unemployed, or unemployable?
 

Background: I'm 21 years old, and graduated when I was 17. I've worked full-time at various local ISPs and Web Development companies since a week after I graduated from High School. After two mergers and three massive lay-offs, I lost my job about eight months ago and I've been having a lot of trouble finding a similar job around my area. I quickly ran out of cash from paying rent with no income, and quit EQ / sold my accounts in order to be able to keep my balance in the positive. I'm now living at my dad's, paying him a meager amount ($300) for room and board each month. In the meantime, I've been working on my website and a roster management system in order to keep the web-dev side of my brain active. I have three possible freelance projects starting soon, but nothing full-time, or even part-time.

Dilemma: Well, again, my savings balance is going down down down, with no "real" income. My job search is still turning up empty, and I'm getting pretty frustrated. I've applied at General Dynamics for a "pc tech" position but I haven't gotten a call back yet. My dad's second job is at a local video store, and he's trying to convince me to work there (as a cashier, basically, for minimum wage..). Now, I did this kind of thing when I was 15, and I'm afraid of doing it again because it feels like the work that I put into my web dev career is a waste. I didn't go to college because I convinced myself that I would learn more in the workplace (and I did, imo) but that will be for naught if I start a customer service job. I didn't make much as a programmer, but it was something that I enjoyed and that I felt I was good at. The only thing other than web programming is writing, and as far as I know poets are notorious for being poor. :P

Should I hold out and see how the freelance jobs do before I make a minimum-wage decision? Should I quit whining and be happy that I can get a job that pays $5.25/hr, regardless of how much of a failure it would make me feel?

Here's what to do mate, get a job, study and look for another at the same time. Tis what I decided to do.. but now I don't know.. I'm working as a processor at the meat factory earning around 16 bucks an hour, prolly around 9-10 bucks US an hour, it's a good job I bring home 450 after tax a week, but I only work 3 days a week, unfortunatly they're fri-sun, no partying. I'm doin a bit of work in 3D stuff, but when I look at it, it does make good money, but the work is hard to find in that area.

Unlike you I don't have the experience or qualifications, so I might as well be shooting blanks in trying to get a job like that. But yeah, I say go for the job, study as well, and look for another. THEN when a desirable job comes along, say bye to the crappy one and start enjoying yourself.

Apparently most people don't end in the jobs they want anyhow, what I REALLY want is to own one hundred acres of land somewhere and have alot of horses.. That was what the job in computers was for, to earn alot of money fast and then go from there...

Getting off the beaten track abit. But like I said, sometimes you gotta rough it before things look up and usually you have to do things you don't want to.

Have Fun
Goldy
:D

What kind of web stuff do you do? You might want to look into database programming like coldfusion, asp, php etc. I'm in a similar situation. I just graduated art school and need a job. I plan on getting a temp job while I spruce up my skillz.

Get into something at night, a part-time job. (maybe something that also does tips)
Get SOME income in.

This will make you available during the day for interviewing & job hunting.
This will also give you some more flexiblity because you are not as desperate.
When you do find the full-time job you want, scale back your hours at the part-time job but still keep it.
It's still at night and won't interfere with your new job.

This will allow you to do several things.
One, you will have something on the side during your probation period and if things don't work out.
Two, it will also you to catch up quicker on your bills and savings
Three, it will give you extra income to get you back out on your own.

It will mean much more effort on your part,
but the returns will be three fold.
Money, self-reliability & reaching your goal efficiently.

Good luck

The economy as a whole is worsening with massive layoffs everywhere, so just take any job you can get right now.

Unfortunately, the job market is like a supply and demand marketplace, and as of right now, it is a buyer's market (employers) with a lot of sellers (job seekers) advertising their services.

Good luck with your job search.

All the best.

I work with PHP and Perl mostly, but I can read coldfusion and am probably a $30 book away from adding it to my list. I've done a little Java maintainance in the past but have no desire to work with it on a primary basis.

you gotta do 2 things in life ... roof over the head and food in the stomach.. anything else after that is gravy.

It's a humbling thing to have to do, there's a big shit pie going on right now some people caught a whiff of it early and battened down the hatches. But everyone is going to have to take a big bite. I know people with PLENTY experience, certs, and diplomas, and still cannot get a job. It's just the cycle we are in right now.

good luck

Yeah, I'm in nearly the same situation...I recently graduated with a degree in Music Production and Engineering, and instead I'm working at a tech support job...sigh.

My advice is to get a job you don't feel any attachment to, like this one. Then, when an opportunity comes along, you can bail, fast, and jump on it.

All in all, keep your spirits up.

MPEDrummer

I'm in college right now (will be my 4th year.) And I am making less now, than I was 3 years ago, which was the last time I had a job with an actual company. I make minimum wage, and work in a video rental store. I don't like it, but I don't have any other choices. This past school year I've probably applied at 20 places that I am able to get to, (I have no car that I can use up at school.) Bite the bullet man, and hopefully something better will come along sooner rather than later. At least I have a tiny bit of money comming in. Sadly I don't even get 40 hours where I work, and I want them. I'm lucky if I get 20 hours a week. $100 pay check woohoo. Yay for not being able to pay rent/utils/food. :( The best of luck to you, and I hope all goes well for you.