Having a hard time getting motivated...

[jxnmsdemguy65]

I've been out of work since May, and I'm having a really hard time getting motivated to look for work. All the jobs out there seem so crappy and miserable, mostly sales oriented, all calling for the position holder to essentially do the jobs of several people. I'm also very gunshy because in the last jobs I have worked, I essentially have been working for psychopaths. It seems like in order to be 'successful' today, you have to be a psychopath! I'm really fed up with this situation. Any ideas?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

1. I hear ya.

I've been unemployed for along time too, and everyday is the same thing. I've rewritten my resume so many times, that now i just stare at it blankly and my brain just locks up. It can be very deflating looking for work, and getting no-where especially when the bulk of the jobs out there are crap to begin with. Don't have much advice, but personally I skip over job ads that entail being a predator, exploiting others misery, hardships or selling them things they don't need. Best of luck though.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

2. Thanks

For your thoughts...I'd lover totalk yo a counselor about this, but have no idea where to access one...ideas?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

3. specific ideas, no clue but

you may have some luck looking for "job coach" at a local non for profit community group. I've dealt with one personally with a group that deals with integrating people with (pretty much any) form of disability into the workforce. The advantage to this approach is that a) they work with you to find something that you'll succeed at, so b) they're not pressuring you to take the first job you come across, and c) they're successful as job coaches because they typically have inside information and connections to local employers. Hope that helps a bit, good luck.

[Godai Kyoko]

4. It only gets harder

After 13 years with the same employer I thought I would have an easy time.

I sort of forgot that also meant I was past forty and assumed to be past it.

It has been nearly three years now since I had a job. Even temp jobs are few and far between. All I have are savings and they are just about gone.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

5. Damn

I'm afraid that might happen to me too...we over 40 people need to unite, form a support group. How else are we gonna survive?

[rbnyc]

6. It's amazing how many psychopaths run businesses.

The more I see, the more I am flabbergasted that anything operates at all.

What are your goals? Where do you want to be. Maybe instead of "looking for a job" make a strategic plan for yourself and try to map out what steps you need to take to get there. Part of that may end up being just having a job to make money for a while as you work on networking, education, volunteering or other things that will advance your plan, but at least it will be part of a larger strategy, and not just taking a crappy job in this crappy job market rampant with psychopaths. (Which I believe is a rather apt characterization, sadly.)

Have you thought about getting a mentor. You don't have to be a kid to have a mentor. I'm 43 and I both have a mentor and am a mentor.

Good luck.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

7. Great post, thanks rbnyc

I do have a mentor, she is very helpful. And she is helping me exactly along the lines you suggested!

[rbnyc]

8. that's so great...

...and thanks.