I know many people who are in similar boats and hear about more every day, 
from good high paying jobs and nice houses and cars and hobbies, to about 
nothing and duncan donuts jobs. It's really sad.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2014 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: hard work


> the reason there is less aknowledgement of a submitted resume/CV, or job
> application is because in those countries with higher unemployment rates, 
> as
> in the very countries you mentioned, they get absolutely deluged with
> incoming resumes and applications for every single position.
> I was talking with an Irish fellow a year or so ago, and he had been in
> canada for 2 years working as an electrician.  He said back in Ireleand, 
> he
> applied on a Manager job at a local Burger King.  he said they got 400
> applications on the position, and over 200 people showed up for the meet 
> and
> greet session.
> That gives you an idea of how bad things are when a licensed schooled
> electrician is applying for a fast food job, and also that 400 people
> applied for it.
> So, think of it this way: you are the store or perhaps district manager 
> for
> Burger King.  You need a manager at one of the stores.  You advertize 
> online
> and maybe in the local papers if you have the budget for it.  You get 400
> applications in the space of say 3 days for that one position.  You have
> yourself, and perhaps 2 other people who can process those applications 
> and
> make decisions on who to call back and who to ask in for an interview. 
> You
> then have to schedule interview times, and in that industry the hours are
> rediculous so you have to schedule interview times with the appropriate
> staff who can conduct the interview and do it around their particular
> schedule.  So, you can have an automated system, again, if your company 
> has
> the budget for that because that requires an IT department to maintain and
> keep working...and all this for a slightly above minimum wage position.
> There is a cost analysis here that asks why am I paying 2 or 3 people to
> hire one person who makes less than any one of them.  Imagine trying to 
> send
> out 400 email replies and how much actual time that would take.  You have 
> to
> look at the application, copy down the email address and then create an
> email...even if it's a standard scripted reply, it still takes time.
> One person would have to work for over 13 hours with no break just to 
> reply
> to that many emails directly.
> Anyway, just food for thought and perhaps a hint as to why you often don't
> get a reply if the company doesn't have a fully automated system.
>
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Scott Gillen ZL1CHM" <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2014 12:30 AM
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: hard work
>
>> Along the same lines I moved nearly half way around the world from MN to
>> New=
>> Zealand to get the job I have had for the past 24 years. The thing I find
>> m=
>> ost annoying in the current market is that employers almost never even
>> ackno=
>> wledge receipt of applications and CVs.  If they do there rarely contact
>> peo=
>> ple that don't make it through to the interview process. I mean in this
>> day a=
>> nd age how hard can it be to automate something like that.  This appears
>> to b=
>> e the case in The U S, Ireland, The UK and New Zealand
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On 27/09/2014, at 6:47 AM, Colin McDonald <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> I live in a place where industry and commerce are booming.  This 
>>> means=20
>>> people from all over the country are coming here to work.  We have too
>>> man=
>> y=20
>>> jobs and not enough people to fill them.  So, companies are actually
>>> going=
>> =20
>>> out to other provinces, Ireland, the Phillipines and around the world
>>> on=20=
>>
>>> recrootment drives.  Offering to cover transportation costs, moving
>>> costs=20=
>>
>>> and assistance with finding housing here, and selling homes if it 
>>> applies
>>> i=
>> n=20
>>> the places they recroot in.
>>> In the oil and gas industry, money flows like oil so to spend 10 or 15
>>> gra=
>> nd=20
>>> on getting a warm body to work is nothing.
>>> My point isn't to gloat, but to suggest that when times are hard, moving
>>> t=
>> o=20
>>> where the work is at, is what many many people do disabled or otherwise.
>>> It comes back to creating your own opportunities and not waiting for 
>>> them
>>> t=
>> o=20
>>> drop into your lap.
>>> If that means pulling up stakes and moving to where the work is, then
>>> that=
>> 's=20
>>> what it takes.
>>> My family did this 3 times between the time I was 4 and 13.  Each 
>>> time=20
>>> moving nearly 1600 miles to go to where there was work for my dad.
>>> My parents didn't have much money, but we always managed to do the moves
>>> o=
>> n=20
>>> a hope and a prayer.
>>> One time we moved 1600 miles with a minivan and a 68 Shev quarter
>>> tonne=20=
>>
>>> pickup and a small You Haul trailer.  We couldn't afford to use a
>>> freight=20=
>>
>>> company so we packed everything into a 14 foot you haul trailer, and the
>>> b=
>> ed=20
>>> of the truck and in and on top of the van.
>>> We tented it in free camp grounds along the way, because again, no money
>>> f=
>> or=20
>>> hotels.
>>> We stayed with friends and family for 5 weeks after we arrived so my
>>> dad=20=
>>
>>> could save enough for rent and damage deposit in a crappy apartment.
>>> Anyway without borring everyone with the entire story, the point here
>>> is=20=
>>
>>> that you can go to where the work is and find it if that's what you 
>>> need.
>>> I strongly suspect allot of the issue is that there isn't allot of=20
>>> motivation other than jealousy or bitterness to get work for some.
>>> Many=20=
>>
>>> receive just enough from the state to survive IE pay rent, eat and have
>>> a=20=
>>
>>> phone and internet.  As long as the basic necesities are being met,
>>> it's=20=
>>
>>> easy to bich and moan about how other people have more, but at the end
>>> of=20=
>>
>>> the day, you are surviving so there isn't allot of motivation to go out
>>> an=
>> d=20
>>> find a job.  There isn't enough desperation.  There are wants and so on,
>>> b=
>> ut=20
>>> the needs are being met.
>>> It's easy to become lazy and complaisant when your basic needs are being
>>> m=
>> et=20
>>> by a monthly check from the state.
>>> Most non-disabled people don't have that option and so they must find=20
>>> gainful employment or they end up on the street.  There aren't too
>>> many=20=
>>
>>> blind people out on the street if anyone has noticed.
>>> I speak from personal experience in this matter.  It took me a long
>>> time=20=
>>
>>> after finishing school to become gainfully employed and there were
>>> periods=
>> =20
>>> in that time where I did get lazy and complaisant because at the end of
>>> th=
>> e=20
>>> day, rent was getting payed, there was food in the house, the basic
>>> bills=20=
>>
>>> were being payed...i didn't have an extra dollar to play with but I
>>> was=20=
>>
>>> surviving on my own and had friends who would help out with a couple
>>> beers=
>> =20
>>> or a dinner out now and then because they new my situation.
>>> So yes, I know it's easy to get lazy when your on the dole.
>>> I tried for 5 years to get a job in the field I was certified in, and
>>> ende=
>> d=20
>>> up getting a job that has only a little to do with what I spent 2
>>> years=20=
>>
>>> getting trained in.
>>> So the point there is that you have to keep the options open and not
>>> narro=
>> w=20
>>> the field so much that you won't find anything.  You also have to
>>> foster=20=
>>
>>> those networks and spend the time.
>>> It's a well proven fact that in order to be successful in job hunting,
>>> you=
>> =20
>>> must spend at least 4 hours a day in direct pursuit of employment.
>>> These=20=
>>
>>> days it is all online so we as blind people have no excuse to say we
>>> have=20=
>>
>>> any difficulty going out and dropping off resumes.  It's super uncommon
>>> to=
>> =20
>>> have people drop off resumes anymore, and most employers ask that you
>>> only=
>> =20
>>> submit resumes or applications online....but you have to apply on
>>> hundreds=
>> =20
>>> of jobs.  Even here where the labor market is so tight, you have to 
>>> apply
>>> o=
>> n=20
>>> hundreds of positions each week to get one or two responses, and you
>>> might=
>> =20
>>> get an interview once in a two week period out of 500 job applications.
>>> Once an interview is scheduled, then you can worry about getting there
>>> and=
>> =20
>>> presenting yourself.
>>> I understand the frustration with not being able to get work...but if
>>> one=20=
>>
>>> only looks once in a while, or when you have time or whatever then it'll
>>> b=
>> e=20
>>> an awfully long time before one gets work.  4 hours a day is less than
>>> hal=
>> f=20
>>> the time you'd spend working anyway, so it's a pretty good trade off.
>>>=20
>>> 73
>>> Colin, V A6BKX
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>> From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 11:51 AM
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Subject: Re: hard work
>>>=20
>>>> There are sure no opportunities around where I am and less and less
>>>> every=
>>
>>>> day as more and more places close up shop. I'm looking elsewhere now.
>>>> ----- Original Message -----=20
>>>> From: "richard fiorello" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 11:32 AM
>>>> Subject: hard work
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>> Hi;
>>>>> True lots of opportunities are drying up but I do think that
>>>>> there are lots of new ones out there.  I retired in 2007 because
>>>>> I could.  By 2009 I got boared and needded a parttime job.  Ended
>>>>> up with a rather strange parttime job doing telephone work but
>>>>> its relatively brainless and works with window-eyes.  I suggested
>>>>> to the local rehab types that they might consider sending other
>>>>> folks this way.  The answer I got was that we don't really have
>>>>> anyone looking for employment.  Hum.
>>>>> As for screen readers, I worked for a federal agency for 32 years
>>>>> and they wouldn't deal with anything but good old jaws.  Often
>>>>> wondered if its the name job access with speech that gets these
>>>>> people so into jaws.  I'm not a jaws basher but gave up on mine
>>>>> because just couldn't keep up with the updates and didn't really
>>>>> see what some of the updates did.
>>>>> Also speaking of jobs has anyone noticed what is being charged
>>>>> for apple training over the phone? 30 to 45 per hour isn't
>>>>> uncommon.  Now there's another opportunity.
>>>>> richard
>>>>> sent from my braille note=20
>>>=20