Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Local Job Rant
Posted by:
jobless in ffx
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:05AM
You know,life in this area is depressing. If you are not well paid, or at least have multiple incomes, you're fucked. The cost of living is so high you need at least that. You can't get a job anymore without putting your life online to 2 million job ads. There's no going in presenting yourself anymore It's all done online. You can't find a job that wants to pay more than $10-$12 per hour, and good luck surviving in this area with a family on that. All good jobs in the area want existing security clearance, but you can't just apply for that. All jobs, even the shitty ones, want experience only. How is that even possible? I lost my job and have canvased the area and websites. I was at my job for 15 years after the military. I have no other skills, and I'm now to old to go back in. I have a family and want to work. Can't get a call back from anywhere. Even places I am over qualified for...wtf? ah
Thanks for allowing me to ven that
Thanks for allowing me to ven that
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
WashingTone-Locian
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:21AM
What do you do for a living?
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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm
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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
justsayin
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:36AM
jobless in ffx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know,life in this area is depressing. If you
> are not well paid, or at least have multiple
> incomes, you're fucked. The cost of living is so
> high you need at least that.
Why stay in the county at a lower standard of living here if you don't have to... get paid the same in some other county for similar work where the cost of living is lower, and your standard of living will get better.
I don't think you are wrong in what you are saying, but you may be able to fix the problem for yourself be relocating. There ARE other places in the state and country to live than Fairfax County :)
The cost of living here has risen to meet the median income of the residents.
Your note about experience-only reminds me of (at least ten years ago) how competitive FCPD was. There is a guys I know who moved to another area of the country to gain experience as a new police officer with the goal being he could then apply to FCPD and move back.
Have you tried applying for a federal employee job? You get boosted higher in hiring ratings if you have military experience. Even a mid-grade paper pusher gets good insurance and retirement benefits.
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know,life in this area is depressing. If you
> are not well paid, or at least have multiple
> incomes, you're fucked. The cost of living is so
> high you need at least that.
Why stay in the county at a lower standard of living here if you don't have to... get paid the same in some other county for similar work where the cost of living is lower, and your standard of living will get better.
I don't think you are wrong in what you are saying, but you may be able to fix the problem for yourself be relocating. There ARE other places in the state and country to live than Fairfax County :)
The cost of living here has risen to meet the median income of the residents.
Your note about experience-only reminds me of (at least ten years ago) how competitive FCPD was. There is a guys I know who moved to another area of the country to gain experience as a new police officer with the goal being he could then apply to FCPD and move back.
Have you tried applying for a federal employee job? You get boosted higher in hiring ratings if you have military experience. Even a mid-grade paper pusher gets good insurance and retirement benefits.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
fc driver
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:44AM
If you have a good driving record,and are'nt afriad of a criminalbackground check you can be a school bus driver you are hired at I believe $16+ per hour,benefits are excellant, your office is outside and you are rarely hassled by your bosses if you do your job well. Get your CDL liscense first,take the test at DMV,Then go on Fairfax cty website they pay while your training,it's not a bad deal. If not forever for awhile. I've known NASA engineers,ex army,hoteliers,people who just did'nt want the corporate bulls--- anymore......Good Luck
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
WashingTone-Locian
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:47AM
Every job I've ever had I got through networking. I've never gotten a job from submitting a resume to a website.
As for the cost of living...move. There are plenty of communities where you can survive on $10 to $12 an hour. Drive down to North Carolina. I've never understood people who move to expensive cities and then deliver pizzas for a living.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm
As for the cost of living...move. There are plenty of communities where you can survive on $10 to $12 an hour. Drive down to North Carolina. I've never understood people who move to expensive cities and then deliver pizzas for a living.
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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
eesh
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:50AM
Yeah, what did you do for a living? I understand there are some unique careers in the DC area that are hard to translate to other job sectors, especially those with security clearances.
You said you were previously in the military, were you working for a defense contractor these 15 years? If you lost your job due to contracts drying up, just hang in there. There is always someone hiring with a decent salary if you have a clearance.
You said you were previously in the military, were you working for a defense contractor these 15 years? If you lost your job due to contracts drying up, just hang in there. There is always someone hiring with a decent salary if you have a clearance.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
JBass
()
Date: April 27, 2011 10:55AM
fc driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you have a good driving record,and are'nt
> afriad of a criminalbackground check you can be a
> school bus driver you are hired at I believe $16+
> per hour,benefits are excellant, your office is
> outside and you are rarely hassled by your bosses
> if you do your job well. Get your CDL liscense
> first,take the test at DMV,Then go on Fairfax cty
> website they pay while your training,it's not a
> bad deal. If not forever for awhile. I've known
> NASA engineers,ex army,hoteliers,people who just
> did'nt want the corporate bulls---
> anymore......Good Luck
If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well drive dump trucks at $20+
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you have a good driving record,and are'nt
> afriad of a criminalbackground check you can be a
> school bus driver you are hired at I believe $16+
> per hour,benefits are excellant, your office is
> outside and you are rarely hassled by your bosses
> if you do your job well. Get your CDL liscense
> first,take the test at DMV,Then go on Fairfax cty
> website they pay while your training,it's not a
> bad deal. If not forever for awhile. I've known
> NASA engineers,ex army,hoteliers,people who just
> did'nt want the corporate bulls---
> anymore......Good Luck
If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well drive dump trucks at $20+
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Professor Pangloss
()
Date: April 27, 2011 11:01AM
JBass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well
> drive dump trucks at $20+
I'm not sure the demand is the same for dump trucks - the demand for school bus drivers is high. They ALWAYS need people. I'm not sure about dump truck drivers.
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well
> drive dump trucks at $20+
I'm not sure the demand is the same for dump trucks - the demand for school bus drivers is high. They ALWAYS need people. I'm not sure about dump truck drivers.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
fc driver
()
Date: April 27, 2011 11:01AM
where do you find these jobs?? always up for a change!!
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
eesh
()
Date: April 27, 2011 12:32PM
If you want to go the truck driving route, there are plenty of schools that offer Commercial Driver's License training. Some of those tractor trailer drivers make over 100k a year. Even those Pepsi/Coca-Cola drivers that you see delivering to grocery stores and convenience stores make over $20 an hour.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
JBass
()
Date: April 27, 2011 12:34PM
fc driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> where do you find these jobs?? always up for a
> change!!
Reliable drivers that speak English and can follow directions/read a map can find work, especially this time of year. The key would be to get on with an outfit that has solid winter trucking needs. Construction companies, Excavation companies and some asphalt companies run diesel all winter long, too. You may look at VDOT, but if you are interested in private companies, I would let the fingers do the walking thru the yellow pages, call all of the larger operations (Not owner operated) 5 trucks+, and give them youre name and number. Ask for the office manager or whoever is in charge of CDL hires. CDL drivers at these places are notorious for no call no shows, getting lost, sleeping on the job, etc etc. If you are CDL certified now and have experience, I would bet a dollar you could find pick-up work at the very least.
Think William A Hazel, Asplundh, Clark, Paradigm, ASAP, Premium, Fairfax Excavating
-------------------------------------------------------
> where do you find these jobs?? always up for a
> change!!
Reliable drivers that speak English and can follow directions/read a map can find work, especially this time of year. The key would be to get on with an outfit that has solid winter trucking needs. Construction companies, Excavation companies and some asphalt companies run diesel all winter long, too. You may look at VDOT, but if you are interested in private companies, I would let the fingers do the walking thru the yellow pages, call all of the larger operations (Not owner operated) 5 trucks+, and give them youre name and number. Ask for the office manager or whoever is in charge of CDL hires. CDL drivers at these places are notorious for no call no shows, getting lost, sleeping on the job, etc etc. If you are CDL certified now and have experience, I would bet a dollar you could find pick-up work at the very least.
Think William A Hazel, Asplundh, Clark, Paradigm, ASAP, Premium, Fairfax Excavating
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
JBass
()
Date: April 27, 2011 12:38PM
eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you want to go the truck driving route, there
> are plenty of schools that offer Commercial
> Driver's License training. Some of those tractor
> trailer drivers make over 100k a year. Even those
> Pepsi/Coca-Cola drivers that you see delivering to
> grocery stores and convenience stores make over
> $20 an hour.
Caviat, many of these schools work private financing deals with you, $3500 - 5000 bucks for the class, plus room and board if you are not local to one. Almost all new drivers coming thru courses such as Roadmaster are required to do OTR (Long distance) driving for at least a year before settling into a nice, cushy, local route. But if you do end up with one of those deals, you are MONEY. Virtually no way to loose your job as long as you show up and clock out sober. The best thing is that most all of these guys are on the road in the middle of the night, doing deliveries to regional stores, restaurants etc.
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you want to go the truck driving route, there
> are plenty of schools that offer Commercial
> Driver's License training. Some of those tractor
> trailer drivers make over 100k a year. Even those
> Pepsi/Coca-Cola drivers that you see delivering to
> grocery stores and convenience stores make over
> $20 an hour.
Caviat, many of these schools work private financing deals with you, $3500 - 5000 bucks for the class, plus room and board if you are not local to one. Almost all new drivers coming thru courses such as Roadmaster are required to do OTR (Long distance) driving for at least a year before settling into a nice, cushy, local route. But if you do end up with one of those deals, you are MONEY. Virtually no way to loose your job as long as you show up and clock out sober. The best thing is that most all of these guys are on the road in the middle of the night, doing deliveries to regional stores, restaurants etc.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
havehope
()
Date: April 27, 2011 12:59PM
If you move to a lower cost area you really are no better off than you are here. Sure the cost of living is less but so is the job market. There simply are no jobs there that pay what you make here. Keep your head up and keep digging. Any one that thinks otherwise has never spent time there. There are a lot of jobs that don't call because you are over qualified and they do not think you will stay. I bet there are a lot of jobs you could do but either would not support your family or you don't want. A good job fit is hard to find as the grass is always greener. Driving is a pain in the ass job that can be seasonal. Perhaps a website like indeed or monster job. Hang in there and by all means thank you for serving
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
justsayin
()
Date: April 27, 2011 01:52PM
havehope Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you move to a lower cost area you really are no
> better off than you are here. Sure the cost of
> living is less but so is the job market. There
> simply are no jobs there that pay what you make
> here.
I thought it went without saying that if you are already here, don't move somewhere else until you have been hired for that job, but I was incorrect. And you can't make the second part of your statement without knowing what he does. For example if he was an investment banker do you REALLY think he can't be paid more in New York City or Chicago?
> There are a lot of jobs that don't call because
> you are over qualified and they do not think you
> will stay.
One may want to mod the resume to reduce qualifications, there is nothing really to lose in doing so IF you think you know the boundaries of what "good" will be and not "too good."
In any case without knowing the job area of the original poster it is hard to give any advice on what to do.
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you move to a lower cost area you really are no
> better off than you are here. Sure the cost of
> living is less but so is the job market. There
> simply are no jobs there that pay what you make
> here.
I thought it went without saying that if you are already here, don't move somewhere else until you have been hired for that job, but I was incorrect. And you can't make the second part of your statement without knowing what he does. For example if he was an investment banker do you REALLY think he can't be paid more in New York City or Chicago?
> There are a lot of jobs that don't call because
> you are over qualified and they do not think you
> will stay.
One may want to mod the resume to reduce qualifications, there is nothing really to lose in doing so IF you think you know the boundaries of what "good" will be and not "too good."
In any case without knowing the job area of the original poster it is hard to give any advice on what to do.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Happy Hooker
()
Date: May 03, 2011 12:17PM
Local Job Rant AAA midatlantic looking for drivers for battery sales,tow truck/flat bed drivers, aaa.com/jobs I know of at least ten positions available as of 5.1.11, pay is ok benefits are excellent and located in Springfield, and in your case if you have no experience they will train.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
bus driver
()
Date: May 03, 2011 09:29PM
Professor Pangloss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JBass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well
> > drive dump trucks at $20+
>
>
> I'm not sure the demand is the same for dump
> trucks - the demand for school bus drivers is
> high. They ALWAYS need people. I'm not sure about
> dump truck drivers.
There's a reason they ALWAYS need people.
$17 an hour sounds good, but they only guarantee 25 hours a week.
Management is a royal pain in the ass.
They are cutting hours and runs as fast as they can (Full-day Kindergarten will mean a 25% pay cut for me next year)
The bus fleet is junk. Hot (or cold), smelly, and prone to conk out at any moment.
If you start training now, you will be a bus driver just about the time that school ends. While folks on here call it a 3 month "vacation", bus drivers call it UNEMPLOYMENT (and NOT eligible to collect benefits). Spring and Winter breaks are also unpaid "vacations".
Things get a little better with seniority (newer bus, more hours, etc), but it takes a LONG time to get there. As in 20+ years.
Maybe it's a decent job for retirees or as a second job, but you can't support a family driving a school bus.
-------------------------------------------------------
> JBass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you are gonna get the CDL, you might as well
> > drive dump trucks at $20+
>
>
> I'm not sure the demand is the same for dump
> trucks - the demand for school bus drivers is
> high. They ALWAYS need people. I'm not sure about
> dump truck drivers.
There's a reason they ALWAYS need people.
$17 an hour sounds good, but they only guarantee 25 hours a week.
Management is a royal pain in the ass.
They are cutting hours and runs as fast as they can (Full-day Kindergarten will mean a 25% pay cut for me next year)
The bus fleet is junk. Hot (or cold), smelly, and prone to conk out at any moment.
If you start training now, you will be a bus driver just about the time that school ends. While folks on here call it a 3 month "vacation", bus drivers call it UNEMPLOYMENT (and NOT eligible to collect benefits). Spring and Winter breaks are also unpaid "vacations".
Things get a little better with seniority (newer bus, more hours, etc), but it takes a LONG time to get there. As in 20+ years.
Maybe it's a decent job for retirees or as a second job, but you can't support a family driving a school bus.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Ms. Ashamef
()
Date: May 04, 2011 03:24PM
I don't know how anyone can survive in this area making less than $100k as a single person...bless those can seem to be able to.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Warhawk
()
Date: May 04, 2011 03:57PM
Ms. Ashamef Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know how anyone can survive in this area
> making less than $100k as a single person...bless
> those can seem to be able to.
Yeah, you can. My friend gets by on 50 - 60K, but barely.
__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know how anyone can survive in this area
> making less than $100k as a single person...bless
> those can seem to be able to.
Yeah, you can. My friend gets by on 50 - 60K, but barely.
__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Jim M
()
Date: May 04, 2011 04:27PM
Toss your resume. Get out of that rat race. You are not too old, too young, too poor...
Examine your life experience. Find a niche, fill it. Build a business around that. It's the best "job" you can get. You will never look back.
Get you hands on INC Magazines's INC 500 issue, comes out every September.
In there are 500 stories of people from all walks of life in all different sectors who just did it.
That's what motivates me ( no i haven't made the list, YET!).
Examine your life experience. Find a niche, fill it. Build a business around that. It's the best "job" you can get. You will never look back.
Get you hands on INC Magazines's INC 500 issue, comes out every September.
In there are 500 stories of people from all walks of life in all different sectors who just did it.
That's what motivates me ( no i haven't made the list, YET!).
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
smellmyfinger
()
Date: May 04, 2011 05:06PM
Honestly your best bet is to use your connections and people you know to reach out and find something new. Use social media to your advantage. LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter (if you have these) You might be surprised to what is out there. I have to agree with WashingTone I have also gotten all my professional jobs through Networking.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
10-4 Good Buddy
()
Date: May 04, 2011 05:49PM
JBass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you want to go the truck driving route,
> there
> > are plenty of schools that offer Commercial
> > Driver's License training. Some of those
> tractor
> > trailer drivers make over 100k a year. Even
> those
> > Pepsi/Coca-Cola drivers that you see delivering
> to
> > grocery stores and convenience stores make over
> > $20 an hour.
>
>
> Caviat, many of these schools work private
> financing deals with you, $3500 - 5000 bucks for
> the class, plus room and board if you are not
> local to one. Almost all new drivers coming thru
> courses such as Roadmaster are required to do OTR
> (Long distance) driving for at least a year before
> settling into a nice, cushy, local route. But if
> you do end up with one of those deals, you are
> MONEY. Virtually no way to loose your job as long
> as you show up and clock out sober. The best
> thing is that most all of these guys are on the
> road in the middle of the night, doing deliveries
> to regional stores, restaurants etc.
When I was in my early 20's a friend of mine got sucked into a trucking
"school", went the financing route, and then started driving over the road.
(cross country on long hauls) He enjoyed the first couple of months then
started realizing he was living in the truck. He said you're never in
one place long enough to get to know anyone and the road gets very lonely.
Then there were the deadlines. He once had 9 hours to get a load from
Arkansas to Minneapolis. When he finally arrived (late) there were about
40 trucks in front of him waiting to be unloaded. If you go to sleep
the other trucks just pull around you in line. Then there's the weather.
At the end of the third month he'd had it and came back to his old job
at Safeway and rather bitter about the whole thing. He also told me that
the companies who finance these trucks also know full well of the very
high "burnout rate" and when you quit the truck belongs to them and you
have just made 3 months payments on it for them. Then they sell it to
someone else in the same boat he'd been in.
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you want to go the truck driving route,
> there
> > are plenty of schools that offer Commercial
> > Driver's License training. Some of those
> tractor
> > trailer drivers make over 100k a year. Even
> those
> > Pepsi/Coca-Cola drivers that you see delivering
> to
> > grocery stores and convenience stores make over
> > $20 an hour.
>
>
> Caviat, many of these schools work private
> financing deals with you, $3500 - 5000 bucks for
> the class, plus room and board if you are not
> local to one. Almost all new drivers coming thru
> courses such as Roadmaster are required to do OTR
> (Long distance) driving for at least a year before
> settling into a nice, cushy, local route. But if
> you do end up with one of those deals, you are
> MONEY. Virtually no way to loose your job as long
> as you show up and clock out sober. The best
> thing is that most all of these guys are on the
> road in the middle of the night, doing deliveries
> to regional stores, restaurants etc.
When I was in my early 20's a friend of mine got sucked into a trucking
"school", went the financing route, and then started driving over the road.
(cross country on long hauls) He enjoyed the first couple of months then
started realizing he was living in the truck. He said you're never in
one place long enough to get to know anyone and the road gets very lonely.
Then there were the deadlines. He once had 9 hours to get a load from
Arkansas to Minneapolis. When he finally arrived (late) there were about
40 trucks in front of him waiting to be unloaded. If you go to sleep
the other trucks just pull around you in line. Then there's the weather.
At the end of the third month he'd had it and came back to his old job
at Safeway and rather bitter about the whole thing. He also told me that
the companies who finance these trucks also know full well of the very
high "burnout rate" and when you quit the truck belongs to them and you
have just made 3 months payments on it for them. Then they sell it to
someone else in the same boat he'd been in.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Shadow
()
Date: May 04, 2011 07:24PM
If you want to drive a rig, the best money is with the ones that carry the trash up and down the coast (not the local drivers). Either that or the container carriers. Those guys rake in the dough.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
Les
()
Date: May 04, 2011 07:30PM
You might also look at private security field since you have a military background.
Re: Local Job Rant
Posted by:
craven moorehead
()
Date: May 04, 2011 08:45PM
jobless in ffx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know,life in this area is depressing. If you
> are not well paid, or at least have multiple
> incomes, you're fucked. The cost of living is so
> high you need at least that. You can't get a job
> anymore without putting your life online to 2
> million job ads. There's no going in presenting
> yourself anymore It's all done online. You can't
> find a job that wants to pay more than $10-$12 per
> hour, and good luck surviving in this area with a
> family on that. All good jobs in the area want
> existing security clearance, but you can't just
> apply for that. All jobs, even the shitty ones,
> want experience only. How is that even possible? I
> lost my job and have canvased the area and
> websites. I was at my job for 15 years after the
> military. I have no other skills, and I'm now to
> old to go back in. I have a family and want to
> work. Can't get a call back from anywhere. Even
> places I am over qualified for...wtf? ah
> Thanks for allowing me to ven that
Go to community college. Get a in demand skill. HVAC techs make 80 to 120k per year and its just 8th grade physics. Health care jobs pay big too. Jobs like that are always in demand and they are simple tasks that noone else wants to do
.
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know,life in this area is depressing. If you
> are not well paid, or at least have multiple
> incomes, you're fucked. The cost of living is so
> high you need at least that. You can't get a job
> anymore without putting your life online to 2
> million job ads. There's no going in presenting
> yourself anymore It's all done online. You can't
> find a job that wants to pay more than $10-$12 per
> hour, and good luck surviving in this area with a
> family on that. All good jobs in the area want
> existing security clearance, but you can't just
> apply for that. All jobs, even the shitty ones,
> want experience only. How is that even possible? I
> lost my job and have canvased the area and
> websites. I was at my job for 15 years after the
> military. I have no other skills, and I'm now to
> old to go back in. I have a family and want to
> work. Can't get a call back from anywhere. Even
> places I am over qualified for...wtf? ah
> Thanks for allowing me to ven that
Go to community college. Get a in demand skill. HVAC techs make 80 to 120k per year and its just 8th grade physics. Health care jobs pay big too. Jobs like that are always in demand and they are simple tasks that noone else wants to do
.