The idea that job seekers are responsible for finding jobs
Dave — Tue, 07/10/2007 - 09:41
Forum topic related to:
This is an interesting problem, and I'm glad you posted it. But I'm not sure what you mean when you say these entities place "too much emphasis on the idea the the client is totally responsible for finding work." How does this emphasis manifest? Is it an idea they simply express a lot, or are there ways in which it is expressed in their policies?
What I’m NOT Doing NOW - that prevents me from getting a job.
Some of you on this forum may know that I’ve been completely unemployed since
May 2007 and only marginally employed since January 2003.
I tried going to various non-profit corporations and government agencies that supposedly assist people in finding work. These corporations and agencies engage in “job readiness” programs, which in my experience are of extremely limited value. I’m still in the process of seeing if I can become qualified for the NYS State Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation, which is called Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID.) I started this in May 2007.
There are two non-profit corporation that is of interest to me; the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROCNY) – http://www.rocny.org
I volunteer and serve on the Board of this group. They have recently hired a Job Developer and a Case Manager. I’m going to start in January 2009 to see if they can help place me in a restaurant/food service job. I also participate in a program of Career Gear, a non-profit that gives workshops and free clothing to men. I’ve gotten some nice stuff from them and continue to do so. The website is http://www.careergear.org/
Asides from these two organizations, I no longer participate in any “job readiness” type programs.
I’ve stopped dinking with my resume. I’ve done it a gazillion times through the various job readiness programs that I’ve done in the past, all to no avail.
I’ve stopped posting my resume online to places like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and the hundreds of other such sites. I’ve never gotten any response from this type of activity.
I did try to get work using craigslist.org and found one job that lasted for a couple of weeks. Other than that I’ve had no success with craigslist. I did attempt to go to some “open calls” for restaurant jobs and go to “job fairs” but did not have any success with any of this activity either, so I’ve given it up.
I’ve never just taken my resume and “pounded the pavement” because I do not believe that this will work either.