Career Changer

Dixie

Dixie

Farting Snowflakes
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Whats the ideal job for someone with the following:

Young F, divorced, single mom of preschooler. I suck at math, have a piss poor job history, and I want a job I feel like I could succeed in. I also lack a degree.

I think something in a quiet office type setting as a receptionist might work. I am hard of hearing (Im completely deaf in my left ear with diminished hearing in my right ear and I use aids.)

Im just sick of jumping from job to job and feeling like I am not succeeding at anything. Plus alot of people in my small town know I am hard of hearing and they know I use aids, and I think because of this alot of potential employers are afriad to hire me.

Im letting my EMT certs run out in March as I have no money to take the required Con-Ed classes.

Im just tired of being seen as worthless person (or at least that is how I think people see me) - they automatically think that because Im looking for work all the time they think I must not be a good worker when that is not the case. I want to work - but slaving away in a chicken plant isnt good for my health. After I passed out there I knew I had to quit. I was tired of waking up sick every day. After I quit working there, in about a weeks time I was feeling better than I had been in the last 6 months.

Ive bounced from working as an aide in a Nursing home to working as a janitor and working as a carpet cleaner.

All the above jobs did not work out well for me. NH was communication problems, understandable, no hard feelings, Janitorial - personality conflicts, carpet cleaning - my boss is flaking out on me and not telling me anything and I havent worked for the past two weeks. I need a job ASAP.

Also I live with my parents, I want out. Me and my dad absolutely do not get along, and everyday he makes me feel like a failure for ever being born.

Is there a way for me to obtain housing assistance and still keep my pets?? I wouldnt mind living in a double wide if thats what it took, but I just feel like I cannot take it here anymore.

My goals:
1. Good paying job
2. Decent reliable vehicle
3. decent housing for me, my daughter, and my pets.

any solutions?

Sorry for long whiny-ish post but I wonder what my options are, and I was hoping I could get it from those that have possibly been in my position in the past.
 
sorry, many good jobs require a degree those days... even bachelors degree jobs out there pay is as lousy too...

its dog eat dog world


see your VR and see if they can support you to go back to school
 
As for pets, it is NOT easy... Most apartment don't accept pets. You can apply for housing assistance, but be aware that it could take years to get in. It all depends on where you live and that some areas got shorter waiting list, while others like my area got insanely long wait list (5 years).

To get good paying job, it is NOT easy because many people with degree is now working near minimum wage nowadays! College degrees is NOT the answer to all of your problems! Trust me on that one.

Right now, I am in middle of career change over. I don't know if I will ever actually get muy career change anytime soon. Even though I had plan to go back to school to finish the degree but I discovered there is couple obstacles that prevented me from going back to school at this time. I am working on it, and I may end up not have go back to school if my second job turns out to be an asset foir me.
 
To get a good job you pretty much have to have MBA to Ph.D (But I refer PHDs as Piled High and Deep Degrees) Not everyone has the cash to stay in school for the next 6-8 years.

Im thinking of maybe taking some sort of vocational training where I could at least get in a job where I dont have pinch pennies all the time. Plus I would feel valued and not just a pinch job.

What type of vocational occupations are good for the hard of hearing??

Ive looked Here

Part of me wants to get all creative and go into Graphic Design but it isnt practical here in the area where I live. Part of me wants to do the Buisness Technical certificate where I can finish up and go in a management position in a place like Tractor Supply Co. Wal-Mart, etc. or I could do the Technical certificate in Computer Information Systems which is high demand these days and I could probably find work fairly quickly starting out as an apprentice.

I just know Im sick of wiping peoples butts and scrubbing toilets for a meager paycheck.

Anyone here with recommendations??
 
I am afraid to tell ya, these high technies jobs that you mentioned is no longer high demanding job. The supply of the IT technies already outnumbered the demands for the positions. I know it is true back then right before 9-11 where there isn't enough supply of technies. I regretted not taking that opportunity.
I do not have hard answer for you because each person respond to each vocational program differently.

I believe within 10 years from now, there will be more high paying job coming back from overseas. I believe because now that chinese are organize their unions there already! Soon or later, they are gioing to demand for higher wage, I won't be surprise if this happens. Then the companies will find themselve in trap and want to come back here. Knew there won't be any where they can go to get cheap labor anymore.

Please do not let your hope down. I am here encourage you NOT to have too high hope. :)

Dixie said:
To get a good job you pretty much have to have MBA to Ph.D (But I refer PHDs as Piled High and Deep Degrees) Not everyone has the cash to stay in school for the next 6-8 years.

Im thinking of maybe taking some sort of vocational training where I could at least get in a job where I dont have pinch pennies all the time. Plus I would feel valued and not just a pinch job.

What type of vocational occupations are good for the hard of hearing??

Ive looked Here

Part of me wants to get all creative and go into Graphic Design but it isnt practical here in the area where I live. Part of me wants to do the Buisness Technical certificate where I can finish up and go in a management position in a place like Tractor Supply Co. Wal-Mart, etc. or I could do the Technical certificate in Computer Information Systems which is high demand these days and I could probably find work fairly quickly starting out as an apprentice.

I just know Im sick of wiping peoples butts and scrubbing toilets for a meager paycheck.

Anyone here with recommendations??
Click to expand...
 
in my position hope is all I have.

I get sad and depressed just thinking about my predicament and how to get out of it.

the only thing I truly own are my two dogs, my child, and the clothes on my back. everything else belongs to someone else. My truck I use belongs to my parents, my shotgun is a loaner from a friend, my furniture in my room belongs to my parents, I mean where does it end?

Sometimes I think I have been cursed. For the last 3 years nothing has gone right. It has to end somewhere.

The thing with some of the techie fields is that if no one outright hires me, I can have a small start up and work for myself. and eventually make it profitable. In my rural area alot of the older buildings and homes are having to be set up for internet usage. Woth the expansion of the schools, Im sure they would probably like an extra IT person on campus in case the other guy is busy working on something else.
 
Hi Dixie,

I hope I can offer you some advice you'll find useful. This will be a little bit long, but as someone who's been cracking his way around the career path for some time now, I have a whole bunch of advice that I think will definitely help!

I'll write another post soon. Keep tuned!

- Endy.
 
I've read your posts and while I don't know your situation exactly, I think this is one of the best things you can do:

First, get your four-year degree. I know you've mentioned that times are hard, but I promise you that a BA or BS will give you a lot more economic clout. Don't worry about the money for it. There are many financial aid programs, scholarship options, student loans, and so forth. You'll be surprised. Go to your local university or community college and ask about their financial aid. Given that you're a single mother and in a financial predicament, you probably could land a lot of financial aid for college.

You definitely want a four-year degree, so if you go to community college, be prepared to transfer to some university. Lots of times community colleges have transfer pacts with local universities (this is true even for top schools like Auburn, Cornell, Berkeley, and so forth), so you can slip in without a problem.

Once you're in a four-year program, visit the career services office at least once a semester. They're well connected and they'll land you a job. Not just any job, usually a better job than anything most people ever get without a college degree.

I often tell people that even if they're in their thirties or forties, it is still a very good decision to go to college and finish their degree. Yes, it costs money and you're not usually working in college, but the money you make later, the improvement in your quality of life, and the general personal growth you experience in college pays back more than several times over in your life.


Consider this:

According to the Census Bureau, over an adult's working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002).

The Value of a College Degree. ERIC Digest.
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If you want to talk about how you can make getting your degree financially possible, feel free to PM me. I'll gladly share what I know! :)
 
but here is my problem-

I owe an outstanding bill of $300 to the university where I originally attended and I was going through VR to go back and finish up - the university said I must fork over $300 before they allow me to do anything.

I thought OK no problem, and I still had my piddly part-time job. Well my boss just released me from work 3 weeks ago because he no longer needs me. He's since hired two blonde bimbos to do the work I was doing for him. Oh well it is last time I work for him, as he did the same thing to me last summer.

Last time it chapped my ass, this time it really burned me. I have worked for better people in my life.

anyway - with me being unemployed I am unable to pay this $300 bill so I will have to just forget the 4 year program and find something that I can quickly get certified in and get back into the work force so I can get ALL of my bills paid then I start considering going back to school. I know the longer you are the harder it is to go back but I have no other choice.

The university will not even let me have my transcript until I fork over the $400.

I owe nothing to the community college, so at least I will get in there.

I have been trying to get a hold of my VR counselor and he wont call me back. Ive called him once a day for the past week and he will not call me back. I just hope is on vacation and will return soon.
 
I see what you're saying. Would you bear with me if I said this was completely possible to work around, and in a timely way? Say, school by Spring or whenever you want?

For VR, they definitely have a complaints procedure. I don't know how much counselors themselves hate being reported, but if I understand right (and I'm not the best guy to talk to for this) you can file grievances and navigate through the red tape. I also think you can formally request a separate counselor if you feel this one is inadequate. Some research will really help!

It's just like insurance companies. If you disagree with something, you go through their contesting procedures. Or they're like driving tickets: just show up in court and usually the District Attorney will negotiate something lower with you.

Here's a quick solution to the $300. Let's say you get into a community college and you're taking classes with VR support. Right off the bat you can secure a student loan and pay the university the money you owe.

I think the Stafford fixed rate is now 6.8%. Here's the kicker. If you get the Stafford subsidized loan, interest doesn't accumulate until you finish school. That means if you graduate ten years later, you still only have to pay $300.

In fact, the deal on subsidized Stafford loans is so great, I tell people to use it to pay off their credit cards. They save so much more money that way.

Feeling a little charged up now? There's always a workaround. Always. Even when people say there aren't. :) What's your major?
 
I would try to stay out of job and go to school. Sometimes Unemployment isnurance would let you stay on UI for one year, and sometimes there is unemployment service that pays you to go to school.

I am in situation where I regret that I took the job because VR said, since you got job we don't see you need any help finish the school. Plus I have depleted the grants from New Yawk state, and there is no grants for part time student. This kinda pissed me off. I can NOT just quit my job. Only two things I could is after I paid off my auto loan then I could afford quit my job. Or Hopefully my second job company would help me finish my degree because it is pretty much job related with my degree that I have not finished yet.

So, all I can say, be careful,

Student loan is great but there is hitch behind this. You can NOT write student loan off if you file bankruptcy. And if you default on student loan, they won't give you grants. So, make sure you don't mess up with student loan.

Anyway, I hope I could finish degree in my lifetime. It is all up to my second job. One of associate at that 2nd job knew me so well, and told me I will be doing fine because it fits me so well.

Dixie said:
but here is my problem-

I owe an outstanding bill of $300 to the university where I originally attended and I was going through VR to go back and finish up - the university said I must fork over $300 before they allow me to do anything.

I thought OK no problem, and I still had my piddly part-time job. Well my boss just released me from work 3 weeks ago because he no longer needs me. He's since hired two blonde bimbos to do the work I was doing for him. Oh well it is last time I work for him, as he did the same thing to me last summer.

Last time it chapped my ass, this time it really burned me. I have worked for better people in my life.

anyway - with me being unemployed I am unable to pay this $300 bill so I will have to just forget the 4 year program and find something that I can quickly get certified in and get back into the work force so I can get ALL of my bills paid then I start considering going back to school. I know the longer you are the harder it is to go back but I have no other choice.

The university will not even let me have my transcript until I fork over the $400.

I owe nothing to the community college, so at least I will get in there.

I have been trying to get a hold of my VR counselor and he wont call me back. Ive called him once a day for the past week and he will not call me back. I just hope is on vacation and will return soon.
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Clarification

Hey, what I mean stay out of job is that it is MUCH easier to finish school if you don't have anything that would help you success in employment and your NOT employed. Once you gain employment it becomes much harder to finish the school. I admit I regretted that I left RIT in 1999 only to chase a chick and ended up having this crazy chick messed me up, then ended up met Lake Tahoe and oops got her preggy with my beloved son. I am not saying that having my son is "negatively" mistake. It is actually "positive" mistake that makes me move my lazy scumbag ass to get my life back together. Sure it did, but not where I wanted to be. I must say, thanks that bitch from Oregon for kicking my ass so well. If it weren't for her then I could just like Miss P! Anyway, if had not for these, I could have finish school and I could have say, hey VR, I am still outta of job and I am only a year away to finish school, they may have fork the cost.
 
Try a temp agency. They will give you a few tests to see what you can do. From there, they can find a job that suits you.

One temp agency I know of is Adecco.

Sometimes, temp jobs can become permanent.
 
That is good suggestion, Vampy!

VamPyroX said:
Try a temp agency. They will give you a few tests to see what you can do. From there, they can find a job that suits you.

One temp agency I know of is Adecco.

Sometimes, temp jobs can become permanent.
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Temp agency works! It's one of the best way to get a job and they can find what skills you have and they place you to a job and they see how you do in the job and the company may keep you if you do a good job there.
It's probably good for people who's stuck in a situation of bills and need a job with a bit more pay badly.

You could also try going to career exploration center at your local college and research the career findings and what u're really interested in and even find out if that career has a hiring boom and has plenty of positions, you could talk to the career exploration counselor and they can give you advice on it.

You could also try taking a few classes under non profit organizations like Goodwill which can provide free classes for computer related stuff, customer service, etc. It might help you build some skills, so you can find a job a little more than entry level position.
 
Ive caled the tamp agency Manpower plenty of times - and they always say there is no work. Finally I just gave up on using the temp agency as Im about as good as I was trying to find work on my own.

Im not even sure what type of career I would be successful in. I had to take a skills test for VR and they said my reading, writing, and comprehension was above college level, but I absolutely bombed math. I hate numbers, I try to avoid them like the plague. But thing is for all the good paying jobs these days, you have to be excellent at math as well as writing.

Ive thought about trying to become a shop manager of some sort - but thing is if I am hired in through VR - then that means I may never get past entry level due to peoples fears about my ability to perform job tasks due to my hearing or lack of it. Plus you have to take buisness math courses aka accounting/bookeeping.

I dont want to spend the rest of my life scrubbing toilets and mopping floors.

Im going to try calling VR again today and tell them my counselor MUST call back or I will file a complaint. That should get them moving. :D
 
You can file complaint to the VR counselor's supervisor. Also you can ask to be tranferred to a different counselor too if you're not happy with the one you are with.

You can look for free training classes, gov't sponsored training programs, Goodwill. If you live in a city then you have more options than in a small town.

I understand how you feel--Ive gone through hard times with no job too and its easy to get depressed when you wake up in the morning and there's no reason to get out of bed. Hang in there and keep trying different options until something works out. Good luck!!
 
Well my VR counselor called back - and turns out he's been in the hospital all week so no wonder he wasnt calling me back.

Anyway we scheduled an appt Monday morning so we can go over my options and figure out what is best.

I told him I lost my part-time job and Im in a position where I cannot afford to not work, if that makes any sense. So I asked him if we could change plans to instead of me going back to school to see if they will send me to train for a job. He then asked me what I wanted to do, and I was like well I dont know Im just trying to figure out how I could set myself up to succeed instead of fail.

Im just at rock bottom and Ive got to get a job so I can get myself out of this pit.
 
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