Lost Another Job - Is There Something Wrong?

[Deva]

My shitty situation is that I lost my job of 7 years in February of 2010. After six months of hell on earth for an introvert - job interview land, I finally landed one in August of 2010. Now, of course, they don't have any more work for me to do (although they say they like me) and have cut my hours to less than half so low that I can't make it.

 

I don't know what the answer is. Maybe I need to go back to church and get right with Gawd and stop hobnobbing with Buddhists and Pagans.

 

I am almost ready to believe anything.

[Overcame Faith]

Damn, so sorry to hear this. But law firms are not immune from this terrible economy. Believe me, I know first hand (as you do).

[florduh]

Sorry for this latest bad news. I hope things turn around quickly for you.

[oddbird1963]

Oh, Deva! That is such alarming news! I hate that for you. My motivation for going back to church would be to make connections to members of the local business community who might be hiring, not because there is some sky-daddy or cosmic force getting back at you for leaving the fold.

 

It's kind've a cynical approach, but hey! You've got to make ends meet in a world that unfairly labels you as "good" or "bad," "trustworthy" or "untrustworthy" based on whether or not you plant your bottom in a pew every few Sundays or so.

 

I too am so sorry this is happening to you!

[Falloutdude]

Sorry you've lost your job, Deva, i can't imagine what that would be like, especially in times as uncertain as these. I hope things even out for you soon.

[hereticzero]

Would like for me to tell your future by reading the entrails of your former boss? Just askin' as a novice pseudo-pagan atheist.

[Suzy]

I'm sorry to hear that, Deva. I hope you manage to find another job too.

 

God doesn't solve job problems, though. When I came out of college I had a very difficult time to land a job, in fact I haven't for 3 years! And I was a Christian. At the end a good friend helped (a non-Christian BTW).

[Margee]

My shitty situation is that I lost my job of 7 years in February of 2010. After six months of hell on earth for an introvert - job interview land, I finally landed one in August of 2010. Now, of course, they don't have any more work for me to do (although they say they like me) and have cut my hours to less than half so low that I can't make it.

 

I don't know what the answer is. Maybe I need to go back to church and get right with Gawd and stop hobnobbing with Buddhists and Pagans.

 

I am almost ready to believe anything.

 

Deva, I lost a big business when I was a christian! Always Deva, always - just when I thought things in life couldn't get any worse - something came along. Hang in there my friend. You are a smart woman.

[Deva]

I am just so sick and tired of having to do this making a living thing. I wake up cussing. What a life! I hate always having to force myself to do stuff I hate. I am not in any way ready for more job interview BS.

 

This was a pretty good office for me. I got along well with everyone and that was a tremendous benefit. Now back to square one and having to prove myself once again for the umpteenth time.

 

Makes me sick.

[JadedAtheist]

I'm really sorry to hear this Deva. I absolutely abhor the job hunting process and interviews and when I had to do that earlier this year I completely detested it and it killed me going through it. I do hope something comes up for you Deva.

[par4dcourse]

Nothing wrong with you, Miss Deva, there's something seriously wrong with the economy. Hold your head up.

 

BTW, I think it's amusing that in the post title you spelled church as chruch (crutch). Freudian slip?

[buffettphan]

I'm so sorry about your job loss. As another extreme introvert, I sure can empathize with you about the pain of job searching and interviewing. Maybe you could find another part-time job to supplement the current one til their business picks back up? I hope something comes up for you soon. {{Big Hugs}}

[Phanta]

I'm so sorry you are going through this, Deva. What a crap time.

[NaturalMary63]

I am just so sick and tired of having to do this making a living thing. I wake up cussing. What a life! I hate always having to force myself to do stuff I hate. I am not in any way ready for more job interview BS.

 

This was a pretty good office for me. I got along well with everyone and that was a tremendous benefit. Now back to square one and having to prove myself once again for the umpteenth time.

 

Makes me sick.

 

 

I can completely relate - interviews are the worst. Perhaps a temp agency? Or substitute teaching? (they're in constant demand here) At least while you're looking for something else permanent in your field.

 

Hang in there!

[Kaiser01]

its the economy deva not your fault.

[Deva]

Nothing wrong with you, Miss Deva, there's something seriously wrong with the economy. Hold your head up.

 

BTW, I think it's amusing that in the post title you spelled church as chruch (crutch). Freudian slip?

 

Not really, Par. But it does say a lot that a legal secretary would make that kind of a mistake. My typing and spelling is ordinarily beyond reproach. I am really, really pissed off and it effects me physically and in every way. I didn't sleep but maybe 3 hours last night and I don't know how much more I can take.

 

I have already had a call to come in for an interview, but really, I'm in a lousy state to do it and haven't called them back yet.

 

Some of you know what I went through last year and some don't.

[Deva]

I am just so sick and tired of having to do this making a living thing. I wake up cussing. What a life! I hate always having to force myself to do stuff I hate. I am not in any way ready for more job interview BS.

 

This was a pretty good office for me. I got along well with everyone and that was a tremendous benefit. Now back to square one and having to prove myself once again for the umpteenth time.

 

Makes me sick.

 

 

I can completely relate - interviews are the worst. Perhaps a temp agency? Or substitute teaching? (they're in constant demand here) At least while you're looking for something else permanent in your field.

 

Hang in there!

 

Thank you Mary. I have already contacted several temp agencies. I was able to stay afloat in 2010 only because of them, and my parents giving me money (that's why they don't know yet). Some do try to help you but most of them are a complete waste of time. I know I drove 45 minutes last year to an interview with one and she was nice but didn't do a damn thing for me. On the other hand, I did get a temp job through another which lasted two months and I made a mistake and left it for a so called permanent job that was a friggin disaster. They fired me after two weeks- and that fucked up my unemployment checks and then I had the state calling me for months afterward asking me to explain what happened with the job. That's why I don't even want to mess with applying for unemployment now, even if I were totally unemployed.

 

Screw em all.

[Deva]

I'm so sorry you are going through this, Deva. What a crap time.

 

Yeah, this sucks. I can't tell you how upsetting it is.

[Deva]

its the economy deva not your fault.

 

I am sure you are partly right, but I made some stupid decisions earlier in my life. I certainly can't erase them. It is also my fault, at least in part.

[Deva]

Hey, I just found a job listing for a "Christian law firm" Hah! How do you guys think that would work out? Maybe I should apply just for kicks.

[Deva]

It's kind've a cynical approach, but hey! You've got to make ends meet in a world that unfairly labels you as "good" or "bad," "trustworthy" or "untrustworthy" based on whether or not you plant your bottom in a pew every few Sundays or so.

 

I too am so sorry this is happening to you!

 

Thank you oddbird. Yes, if I get desperate enough I would do it. Absolutely. I would go back to church if it meant the difference between losing my house and starving or not. You bet.

[Mongo]

After six months of hell on earth for an introvert - job interview land, I finally landed one in August of 2010.

 

Hi Deva,

 

I'm an introvert as well but I am also fairly optimistic and I have a fairly strong belief that I have the ability to improve/influence the world around me.

 

As someone who has interviewed and hired people it is clear to me that people over estimate the value of qualification and under estimate the value of making the bosses world a better place.

 

It is not about getting coffee for the boss (not against that) but rather the attitude that we can:

- make life easier for the boss by doing the 'defined' requirements of the job

- make life easier for the boss by doing useful but undefined tasks (Useless tasks only say you work hard but they don't make the bosses life easier)

- fit in without making the boss deal with personal drama. That said, bosses trade job flexibility (helping us with our problems) for task flexibility (us helping the boss with theirs). Flex hours and such are useful to employees but if managing our perks or flexibility is something the boss can't trust us to keep in balance (always in their favour) then we become a problem rather than a problem solver.

- raise the office optimism that things can get done / get fixed, rather than lower it

- get along with others so the boss doesn't have to manage our office relationships.

 

A former boss and I used to rate people on 3 or 4 factors and one was an outright "P&V" factor or Piss and Vinegar. Once we understood their basic competence to do the job, the other factors reigned supreme.

 

A boss wonders whether they will have to push the employee, deal with conflict, deal with an attitude, spend too much time explaining why a certain decision/policy is valid and such.

 

Consciously or unconsciously, a boss always looks at a candidate through the lens of: "One month after hiring him/her, will I still enjoy working with them?"

 

This is not about being outgoing or personable but more about optimism and cooperation.

 

It shocks me how many people don't get it.

 

Here is a site in my bookmarks that discusses it. The bottom half is advice for employees. I don't buy into the positive thinking stuff too much but when it comes to how you look at your job and your employer, there is some great advice here:

http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/tennant/why-employers-need-to-screen-out-toxic-job-candidates/?cs=46712

 

I do wish you the best of luck.

 

Mongo

[Deva]

Thank you, Mongo, I am going to study the link you provided carefully.

 

I know that i am not in a positive frame of mind right now, and yet I really need a job quickly. Its hard to fake it. Probably I will slip up if I can't prepare beforehand. I know I have to convince the interviewer that I can do the job, and that I really want the job - all in a very positive frame of mind. No one wants a negative person around.

 

This is not easy right now.

[NaturalMary63]

I am just so sick and tired of having to do this making a living thing. I wake up cussing. What a life! I hate always having to force myself to do stuff I hate. I am not in any way ready for more job interview BS.

 

This was a pretty good office for me. I got along well with everyone and that was a tremendous benefit. Now back to square one and having to prove myself once again for the umpteenth time.

 

Makes me sick.

 

 

I can completely relate - interviews are the worst. Perhaps a temp agency? Or substitute teaching? (they're in constant demand here) At least while you're looking for something else permanent in your field.

 

Hang in there!

 

Thank you Mary. I have already contacted several temp agencies. I was able to stay afloat in 2010 only because of them, and my parents giving me money (that's why they don't know yet). Some do try to help you but most of them are a complete waste of time. I know I drove 45 minutes last year to an interview with one and she was nice but didn't do a damn thing for me. On the other hand, I did get a temp job through another which lasted two months and I made a mistake and left it for a so called permanent job that was a friggin disaster. They fired me after two weeks- and that fucked up my unemployment checks and then I had the state calling me for months afterward asking me to explain what happened with the job. That's why I don't even want to mess with applying for unemployment now, even if I were totally unemployed.

 

Screw em all.

 

Alrighty then. Screw 'em. We don't need no stinking temp agencies.

[Xerces]

My shitty situation is that I lost my job of 7 years in February of 2010. After six months of hell on earth for an introvert - job interview land, I finally landed one in August of 2010. Now, of course, they don't have any more work for me to do (although they say they like me) and have cut my hours to less than half so low that I can't make it.

 

I don't know what the answer is. Maybe I need to go back to church and get right with Gawd and stop hobnobbing with Buddhists and Pagans.

 

I am almost ready to believe anything.

 

Well, consider this, you live in a wealthy country, eat good food, have internet and a roof over your head, probably drive a good car, and I'm assuming you have a good education, and are in good health. All while some kid in Somalia probably has their face in the dirt slowly dying of starvation.