the OFFICIAL maggot unemployement thread

[RootSkier]

vinz, Indeed.com has a bunch of postings for a solar company in Missoula, engineering and chemistry positions, it looks like.

[vinzclortho]

vinz, Indeed.com has a bunch of postings for a solar company in Missoula, engineering and chemistry positions, it looks like.

solid. thank you.

I live in Mass and while I'd love to move the hell away from here I have debt and whatnot so I am looking locally for now. though I've never been to Montana, I hear they sometimes get more snow than New England so maybe I should just move there.

[iscariot]

Unemployed for the last 5 years and loving it.

[Ubersheist]

I got laid off in September. I work in an industry related to housing, and out here in Sacramenthos, we got hit HARD by the crash. My unemployment will run out in a few months, and then I'll probably be working at Home Depot... Oh, except they're not even hiring. No one is. It's depressing and dismal. My only hope is that Obama's stimulus package gets sent through quick. Then I'll be busy for absolute certainty.

At least I have my hobby as a band. With all this extra time, i've done a crapload of things for it, and put us in a position to possibly make money off the music in the next six months or so. Should be fun - if I don't starve to death before then...

[EstoBum]

I picked a great time to graduate college with a degree in finance.

Try looking for a job when your skills and experience are mainly in the automotive engineering field. Three companies have interviewed me multiple times, turn around and say "hiring freeze!"

[The Kids Are Alright]

checking in again. 0-2 on the only two interviews I've had in about a month of looking. Can't take much more.

[Sparky]

Hey Shorey,

You checking in here yet? good luck brah and get them applications flying out. Nail the contracts in London town if you need to. Keep smiling Herbs and keep a roof over your head.

[mmmm...pow!]

Well, being that I live in a ski town (I refuse to work days midweek) and my job skills include serving food, carrying luggage, driving vehicles, and ski and board rentals, my options are a bit limited. I decided to drop resumes at just about every restaurant in a few towns. More than one managerial type laughed at me for even trying. Others made it sound promising - if I come back in June for a summer job. But the pow is flying!

[divegirl]

No job here...but I'm looking for a post-graduate internship or full time job (preferably) starting in July in regional planning, preferably for either a water district, parks and rec, bikeway/trails planning/management, or if I have to, for an architecture firm as a "green" planning consultant. If I'm really desperate, I'll work for an architect as a job captain or project designer. Any leads in CA or cool mountain-y places, let me know!

[cranked]

I am jumping ship voluntarily soon...not sure if it will be next week, or 3 mos from now...but it is in the works. Either staying SF, moving to San Deeahgo, or back to Denver. Winds of change approach...again.

[Jumper Bones]

I hate my job, does that count? Rolling in 12k a year, I light my cigars with Benjamins!

[mnflyfish]

I got laid off in October but didn't start collecting unemployment until the end of December.

In that time I have learned that doing a Tuesday night pub crawl for shots of whiskey while on cross country skis in a Roffe one-piece suit stuffed with PBR's and a sombrero while ripping batties around town leads to a very late night and tons of mystery bruises the next day. You know when you get super loaded and fall down and it's hard to stand back up? Try that with cross country skis and ski boots that are 4 sizes too small. I haven't been on cross country skis in probably 20 years but damn did we find some good lines in people's yards...surprised we didn't get the cops called on us for being drunk and trespassing. Good times.


oh and uhhh...if anyone is in the solar power industry or alternative energy field, I want in.

Mortenson.com, they are big into wind farms and have been doing some hiring. It's MN but most of the wind farms would take you better than half way to MT or WY so you're weekends could be filled with some skiing, and I know they're working on some stuff around Rapid City so if you like to climb or mtn bike that wouldn't suck.

[cranked]

Resignation = given! Woo hoo! About to enjoy life again. To put it in perspective, I will ski more days in March than I have in the last two winters since taking this job. Glorious.

Not going to be easy finding a gig in this market, but it will be easier than continuing in this industry.

[stapes]

^^^^^Good for you cranked!!!!!

No doubt, you will be happier. I quit a high-paying job in a shit location nowhere close to mountains/skiing in December, moved back out west in January with no job, found something I just started yesterday. Less pay, but much better locale. Better quality of life. And the best part, I get officially laid off every winter for about 3 months since it's a lawncare company.

So much to be said for doing something you like and living somewhere nice as opposed to working a job you hate just for the pay.

[booner]

Seasonal Layoff for Jan-Mar every year...I get a good bonus every X-mas that carries me thru just fine. Can we talk about how hot powderchick looks in her avatar?..Looks like trouble...the good kind of trouble

[StuntCok]

I have been unemployed since Oct 27th. PErfect for the ski season, I thought. I got a wicked severance and have a decent savings pool so that I could theoretically ski for years without having to worry about eating (I don't need to worry about rent as I own 3 ski properties and have zero debt). Anyway, illness in the family, personal problems at home, arranging new employment and finally a broken collarbone at the peak of the season have all conspired to ensure that I have as many days on the mountain this year as I had last year at this time and the weather here means that the quality has been worse. Now I am being drawn back into the workforce (to retain my relevance more than to get a pay check) and I feel ripped off.

I HAVE at least mastered Guitar Hero and Rock band such that I can finish songs on hard and slay them on medium. I have watched every single episode of SouthPark on southparkstudios.com and I have learned how to spend entire days in bed. FML

[cranked]

^^^^^Good for you cranked!!!!!

No doubt, you will be happier. I quit a high-paying job in a shit location nowhere close to mountains/skiing in December, moved back out west in January with no job, found something I just started yesterday. Less pay, but much better locale. Better quality of life. And the best part, I get officially laid off every winter for about 3 months since it's a lawncare company.

So much to be said for doing something you like and living somewhere nice as opposed to working a job you hate just for the pay.

Locale isn't the problem...though, we are looking into the possibility of heading back to Denver (Cricket Communications anyone).

Sad thing is, I actually liked this job a year ago...too bad the industry cratered. On the upside...I gave my resignation last monday (16th), worked 15 hr days this past weekend, and am kicking it at work still tonight. Good times...good times.

[carpathian]

The pine beetle eradication industry is cranking up here in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Cut tree down, burn tree, repeat.

[liv2ski]

Resignation = given! Woo hoo! About to enjoy life again. To put it in perspective, I will ski more days in March than I have in the last two winters since taking this job. Glorious.

Not going to be easy finding a gig in this market, but it will be easier than continuing in this industry.

Didn't you just buy a house???

[cranked]

Didn't you just buy a house???

That is a negative.

[woodstocksez]

Not going to be easy finding a gig in this market, but it will be easier than continuing in this industry.

Sad thing is, I actually liked this job a year ago...too bad the industry cratered.

I'm interested to hear more about how you think things are going to change, if you have the time and inclination to expound.

[samthaman]

uvm early graduate ( december) history and poly sci major, which leaves me doubly unprepared to enter the workforce. looking for work for a month and nothing but digging ditches or watching dishes in this town. anyone got any ideas that don't involve moving to a city or a 9-5 in a cube?

[cranked]

I'm interested to hear more about how you think things are going to change, if you have the time and inclination to expound.

Long-term, I don't think much will change...at least in banking. Trading will be a very different ball game, but companies will always need to raise money, figure out ways to hedge fx concerns, manage cash, etc. Banks will certainly be regulated more, and will take on less risk and leverage, but the core function will remain.

As far as pay goes, the biggest change for the senior guys (call that Director and above), is that I think deferred comp is here to stay. That essentially requires people to stay for 3 additional years, to receive complete bonus for last year (2008 bonus will be paid off in entirety in 2011). For the first two years of this new policy, that kind of sux, but after that, back to well over $1mm/year take home. Will comp ever be like it was 2004-2007? No, I don't think so...but people in this industry will still make tons of coin...TONS of coin. It will always be like that.

I do think it will be a much smaller industry, as the leveraging up and risks being taken go away, there will be fewer deals, and less need for such a large army of nerds.

For me, it wasn't a compensation decision...but rather a lifestyle decision. I have not enjoyed SF at all over the last 2 years, just haven't had time to. I will look back in five years, no matter where I am in my career at that point, knowing if I had stayed I would be clocking high 6 figs, low 7s...but, hopefully I will have no regrets and will actually experience life again.

[Tips^Up]

tomorrow is my last day. but, i just won a pair of skis from sierraskis.com! pray for snow!

friday edit:
just deleted sac and tramdock feeds from the desktop, boss just brought in large cooler full of beer. good bye job.

[mrryde]

i've been extended through may, big announcements coming today that should indicate my long term survival chances here. I have been one of the very few contractors getting extended and put on new projects, so at least that is encouraging.