Colorado, from a New Yorker's point of view

After two rounds of interviews I was rejected for a job which was identical to the position I held with my previous employer.  If anything the position would have had slightly less responsibility than my last role.  I find it very difficult to believe they found anyone more qualified.  My only assumption is that the hiring  manager just didn’t like me.  The only positive aspect is that the position was in a small regional office.  This means that except for the possibility of assuming my boss’s position there would be no advancement without moving to Michigan or New Jersey.

All along I’ve gone with the assumption that I won’t find a job until late Q1.  Based on my experience companies wait to see how they land the year before granting final permission to add headcount.  The human resources department gets the ads posted by mid-January, interviews take place in February and employees are added in March.  Assuming the new position was budgeted for the entire year adding a new employee in March eliminates two months of salary expense.

Over the last few weeks I’d like to think I’ve noticed more job openings.  At least that is what I tell myself.  While I’ve probably noticed more positions, there haven’t been as many finance jobs.  I’ve also stopped applying to positions unless I am very well qualified for the role.

I was recently turned down for an interview just because I don’t have Oracle experience.  I think it is better to hire someone with good business acumen.  You can always teach someone systems.  In this case the company has enough potential applicants that they can be as selective as they.  My recruiter also told me the company is considering making a full-time offer to the temporary worker who is currently in the role.  This is another example of how companies are using more temps and offering them full time positions.

The current job market is starting to scare me.  Over the last two weeks I’ve met a bunch of people who just became unemployed.  I’ve run into more unemployed people in the last two weeks, than in my first two months in town.

I want to avoid going back to the restaurant industry, but I think I might have to.  I didn’t want to get a restaurant job before heading home for Xmas.  I figured they would need the seasonal help and would frown upon me taking time off.

I’ve also been avoiding the hospitality industry because good jobs are scarce.  Restaurant revenues are down, and there is a glut of unemployed ready to fill what few jobs there are.  Could I get a job working a Monday lunch where I earn $25 bucks all day?  Sure, but I am beyond that.  Would I take that shift if it also came with a couple $150-200 shift each week?  Of course.  But even in a busy joint, those shifts and sections go to those with the most seniority.

A friend of a friend is a wine distributor.  He thinks he can get me some interviews in some high volume establishments.  I really need to contact him.  I also feel slightly guilty taking a job knowing that as soon as I get a “real” job I’d quit.  I’d love to stay on and work two jobs for a few months and rebuild my savings.  But it is usually impossible when you work in the corporate world.  Some days you might get to leave work at 5pm, other days it might be 8 or 9.  Restaurants will never tolerate that kind of unpredictability.  Even if you find a place that give you a late shift, it means you work until closing.  Working until closing time means you’ll be lucky to get 4-5 hours a sleep a night.

Another few weeks and I won’t have a choice.