Hello Sean!

** On Tuesday 24.08.21 - 16:42, you wrote to Rob Mccart:

[...] I would love to work if I could so I get to sit
here, twiddling my thumbs.

[...] I tried several times to change careers from IT but
no one wanted to hire me for that very reason. So I just
gave up and kept going in IT until I lost my last IT job
due to my car accident in February 2019 which I believe
started the process that lead me to eventually become
completely disabled.

What about a job at a call-in technical help desk?

My thing was that people were always afraid I was going to
leave for another high-paying job (not that there's many
of themn around here). I used to make a point of telling
the interviewer that I was in the process of changing
careers but that always fell on deaf ears. It became
rather annoying.

In a situation like that, you have to specifically say
something like "I *want* to work for this company.." ..and then
explain why and show that you did your research. If one is
just applying for the sake of "work", then that personal
becomes unimpressive.

What's even more ironic for me is that I am a Schedule A
person at our VA (Dept. of Veterans Affairs). What that
means because I worked for them before and I am disabled,
I could apply for a job and get it without an interview.
They're hiring like crazy right now but due to the blood
clot in the artery in my right leg (which was caused by
inaction on the VA's part to help me), I am unemployable.
Too much stress can cause the clot to move. Damn thing
nearly killed me once so I'd better not risk it.

Again.. isn't there a job/position that the VA can produce that
can allow you to work the phones or do something equally well
sitting down as in a wheelchair for example?

I haven't had any income of significance since January
2020. I'd love to start working again but it's just not
possible.

Sorry hear about no "income of significance". BTW, didn't you
just move to a new house/rental? How's that working out?

I live in my nearly 50yr old family home. It needs a roofing
overhaul and a few other major repairs. That too requires an
"income of significance" that I can actually draw upon. But
most income goes to feed pre-existing credit card debts and the
costs of operating retail. There's really not much left in
pocket after that.
--
../|ug

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* Origin: (} Pointy McPointface (618:250/1.9)

Hello August,

Sunday September 05 2021 22:46, you wrote to me:

What about a job at a call-in technical help desk?

I wanted to get away from that completely. I have experience in retail and retail management, used car dealership management, technical writing, and a host of other skills but the minute people found out what I used to make, I was passed over.

In a situation like that, you have to specifically say
something like "I *want* to work for this company.." ..and then
explain why and show that you did your research. If one is
just applying for the sake of "work", then that personal
becomes unimpressive.

I've done just that. I have been on both sides of the interview desk. As above, as soon as they saw my former salary, I was passed over.

Again.. isn't there a job/position that the VA can produce that
can allow you to work the phones or do something equally well
sitting down as in a wheelchair for example?

I was declared unemployable. That means no work, period, no matter what it is.

If I suddenly start working, I could lose access to Social Security, which I am a year into my SS claim, for the next 25 years. If I started working and I suddenly couldn't work anymore, I'd not be eligible for Social Security and that would put me in a bad place.

Sorry hear about no "income of significance". BTW, didn't you
just move to a new house/rental? How's that working out?

Yes, I am living in Section 8 housing. Section 8 is part of US federal law that says the local (in my case, the city) public housing authority will pay my rent because of my income status. So far so good but I am responsible for paying the electric which I get help from various non-profits. Part of my Internet bill is being paid for by a temporary US federal benefit but I still have to scramble to make ends meet every month.

I live in my nearly 50yr old family home. It needs a roofing
overhaul and a few other major repairs. That too requires an
"income of significance" that I can actually draw upon. But
most income goes to feed pre-existing credit card debts and the
costs of operating retail. There's really not much left in
pocket after that.

I understand completely about that.

-- Sean

... Murphy was an optimist.
--- GoldED/2 3.0.1
* Origin: Outpost BBS // bbs.outpostbbs.net:10123 (618:618/10)

Re: no income of significance
By: August Abolins to Sean Dennis on Sun Sep 05 2021 10:46 pm

In a situation like that, you have to specifically say
something like "I *want* to work for this company.." ..and then
explain why and show that you did your research. If one is
just applying for the sake of "work", then that personal
becomes unimpressive.

It doesn' work.

It was one of my main strategies when I was hunting jobs and it just doesn't generate results.

"I want to work at XX because I am a big fan of product XX.1 and XX.2, and also because I want to learn the ropes in this industry because in order to learn IT you have to work for a reputable company, and I want to learn how you pros work"

The biggest chance I had with this strategy was with HP Printing, because they had me go through a training bootcamp in which they take people with entry level knowledge and torture them until only a few remain. The guys in charge of it all sent recommendations vouching for me because I had commits done on 5 am in order to fullfil deadlines.

No dice.

At least I got a free course on C and Node.js, software design patterns and control version systems.

The point is, corporations want people who conforms to a given mstandard, and if you are not within the standard they are expecting, you may as well code blessed gory, because you are not getting hired.


--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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