I didn't want to post this because I did not feel like rehashing all of the difficulty I have had trying to find decent work. Unfortunately, the store where I work had to make cutbacks, and I am now down to 1 or 2 days a week.
Now, I knew of the impending cutback weeks in advance, so I had decided to take the initiative BACK THEN to find something full time that will pay more than lousy minimum-McSlave-wages I was getting at Macy's. I also told myself that the bright side of the cutback in hours would be that I could now find a Monday thru Friday gig & not have to quit my job at the store.
However all of my job search efforts continue to go unnoticed and without any results. I have filled out countless resumes, online job sites, (monster, career builder, hotjobs, you name it) answered numerous newspaper classified ads, and so on and so forth.
Of the hundreds (yes hundreds!!) of resumes & applications I have submitted over the past couple of months, I have not received ONE phone call, and have not been on ONE interview. Not ONE.
I have also been checking out the civil service announcements for my area, as well as for the city & state of New York. I have filled out numerous applications for civil service positions since late last year, and after all of that I have ONE civil service test coming up in April. Just ONE. Woopee. But I digress.
I have long since given up on temp agencies & headhunters there used to be a time whereas they wanted people to come in; they wanted recruits because it was good for them. Nowadays, they'll just look for any excuse to blow you off. One temp agency told me that a web-designer position was filled ONE DAY BEFORE I had called them! Ugh. Another agency told me that none of the programming positions were a fit for me because I didn't have enough on-the-job programming experience.
The last agency I spoke with was advertising SEVERAL various jobs available on their website, ranging from HelpDesk to general clerical/admin assistant work. So I followed the instructions & e-mailed my resume. I got the standard "Thanks for your application, someone will contact you, blah blah blah" but there was a name and a phone number attached. The recruiting agent's name was Sandi.
So I waited 2 days & then placed a follow-up call to Sandi. She was very dismissive on the phone & told me that they were "real busy right now" and someone would call me back later that afternoon.
Again, 2 days go by. No phone call.
Enough was enough. When I called back this afternoon I was polite but very firm, and did not hold back any tones of frustration in my voice. I told Sandi (verbatim) "Look, if you don't have any positions available, then just be honest. Don't lure people in with false hopes of a job only to blow them off. This way I don't have to waste my time, and I don't have to waste your time. Just be honest with me."
She then had the GALL to tell me how "seasoned" my resume was (as if that wasn't patronizing enough) she went on about how their agency only specialized in "entry-level" positions, that I had "too much" experience.
I can honestly say that I have never heard anything so absurd in my entire life. And I have to admit that when I got off the phone I felt like I was just punched in the face.
I give up. I always thought that having more experience was a GOOD thing in the eyes of potential employers. I always believed that the most experienced people were the first ones chosen for certain jobs. Was I overqualified? This is certainly a first for me.
I end this week feeling just a little more frustrated than I did when it began. I feel like I'm on some sort of a blacklist. Either I have too much experience, or I don't have enough.
ARRRRRRGGGGH!
Anyway, there's a Job Fair next week. More falls for me to set myself up for. I'll call it the "Upcoming Disappointment" fair. Because that's all that job hunting has brought me.
You have what it takes to get those jobs - intelligence, common sense, and attitude!!
Proud Military Family - Navy, Army, Coast Guard, National Guard 
Back in October, I put my resume on Monster.completelyuseless. I immediately began getting spam from an insurance company in Texas wanting commissioned salespeople. Somehow, that doesn't seem in any way whatsoever related to "UNIX Systems Administrator" and "Software Developer". I got e-mail messages from two local businesses specializing in "career development". Can you believe these idiots wanted $4000 (USD) 
