Comments | team_unemployed: Employers Playing Games

nikkkitheunholy in team_unemployed

Employers Playing Games

Jul 14, 2009 23:40

Hello, I'm another new person to the community. Well, fortunately (sort of), I am employed, but my room mates (my brother and my best friend) are not, so I guess that makes me a sympathizer. Anyhow, I do have a question/dilemma on involving my best friend ( Read more... )

introduction, follow up, failure

Comments 11

kimbari July 15 2009, 16:44:24 UTC

I've been working since 1974. One of the things I've learned (the hard way) is that if an employer wants you, you WILL hear from them. If they don't call after a couple of days, just move on.

I can't tell you how many "positive" interviews I've had where the employer led me to believe I had the job. I got smart about their shit the third time it happened. The only thing you can do is keep looking... and find another way to make money. Not all jobs are listed in the paper or online.

Good luck.

nikkkitheunholy July 15 2009, 17:42:28 UTC

He (and my brother) have both been looking online, in the Sunday paper (when we have the cash for it, anyway), and just walking around to any business that will give them an application. My room mate also went to "medical assisting" school (a waste of time), and they are supposed to offer "career placement help"--which is basically them sending out your resume to different doctor's office on the off chance one of them are actually hiring. So far, nothing has come of that other than the school calling him back to say "hey, have you found a job yet?"

Are there any other ways of going about this?

He's really upset about it because he is an extremely charismatic guy, and this is the first time he has ever had trouble finding a job. I actually don't think I would have my job if it wasn't for him charming my boss... hehe.

kimbari July 15 2009, 20:12:37 UTC

He should keep trying, maybe his charisma will get him that job next time. ;)

Has he thought about work at home positions. Two that I'm familiar with are Virtual Vocations and Elance. They both offer have bona-fide job offers but you have to pay get access to those listings. VV is $6/week minimum, I don't know what Elance's is because I haven't really gotten into it. This is a great article on working Elance.

hybrid_xisha July 15 2009, 16:44:28 UTC

I'm very disappointed in what asses many employers are becoming. Yes, employers, you can afford to be more finicky with who you hire in this market, but that doesn't give you license to not do YOUR part. It's not right to say you'll call and then never follow up, or fail to have all the information right when it's needed ( ... )

nikkkitheunholy July 15 2009, 17:34:15 UTC

Yeah, I don't get it. Even at my job, my boss (who does hiring and interviews) gets everybody's hopes up every time they walk in the door asking for an application, even though we all know there is absolutely no open positions. I at least have the common decency to tell these people that all the positions are full at the moment (when my boss isn't there.) We all know what kind of market it is out there, why get people's hopes up if you have no intention on hiring them? It's wrong. While that person is waiting for you to call back, they could have been working on finding another job ( ... )

nikkkitheunholy July 15 2009, 17:37:07 UTC

even though we all know there is absolutely no open positions

I mean... "even though we all know there are absolutely no open positions"

... I need coffee.

(The comment has been removed)

nikkkitheunholy July 16 2009, 08:28:35 UTC

He's not getting unemployment... his last job was across the country, so I don't think he qualifies. Plus, Nevada (where we live) is practically owned by casinos + we don't pay state taxes, so state welfare is really difficult to get.

I tried getting food stamps months ago, and they wanted entirely too much information way too quickly. Now I just make too much money...

vara_design July 15 2009, 19:47:30 UTC

I've gotten the "tease" too. It's a horrible thing to do to a person! We're under SO much stress, it only makes it worse!

What I've learned to do is to NEVER stop looking! Ever. So, even if you think it's in the bag, keep applying to other places. All the time. Doing this has left me with my phone ringing almost every day. I still haven't landed a "sure thing", but I have 5 people who are going to get back to me within 2-7 days. 5 people is better than 1. If you get what I'm saying? So, I would advise him to just keep applying. Follow up, but keep interviewing and applying with other people at the same time. The more in-demand you are, the more others will want you too.

settlingbones July 15 2009, 23:05:36 UTC

That is awful! First, I just want to say I'm really sorry your friend went through all that.

Second, I agree that if an employer wants you they will you know and you won't have to chase them down to be hired.

I would, however, insist that your friend at least continue to contact (I would say physically, in person vs. over the phone) just to get back his W4 form. If they aren't going to hire him, they don't need to keep that information... especially since it has his social security number on it. I may be paranoid, but to me that sounds like a potentially very dangerous situation!

nikkkitheunholy July 16 2009, 08:30:53 UTC

That's what I'm thinking. That sets off red flags in my mind. If his credit wasn't already tanked, I would tell him to be really suspicious.