Has this ever happend in tennessee?

[Luke E.]

i mostly work contract work/self employed, but have only had one full time job and that was at kroger for 2 years, i have no certs, i just have what i have learned and taught myself, for instances im planning to buy some cisco routers and switches to learn more about them and maybe get work involving them, but no matter how hard i try i cannot get a full time job in my field, i can not even get a job in basic tech support

 

i tried applying at geek squad at best buy but was told i was over qualified and had to dumb down my application to get a interview which i could not go to due to not being able to get off work

 

 Don't let it get you down. I know of 4 folks that are either a close personal friend or a family friend that work in the tech field and have been laid off and 2 of them are over the one year mark of not having a decent job in their field and the 3rd one just got a job within the field 2 weeks ago but had been out of it for almost a year and a half. It really seems like the positions that they and yourself are looking for have been hit really hard by the economy and will take more time to find. Good luck with it.

[ironsniper1]

 Don't let it get you down. I know of 4 folks that are either a close personal friend or a family friend that work in the tech field and have been laid off and 2 of them are over the one year mark of not having a decent job in their field and the 3rd one just got a job within the field 2 weeks ago but had been out of it for almost a year and a half. It really seems like the positions that they and yourself are looking for have been hit really hard by the economy and will take more time to find. Good luck with it.

thanks, i have been looking for a job since 2010 when i left kroger, so i still have hope

[tnguy]

i mostly work contract work/self employed, but have only had one full time job and that was at kroger for 2 years, i have no certs, i just have what i have learned and taught myself, for instances im planning to buy some cisco routers and switches to learn more about them and maybe get work involving them, but no matter how hard i try i cannot get a full time job in my field, i can not even get a job in basic tech support
 
i tried applying at geek squad at best buy but was told i was over qualified and had to dumb down my application to get a interview which i could not go to due to not being able to get off work

Unfortunately, work history counts for a lot. You'll need to get on the ladder at some level and move sideways to move up. If you're looking for a direction, Linux admins are in demand in middle TN at the moment though network guys tend to always be able to find work. Voice is also a good choice.

[ironsniper1]

Unfortunately, work history counts for a lot. You'll need to get on the ladder at some level and move sideways to move up. If you're looking for a direction, Linux admins are in demand in middle TN at the moment though network guys tend to always be able to find work. Voice is also a good choice.

thats what i have been trying to do but for whatever reason i cannot get hired and im trying my hardest! i also love linux and working with routers and switches

Edited May 11, 2014 by luke9511

[bersaguy]

I cannot remember at what time employers began using the term you are over qualified for a position but to me that is just Royal BS that they use to politely turn you down for employment. Like I said, I operated an automotive repair center for most of my life after returning home from service because of my love for cars and my love for working on them. I know most folks will laugh at this because of that commercial on TV but my business began in my two car garage. My son and Grandson now operate the business and they have 8 employees. All great techs and my son pays for them to continue their automotive repair education my sending them to training seminars. I had to laugh about a year ago when he called me up and ask me to come up and help him out with a  few problems. He needed some Carburators rebuilt and none of his techs nor he knew anything about how to do it. They can fix the most elaborate Fuel Injection systems on the market but can't rebuild a Quadra jet  4 barrel carburetor and get it to work or a 650 dual pumper Holley and get the float levels sent properly and cause them not to flood out. I picked out one of his techs and gave him a crash course on building carburetors. He had a rash of older cars showing up that people where beginning to drive again. Old Camaro's and Mustangs and there was even a 1957 Chrysler Crown Imperial with twin carter AFB carbs on a 392 Hemi. I spent two weeks up there working on carbs and showing this young tech how to build them. I was impressed with this young man because he was quick to fire out a question if he didn't understand something. The hardest part of the two weeks was finding carburetor kits for cars that old. Then we had an issue show up and on of all the cars for it to happen the Crown imperial after building the carbs and it was sitting there idling just shut off. I told my son to check the spark and he said none. I told him to bring the motor up on TDC(Top Dead Center) and pull the distributor out and he did. I looked at the points and it was as I expected. A copper strap broke on one set of the dual points. I removed the Vacuum advance plate and turned it up side down and the broken piece fell out on the work bench. He ordered new pair of points and condensers and I put them back in the distributor with my young tech watching my every move. had my son replace the distributor back in with rotor button on #1 and that old Chrysler came back to life running perfect. I really miss being able to work on cars but I mean real cars like that old Chrysler. There was more metal in one front fender of that car then there is in 3 new cars today. Anyway back to the original reason for this thread. I would have never turned away a person because he was over qualified for a job but the reason employers do is because they figure just about the time they get you trained in your lower paying job an opening will come up in a company you are qualified for and at a much higher pay level and you will leave for the job you wanted and qualified for. That is what the major turn over is in fast food is about. Over qualified people finding their dream job and leaving to build their future..............jmho

[Raoul]

Unfortunately, work history counts for a lot. You'll need to get on the ladder at some level and move sideways to move up. If you're looking for a direction, Linux admins are in demand in middle TN at the moment though network guys tend to always be able to find work. Voice is also a good choice.

Am I not also correct that most companies are looking for things like Cisco certifications? BS or not don't these certs provide employers with a comfort zone?

[bersaguy]

Another thing that ticks me ff about employment these days and this may be what Raoul is talking about is all or most all companies big and small are using employment agencies rather than doing their own interviewing and hiring. The person must go through an employment agency to get assigned a job at a certain location of company and the you are only hired on as a temporary employee and faced with a point system and if you get to many points you get fired. If you get fired from a position that employment agency will not allow you to apply with them again. To me that is a total Crock of BS. i have a grand son that was born with ADHD and he graduated High school on the honor roll and he has always applied 100% to what ever he does and at times when the ADHD begins to affect hm he has to go in for his shots which means taking a day off from work. Doing that can be 1 to 2 points against your employment record and they take nothing into consideration even when employers are made aware of his health issue in advance. He has had difficulty obtaining anything permanent beyond fast food jobs even though he has been trained on computer technology. he finally got someone at Dell ( A friend of mine) in Lebanon to speak up for him and Dell put him on without using an agency on a 90 day trial basis without a point system and understanding he has a health issue. He has now been with them for almost 7 months, been moved up two levels and has received two pay raises and is now a full time employee at Dell with all benefits. Al he needed was someone to bite the bullet and give him a chance that he would never get through these BS agencies.................jmho  

[Raoul]

I can't imagine actually looking for a job these days. I've been self employed for so long I feel pretty certain I couldn't handle the bs involved in getting hired. I'd open my mouth and have to get SNAP and a free phone and whatever else is out there. I'm pretty sure I'm unemployable at this point in my career.

[bersaguy]

I can't imagine actually looking for a job these days. I've been self employed for so long I feel pretty certain I couldn't handle the bs involved in getting hired. I'd open my mouth and have to get SNAP and a free phone and whatever else is out there. I'm pretty sure I'm unemployable at this point in my career.

in all honesty when they discuss unemployment numbers and the number of people that have dropped out of looking for jobs I do think a lot of them feel as you do and are starting up self employment small businesses because they get burned out of looking. I do know about 5 of my friends that done is so far.............jmho

[ironsniper1]

I can't imagine actually looking for a job these days. I've been self employed for so long I feel pretty certain I couldn't handle the bs involved in getting hired. I'd open my mouth and have to get SNAP and a free phone and whatever else is out there. I'm pretty sure I'm unemployable at this point in my career.

i have thought about it and have been pushed to get it but im to i guess proud to get stamps and such, i like working for myself and everything but the work is to few and far between to have a stable income, i still havent payed on my student loans due to having to pay other things aswell and atleast for me minimum wage is not enough to cover my expenses

[Raoul]

i have thought about it and have been pushed to get it but im to i guess proud to get stamps and such, i like working for myself and everything but the work is to few and far between to have a stable income, i still havent payed on my student loans due to having to pay other things aswell and atleast for me minimum wage is not enough to cover my expenses

 

It ain't easy for the first few years. I have some great "poor" stories about Christmas with kids. However I wouldn't trade it for any job.

[bersaguy]

It ain't easy for the first few years. I have some great "poor" stories about Christmas with kids. However I wouldn't trade it for any job.

That is exactly why I got into my own business shortly after coming home from Service. I stated out in my garage , then got an Exxon Station and even though I was considered a dealer in my own business Exxon still had their hands into to much control of me so when my 2 year lease expired I went and rented a building later buying the building and later the lot next to it for parking and expanding my existing building. When I became unable to actually do physically manual labor I turned it over to my son and grand son and walked away and went fishing. My son worked for me for a few years and I taught him how to run the entire operation and then his son joined him and it again became a father and son operation and still is with employees now.

[Luke E.]

[quote name="bersaguy" post="1147943" timestamp="1399824693"]

I cannot remember at what time employers began using the term you are over qualified for a position but to me that is just Royal BS that they use to politely turn you down for employment.

Being over qualified is a lot more than a polite way of turning someone down. There are all kinds of issues that are common when someone is more than just slightly "over qualified". One example is, say you hold a supervising position that you spent 5yrs working up to and then they hired me to work underneath you BUT my previous job was a position equal to the position that your boss holds. Now there's a potential issue with me "knowing better than you" or the other men and women under you realizing that I am more knowledgable than you and respecting my opinion more than yours? I think that if the guy in my position the "over qualified one" knowingly causes any of this he should be fired but this scenario can and does happen. One of the very top reasons for not hiring over qualified applicants is fear of investing time and money into training them to your way of doing things only for the applicant to get a call the next month saying thanks for giving me a crutch while I looked for a job that pays me for my qualifications but I've now found that job so I won't be working for you any longer. I can think of others off the top of my head but there's a few. I'm sure sometimes the excuse is used like you mentioned but it is a legitimate problem. Personally I think that if someone wants the job and is willing to accept that even though he knows more than his position requires it is still his position.

[Guest sigequinox]

I cannot remember at what time employers began using the term you are over qualified for a position but to me that is just Royal BS that they use to politely turn you down for employment....

 

This is only partially true. I agree that in many cases this is a weak non-assertive manager who doesn't have the stones to give it straight to a prospective employee. Personally, I believe a good manager should offer advice to the candidate on what they could do to improve their resume for a future opening.

 

Anyway, the "over qualified" issue is not always BS, especially not in a bad economy. Companies invest a lot of financial,temporal and personnel resources into training a new hire and thus want to filter out people who are looking for a temporary paycheck. Essentially, it is in the company's best interest not to hire someone that will leave at the first opportunity they get. In my field, I have seen PhD's applying to jobs for entry level bachelor graduates...they don't get the job because, well, they're way over qualified and will leave for the first research position that gives them an offer.

 

I read a few mechanics in this post...If you were the hiring manager at Firestone, would you hire a mechanic with 15 years of experience in a senior mechanic role with a plethora of diagnostic equipment knowledge etc etc to be an oil changer? Probably not. It's clear he is over qualified and doing this until he can find something better.

[peejman]

I have cousins in MI that home schooled their kids (7, combined) for many years, but let them finish in regular high schools specifically to avoid issues with lack of a "real" diploma.  All of the kids are bright and well adjusted and haven't had any issues with the change that I'm aware of.

[tnguy]

Am I not also correct that most companies are looking for things like Cisco certifications? BS or not don't these certs provide employers with a comfort zone?

 

Many are. But a high percentage of those are just lazy companies and therefore will be not so good to work for. There's certainly not much downside to getting them though.