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[linnea]

Since I know that at least AlohaDawg and I are searchin', I thought I'd make a thread about it.

I've been basically unemployed since June 25th. I say basically because I've had some sporadic contract work here and there. My student loans are on temporary forbearance due to hardship, so Thank God I don't have that many bills (cell phone about $60/month, rent $350/month, car expenses, about $200/month, credit card payment about $100/month, which is way too little considering my retardedly high interest rate). My period of funemployment has been:

• 100 days
• 3 months, 8 days
• 14 weeks.

However, I had a great interview on the 11th that I am still waiting to hear about (they said it would take 3 to 4 weeks before they made a decision, so I should hear from them any day now). I had another interview today. And while I was driving to/from the interview this morning, I got calls for two more interviews, which are gonna be this Thursday and next Tuesday.

The only bad part about today's interview is that the employer, which is a local county government, only does payroll once a month. That is gonna be seriously painful, all. The first job, the one I interviewed for on the 11th, that's the one I'm dying to get. It pays the most, it's for a private-sector firm (the rest of the jobs are public sector) and has the highest potential for advancement. Plus it is in the heart of downtown, and I've wanted to move to the city for a long time. Plus the really cute guy I've been seeing lives downtown...

Anyway, this is the longest I've ever been unemployed. Before I went to Alaska, I was unemployed from June 6 - August 27th, when I was made the Alaskan job offer. I didn't start work until Sept. 13, though, so that makes a total of 99 days.

Thoughts? Experiences? AD, how's your job hunt going?

[jay-ell]

Pedro and I have always gotten once-a-month paychecks -- I understand that this is somewhat unusual but by some dumb luck it's just worked out that way since we've been married.  It does take some getting used to, but honestly I sort of prefer it now.  I arranged all my bills such that the due dates fall between the 5th and the 20th so I sit down for a few hours on the first and pay them all at once.  It cuts down on the paperwork quite a bit but you do have to have some sort of budget for what's left.  Also, I get online statements for everything I can, so that I can look up how much I owe any time.  It helps prevent the "oh crap my cell phone bill is twice what I budgeted" moment.  Or at least, you might still have that moment, but at least it happens at the beginning of the month when you still have money and not at the end when you've already spent it all on beer or cocaine (or in my case, knitting supplies).  At any rate, it's not so bad -- once you get used to it. 

Other than that...what can I say?  Good luck, and keep us posted.  And if you're looking for work outside your immediate area, I hear North Carolina is nice this time of year.  (Actually, if I look out the window, I can *see* that it's nice...85 today, and the humidity has finally broken.  Ahhh...join us, linnea...in our snowless paradise!) 

[theinevitable]

Somebody nice, if you move to NC, maybe we can get the AcheCon moved there! Yayyyy!

but, um, I hope you do/did well on your interviews and are hired for those positions, as awesome as it would be for you to move to where my house is.

[lprkn]

(Actually, if I look out the window, I can *see* that it's nice...85 today, and the humidity has finally broken.  Ahhh...join us, linnea...in our snowless paradise!) 

If NC is a paradise then I'm a goddamn eastern grey squirrel.

[theinevitable]

yeah, um, NC is hot as all fuck in the summer. St Louis is just as humid... but with cold as fuck winters.

[linnea]

Did I mention that I got $1600 in free cash money from the gub'mint because I lived in Alaska for all of 2006? Fuck yes, ladies.

[AlohaDawg]

why get a job at all?

Did I mention that I get anally raped every month when the rent comes due? My retirement is pretty much gone? I'd love to get free money just for having my ass in some certain place for some period of time.

As for the job hunt. I have reinstatement rights at GS-13. I'm focusing on about 6 Federal job series in the GS System. I have two active applications out and I need to complete KSA's or other application requirements on several more. It is pretty much impossible to know how the job hunt is going; I load up a space capsule with my info, put it on top of an Atlas rocket, light the fuse and step back. Eventually one lands near me. That's kind of how it seems to work, which is why my family is preparing to voluntarily maroon me here for an unspecified period of time so I can continue to toil, and have nothing to show for it, and do it isolated from the people I care about, with 24 hours a day to reflect on my spectacularly failed life to this point.

Do I sound bitter? I'm not. I'm lucky I'm this broke...I can't afford to become an alcoholic or commit a spectacular and well planned suicide. So I just go every day to the job I hate with every fiber of my being, collect a check every other week that is not nearly what I need or what I used to make, and reflect on what the hell I did and when to convince Jesus' Dad I needed afflicting to this degree, or, more to the point, why the affliction has to affect the 4 other people in my life to the degree it does.

[linnea]

why get a job at all?

Did I mention that I get anally raped every month when the rent comes due? My retirement is pretty much gone? I'd love to get free money just for having my ass in some certain place for some period of time.

As for the job hunt. I have reinstatement rights at GS-13. I'm focusing on about 6 Federal job series in the GS System. I have two active applications out and I need to complete KSA's or other application requirements on several more. It is pretty much impossible to know how the job hunt is going; I load up a space capsule with my info, put it on top of an Atlas rocket, light the fuse and step back. Eventually one lands near me. That's kind of how it seems to work, which is why my family is preparing to voluntarily maroon me here for an unspecified period of time so I can continue to toil, and have nothing to show for it, and do it isolated from the people I care about, with 24 hours a day to reflect on my spectacularly failed life to this point.

Do I sound bitter? I'm not. I'm lucky I'm this broke...I can't afford to become an alcoholic or commit a spectacular and well planned suicide. So I just go every day to the job I hate with every fiber of my being, collect a check every other week that is not nearly what I need or what I used to make, and reflect on what the hell I did and when to convince Jesus' Dad I needed afflicting to this degree, or, more to the point, why the affliction has to affect the 4 other people in my life to the degree it does.

...Jeeez. That is seriously messed up. I'm sorry to hear that. I thought that the COLA in AK sucked ass, but HI is just...insane. It's taken me 101 days and I'm still jobless, and I only have to worry about myself and my two kitty cats. Have you thought about going private sector at all? I'm looking for another public sector job, but god damn do these bureaucracies move at the speed of red tape. The large private sector firms I've applied at have just as long of a pondering period.

[wombat]

It is pretty much impossible to know how the job hunt is going; I load up a space capsule with my info, put it on top of an Atlas rocket, light the fuse and step back. Eventually one lands near me.

Applying for federal jobs is the worst. At least I've usually had some kind of connections who eventually knew what was going on a little bit sooner than I would have heard otherwise. It must be even more crazy-making when you don't.

You're not a failure, dammit, you will work it out.

[jay-ell]

If NC is a paradise then I'm a goddamn eastern grey squirrel.

Fayetteville decidedly does not count. 

[lprkn]

Coincidentally, neither does the rest of state. Pow!

[theinevitable]

can Fayetteville possibly be worse than Greensboro?

Greensboro is like Hell. Lewis Black will back me up on this.

[RMJ12345]

can Fayetteville possibly be worse than Greensboro?

Greensboro is like Hell. Lewis Black will back me up on this.

I went there once. I love most of North Carolina, but Greensboro was lame. Also one of the most disappointing shows I've seen.

[jay-ell]

can Fayetteville possibly be worse than Greensboro?

Yes.  It is, in fact, even worse than Winston Salem. 

Basically when I say NC is awesome I mean the Big Five: Raleigh/Cary, Durham/Chapel Hill, Wilmington, Charlotte, and Asheville. 

Everything else is pretty much wasteland.  But the cities are really nice. 

[linnea]

I can't believe it. I got a job offer from my second choice. First choice didn't want me. But damn, I will have a solid offer once my background check goes through.

113 days of funemployment (3 months, 21 days), assuming I start work on Monday the 15th. I can't believe how much this has sucked. Four months of being outta work.

AlohaDawg, I hope that you get a wonderful job with a tiny commute that pays highly and is fulfilling and enjoyable. I wish for the same for myself!