How Do I Find A Better Paying Job? (long Upset Post)

[terestrife]

Hello,

I currently work for the City of Doral and make $13 an hour.

I have applied everywhere that i could for months now, and havent had luck. i dont have any degrees except for my associates.

I dont mind whatever job i have to do, i just want to make enough money to move out on my own. i am so tired of living with family members, and having to put up with everyone elses rules and issues.

my sister moved in some random guy that got her daughter pregnant to help pay for the bills. this complete moron disconnected my fridge that i store my cats frozen cat food. for anyone that home makes food for their cats, you can only imagine the waste. it was a lovely surprise after 9 hours working, and driving 3 hours today in my job route (miami traffic).

i am so sick of my sister moving my stuff, and her weird obsessions that she gets with things.

i feel so tired, and angry. i feel like nothing will ever change.

yes, i know there are people who are worst off. i am not saying my life is worse than anyones. i just so badly want my independence but i fear i will forever be stuck living with family. ive been looking around at cheap apartments, but i am scared to leave my cats there when i am working. the only places that have cheap apartments are bad neighborhoods.

i feel so long and dont know where to turn. my sister seems to believe that God will somehow magically solve all our problems. She believes it is God keeping this house standing, and paid for while she is not working. When in reality its me, and a complete stranger paying the bills.

If anyone is willing to guide me, i am willing to listen.

i take my job very seriously, and am willing to learn and do whatever it takes to become independent.

 

[Lari]

Could you supplement by driving for Uber or something like that? I babysit occasionally to get some extra spending cash, but I don't need quite as much supplementation.

 

[Willowy]

Do they have subsidized apartments in your area? They have a lot around here. Nice ones too. Although it's possible that $13 an hour full-time would put you over the income limit.

Anyway, talk to Job Services and Adult Social Services. Explain the situation. See what they can help you with.

 

[Kieka]

I'd start applying to anything and everything you are halfway qualified for. I did that the last time I was in the job market and ended up stumbling across my job. The ad was just administrative assistant needed, the interview was assistant to a person, and there was almost no details. It turned out to be more of a billing clerk position but I've been there nearly 5 years.

Some companies, especially Mom and Pop type, just don't know how to describe the position. Larger companies are pretty much exactly what they say.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Hello,

I currently work for the City of Doral and make $13 an hour.

I have applied everywhere that i could for months now, and havent had luck. i dont have any degrees except for my associates.

I dont mind whatever job i have to do, i just want to make enough money to move out on my own. i am so tired of living with family members, and having to put up with everyone elses rules and issues.

my sister moved in some random guy that got her daughter pregnant to help pay for the bills. this complete moron disconnected my fridge that i store my cats frozen cat food. for anyone that home makes food for their cats, you can only imagine the waste. it was a lovely surprise after 9 hours working, and driving 3 hours today in my job route (miami traffic).

i am so sick of my sister moving my stuff, and her weird obsessions that she gets with things.

i feel so tired, and angry. i feel like nothing will ever change.

yes, i know there are people who are worst off. i am not saying my life is worse than anyones. i just so badly want my independence but i fear i will forever be stuck living with family. ive been looking around at cheap apartments, but i am scared to leave my cats there when i am working. the only places that have cheap apartments are bad neighborhoods.

i feel so long and dont know where to turn. my sister seems to believe that God will somehow magically solve all our problems. She believes it is God keeping this house standing, and paid for while she is not working. When in reality its me, and a complete stranger paying the bills.

If anyone is willing to guide me, i am willing to listen.

i take my job very seriously, and am willing to learn and do whatever it takes to become independent.

 

[nansiludie]

$13 an hour is not bad at all. Might depend on where you live though. Would you be willing to move into a studio sized apartment or perhaps a mobile home just temporary until you could find something a little better suited for you but still get you out of the fix you are currently in. Just something to think about. Best of luck to you.

 

[denice]

Just for the heck of it I googled apartments in Doral. Unless there is a Doral other than the one that people first think of rents are very very high in Doral. They are much higher than they are in Columbus. I am surprised that the city pays that for any job given the rents in the area. Are there what we here call bedroom communities where housing costs are lower? They are small towns further out. I know here they fall into two categories, very affluent with high housing costs or decent areas with much lower housing costs. Of course that means more wear and tear on the car and more gas but here people usually will come out ahead that way.

 

[terestrife]

Thanks everyone! I will do my best to keep trying to find work. I'm not sure why the city pays this way. But all apartments and housing are expensive around here. I've looked around and my pay wouldn't even cover rent. There are places near by like Miami springs. But I've lived in that area, there are many robberies and drunks. I'm scared to leave my cats there during the day.

 

[rgwanner]

First, I agree that God will not magically make problems disappear with no effort on your part. But I have seen that God does help those who make an effort, which you are doing.

Have you considered a roommate? Perhaps you could advertise in a pet store, humane society or rescue where you have a higher chance of getting a cat friendly roommate.

The holiday season is near. A lot of retail places are starting to advertise for holiday help. I worked part time retail for many, many years. It is hard, but it allowed me to get things I could not have afforded otherwise. Perhaps you could get a short term part time job and save for your own place. (Of course you have to be able to afford it after deposits, etc.) What about part time pizza delivery or other food delivery? (Just in order to save)

Since you have driving experience have you considered looking for a holiday job with UPS or FedEx? I have seen holiday jobs turn into full time jobs. I don't know how the pay compares, but you would have the chance to transfer to a lower housing cost city, after a time.

Have you thought about moving farther away than just a bedroom community? Could you do a serious job search in a town that would have lower housing costs, and get a roommate? That may be an option if you do not have serious ties to Doral. From what I understand rents in all parts of the country are going up, unfortunately.

You said you have an Associates degree which is great. It shows you have some ambition and can follow through on a goal. If all else fails, maybe you could get some education assistance at a community college and get your BA by going to school at night. I did that. It is hard, but will open more doors.

You are in an unfortunate situation. Maybe you have tried these tips, maybe they are not an option right now, but maybe they will get you thinking.

The current situation is untenable. So you have to figure out a way to make change happen by thinking "outside the box".

I hope this helps. Please let us know how it is going.

 

[cassiopea]

^ Looking for seasonal help is a good idea! you can get some decent gigs too - Tea shops, beauty stores, bookstores, chocolate shops, jeweler stores, pet shops etc that might intrigue you personally. It would look nice on a resume too, as having retail skills can be quite dandy for future employers. Some popular stores that often have seasonal spots include David's Tea, Sephora, Lush Cosmetics, Lindt Chocolates, Coles/Indigo, Victoria's Secret and the like.

Also looking for roommates could help too. It can be understandably scary having the idea of moving in with strangers, but the chance of it being a worse situation than you have now is quite slim. You can always narrow it down; a nice older retired lady, or a serious grad student, a young professional etc etc who likes animals.

Mid-Late summer can also be a rather slow period in the job market, so don't feel discouraged. Things tend to pick up again in the fall. Also, look for jobs during Tuesdays - Monday is the heaviest traffic for people looking for jobs, and Tuesday is the heaviest day of employers posting jobs So, always check on a Tuesday! And look in the morning! Job seekers tend to apply around 2 pm on average, while jobs post on average around 11 am.


Don't worry you are not alone in this! Expensive city/town but pay hasn't gone up to catch up, and having to look around but things are sparse, it is such a common problem.

And while a huge consideration, maybe think about checking out another place in another state.

Things will get better! Good luck!

 

[rgwanner]

An addendum - you are in an unfortunate and untenable situation. You say you want your own place.

It is not enough to say you want to move out. You must make it concrete. Set a goal of being able to move out in say 6 months or a year at the most. If at the end of that time, you have not been able to move out, then you need to look at other options. Maybe you need to just admit that Doral is not the place for you right now.

It appears that you are relatively young and unmarried, so do you REALLY have to stay in Doral? If not, research 2 or 3 other cities maybe 100 - 200 miles out. Job opportunities, rents, etc. Save 3 or 4 months living expenses from a part time job.Then do a serious job search.

Make a list of all your options - i.e roommate, another city, higher education, part time job, etc. Decide which option you want to pursue. Make a list of what it will take to make that option a reality. What concrete "action" steps do you need to take? Set a time frame. If that option does not work out, move on the next option.

The point is that you have to set a concrete goal, in a concrete time frame, and be prepared to change your goal if you need to, while keeping the ultimate goal of having your own place.

Moving out is a big step. Moving to another city can be scary. Moving in with a roommate can be unnerving. Any time you leave your familiar comfort zone, even if you are not happy there, it is difficult. But if you are really serious about moving out, you need to take charge and take concrete steps to make it happen.

I hope this is helpful. Again, let us know how you re doing.

 

[terestrife]

Hi everyone.

Its been a few months since this post. Not much has changed. I have been applying everywhere, but it is difficult to find a job where i live now. I live in Homestead, Florida. I am hoping to find something that is as stable as the job i have now. I have a job for the State of Florida. It's a good job, that i am grateful for, but i don't make enough to live on my own.

my sister has been to a few job interviews, but hasn't had much luck.

I've just been feeling drained lately. i have to leave my house at 5:40 to get to my job at 6:30 AM (I start work at 8:00 AM). The problem with miami traffic, is if you leave even five minutes later, it changes things in the expressway. I get home at night from 6:00-6:30 PM.

I get home, do things for my cats, eat, shower, look for work, and sleep. Most nights i struggle with forcing myself to sleep, so im tried most of the time. I find it hard to focus sometimes.

i've just been feeling discouraged lately. Theres this one place that I would like to work for, but havent seen any jobs open up. The city of homestead is 12 minutes from my house. I would love to work at this building.

Just wanted to give a quick update. Not much has changed. I'm doing my best to find work, but I dont have any connections. I'm hoping this new year brings some positive changes.Thank you to everyone for all the responses and support.

 

[1 bruce 1]

If you've got your eye on a place you'd like to work for, there's no harm in typing up a resume and delivering it in person and tell the if they ever get a position open, you'd love to work for their team. (Do this on a day you feel your brightest, most alert, and relaxed so you make a good first impression )
It seems like a million years away but in 6-7 months, there's no harm in calling them up and asking if there is an opening and if not, please keep your resume on file. You don't have to be (or want to be) pushy, but letting them know they're your top pick might keep you sitting at the top of the job opening ladder.

 

[maggie101]

Online there is a site called LinkedIn where you can put your resume. Many people looking for workers will be interested

 

[ArchyCat]

Is the US Air Force base still active at Homestead? If so, check on the base for entry level civil service employment. Pay and benefits would probably be better.

Also, according to all the reports I hear in the news and read in the press,. there appears to be an unlimited demand for anyone with computer skills.

Does the state offer any computer training? There may be internet based courses available that you can take at your own pace. Also check with any local university campuses or community colleges. They have something useful for you.

Good luck!

 

[goingpostal]

I work for the post office and it's a decent job with good pay, we are short handed pretty much all over but jobs are posted online and very briefly.

 

[terestrife]

If you've got your eye on a place you'd like to work for, there's no harm in typing up a resume and delivering it in person and tell the if they ever get a position open, you'd love to work for their team. (Do this on a day you feel your brightest, most alert, and relaxed so you make a good first impression )
It seems like a million years away but in 6-7 months, there's no harm in calling them up and asking if there is an opening and if not, please keep your resume on file. You don't have to be (or want to be) pushy, but letting them know they're your top pick might keep you sitting at the top of the job opening ladder.

Thanks for the suggestion the next time I have a day off I will try doing that. unfortunately my days off are usually the same days this building is closed. I would have to choose a day to go into work late.

Online there is a site called LinkedIn where you can put your resume. Many people looking for workers will be interested

Yes, I opened an account there a few months back. No luck just yet.

Is the US Air Force base still active at Homestead? If so, check on the base for entry level civil service employment. Pay and benefits would probably be better.

Also, according to all the reports I hear in the news and read in the press,. there appears to be an unlimited demand for anyone with computer skills.

Does the state offer any computer training? There may be internet based courses available that you can take at your own pace. Also check with any local university campuses or community colleges. They have something useful for you.

Good luck!

I've been trying to get into the homestead air base. I've applied for a few positions and have been waiting. But no luck lol I have really wanted a federal job, but I've heard they are very difficult to get. I will keep trying and waiting but I've been losing hope. I've also applied for jobs at campuses near me.

I will look into the computer classes. Thank you for the suggestion.

I work for the post office and it's a decent job with good pay, we are short handed pretty much all over but jobs are posted online and very briefly.

I considered working for the post office. But I have sciatic nerve issues. I get really bad back pain. Not sure I could carry heavy boxes.


Thank you everyone for the continued help.

 

[foxden]

terestrife
I don't know if this will help get a job that pays better, but may help you find a career you want to do.
I went to a "job resource" course the company paid for after a layoff several years ago.
One of the things I learned was how to identify and sort the skills I already had.
Start by making a list of all the things you know how to do. These skills do not have to be job related, you want to capture as many ideas as possible. Work on the list over several days. I feel like my list improved when I put it down for a day or so.
Step 2 -- look over your list and mark anything that other people think you do well, or that you have been told you do well. Again, these don't have to be specifically job related, as they may be additive skills for jobs you haven't thought about.
Step 3 -- look through your list and find the things you like doing and things you believe you do well.
You can use this list to find jobs that fit your skills and will fit what you like to do.
I initially had trouble listing things I thought I was good at, especially since I had just been laid off.
I looked at my list for several days before the concept and structure started to feel 'right'. You should list things like accurate typing, being well-organized, being on time...
Things that are not as measurable include learning quickly, computer skills, being creative or artistic, good at math, loving animals...

I was able to use my list to focus my job search, and I used the list to help write cover letters to fit specific jobs.
I also learned a lot about resume writing in this course.

I'm working on my resume again after time out from full-time company employment. I'm working through the same process now, but incorporating skills from my craft business into the skills and experience lists.