Armen, just make sure that every living Sarcasm Knight has access to your new job's phone number, so we can ring you at random while you are on the clock, which I can only imagine helped better your standing at Walmart. At least I used to ring Cody at the local bar...
actually harpuah, you are wrong. Employers look for people who work hard and are qualified. If they are interviewing for a position and they have four people unemployed and one person all ready employed in a lower paying job all with the same qualifications they will look at the person working over those who aren't. You look the opposite of desperate. You look like you are willing to work. After the first month of unemployment your job prospects get worse and worse. Its a fact. But if you are working even underemployed you have a better chance at a job and more pay. When you are unemployed for six months employers know you will take anything for a job. You can be picky while working. Harpuah, I have never had a problem getting a job and a raise on top of it by working. The joy of working is you get to be picky. Unemployment you don't.
I've looked into it... AEG currently has no available positions open at the Staples Center. However, since AEG is for sale, once that's completed (which should happen by the summer), I'd imagine that maybe there could openings there.
Sorry to hear you were let go, Tunick. Best of wishes for your future job. You'll find one, just hang in there!!
Unemployment update: 1) After a couple of hiccups, I got my first unemployment monies (in the form of a VISA debit card) in the mail earlier this week. About time. 2) That same day I also got a notice to appear in front of an administrative law judge this upcoming Monday in Pasadena to see if my case is up their standards/to see if I'll be getting more benefits. 3) I've applied to several places over the past 2 months, and so far I haven't got a single interview out of it... not 1! 4) Because the USA network airs marathons 3-4 times a week, I've watched more episodes of Law & Order: SVU in the past 50+ days than I had in the past 2 years... I can't get enough of that show.
Keep applying. They let you go at the worst possible time to find employment. January and Feb are pretty much almost always a bust. Things will pick up gradually. Hang in there. Make sure you show up for the hearing (show up fifteen minutes early). Dress nice and trim your beard. Bring every bit of paperwork you have. What they're going to look for is whether you had prior notice... like, if they gave you a piece of paper that said, "If you do _________ again, you will be fired." A lot of the time, the employer doesn't even show up, and you win by default.
I would start applying like a madman the beginning of March. By April, I think you'll get some calls for interviews. That's basically what I did last year and will do again this year.
I still have my Walmart firing papers, so there's that. And because of the appointment time (11:30am), and the fact that mom will have to drive me there (that's a bit embarrassing), we'll have to leave our place 90-120 minutes early just to be sure, since L.A. traffic is damn terrible.
Bring other paperwork, besides your termination papers... reviews, write-ups, etc... bring everything (go through it and put it in order so you know where and what everything is). Don't half-ass this.
I don't have other Walmart paper work... 90% my previous write ups over the years were done on company computers. Anything I hand wrote (I can only think of 2 instances of that happening) I had to give to a higher up, and I never got those back.
Is there a minimum to how many applications/interviews you must make in a week? State of Iowa required that I make a minimum of 2 applications/interviews/contacts per week to qualify for benefits. I was making anywhere from 8-10 per week, so it wasn't a problem for me, but I did have to document all of them and give account each week for what I did in order to qualify for unemployment. I'm assuming you've already done your research, but if not then I would advise you do everything you can to do so, especially with that hearing coming up.
Yeah after the New Year it's tough... Plus there's always that start up momentum thing where it seems like you have to send resumes for a month or two before the first bite.
California labor laws are a bit more relaxed. Just looking in the newspaper, internet or wherever the heck job openings are posted counts as looking for work, you don't actually have to go out on interviews. Talking to friends who have jobs about openings where they work counts as looking for work, too. The judges have ruled that the looking for work requirement be interpreted as liberally as possible. So, Tunick, any number of posts you've made in this thread count as looking for work.
@Kyle Katarn: I've yet to come across any required number for a job search so far here in California as it relates to benefits. @harpuah: It's the truth!
Even in Texas, the anti-California, the req'ts are light. If I recall sending a résumé for an open position covered you so it was really easy to meet the threshold.
That's right. All he has to do is show he's looking for work, he doesn't even have to get an interview or send in an application. And, Tunick, here's what not to do: A woman called today regarding our open position of Admin. Assistant. She didn't read the ad completely and asked how to apply. Needless to say, she will be screened out because the ad says submit resume with salary history and where to submit that information. If she can't even follow simple instructions like that, she won't be able to handle the job.
Tunes, as we have pointed out, it is a tough economy and the job hunt will in all likelihood be lengthy (and yes, frustratingly so). And as time goes by, as was pointed out to you (and to my wife very recently), you don't want to show a resume that shows a prolonged period of idleness between jobs. Do you have a pal or acquaintance that could serve as, well, an "employer" and reference in case it is needed?
I'd hire Tunes, as I've said before, based on 8 uninterrupted years of big box retail experience. Don't give up! I applied for 4 different Basspro manager jobs the other week and then we get this news that the Barnes & Noble original owner wants to buy and spin out the retail division. I like the sounds of this!
Here in Washington state, it's 3 documented contacts - job #, source, etc. When there's not 3 jobs in your field and it's been going on since 1st of May - it's damn tough. My brother's grant ended; he's in Calif and retired military - he is supposed to make 3 contacts a week as well, although I don't think he has to document them as I do. I've been "audited" once.
Yeah, there's that too. What's important is to keep busy or otherwise convince prospective employers that you ARE keeping busy.
