Since March, pretty much nothing in my field has popped up by way of the normal online job search engines. Well today one did–that’s a qualified hurrah you hear because again, I’m overqualified. But I’m gonna try anyway. I’m sick of sitting at home and deciding if the thrill of the day will be scooping cat litter or vacuuming up cat hair.
Good news, indeed!
ETA: That was directed to Spoons. I’m with ya on the making cleaning the kitchen a multi-day project, though. (Today – mopping!)
Congratulations. Good luck with the new position.
I"m spending the afternoon cleaning bathrooms. Is this what we had in mind when we were in our early 20s and longed to have summer vacations again? 
Spoons, congratulations on the new job!
Well, I now have reason to believe that my former employer is blackballing me. I’m getting a reference checking service to see what they’re saying, and if it’s really, really bad, I’m getting an attorney.
My old boss kinda-sorta offered me a job tonight and wanted to know if he can’t open a job for me, would I be willing to consult and how much would that cost? I did not close any doors, but did not commit to anything.
Done and dropped off. crosses fingers
You should quote a consult rate at least double what you were earning before.
Been writing some material for the sustainability journal I’d hoped to edit – got a call today asking for a second rewrite of one piece. Effin’ editors. I know now why we’re so universally loathed. (Actually, not a problem – the first rewrite was when we went from 600 to 950 words on this, which is nice, since I’m being paid by the word – but I hadn’t listened carefully enough to what he’d said about what he wanted in the expanded section. Because, yanno, I’m an editor and I knew what the story needed. 
)
It’s nice to do productive work, though it’s pulling teeth to get me to sit down to write – dunno why I’m so weird about it.
Yeah, actually I’ll probably go higher. The company has a history of laying off when they have to meet their numbers - and the first to go are the consultants. I can expect the last month of every quarter to be lean. If I do anything at all with it, that is. I may simply tell him I don’t want to go back to consulting.
Ok, this is a weird question: should I mention my Bulwer-Lytton Fiction award on my resumes, or as part of a cover letter? I am not applying for jobs that focus on writing skills, but most above-entry-level jobs contain lagnuage about “strong communications (and/or writing and/or verbal) skills” on their descriptions.
My sister says absolutely not: the world is full of grim humorless managers who will not appreciate that writing the world’s worst sentence suggests good writing skills.
I did not mention it on the first application I submitted. I am rethinking it. I am most likely to be applying for facilities or administrative supervisory positions.
I’d say put it on there. As the gentleman pointed out, you may get some interviews just because people will want a chance to meet a guy who actually won the competition. My reply to your sister is putting it on your resume’s one way to weed out the riff-raff. Do you really want to work for a manager who wouldn’t appreciate it?
I say put it on if you’ve got a “personal” section – my current resume has “won $46,000 on Jeopardy!” on it.
Hm, maybe I should take that off…
Yes, but that’s a demonstration of easily recognizeable smartness.
I am facing unemployment in a few months with a mortgage to pay. I don’t WANT to work for a dull-witted manager, but the odds are very high. 
sigh
Well, I had that slim chance of hope for a while now, but I just was officially rejected for the one (and only one) job I’ve had an interview for. I suspected as much, since I didn’t hear from them for over a month after my phone interview, but an email I got today confirmed it.
Of course, not being a fool I was still searching and applying to jobs, but none of those have had anything so much as a rejection email. Hell, I even applied to be an patient care/office/manufacturing assistant for a prosthetic/orthopedic brace company, because at least it would be something* more closely related to me degree than waiting tables. :mad:
I am about two steps away from giving up and just deciding I will never have the job I want, or need for that matter. 
Casual observer here… I’m curious how most of you are making it financially without a job? Did you have any rainy days savings? Pulling money out of a 401K?, Credit cards? Significant other? As far as I know, unemployment doesn’t pay a living wage in any state but that could depend on how frugal of a lifestyle you typically lead.
While I’m currently well-employed, I’ve gone through periods of employment insecurity and the one overwhelming fear I have is how I’m going to continue to pay my bills over any sustained period of unemployment. I have resources on-hand, but after 3 months -it’ll start to hurt.
Savings and freelance work myself. Even though the former has been steadily draining for years (as long as I’ve not had a steady job, as I mentioned before), I’m at least paying my bills.
Checking in with today’s progress.
CV is fully updated with new referee and current employment - I’ve put ‘comic relief’ as one of my official duties, it’s worked before.
I’ve checked all the jobs I circled when I first heard of the redundancy and half have been filled - more than a week ago. The other half are in Hastings, and while I might commute for a full time position, it would eat up part-time earnings just in petrol.
On the positives; a new job was listed this morning and I could have a good shot at it - their ad mentioned that a sense of humour is a must.
I’ve checked and I’ve got five weeks holiday pay owing, so there’s a little breathing space before my budget becomes a black hole.
I’ve relied on unemployment to pay the bills when I’m between jobs, but I’ve also taken temporary work and I have some savings. However, next week will be my last week on unemployment.
I’ve found a job. It’s in my field for a higher salary than the last one and I like the people I’ll be working with. I’m looking forward to it.