I work for a major staffing company in Oklahoma City. Every day I interview people that have huge gaps in employment. I ask them about these gaps and hear all kinds of stories how "no one gives me a chance" but when presented with opportunites, they may last a day or a month before they disappear. Can't people make a commitment and acquire some degree of responsibility.
I'm not talking about mnimum wage box folding jobs. We have well paying long term positions with Fortune 500 companies.
With a 2.3% unemployment rate in Oklahoma, there is NO reason why an able bodied person can't be working.
Ok,feel better now. Thanks for the venting.

There is absolutly no reason that an able bodied person (in AMERICA) shouldn't pull his own weight. Wellfare is an enless trap for all the people that think they need to depend on it. AND , frankly , I'm tired of paying for thier keep. I'm 41-been working since I was 13. I've only been out of work for three days....nuf said

It's been a long day..................

Officially, I'm unemployed right now. (I do some handy man work, but I'm not on anyones payroll.) I've rarely been unemployed for more than a week or so, but sometimes things happen. I've never been on welfare, though. I drove a truck for better than 13 years (it's all I know how to do) so my problem now is finding a job that I'm qualified to do that pays much. I've had 2 jobs since coming off the road, and lost both because I just couldn't cut the mustard. I was trying to learn the job as fast as I could, but they wanted someone who not only knew the job but could do it quickly. That just wasn't me. If it came down to it, I would drive a truck again, but I'm trying to work somethings out so that I don't have to. Sorry to hear that you don't like the unemployed. It doesn't matter, 'cause I still like you. Just because someone is committed, doesn't mean that they have the ability to remain on the job.

Monkey, believe me when I say that I understand your dilemma. When I first began working for this company, it was as a temporary employee. I was sent on a variety of assignments, some I completed and some where the client requested that I take my things home in a box. The common thread between all of these assignments is that I made an effort and never quit. It is that effort that I see lacking in so many people.
Every day people through our agency are removed from assignments and recycled onto other jobs. I want to do everything I can for those people that really want to work to match them up with a job, it is the people who just stop going to work and hangs up on me when I call to find out why. The person who comes in for a new assignment and presnt me with wage verification for gov't assistance, only to not show up for the job once they are on uncle sam's nipple.
Monkey, have you tried going through a staffing servce? I know how frustrating a job search can be when you have to change fields. Please email me, I would like to see if I can hook you up with someone in your area who can help you out.

Dave,

I know your situation and I think you should pursue a career in the service industry. You have the personality and the intelligence to do this. I was promoted from the factory in 1987, and since then my career has taken off. It was hard going to a professional enviroment, but I succeeded.You also have the computer skills needed to do that type of work. It also is not physicallly demanding. I have had 2 back surguries, and I know I could not do factory work any more. You should give it a try.

Before I became a teacher I was a bill collector for mortgages. I collected the “hard core” accounts that were the accounts that were over 3 months past due and getting ready to go into foreclosure. I don’t know how many times I have heard the persons reason for default was “out of work”, I would ask them how long and I would hear answers such as 1 year, 3 years, 5 years??? In a nice way I’d ask them if they thought about getting a lower paying job such as Wal-Mart, McDonalds, etc. Just to get some money flow. I would have people going off on me because I suggesting that they take a $6.00 an hour job to get some type of an income so I might be able to help them keep there house. I couldn’t tell you how many homes that have been taken away because of somebody’s extreme laziness.

Bill--What's the "service industry"?

Hey Monkey, if you have experience driving and maybe even have a cdl, apply for UPS! We can't keep up with our volume right now and I'm sure we'll be doing plenty of hiring soon to battle it. I applied at the local D.E.P 11 years ago, so I assume that would be the place to go. Whatvever you decide, good luck.

Dave,

The service industry is customer service and I'm not talking retail either. I worked in a factory that made welding alloys. I tested and went into the sales office and my career took off. I did that for a year and then started doing technical service work for the same company.

I left that company 2 years later to run a bowling center. I did that for a year and left to work for a welding supply wholesaler. I was with them for 8 years and I learned import/export, purchasing and I even negotiated freight rates for our products going to Europe. The experience I received there has been invaluble. I know you can do the same. Give me a call and I'll give you some advise on where to start.

Gokart--I do have a CDL, but I don't want to drive over the road. I checked into Buster Brown a couple of years ago and they told me that they only hire college students. I haven't been a college student for a long time and I wasn't there very long.

Bill--Interesting timing, huh?

There's allways Fed Ex, if UPS doesn't get ya. There's a few other vans that stop by the shop, but I can't remeber their names and these guys aren't any college students. Good luck on your quest for new employment. The next time I have to look for a job, I think I'll try one of the temperary employment offices like Volt. In Calif.

Will work for Fiero parts

We all work for Fiero parts

MM, I have to agree... check into the customer service thing! That is a great way to get youir foot in the door of a lot of companys. I have a friend that has a box company, people usually start in cutomer service (making $25-30 g's) and after a few years they work themselves into sales. That kind of thing is very common with a lot of business'

You also may want to look at going to a community college, assuming you have those in indiana

Here in Greensboro, we have something like 2.3% unemployment! It is a pain in the ^$$ to find decent people to work at all! Our local gov. has "baited" FedEx to come into town and bring in 1700 more jobs! I do not know where they are going to get the people for this... much less the water (which we have a lack of).

MM, you have some decent, basic computer skills that you could refine with a little bit of training! And b4 you know it, you are not only hireable, but keepable!!

Just a thought!

Funny you should mention the community college thing. I live right next door to IVY Tech (one of the campuses, anyway). I've taken the placement test (did very well, thank you) and talked to a guidance counselor. I'd love to get into either CAD or computers, but I just don't have the $$. I don't qualify for financial aid as I still have some outstanding (and seriously long overdue) student loans. I've been checking out the idea of getting into the service industry, but it seems like there just isn't much demand for that in my immediate area. I can't relocate and I really don't want to drive an hour each way to work. (Wouldn't be too bad in the summer, but would make life umm...unenjoyable in the winter--look on your map to see where I live sometime! Middle of Nowhere, USA!) I applied for a local driving job yesterday, but I don't think there's much chance of getting that. I wouldn't keep it past about October anyhow. One of the reasons I quit driving a truck was because of winter weather. I just can't do it anymore. (Before anyone thinks I'm being a baby...has anyone ever slid sideways down 3 1/2 miles of mountain in a blizzard? Did I mention that this was in a truck? Didn't think so.)