Wise to be picky about jobs in this economic climate?

[dragonfire13]

I have about 4 years' experience in marketing/admin. I moved back to my hometown, where roles in this area are few and far between. I've been motivated with my job hunt and I've been lucky enough to get interviews...however, I ask a lot of questions and suss out the job and a work environment as best as I can. I've received a job offer, as well as an offer of a second interview for another job recently but I turned them both down.

 

I'm looking for a company where I can see myself staying long term, in an industry that I feel passionate about and will enjoy the work environment. I've had issues with depression, hence my family are being supportive with allowing me to live with them for a bit, which alleviates the pressure of bills and other outgoings etc.

 

Part of me feels like I should just be a responsible grown up and stop being so picky, because we all have to work and I don't want people to think I'm getting too cosy in unemployment (thought the fact that I've been getting interviews I think shows that I am staying motivated in applying for jobs).

 

My own doctor has recommended that I ease back into work,, but unemployment itself is depressing. I've applied for both full time and part time roles, thinking that perhaps part time work will provide a better balance, but have more luck when applying for full time roles - the part time roles in this area are more aimed at students I think, and most are call centre/customer service roles. Which I wouldn't mind doing, but I never hear anything back.

 

Believe me when I say I am keen to start working again. But I've stuck out miserable jobs with awful managers, rubbish commutes, crap pay etc in the past and now I feel like I should take the time to find the right role...even though it's very difficult for people to find work these days.

[d0nnivain]

Only you know which of those options is best for you. I do think it's easier to find a job when you have a job. Especially if you are living in an area with limited options, I'd take the 1st thing that didn't suck.

[carhill]

I've learned a lot about the current economic climate in campgrounds around the country. I was amazed at all the transient workers moving around. These aren't laborers but highly skilled and educated blue and white collar workers, simply moving from place to place and job to job, networking while on the road. They don't see any job as a permanent place, rather like their RV's. Some I've talked to would rather stay in one place but the transient nature of the corporate world these days has necessitated a different focus and philosophy.

 

I hear similar from the tradesmen I've interacted with where I'm moving to. Stable, static industry is becoming a thing of the past, far more so than when I was a young man. I saw the beginnings of it, so went out on my own to write my own paycheck. It appears, at least from my wanderings around the country and the world, that the process has evolved and expanded over the decades.

 

Hence, take a job which looks like it will work for you today, work it, then take something else which works better for you tomorrow. Loyalty, either way, is increasingly situational, meaning one is loyal and adherent to the job until they aren't and move on. That's on either side of the desk, whether the employee finding something else or the employer finding a different employee.

 

If you don't mind gainful unemployment and looking for work everyday, being self-employed can provide self-imposed stability and flexibility. It isn't for everyone but it can provide a stable 'place to go' to work for life if you want it to. No one can arbitrarily take it away from you. One can certainly fire oneself though.

 

Good luck in your pursuits. I do empathize with the feelings which come with long-term unemployment. Just getting out and taking on a challenge is stimulating. For myself it's as much, or more, about the work than the money. The money is just a way to pay the bills and keep score.

[dragonfire13]

Thanks for the input. One role was business development, which was essentially cold-calling. The second was a good marketing job...but in an industry I have little interest in. I got a feel of the working environment at the interview and it just didn't feel right. Plus, I would end up walking passed my childhood house everyday to work, which has a lot of bad memories associated with it (domestic violence, racism, even a death) and ends putting me on a downer.

 

I'm aware that all this may seem very finickity, but going by my gut I feel I am doing the right thing by not settling.

[dragonfire13]

I've learned a lot about the current economic climate in campgrounds around the country. I was amazed at all the transient workers moving around. These aren't laborers but highly skilled and educated blue and white collar workers, simply moving from place to place and job to job, networking while on the road. They don't see any job as a permanent place, rather like their RV's. Some I've talked to would rather stay in one place but the transient nature of the corporate world these days has necessitated a different focus and philosophy.

 

I hear similar from the tradesmen I've interacted with where I'm moving to. Stable, static industry is becoming a thing of the past, far more so than when I was a young man. I saw the beginnings of it, so went out on my own to write my own paycheck. It appears, at least from my wanderings around the country and the world, that the process has evolved and expanded over the decades.

 

Hence, take a job which looks like it will work for you today, work it, then take something else which works better for you tomorrow. Loyalty, either way, is increasingly situational, meaning one is loyal and adherent to the job until they aren't and move on. That's on either side of the desk, whether the employee finding something else or the employer finding a different employee.

 

If you don't mind gainful unemployment and looking for work everyday, being self-employed can provide self-imposed stability and flexibility. It isn't for everyone but it can provide a stable 'place to go' to work for life if you want it to. No one can arbitrarily take it away from you. One can certainly fire oneself though.

 

Good luck in your pursuits. I do empathize with the feelings which come with long-term unemployment. Just getting out and taking on a challenge is stimulating. For myself it's as much, or more, about the work than the money. The money is just a way to pay the bills and keep score.

 

Great insight :-) I have noticed friends who are moving from job to job a lot too, most because they are either on fixed-term or rolling contracts.

 

I've thought about going self-employed, and I'm in a process of setting up a website...which if it generates enough traffic, who knows, maybe I can monetize. But if not, it's a fun hobby while jobhunting.

[pink_sugar]

I've taken part time jobs, anything with an income in order to bring in income while looking for full time. I was once working 2 jobs and one of them ended, but it was for the best as the other job is going to be making me full time and it's doing something I really enjoy and that will further my career. But I am glad I had something to pay the bills for 6 months. I agree that a job is better than nothing and employers will frown on extensive gaps, so try not to be too picky or at least have something to fill in those gaps...school, volunteer work, contract assignments etc.

[GemmaUK]

When times have been rough and my own finances will not cover me (I have never done the benefits thing - but also have no family to support me at all) then I take what appears 'easily doable' both travel and experience wise.

 

In good levels or bad levels of employment it hasn't failed me yet as I go in, show mega willing and learn tonnes because I am willing (many people aren't).

 

The past 6 years I have worked at a job where a redundancy (out of a lot of redundancies) had to happen from my department. I assumed it was to be me as I has only been there about 5 months.

It wasn't me. They kept me.

 

Every year since then I get pat rises....just got mine for this year.

I see who else gets them due to the nature of my work and I am only ever one of the few...mine is consistent.

 

I went in to a lower paid than I would like not so great job.

The job changed massively in a year and has progressed ever since.

I LOVE my job!

 

It depends if you want a job you 'can do' or one that you have to learn and evolve.

[Mister Zen]

What economic climate? The economy isn't bad, its normal. The 2005-2007 period was fake prosperity brought on by bad loans, funny money and excessive inflation. That was not a "good" economy that was a fake economy. Today the economy is normal.

[pink_sugar]

What economic climate? The economy isn't bad, its normal. The 2005-2007 period was fake prosperity brought on by bad loans, funny money and excessive inflation. That was not a "good" economy that was a fake economy. Today the economy is normal.

 

The economy has improved, but it's still not what it was before the recession. Unemployment should be around 3% ideally, but it's still around 5%.

[thefooloftheyear]

My feeling is its fine to be picky....But then dont complain that you are broke and cant pay your bills.....

 

TFY

[Sugarkane]

It's the complete opposite to my parents time. At my parents age, they never had trouble finding jobs and never delt with unemployment and underemployment.

What economic climate? The economy isn't bad, its normal. The 2005-2007 period was fake prosperity brought on by bad loans, funny money and excessive inflation. That was not a "good" economy that was a fake economy. Today the economy is normal.

[preraph]

Donnivain is right. Easier to get a job if you have a job. You can always tell them you took just anything to get by while you searched for a job in your field, which you can tell them are hard to come by.

[smg15]

Donnivain is right. Easier to get a job if you have a job. You can always tell them you took just anything to get by while you searched for a job in your field, which you can tell them are hard to come by.

 

Not that easy since you would have to take time off to go to interviews

[smg15]

I think you should always be picky because you never want to be stuck at a job and miserable.

[smg15]

It's the complete opposite to my parents time. At my parents age, they never had trouble finding jobs and never delt with unemployment and underemployment.

 

Yeah my mom said when she was called for a interview in the 60's and 70's, you knew you had the job which is why they called