

[FearofH2O]

That's fantastic FromClaygary. I think it helps that they know you.

[ldyjocelyn]

Congratulations FromClaygary!

[ausdon]

Congratulations!!!

[heinz]

Congrats Fromclaygary!!!