Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with job

"You're hired! To get fleeced!"

Darth Fedor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:51:38 -0800

Is this a job offer or a scam? I responded to an ad on Craigslist looking for a typist to work from home for $250 a week. I sent a reply, and got the following reply. I really need extra income, so though I feel more sure by the second that this is a scam, I'd just like to make sure. Sigh. Here's the reply:

Hi Ben,

Thank you for showing interest in this position. I have read your e-mail and I am happy to tell you that you are eligible for the job position. I have sent you a little more information telling you about this job. If you have any questions that I can answer, please feel free to contact me again. I do hope you decide to join us, and I look forward to seeing your success!

Sincerely,

Sarah

wilkinssarah@rocketmail.com

INFORMATION
We are seeking self motivated individuals with the desire to work with online advertising. You are required to have a computer with Internet access, a valid e-mail account, and basic typing skills. You can choose to work full or part time. The position involves processing typed responses from advertisements placed online. These responses vary in length according to each client that you work with. You can consistently process 5-10 orders per day, and make approximately $200-$800 a week. Further inquiries about processing will be explained in specific detail in the training materials. All transactions will be processed through your e-mail account. There is no contract to sign with this position, and the amount you choose to process is entirely up to you. As with any position, you must be able to respond to advertisements in a timely manner. The benefit of this position is to work from home around your own schedule.

REQUIREMENTS
Basic Internet knowledge
Good typing skills
Willingness to learn and set goals

COMPENSATION
You will be paid $9.00 to $29.00 for each order that you process. The amount of money you earn is entirely up to you, but please be advised that you will be responsible for keeping track of your earnings during tax season, as we do not take out any taxes or provide you with a 1099 form.

TRAINING
The training material you will receive will give you step-by-step instructions on how to get started. Once you receive your training materials, you may begin working immediately. There are no special software requirements for this position.

METHOD OF PAYMENT
You will receive your payments through PayPal for each application that you process. There is a ONE TIME non-refundable fee of $10.95 USD. This covers the cost of the training materials being sent to you via email. Once you process your first response, you will have made back this fee. This is just a small processing fee, protecting from those who are not serious about doing this work. No business can cover administrative costs, wasted time or provide costly materials to everyone who inquires about this position. If this is not acceptable to you, or you cannot afford the cost, please disregard this e-mail. The training materials and information will be sent to your e-mail within 24 hours of payment, and you may begin working that very same day.

Payments are accepted via online through PayPal. If you do not have PayPal, you can set up a free account at http://www.paypal.com use wilkinssarah@rocketmail.com

as your reference for signing up. Paypal is a safe and secure way to pay online, and you can transfer the money to and from that account directly into your checking or savings account. It is easier and much quicker for everyone. The sign up is free! Send your payment through Paypal to the payment address wilkinssarah@rocketmail.com

for your training materials.

After payment has cleared, you will receive your materials within 24 hours. If you do not, please e-mail me with your PayPal address so I can confirm receipt.
***

I tried to find the original job posting, but it has been flagged for removal. I feel stupid, because I was pretty excited about the job. It's fake, right?

How closely do job requirements in a want ad typically match what a company is actually willing to accept?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:31:11 -0800

How closely do job requirements in a want ad typically match what a company is actually willing to accept? I've been job hunting for a systems admin position for a few months with little success. The problem is that I'm sort of in-between mid-level and high-level technology requirements. I managed a pretty large environment - 75 servers, 6,000 users, 3,000 desktops\notebooks, etc. - but it was 100% Windows which I think is somewhat rare. We also contracted out higher end switching and routing tasks although I handled basic day-to-day management like switching VLANs, unblocking ports, creating NATs, etc. Basically, I did a little of everything - active directory, server management, pc imaging, SQL, etc. - but never really mastered anything. In addition, I only have a two-year degree from an unaccredited technical college. I worked my way up to network admin over several years (and held the job for another 3 years) but would never have been hired off the street by the organization without a degree.

It seems as though every job posting I see lists a technology I have very little experience with such as Unix, Novell, VMWare, etc. or requires a certification I don't have. I'm a very quick study but it's hard to convince somebody to give you the opportunity to learn on the job. They usually want a Bachelor's degree but it's also fairly common to list it as "preferred".

Obviously, employers are going to list the qualities of their dream candidate when putting together an ad, but how far are they stretching it? Should I just say screw it and apply for everything regardless of how closely I fit their criteria? If the ad contains the exact statement "Bachelor's degree required", should I still apply? A friend of mine in HR told me to "throw as much as you can against the wall and see what sticks" but I'm reluctant to apply for a job that says I'll be managing Linux desktops when I know nothing about Linux other than using it a couple of times.

I'd like to hear from hiring managers or somebody in HR who reviews resumes. Do you scan for the job requirements and automatically trash any resumes that don't match or do you look at the overall candidate and at least put them in the maybe pile? If it's the latter, what things on a resume might help someone slip thought the cracks? Or, is it the overall "vibe" you get from the resume (escalating responsibility, impressive accomplishments, etc.).

Also, I'd love to hear any stories from people who've gotten killer jobs they weren't even remotely qualified for and how they did it.

Has anyone made their hobby their job and NOT been happy with the decision?

Ringo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:08:20 -0800

Has anyone made their hobby their job and NOT been happy with the decision? I'm specifically thinking about television writing but other fields would apply... I have the opportunity to write for television. Creative writing is something I enjoy and do as a hobby, but the thought of the pressure that comes with producing creative things consistently under deadlines stresses me out. It's an extremely unstable field (perhaps the most unstable), and I would have to quit my stable and better-paying (but more boring) job to do it. The future of this career-path is totally uncertain. The only thing that seems certain is that it will be temporary. I don't see it as something I'd like to do long-term. It seems far too grueling.

I could just keep doing little projects on the side, books, screenplays etc. but I feel a huge pressure to take this opportunity. I feel like everyone will think I'm crazy if I don't since I clearly am good at creative writing. If the thought stresses me out this much should I bother? Or do you think I'll regret turning down the opportunity?

Should I go for it?

Picklegnome — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:16:16 -0800

I'm an undergrad (rising sophomore) interested in going to law school. Is it worth it to become an NALA Certified Paralegal? I'm looking at taking an online course that would take between seven and seventeen months to complete. If all goes well, I would be finished in seven, studying for the certification alongside my normal undergraduate studies. If I feel overwhelmed, I can cut down on the number of courses I'm taking at once, and focus on my undergraduate studies.

Is it even conceivable that I would get a paralegal job for the summer only? Would it serve me well in my preparation to study law? Will it help in gaining admission to law schools?

General advice as well as personal knowledge appreciated.

Where can I go from here?

d13t_p3ps1 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:28:05 -0800

Where can I go from here? I switched jobs (from waitressing to working at a pet store) a month ago, and plan on staying at the pet store for about a year. What can I do with pet store experience? Will I need to go to school to do anything with a vet or a larger animal care facility like a zoo or animal sanctuary?

How to handle salary discussions before you have a job offer?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:34 -0800

Help with salary negotiations? The standard wisdom -- which I've been trying to follow -- is that you aren’t supposed to talk about salary until after you get a job offer. But the organization began talking about it when they called to schedule the first interview. Suggestions? I applied for a job. They required a salary history. I sent mine, stating that I make, let’s say, $60k (the details are changed here; it’s less than that). An assistant called, saying they wanted to schedule an interview with me, “but [boss] wanted to flag the fact that the salary for this position is in the mid-40s. Would you still be interested?” I paused (a bit surprised, really) and said something noncommittal, like “it would certainly be worth us having more discussion about the position.”

Next, I had a phone interview with the supervisor. The discussion had very few questions about my qualifications (one question). The call’s purpose seemed to be to explain the position and allow me to ask questions. She brought up the salary, and said that they have “authorization” to offer up to $48k, what did I think? I said something like “I would want to consider the salary in light of the full package, including benefits and the opportunities for professional growth.” She explained the benefits package (including a matching donation to a retirement account, which I admitted would close some of the gap).

The job offers a lot of opportunity for professional growth; I'd be really passionate about the work; they’re a great organization; and I could still live on the lower salary (though my ability to save would go way down). If offered the job, I would like to take it. But a 20% salary cut is still hard to take. It’s a much tougher decision than it would be if they could close that gap a bit more.

How should I handle this? Should I start to openly admit that it would be a tough decision for me at their current budget? Should I continue trying to wait until they actually offer me the job (or not)? I’d rather discuss salary once we've decided if I'd be a good fit for the job. But if so, how do I field the question? I think they may have the impression I would consider taking the job at the current salary, because I’ve typically changed the subject to how I’d be very excited to contribute to the organization. I don’t want them to think I’m agreeing to it and then seem to change my mind later. Since they keep trying to get me to say that salary is okay, they may not have much flexibility, but they must have some, right?

How would you handle this?

Why haven't I been hired?

Richard Daly — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:14:50 -0800

I have been applying for entry-level graphic design jobs from Philadelphia craigslist for two months and haven't received even the slightest nibble of interest. What am I doing wrong? First off, my work is online at my site

My ego would like to pretend that it's just a hard market, and that all entry level work is difficult to catch, but if I face facts, I suspect it's my portfolio or resume.

Three months ago, I graduated from a small New England school where I was a big fish in a very small pond. My professors loved my work, but the final portfolio class was a boondoggle and now I question their evaluations. I'm afraid I need a bitter dose of hard truth, and I know of no better place to get it than metafilter.

What needs work, what has to go, what should I build from scratch, and what errors have I made that are keeping me from landing an interview?

I'll do anything for a dollar

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:56:25 -0800

What do you do? What is your job? I’m not happy and need a new career. Instead of asking for advice I’d like to know what you do so that I might do some research and look into your field.

Micro bio:
-30 with a general studies bachelor’s degree
-Salary: 53k (I need that much to live)
-Currently manage web content – NO POSSIBLE ADVANCEMENT
-Dreamweaver, Light HTML (enough to get around, reverse engineering always works)
-I personally like “technology” and try to stay current with what’s going on but do not have the skills to be a real developer or engineer or the sorts – but I really think it’s cool.
-Sounds silly but I want to be happy at work and feel like I’m making a difference (current leadership only uses me a as copy/paster despite marketing and web background that I have acquired over the last 4 years)
-Travel: no minimal, I’d prefer not to leave my family

Doing what I am doing now there is no advancement and seeing that I am not happy I want to make a change. I do not believe my job is in jeopardy so I really do not have a timeline to make the change but want to get the ball rolling now. The only career I prefer not to get into is sales – I’m just not that kind of “salesy” person and don’t want that kind of stress.

I think being a dad (2 year old) and my dissatisfaction with this job has really impacted my career goals – really do not have any, but this is a new feeling as previously I enjoyed what I did (very similar to now but more web management and marketing involved).

I’m the kind of person who would love to find 1 employer and be able to stay there long term, learn the business, and work my way up (I guess we all look for that). I definitely do want to provide more for my family. Even if I stayed here I do not see myself being able to get a bigger house (more room) or a new car (family addition). I’m stuck.

Understanding that we are all in different stages of our careers please keep in mind where I am coming from (so if you are a VP now I’d be more interested in how you came into that position in relation to me).

White collar/blue collar – I’m interested in learning about as many careers as possible keeping in mind my degree and previous experience (ie if I need 10 years experience to do job x then it probably isn’t the best match for me now). I don’t mind digging ditches but I also believe I have what it takes to be the president of a company (personality, work ethic, wiliness to learn…).

Thanks for your help – I really appreciate it!

Questions: ask.mefi7@gmail.com

Go back for more school or take a meh first job?

sleazy_e — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:07:09 -0800

Recent Graduate: Work towards 2nd Bachelors, Masters, or take a lower paying position I hope will lead to the job I want? I'm from Texas and and a May grad with a BS in Econ (minors in math and writing) from a known State U. Currently I've been searching for job opportunities in fields Junior Financial Analysis or Market Research Analysis, Data Analytics (or really any kind of analysis that requires lots of math, data mining, and forecasting), but these jobs are very hard to find for my (entry? - I've worked every year since high school, but maybe not in relevant jobs) level in Texas (right now, everyone wants senior/experienced applicants) and I am frustrated by the impossibility to get an interview with my ~2.75 GPA (or for reasons companies refuse to inform me of). I am aware that grades are vital to get into the door of these positions.

I believe I am 2 semesters (30 hours) shy of a BS in Applied Mathematics (Finance track) and I can try to raise my grades above a 3.0, but I have already spent 5 years in school and racked up some debt. Now, I was once an Applied Math major before becoming Econ, but I switched due to pressure from paying for school on my own, dealing with an abusive relationship (that ended after the degree change), and constant insane familial problems/drama (think Arrested Development). I want to say that now those distractions could dissipate (except for paying for school on my own), but any future incidents are probable. Let's just say, I'm eager to pursue/finish the degree, but I'm afraid that I fall back into the depression/fear of not successfully getting the high marks needed to make this elusive degree worth while.

Another option is to start an online MS Finance or MS Math/Stat degree from an accredited (not UPhoenix), but not well known University that would take about 2 years to finish while working/searching for employment. I've been told that Bachelors are more available today, so getting a Masters is becoming more necessary to differentiate yourself from the competition.

I've read on MeFi that people recommend taking the CFA Level 1 to differentiate themselves, but I doubt it would help for the jobs outside of Financial Analysis (Data Analytics and Market Research).

Another factor in my decision: I've been offered a position as a cost analyst at a small firm. It sounds okay, but my responsibilities aren't more than data entry (at least at first) and product updating, the salary isn't as reasonable to live on, and it requires 100 miles of round trip commuting from living with my family (moving out makes the job even less economical). The job is well, a job, I suppose and it offers me the ability to pocket a little bit of money after paying all my debts.

My question is given the current state of our US economy, call it a recession or a fearful voting year with tons of graduates and less amount of entry jobs, would it be best to A) try and finish my math degree, B) enter an MS Finance degree, or C) take a left-field-ish job and try to work my way into my desired job?

Go ahead, test me.

dkleinst — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:02:00 -0800

For what jobs are applicants accepted largely based on an examination? Inspired by this question. Examples of this type of hiring practice would be the United States Foreign Service examination and USPS.

shiny new job?

slipperywhenwet — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:15:40 -0800

Preparing for a technical/artistic interview? The position is for a post-grad research assistant at a newly established digital sculpture lab, at a large university in Toronto. Essentially, someone got a schwack of money to buy a computer controlled milling machine, 3d printers, etc.

The lab will be attached to a large and well-respected BFA/MFA program, and the position involves fabrication work, research into digital/generative projects, working with students/profs/resident artists in the lab, preparing funding applications, and pursuing independent projects.

I'm a year out of architecture school, (MArch) with a strong interest in this area -- I worked with 3d printers and CNC milling at the architecture faculty, am planning to (eventually) become involved with RepRap (once I've upgraded my electronics skills), am involved at Interaccess, the local new-media artist run centre, and am aware of (at least some) of the other big players in the field (MIT's centre for bits and atoms, etc..)

Umm.. what more can I do to prep? My traditional sculture fab skills are a bit weak (some wood-working and casting experience). I've never written a grant. I've never gone for an interview for this type of job. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Why won't anyone hire me?

All.star — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:26:54 -0800

Why won't anyone hire me? I am well educated (master's degree), and have good experience for someone who is looking for an entry level position (with in the training sector or in nonprofit development). I think my resume looks awesome (I have had plenty of other people look over it), I always walk out of interviews thinking everything went really well, and I have great references. But I never get hired. I suspect I am usually over qualified (educationally) or under-qualified (with regards to work history).

What do I need to do to help myself land a job that I'm qualified for and like? Is there something that hiring managers are looking for that I am missing?

If you think it would be helpful to see my educational and work history in a nutshell, let me know in a reply and I'll post it here.

How do I start tutoring for reals?

Precision — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:33:58 -0800

How do I, a soon-to-be high school senior, go about tutoring math as a part-time job? I've been working a retail position (cashier at Target) for the past 18 months. Since I turned 16, or shortly after. Throughout my junior year I pulled 20-25 hours a week, topping 30 most of November/December, and working 37+ immediately prior to Christmas. I get a halfway-decent hourly rate, $7.70. Decent for a part-time high school job.

Now, however, I want to quit. Why? No reason, really. Most of my friends in school all graduated this year (I've been roughly a yeah ahead of my grade since freshman year. So I've taken nearly all my classes with the year ahead of me. I'm only taking 4 classes this year as a result.) and I feel the need to make some close(r) friends in my year. Thirty hour weeks cashiering is not how to do this.

My girlfriend currently tutors a 13-year old (soon to be 8th grader, I think) in math and english. She's Korean, and her (very) Asian mother set the job up for her, with the boy's (very) Asian mother. She gets $15 an hour for it, and I think she's been getting 6 hours a week during the summer, not sure how many she gets during the school year. She's also moving to Wisconsin September 1st. So, when we're done crying, I might steal her client.

Anyway, beyond this, what is a good way for a high-schooler to break into this? Ideally, I want to make $100 a week during the school year. Any rate from $10 to $15 per hour is fine with me.

I certainly know the subjects that I'd think about tutoring in (Math and English). I scored perfect 36's on both of those subjects on my ACT test. I'm ranked in the top 2% in my class. I have practice tutoring on the "amateur" level, or whatever. Meaning, I've spent countless hours helping people ranging from 5th graders trying to find the area of triangles to our class valedictorian's troubles with physics. I know how to explain things with clarity and I'm quite patient.

So how should I go about finding a couple of clients? Put an ad in the local paper? Our school district doesn't have any sort of tutor-student matchmaking game going on, so giving my name to middle school counselors will be pretty much worthless.

Ideally, I'd like to tutor students from 7th-10th grades. I feel quite comfortable tutoring maths from about seventh grade math to Geometry (generally 10th grade). I could tutor through high school trig, but I'd probably have to actively review/relearn some stuff as I go... so way too much work for me. English I figure I could competently tutor at very nearly any level.

What should I be when my company grows up?

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:01:51 -0800

What do I want my actual position with a start-up to be when it becomes a more structured company? So I work for a software start-up that is growing and getting funding. My boss wants to know what I would like my actual position to be when we grow up in probably 3-6 months.

Currently I handle some marketing as well as other more business processes. At the moment the business side of the company is only two of us.

I can passably create things such as project plans and communications plans but I am not that great at it and do not enjoy such tasks.

I am great at, and enjoy, defining the brand and dealing with larger strategic issues such as new markets we might want to explore.

I have worked in consulting in the past developing new product and positioning. Generally anything that involves throwing out ideas and creation I am rather good at.

The problem is I am not very good at the organization or math. While I am getting my MBA from a great school I struggled through classes such as Stats and Accounting while doing extremely well in Negotiations, Leadership, etc. I am much more strategic than tactical.

I want to make sure I don't get pushed to the sidelines when it comes to actually running the company. I still want to be involved in large decisions and keep a position of power in the company as it grows...especially once we have a board and such.

So what should this guy with a bunch of crazy ideas be to become more legit?

Books on why we do, what we do.

producerpod — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:02:07 -0800

I loved "Gig," and I'd like recommendations for more books to help with the "inside view" of various jobs. Bonus points for books that might also help me gauge what I'm good at. As I search for a new gig myself in the communications industry (marketing and PR) I'm looking for recently published books that talk about the REAL side of work, as in how people got their jobs, what they do on a daily basis, etc. It doesn't have to necessarily be industry-specific; I'm just fascinated by how people get new jobs, and why they find themselves in them.

Also would appreciate recommendations on books or tests for self-examination re: skills and personality traits when it comes to careers/jobs.

What can I do to save up as much money as possible as quickly as possible before I begin grad school?

lxs — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:52:17 -0800

How can I make as much money as possible in the month before I move to NYC to begin grad school? I'm moving to NYC in exactly one month to begin grad school. I have a fellowship and will get a part-time job when I get there, but am trying to earn/save up as much money as possible to increase that good ole financial cushion.

I have a 9-5 job already, but am not allowed to work overtime. I scour craigslist gigs but rarely find anything or am chosen for the things I apply for. I've sold all my extra books and CDs, I did find a occasional babysitting gig, do freelance writing when I can (which isn't as often or well-paid as I'd like, c'est la vie), and am on some lists for focus groups that occasionally prove fruitful - none of these have yielded much in the way of income, however. I'd rather not get a retail job evenings just because I like to have a few hours at home (even if I spend them working) and I am going to be moving so soon. I have no waitressing experience.

Is there anything else I can be doing to make money fast?

Career / resume / job hunting advice for moving to a big city and looking for an engineering / government job.

decrescendo — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:18:45 -0800

Career / resume / job hunting advice for moving to a big city and looking for an engineering / government job. Looking for advice to help me squeeze every bit of juice out of my first job which I consider to be a very rare job for someone of my background, age, and experience. I'm coming to you all for some career help.

I currently live in Southern Maryland. To put it bluntly, I pretty much hate it. I would love to live in a city environment with a seemingly endless amount of things to see, people to meet, and places to explore.

I need to find a new job to do this, however, since it is too far of a commute for my current job. I work with the Navy as a contractor in the aircraft acquisition field right now. DC seems to be my best bet for the next step of my career. Anyone else have any other ideas for cities to move to in this line of work?

Does anyone have any tips for attempting to move to this area, for jobs in the area, and more importantly, does anyone have any tips for resumes for engineering/government jobs?

I'm also looking for some tips on executing a massive application process like the one I'm about to undertake. I don't exactly know where I want to work or what I want to do next. However, I'd like to avoid spamming the planet with my resume if at all possible. I want to make it more personal than that as I believe my interpersonal skills are above average. Should I be calling HR contacts for every company I find?

More importantly, the job am I about to leave is almost impossible to get for a person of my age and experience and I want to capitalize on this. What is the best way to make sure I squeeze every ounce of juice out of this experience? I feel like it could carry a lot of weight and take me pretty far in this next career step.

Thanks as always, ladies and gentlemen.

Getting fired on Monday, how should I handle it?

blackout — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:21:23 -0800

I've come to understand from co-workers as well as things that have gone on this past week, that I will be getting fired on Monday. How should I handle it? Much more after the jump. So here's a rundown of what's happened.
A few months ago, my boss sat me down and had a conversation with me about not answering my phone (and when I say my phone, I mean my cell phone, that I pay the bill for) when he calls. Sometimes I would go three to five days of not answering the phone when he called. Now I never did it out of spite, it just happened. Now keep in mind that I only get paid for billable time with customers (kinda like a lawyer I guess), I don't get paid when I'm home at 10pm when he calls sometimes nor do I get paid when I'm siting in the office in between customers scheduled times when he calls.
My thinking is that because I don't get paid to answer the phone there should be times when I don't have to answer it or return his call right away, especially those times when I'm not in the office, have the day off, or it's outside of normal business hours. I don't think many people would argue with me on that train of thought.
Well after he sat me down about the issue of me not answering my phone when he calls, I said I would do better at answering my phone. I left the meeting with him seeming much happier as I am his best and most valuable employee (out of three).
Fast forward a few months, and things with the business have slowed down quite a bit, to the point where the last time I worked was this past Tuesday (the 8th) for one hour. The rest of the time I've been [in essence] off, because I have no scheduled appointments with customers. Now with this time off, I've been doing a lot of things to keep myself busy (riding a motorcycle I just bought, exploring the city I moved to in Sept. that I haven't had a chance to because I've been working so much, and hanging out with a girl I meet), which most of the time keeps me from answering my phone [when anyone calls]. I just looked at my phone and he called me a total of 7 times since Tuesday, all of the missed calls [I didn't answer]. He never leaves a voice mail, never sends a text about what the calls about. I've tried to return his calls 4 times in the same time frame, every time I get his voice mail (where I leave a message "Hey *boss name*, it's *my name* just returning your call."), which is somewhat ironic I think.
Now come Friday while speaking to a coworker I'm told that the boss is pissed at me and I need to get in touch with him (this conversation was at 11:30pm which is in my opinion too late to call my boss), so the next day I call him a total of 7 times and send him 1 text message, all of which are never responded to (because at this point, he's already made up his mind to fire me). That evening (Sat. the 12th) I drive down to my office around 7pm, as that's where my motorcycle is stored, because I was gonna go for a ride. I get to the office and my key no longer works. He's changed the locks.
At this point it's clear to me that I'm fired, but the boss has never said anything to me, I've just been putting things together from what another coworker has been saying and he's not saying much, trying to stay out of the middle of it all.
The boss told this coworker to tell me that there is a "mandatory meeting 9am Monday", where I presume he will fire me.
Now to the questions is, how do I handle this? I don't really care about the job, it doesn't bother me to lose it. Honestly I think the whole situation is rather comical. I already have a new job in the works lined up more money, being my own boss, etc.
I've not been paid for the last two weeks (we get paid weekly and he's failed to pay me). I want to make sure I get my pay as well as all my belongings.
How should I react to the boss when he fires me? Should I be mad or should I just make it clear that I don't give a hoot? Should I give him a peace of my mind for having sub par equipment and putting my life at risk? Should I even let him finish if he starts to dig into me, or should I just says "Write my checks while I get my personal belongs."
I've never been fired before and honestly I can't think of a better first firing situation, I'm just looking for the best way I can handle it.

Need help finding a job in Houston, Texas

JPowers — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:17:58 -0800

My brother-in-law is having a very hard time finding a job in Houston, Texas. Any ideas or job leads? He's in his late-30's and his work experience includes a lumber
company (inside sales and office manager) and Legend Homes (as a
construction superintendent). I know this is a stretch, but does
anyone have any job leads in this area? The job wouldn't have to be
in the home building industry, just anything that pays in the
high-40's that would be appropriate for someone with his skill set (no
college degree but a good amount of job experience in home building,
maintenance, a hard worker, smart guy, etc.). If you don't
necessarily have any good job leads, can anyone suggest some places to look for jobs? We obviously know about all of the usual suspects
(Craigslist, Monster, etc.), but maybe there are some other places we
are over-looking. He's been on 6-7 interviews and had no luck so far.

Also, he and his family (four kids and a wife) are having to dip into
their 401k to pay the bills. What kind of government help can they
get? They have already applied for and been denied unemployment
(because he quit his last job to go looking for a new one, vs. waiting
to be laid off which he knew was coming).

Any help would be very much appreciated.

How do I move back to New Orleans?

ultraultraboomerang — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:03:38 -0800

How do I move back to New Orleans? Or, in light of the economy here and elsewhere, should I stay in Baton Rouge and suck it up? I moved (reluctantly and luckily) from New Orleans for a job about a year before the storm. I've been an hour down the road in Baton Rouge for four years, and I just never made friends with this town. Also, I never made friends in this town. I'm paid pretty well for what I do, but all I do is go to work and come home. My boyfriend is in NOLA, and that's starting to be a problem, now that I'm getting sort of old for that kind of arrangement, especially when it costs $30 in gas just to get there and back.

I work in academia and could almost certainly get a similar job there at about a 20% pay cut. When I sell my condo here I'll end up with about $10k profit when all is said and done, which will be a nice cushion but is not enough for a down payment on anything (my current mortgage was no down payment, but since people bought million dollar houses with those and defaulted, I'm unlikely to get another one even though my credit is excellent). I have around $30k in retirement but I know I shouldn't even think about tapping in to that. (Right?)

So how do I do this? I make a good living here but have literally nothing else. Moving to New Orleans is risky for the obvious reasons, but it's the only place I can imagine having an actual life, with friends and a real boyfriend and things to do. Should I stay here and suck it up, having a weekend boyfriend, until something miraculous happens? Should I even be thinking about buying real estate there? (Obviously I'll be looking at the higher ground, probably Metairie.)

I guess I'm just looking for thoughts on the New Orleans economy in general (as perceived from inside and out), and thoughts on whether or not it's worth the sacrifice, in the midst of this economic clusterfuck, to give up a decent job and a decent (but boring and isolated) life to take a chance at a real relationship and a life that includes some friends who live in the same zip code.

Tell me about academic job websites across the globe!

handee — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:54:15 -0800

Do other countries have an equivalent of the UK's jobs.ac.uk, where pretty much all academic jobs are advertised?

I didn't know what I didn't know about IT.

joshrholloway — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:20:39 -0800

I'm an entry-level computer technician looking for advice on what skills are most vital for me in today's market, and how to best achieve them. Specifically, I would like to know what hands-on classes I should look into in the Nashville, TN area. This is a bit long, but anyone who will take the time to read it and answer will be greatly appreciated.

I'll give just a touch of background: My very first AskMeFi question was a little over a year ago, about how to get an IT security job and work my way up the ladder. At the time I posted it, I was 19, stubborn, cocky, and a know-it-all. Today I am 21 and still stubborn, but I realize now that I was not the computer genius I thought I was then.

Cutting that intervening period short, I will say that I was extremely blessed with an entry-level computer technician job for a great company that I am loving. Because this job has helped me understand the things about IT that I don't know, I'm looking to expand my knowledge further. Being around great guys who know what they're doing is helping already, but there's just not time enough for them to sit me down and train me on what they do, and I wouldn't want to put them through that.

So I'm looking for help. The main questions I have are essentially "what should I be learning to make myself a more valuable employee?" and "what is the best way for me to learn those skills that fits in with my learning style?" I know these are both pretty general, so I will outline a few things to help narrow it down.

I have been using and fixing PCs since I can remember, and I am very comfortable with Windows as a desktop/workstation OS and the user-facing layers of OS X. At my job, we use an infrastructure mainly based on Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory, with some Linux and UNIX server here and there for various purposes. I have been able to handle my basic support tickets very well, but when any of my co-workers discuss servers and network structure and things of that nature, most of it goes over my head. I'm picking up bits and pieces.

So basically I have a foundation that would probably equate to an A+ certification and maybe a little more than that. I have had some hands-on training for the MCP MDST certification, although I never took the test. I have very little experience with UNIX; I know some very basic commands, and that's it.

So where do I begin? I am not a very good book learner, but I can discipline myself if it is important enough. I am really looking for hands-on or classroom training if possible. Please don't recommend I get a degree. I don't want to be short-sighted, but I have neither the time nor the money to pursue a degree with a university at this point. My company will pay $2500 per year for classes or training, but I may be able to get more if the training would be exceptionally valuable to me. I don't plan on leaving the company I work for now anytime soon, but I want to take on more responsibilities and be able to perform tasks myself that I now have to go to my co-workers for.

I have looked into classes, and have found several offerings for rigorous five-day courses in basic Windows Server 2003/AD administration. From reading the description and the coverage areas, I think this would be a good start for me, but I don't want to jump the gun. I also don't know what training facilities or companies are reputable or worth it, so if you have a better recommendation, let me know. As for classes, I am in the Nashville area if that matters.

I am sorry if this was long and a bit scatter-brained, but I am just trying to get all my thoughts out there. Anyone willing to give me a little help would be extremely welcome. Anything you can give is good. Thank you so much in advance.

How does this usually work?

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:37:35 -0800

So, how does one usually go from their first job to their second one? **A bit long - skip to the 3rd paragraph for the real question **

I'm at my first Real Job (TM) in a small group that does a very specific, somewhat repetitive task in a big corporation - we basically tackle the same kind of problem over and over again every couple of months. Unfortunately, there's pretty much no room for me to grow and keep learning new things unless I go elsewhere in the company (I was too naive to realize this when coming right out of school), and for the past few months I've been feeling rather unchallenged and stagnant.

When I brought this up with my managers, they agreed that in my current role my gaining more technical or managerial skills was unlikely given the limited scope of the group's mission and the tiny size of my group. Subsequently, we all said we'd all do our part in helping me find an internal transfer. But despite my managers and me speaking with other groups left and right, things have been coming up empty; the corporation as a whole is actually downsizing considerably. Since I'm rather bored and the corporation is shrinking with no turnaround in sight anyway, I'm thinking it might be time to start looking at other companies entirely. I don't plan on looking intensely ASAP, but I could see this becoming necessary in a few months.

** real question here **
But assuming my managers don't lay me off before I start looking (a possibility I can accept), wouldn't I presumably need references from my first job to get a second one, since I've got no other prior relevant experience? I've been out of school for a couple of years and don't feel like I could use my professors as references, and feel it's gauche to ask my current bosses under the circumstances. I'm in a technical field, so volunteer work-type references would probably be insufficient as well. So, do I find a trusted coworker to ask as a reference? Someone else at the company who's not in my group, but is familiar with my reputation and soft skills? A professor from long ago? Or do I wait it out for a few months, and have a frank discussion with my managers and simultaneously ask for references and then resign (this does not appeal to me at all)? How does this usually work?

Suggestions appreciated, thanks!

Should I say I'm on maternity leave when applying for jobs?

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:24:16 -0800

I'm applying for professional jobs after 6 months of maternity leave. How, if at all, should this be reflected (a) in my resume/cover letter and (b) in my interviews? Is it misleading to say that I am still employed by the employer that I am on leave from (they are paying me benefits and I have a job waiting for me when I come back if I want it)? I am concerned that employers will be reluctant to hire someone who has just had a child as they may feel I will be likely to have another soon.

I'm considering just not telling them that I have recently had a child, but then it looks like I have 6 months more experience than I actually do, even though I am technically still employed there. Thoughts?

make me a (counter) offer.

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:43:29 -0800

jobofferfilter: got a job offer! yea! now the salary negotation…ick. do companies always expect you to counter their offer? what now? after nearly seven years of freelancing, i decided earlier this year that i was tired of it and want to work for the man. after months of looking (damn the economy: my industry is one of the first hit when things take a downturn), i've finally been offered a position. yea! but because i've never been in this position before, the whole salary negotiation—urgh.

at the first interview last week, i met with the HR rep and the VP to whom i would be reporting. i clicked with both of them and the VP was very impressed with my work. i was asked to come back a couple of days later to meet with more people in the department and had great conversations with them as well. the job description is huge—but i have done everything on it in one capacity or other (and have produced a number of best-sellers). this position would also be the only one of it's kind in the department, with no present plans to add (altho that may change depending on growth—and they have been growing) nor any thought as yet as to advancement for this position. i was told (and i concur with the impression i got) that it's a very "make your own opportunity" environment so there is potential for good growth as well. i really like the company: great people, great benefits, great vibe, solid financial backing, been around for over a decade and it's recently grown a bit. they were very impressed with my work—and frankly, i really do think they can benefit from my skills in the department in which i'd be working.

when i first spoke to the HR rep, she told me the salary is $X0-X5K (and asked what i was looking for—to which i answered the industry standard at my [senior] level was $X5-Y5K) but at subsequent mentions it was $X0K. i was told the person in the position before was more junior, skill-wise and their salary was about $12K less. at the second meeting, the HR rep told me they were "very interested" in me and we had a frank conversation about salary. i let them know i'd be happy at $Y0K which was the middle of the range i gave them—and i believe i can present a very good argument for it. today i got an offer for $X5K; i was told they had to finagle that last $5K to get me but it's still $5K less than what i'd like. they also offered a six month review—as a pre-emptive measure, no doubt.

so…should i still counter? do companies always expect it? and if you think i should, what should i counter at? how best do i go about doing this? hope me, hivemind!