| Jul 5 @ 9:41 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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signme
Posts: 9,605
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I've been in the same job for 30 years, teaching in a small town. But when I retire in a few more years, I'll want to find something part time. And being in a small town, that may be hard to do.
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| Jul 5 @ 9:44 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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beckyiv42000
Posts: 12,083
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I guess when life hands you lemons .... slice the f***ers, stick 'em in a bottle of Corona, and get drunk.
no no no  you grab the tequila and salt and come to my house for a party 
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| Jul 5 @ 10:38 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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RareQuestor
Posts: 1,519
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I know what you mean, Daisy. The days of "compassionate" employers seem to be long behind us. It's hard from both sides. The local diner who would hire an elderly widow to just sit at the register and talk to people and ring up their sales, just to give her something to do to fill her time and have a little income to keep her from the poor house can't do it anymore. (Unless its under the table.) Companies check your health insurance claims and if you have anything that looks like a chronic problem, gee. they just don't have a position for the over-50s. I hear people wondering why so many "old people" work at Wal-Mart, and sometimes I just wanna clean their clocks. Just read a new article earlier today about how ERISA is working to do just the opposite of what was intended. Companies are no longer sticking with insurance companies, and if your company insurance carrier changes they can deny you for a previous condition that you were covered for under the prior company. And nothing has changed except who the company buys their insurance from.I ran into a problem last year when I let my private life insurance accidentally lapse. Now I can't get even get an increase in my company life plan.
File that one under "everything old is new again."
People who are nostalgic about the old days often forget that there was a time when the only thing you got from an employer was a paycheck. Everything else--retirement, insurance, et cetera--was your problem. It is strange, but we are slowly returning to those days. 
[Edited on 7/5/2008 10:43 PM]
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| Jul 5 @ 10:40 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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signme
Posts: 9,605
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| Jul 5 @ 10:51 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Aeromuse
Posts: 2,819
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C'mon guys - party at becky's 
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| Jul 5 @ 10:55 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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BandTMom
Posts: 28,448
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I'm in!
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| Jul 5 @ 10:55 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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RareQuestor
Posts: 1,519
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Incidentally, I can't decide whether that is a good thing or not. On one hand, employee benefits provided an element of social stability and security never before achieved in our history. It enabled people to devote their talents to an entire career instead of constantly seeking new employment. On the other hand, of course, employee benefits drove up both wages and prices (since such costs were always passed onto to the consumer) and this in turn drove corporations and other employers to look overseas for labor. Outsourcing jobs meant that there were fewer people who could afford their products, however, which just reinforced the vicious cycle. When I was a teenager, I remember a lot of bitterness about Caterpillar, John Deere and other local employers moving their plants to Mexico. In just the short span of twenty years, that animosity has been redirected towards China and India and now it is the Mexicans who are complaining about their jobs being outsourced to China and India.
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| Jul 6 @ 10:42 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Gallows_Humor
Posts: 8,063
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limes.....
...I guess when life hands you lemons .... slice the f***ers, stick 'em in a bottle of Corona, and get drunk.
sometimes trying to do something that is not quite right never works out how it is supposed to...
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| Jul 6 @ 10:57 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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willowy1
Posts: 4,984
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^^Wha?
Muse fake it until you make it girly girl! Get in there and sell yourself. Nag them until they hire you. 
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| Jul 6 @ 11:06 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Gallows_Humor
Posts: 8,063
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corona's take limes...lemonaide takes lemons....
when life hands you limes grab a corona...
when it hands you lemons add sugar and make lemonaide...
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| Jul 6 @ 11:06 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,368
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Job hunting sucks - no doubt. When I was in my early 20's I was at a diner talking to a very wise old guy about job hunting. He said "If you think you belong behind a wheelbarrow, that's the job they'll give you." IOW, aim high.
"Job security" has nothing to do employers, and everything to do with the skill set one acquires over the course of one's life. If your skill set is limited to assembling bumpers, your job options are very limited. If your skill set covers many fields and industries, you have a much wider selection of opportunities to choose from. For you young-uns... develop skills, employer relationships don't mean anything. With skills, you can choose where you work (even from home) and even how much you get paid (to a great degree). The more skillful you are, the more money you can demand.
Rule of thumb - never consider a job your "last" job. Stay at the top of your field and keep taking positions that may advance you in your field or expand your skill set. It doesn't matter what you do - if you're the best at it, you will be in demand. 
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| Jul 6 @ 11:28 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Heaveninawildflower
Posts: 15,360
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In general, I'd agree with Pete's assessment entirely, but I took a different option - I'm an extremely specialized specialist. Long story, but I got into the place thru dumb luck, but managed to parlay that into sujpporting a computer system that I helped design - I'm useless to any company except the one I work for, but they pay me 6 figures to help ensure that system keeps running. I've been there for 38 years now, and while I could have become more generalized and thereby more valuable to other companies, I chose to go the specialist route...at least partly through loyalty to the company that gave me a chance to show what I could do back in the days when companies like the one I'd worked for originally could tell you to your face that you were being passed over for training, promotion, etc. for no reason except your gender.
Botton line - like any relationship, when you DO find the right one, hang on for dear life!
Good luck to all the searchers out there - times are tough but hey WILL turn around.
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| Jul 6 @ 11:45 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,368
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I agree Heaven. Developing a skill set to a very high level (best in your field) is exactly what I'm talking about and is a very reasonable goal. In your case you found a great company that is willing to pay for the very best person in that field (even though it's specialized). And there definitely ARE good companies.
Or, you can be independent. Red Adare does one thing only... but he's the best (at putting out oil fires - for those who don't know who I'm talking about). He gets something like $1000/minute to do what he does (with his crew). But if you've got an oil fire, who ya gonna call?
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| Jul 6 @ 11:48 AM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Aeromuse
Posts: 2,819
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Muse fake it until you make it girly girl! Get in there and sell yourself. Nag them until they hire you.
That is the plan. The gig I really want I've been turned down twice for being a new grad. Once I get over the the pain of rejection(again) and the time limit for re-appying is up - I'll try again. NEVAH SAY DIE!!!!!!
Pete....Heaven...all good points.
LB....GH......I actually have coronas in the fridge. And limes
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| Jul 6 @ 12:14 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,368
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Muse,
I had to look up what a medical transcriptionist actually does. I wrote some software a long time ago for court-reporters, and this field sounds similar in some ways.
Anyway, it sounds like the field is moving away from an office-based (tape) and toward an internet-based system. That means you aren't necessarily bound to your area - you could transcribe for anyone. There's no reason that I can see (and I certainly don't know anything about your career choice) why you have to limit yourself. Have you tried Craigslist for freelance positions? Just a thought.
If, indeed, medical transcription is only just now catching up to the internet, this is an AMAZING opportunity for you. Be one of the first to offer internet transcription services (I know we're too late here but you see where I'm going with this). Whether you're on the cutting edge or not, at least you can work (presumably). And any experience is better than no experience.
Back in the '90's I was one of the early proponents for telecommuting. It seemed like an obvious solution to many of our energy problems. I wrote articles and was even featured in a book by someone else.  Although it sounds like a possibility for you, it doesn't work for every type of job. So if I'm coming at this from some goofy angle that doesn't work for your field, my apologies.
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| Jul 6 @ 12:24 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Angel178
Posts: 22,964
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I wish anyone looking good luck...it's very hard to job hunt and I've been blessed
I don't think there is anywhere else for me to go, I think in my field I've gone as far as I can go...(dealing on a pre-school level)....there are no other options
I guess maybe a whole career change is the only way to go
I better get started on applying for my masters degree...Sep. is almost here....
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| Jul 6 @ 12:35 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Aeromuse
Posts: 2,819
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A telecommuting job in MedTran is what I'm really gunning for Pete - lots of companies out there, but unfortunately your chances of finding a job with one in an entry level position is hard to come by,especially these days. First off, a lot of the transcriptionists with years of experience are giving up their hospital/clinic/what-have-you jobs to transcribe from home due to the soaring cost of gas. Also, many of these jobs are being outsourced to India now  Don't even get me started on that!
I'm even applying for jobs that aren't strictly medical transcription at this point - trying to cast a wider net!
And Angel - good luck! Furthering your education is always a wise move!
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| Jul 6 @ 10:54 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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SpiritEnergy
Posts: 17,012
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Um, yeah, worse thing is working for a shithole job and having to do it due to necessity. Plus kissing up to keep it.
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| Jul 6 @ 10:57 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting?
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Aeromuse
Posts: 2,819
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Even that would be OK by me SE. Just something to get me through.
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| Jul 6 @ 10:59 PM |
Is there anything more soul-sucking or esteem-depleting than job hunting? |
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Pete73052
Posts: 19,368
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There seems to be a lot of billing work for medical. I have a friend who does this from home.
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