anybody ever feel like they're stuck and can't get anywhere? (WARNING:COMPLAINING))

[TLS Guy]

I could see you leaving that outfit from the beginning of the thread. You made the right decision. In future avoid union shops like the plague.

Now you need an education. The late dean of the UND med school, Dr Edwin James, used to say that "we are all called to be skilful people." I could not agree more.

Now you need an education. In your situation I would look at what community colleges have to offer.

Now the really good news.

There are jobs available but not enough people with the right skill sets to fill them.

Recent data shows that there are enough jobs available to lower unemployment 2 percent if there were enough people with the right skill sets.

What I would do is look at jobs available that are not getting filled.

Find and visit those firms and see what skill sets you require and if they are a fit for you. If you really make a good impression, they might even give you some assistance.

We do have to restart our manufacturing base, as you have found we are far too top heavy on retail and service.

Manufacturing has changed out of all recognition in the last few years, and totally new skill sets are required in the workforce.

Whatever you do don't wast money on a useless university degree that has a low chance of a job at the end of it.

If you do go to university, you need to do the tough courses, such as the engineering disciplines.

Don't bank on government money. Unfortunately the issue of sovereign debt will hang like a pall over the western democracies for several generations.

Bad mistakes and inappropriate use of financial instruments have been the rule for the last forty years.

The situation you described I bet is in large measure a consequence of this bad management.

All this makes it all the more important to position yourself correctly. There is less and less room for error, as I'm sure you can see.

Lastly in addition to hard work make sure your appearance is eager and enthusiastic. Just in case your appearance has anything in common with the gyrating scum bags in your signature, I bring this up. If it does change it fast.

 

[Adam]

You've gotten some great advice here - I hope that you take it to heart.

As for yesterday's experience...were there witnesses, or have there been witnesses to similar past events? A lot of companies take prevention of a hostile work environment very seriously. I encourage you to consider registering an official complaint against him. This isn't for spite. If this guy is willing to do this to you, what's he willing to do to someone else? To a younger woman who doesn't fight back? Sometimes we don't have the ability to stop abuse - but the company sure can if they want to. At the very least, they can send this guy packing.

 

[ski2xblack]

The regulars are giving some great advice, yep. Congrats on applying for school. Bust your *** in school.

One thing you can do is always strive for excellence in whatever you do, as a student, tradesman, or professional. You can't control others, but you can make sure you are focused on being the best you can be. Not many folks do that, if your experience at the grocers is any indication. Most folks are lazy and just go with the flow. The fact that you've applied for school shows that you are willing to take charge of your future.

If it makes you feel better, I'm twice your age and still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. But that has not prevented me from achieving some amount of success.

I highly recommend reading a book called The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley. It will be a real eye opener, and may provide you with the insight needed to break the poverty cycle. At this point in my life, my work income (in healthcare...it's recession proof, and you make the world a better place one patient at a time) accounts for less and less of my income relative to my returns on savings. Making money work for you, rather than the other way around where you work for it, is quite fun and rewarding, if stressful at times. You are young, so time is on your side. If you wait until later in life, it's much harder to achieve financial independance than if you start now. The choice is yours: be a capitalist, or be a slave to capitalism.

Good luck, hang in there, and be positive!

 

[yepimonfire]

You've gotten some great advice here - I hope that you take it to heart.

As for yesterday's experience...were there witnesses, or have there been witnesses to similar past events? A lot of companies take prevention of a hostile work environment very seriously. I encourage you to consider registering an official complaint against him. This isn't for spite. If this guy is willing to do this to you, what's he willing to do to someone else? To a younger woman who doesn't fight back? Sometimes we don't have the ability to stop abuse - but the company sure can if they want to. At the very least, they can send this guy packing.

yes there were. but i seriously doubt anything can be done about it. i mean, i already told the union about it and all they did was talk to him.

 

[yepimonfire]

i just got accepted to the college i applied for

 

[TLS Guy]

i just got accepted to the college i applied for

Great news and congratulations to you. What will you study?

 

[yepimonfire]

Great news and congratulations to you. What will you study?

electronics engineering technology.

 

[TLS Guy]

electronics engineering technology.

That's the ticket! Now persuade your friends to come along and we might get out of this hole we have dug ourselves over forty years.

What we don't need is MBAs, marketing types and political scientists! There is actually a long laundry list of what we don't need.

 

[markw]

Congratulations.

Be sure to check into the college's financial aid office for any financial aid you might qualify for. It isn't easy and is a virtual maze of paperwork but you might get lucky.

Also, if you're starting out in a two-year community college, see if they have a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. If so, and you can get in, they offer scholarships to many secondary schools to many tmembers. It may or may not be much but if you're like most of us, every penny helps.

Plus, it looks good on your resume.

Also, if you want to pick up few extra bucks with a part time job, Radio Shack was always a good stand-by when I was going to schools and needed a job with flexible hours.

Oh, and to add to TLS's list of un-needed professions, add lawyers.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

What we don't need is MBAs, marketing types....

Hey, I have made a good living being one of those scum bags...

 

[yepimonfire]

Be sure to check into the college's financial aid office for any financial aid you might qualify for. It isn't easy and is a virtual maze of paperwork but you might get lucky.

Also, if you're starting out in a two-year community college, see if they have a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. If so, and you can get in, they offer scholarships to many secondary schools to many tmembers. It may or may not be much but if you're like most of us, every penny helps.

Plus, it looks good on your resume.

Also, if you want to pick up few extra bucks with a part time job, Radio Shack was always a good stand-by when I was going to schools and needed a job with flexible hours.

Oh, and to add to TLS's list of un-needed professions, add lawyers.

fafsa is paying it all

i went for an interveiw at radio shack awhile back, they didnt hire me.

 

[markw]

Well then, I'd say you're all set.

fafsa is paying it all

i went for an interveiw at radio shack awhile back, they didnt hire me.

It's amazing that a week ago you weren't even considering college and here it is, only a week later, and you've applied to the school of your choice, got accepted, and worked your way through the FAFSA maze and gotten them to commit to pay for everything.

You're a very lucky boy. Click here for some experiences that others have had with FAFSA and other grant agencies.

 

[Tarub]

i just got accepted to the college i applied for

You're impressive......very impressive!!!

 

[jeffsg4mac]

electronics engineering technology.

That's the ticket! and be sure to post us a pic of your first semesters grades

Just stick to it not matter what. The time will go by quick and when it is all done you can relax and be proud.

 

[yepimonfire]

It's amazing that a week ago you weren't even considering college and here it is, only a week later, and you've applied to the school of your choice, got accepted, and worked your way through the FAFSA maze and gotten them to commit to pay for everything.

You're a very lucky boy. Click here for some experiences that others have had with FAFSA and other grant agencies.

honestly i have you guys to thank, i mean the reason i started a thread here is because i didnt have anybody else to talk to about it and i was confused and didnt know what to do, i doubt i would've taken the plunge, quit my job, and started school without the encouragement, like its something that had crossed my mind but honestly i was scared to do it because i didnt want to make my situation worse, and you guys really came through for me.

im really grateful for all of the help and support. it means alot. thanks.

 

[yepimonfire]

That's the ticket! and be sure to post us a pic of your first semesters grades

i'll remember that lol

and i dont think ill have any issues trying to stick to it, i love to learn and electronics has always been a passion of mine.

 

[Adam]

Congratulations!!! And, good for you. Way to go for it!

fafsa is paying it all

Well, now that we're paying for you to go to school...learn some great stuff and share it with us.

 

[stratman]

You're on your way.......stay the course, you're going to be fine.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Now I'm one of those people that always hated school and found that the school system never was teaching what actually mattered. Foe example, the entire school was using a Unix backbone, but getting hands on relevant courses about the exact systems the school actually used, was not possible.

So, nobody from the school could get trained on the actual gear the school used.

It's also been recently found that most schools can't keep up with the curriculum which relates to programming, the Internet, and web development. As new languages come to market and become a core part of programming for many businesses they need people who are experienced in a language which typically isn't taught at any school.

Self-teaching and gaining experience, and a foot in the door at ANY professional organization is what I consider the most critical step.

Retail is not professional in about any manner. Management of retail is, generally, not either.

Kids start working retail as early as 14 years old - it's a first job. In many parts of the country now, it's adults working the jobs because there is nothing else. But, if you want to earn money, then you have to completely avoid the most available job you can get. Avoid the easy money grab with retail or working in food service. There can be money in those fields, but only for the top people, and there really isn't job security because the economy can turn and you can not only be unemployed, but unemployed with a skill set that thousands of others already have.

So, take the job in the field which you are interested in which has money. Take the garbage job in that field. Whether it's data entry, or customer support, or whatever else. Work weekends while you are in school, but work in the right job which has a growth pattern which leads you towards your end goal. Don't worry if the job sucks, but you work it for 2 years and if you quit, make sure you quit to move to something better.

Job jumping can be considered very bad. Quitting a job after a short period can be bad, or leaves gaps in your resume which is also something bad.

For me, what has worked is always wearing a suit to the interviews and being prepared with a good attitude and a well written resume in hand. If you know you are there to take out the trash for the CEO, then wear a suit and show pure confidence in your ability to take that trash out better than anyone else.

The atmosphere and potential of everything you encounter is your own to make and develop. School may, or may not, be a part of it. But, a well developed skill set with real world experience can take you to a position far beyond what school can offer by itself. More and more people are finding that college degress don't pay off. But, the opportunities to hook up with professional organizations which give you the path towards a top shelf career can be found in school, and are perhaps the most important thing you should utilize while at school.

If your school offers you an education, but can't help you get a job, then all it's done is cost you money for something you truly could have done on your own.

Good luck!

 

[Midwesthonky]

What we don't need is MBAs, marketing types and political scientists! There is actually a long laundry list of what we don't need.

HEY!! I'm an MBA! But then, I don't wear a suit and am not afraid to go slumming to fix the problems or run a broom if that is what is needed to get the job done. So from that perspective, I guess maybe I'm doing ok.