I didn't finish college the first time around. Perhaps it was a lack of vision. Perhaps it was a lack of a dream. I don't know. Regardless, I almost completed my first two years at a local junior college before abandoning my education for the banality of full-time employment.
After a decade-long career in the transportation industry left me feeling listless and dissatisfied, I seriously contemplated a return to college. Living in Chicago at the time, I ventured to the University of Illinois-Chicago and enrolled without much of a plan, yet with the intent to do something. Anything. But as often happens, my family and I relocated to Florida for my wife's new job before I had a chance to select my first class, much less a major.
However, this relocation did not impede my plans. In fact, it actually helped move it along as I found little employment opportunities that matched my skill-set and interests. I entered the University of Central Florida in Orlando around the age of 37 and graduated in December 2004 with a degree in accounting and with a 3.45 cumulative GPA.
During my time there, I managed to work part-time for a local municipality in their accounting department. I frequently thought how lucky I was to be gathering knowledge and skills in a new field while attending UCF. I felt proud and accomplished as I finished UCF at the end of 2004 and my family and I relocated back to Chicago.
However, Chicago at the beginning of 2005 was a taste of things to come. A bad taste. During the three months I actively pursued gainful employment I managed only two interviews and one temporary job placement (which I had to turn down due to its excessive distance from home). Still, this was nothing compared to what I was in store for, when my family unexpected moved to the Dayton, Ohio area at the end of the summer in 2005. My wife had been offered a great job with a new firm and after much discussion, we elected to leave Chicago.
I still maintained high hopes for finding gainful employment quickly even though Chicago had been less than generous. Unfortunately, my optimism was not well-placed as Dayton -- where we moved -- and Ohio at large were suffering greatly from a downturn in the economy. The American automobile industry shared close ties with Ohio and the lackluster performance of the Big Three had taken a toll.
With my freshly printed degree and five years of experience in governmental accounting, I found obtaining even an interview next to impossible. Between August 2005 and September 2007 I managed four interviews and two temporary staffing gigs. It was, to be frank, painful.
And matters have only gotten worse since 2007. I didn't think the recession could really hurt us any more, but it did. Jobs have dried up. I recently attended a job fair for a law firm opening an operations center. They are looking to fill 187 jobs, but I easily saw 300-plus during the one hour I was in attendance. That was during just one hour of at least twelve total hours the job fair ran over the weekend.
Oddly enough, it isn't the daily feelings of hopelessness and depression that really get me down. Instead, it is a constant sense of fear of the future, of not contributing to social security, of not having an IRA, of not contributing to an employer's 401(k). At 45, I have no idea what to do or where to turn. More education seems like a joke. I'm overqualified for the local retail stores. And there are few if any available jobs for my given career path. And while I know I'm not alone, that fact offers zero solace.
I can imagine how difficult it must be for those in their early 20s to be going through the same problems, but at least they still have a long future ahead of themselves; a future that may turn around and offer them a secure place in the world. At my age, I'm not only going to encounter the problems associated with a lack of jobs in the market, but also will be forced to deal with inevitable discrimination that comes with hiring older folks.
A perfect example of how completely out of whack is the economy here in the Dayton, Ohio area, I refer to this passage from an online article from WDTN.com concerning the company Behr and some recent hiring on its part:
"Despite all the job postings, company officials said they had a good pool to pick from. More than 3,000 applicants vied for the 74 positions listed in the last few month."
(http://tiny.cc/3dzdb)
3,000 applicants for 74 positions. Forget the oft quoted number of 5 prospects for ever open position. This equates to 40 for every position offered.
So instead of speculating on why universities are continuing to train students for fields which hold no job prospects we blame this gentleman for being unwilling to mow lawns, dig ditchs, clean up construction sites or sell fries. It's absolutely unthinkable that the fault could be with the nation as a whole. Conversely, if you run a bank into federal bailout territory you are still deemed qualified for multi-million dollar directors jobs. A nation that rewards failure and punishes scholarship doesn't have much gas in the tank. The U.S. is running on fumes.
touted as one of the best majors, so it is surprising to hear of your predicament.
Tried again the next year with the same results: nada.
Part of the problem for me is that there are plenty of other accountants out of work with experience in those particular areas of taxes and general bookkeeping. My expertise was in capital asset and project asset maintenance. I have only seen one job in that area since moving here and I applied for it. Interviewed for it, but didn't get the job.
Um, I totally see how that would be annoying, but it sounds like you are unwilling to take jobs that don't fit yoru career path. I say take whatever job you can get, and in the meantime, look for the job that is related to your career path.
Lets all remember that "doing what we want to" is a luxury, not a right. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. And his wife is employed, so even though I wish him well, this isn't exactly someone that I feel sorry for. He has it better than many. Also, he should stop moving so much. Looks like in this article they relocated at least four times. That's an expensive thing...
Perhaps I should have been more clear in my statement regarding being over-qualified for jobs at my local retailers. This wasn't something I simply assumed, but was told on two separate occasions while interviewing for jobs at such places. I didn't hear from most locations, but two were good enough to interview me, but made it quite clear I was over-qualified for the work. This came as no surprise, but I appreciated they spent the time to both interview me and explain the problem.
In addition, I've been quite open to job opportunities outside of my career path. The problem is the same though: no jobs available. Being open to opportunities doesn't guarantee a job.
I might add I mow a couple of lawns (during the lawn mowing season) just to keep myself busy to some degree. It isn't real money, but at least offers a sense of satisfaction. I'm not too good to work, I'm simply not finding jobs.
Lastly, moving around is irrelevant. I've been here, in Ohio, for five years. I lived in Chicago for six and the rest of my life in Florida. We've moved for my wife's employer.
And lastly, thanks for your comment. I don't need or require your sympathy, but don't jump to the conclusion that just because I didn't mention everything about my bout with unemployment means I haven't been doing something...anything to get working. I simply didn't have enough room to write it all.
Good Luck, and don't give up hope.
I'm 50s, degreed, highly-experienced... but in a field that's not doing any hiring at the moment. But I don't blame Walmart.
And, oddly enough, I too am now in the Dayton area, living with some friends who were nice enough to give me a bed.
Ain't the promise of education grand?
Data entry work looks pretty good to me right now!
I am a healthcare professional and have been out of work for almost fifteen months. I just interviewed for a data entry position yesterday. It barely pays above minimum wage, but this seems to be the norm rather than the exception as far as opportunities goes these days. At this point I'm willing to do ANYTHING, just to be able to work again.
All I have to say is take what you can get. Its easier to get a job when you already have one. You'll feel better about yourself, you'll feel justified, you'll at least have some money and it shows to employers that you are serious.
There are many lower level jobs in the medical field, that require short training (some are reimbursed through the federal govt), in all areas of the country. They may not pay very well, but they have kick ass benefits.
There are jobs out there. Maybe not the ideal jobs, but starting somewhere/anywhere, is crucial to building up a history. Otherwise you're finished.
It's easy to say positive things about lower-level/entry-level jobs in the medical field, but short of returning to school yet again (with no assurances of work once completed) prospective employers will do their best to match the given job to applicants. Work experience, skill set and education (or lack thereof) will determine who gets those jobs. At this point I'm not qualified to grab one.
I will concede, however, that I have often thought the route to take may be to do as you suggest. There is growth in the medical field, but a secondary problem kicks in. One that has been highlighted in articles right here on Huff Post: age discrimination.
Say I opt to take some courses and take the plunge into the medical field. I'm curious if a prospective employer is going to see me, the middle-aged guy, as the better candidate than the early twenty-something? We all like to think we are equally viable candidates, but age does play a role in the hiring process.
There is a time to keep trying the same old tactics that haven't worked, expecting different results, and there is a time to try something new.
The time to stop making excuses is always now. As is the time to stop feeling sorry for yourself. Fight succeed or give up and die. You'll decide your own future.
I seem to recall that accountancy is still a growth industry according to articles found around the web. The Sarbanes-Oxley act provided a lot of new growth in accounting. The problem isn't accounting, but a pitifully slow return to job growth after our economy shed millions upon millions of jobs.
Can I be the only person reading this who thinks, "There but for the grace of God go I"?
And over-qualified wasn't a word I opted to use. It was a word used against me by prospective employers who thought someone with my education would be likely to leave at the earliest possible chance. I never felt over-qualified. If I had I wouldn't have bothered to apply for those jobs. It is the business folks who made up and used the word.