How does one obtain a career?

get busy - create your own job - don't be dependent on someone else hiring you

A career in the fast food service industry is something to be proud of...Someday Dennis will make you shift manager.

Unemployed wrote:

My wife and I recently (2 months) moved because she accepted a position at a university. I have been actively seeking employment in our new town. I have gone into multiple places that said we only accept online applications. I have applied through multiple places online. I actively search through online job search sites (indeed) and apply. I have also registered with multiple temp agencies.

I have a B.S., 8 years of managerial experience and cannot find a job. Any advice?

Have her check with the university to see if they have any resources for spouses that are job-hunting.

Check your alumni network and start networking.

Start contacting people that work in areas you'd like to work in and start networking, and asking for "informational interviews". Don't ask them for a job. Ask them for information about the field in this area. Build your contact list in your new area, and if any of the people you meet and speak with know of open positions, you will learn about them. Many people are less helpful if you're just "looking for a job".

Where are you located? What kind of position or industry are you specifically interested in?

Thanks for your response. Located in Virginia, looking for a mathematic role.

Start tutoring right away. Bojangles is a great place to network.

You might also consider networking with any professors at the university that are in the field you want. They can sometimes be a good source of leads. I'd also try to speak with the career services folks at the university to at least get some general direction of employers/contacts in the area that might be a good fit.

Oh, I I don't know how comfortable you are with networking, but with the informational interviews, lunches, etc... any time you are speaking with somebody, try to get two more names & contact information from each person. At the end of your conversation, ask them something like "who else would you recommend I speak to?" Get the contact info... and when you contact the new person, lead with "so & so suggested I contact you..." It will help you make that initial connection since people will open up a little more when they hear a name they're familiar/friendly with, rather than some guy (you) they've never met or heard of before.

Google "informational interviews". It is actually a technique, and there are right & wrong phrases & approaches to use. They work amazingly well. I suggested the technique to my brother-in-law who said he'd been looking and applying online for jobs for over 3 months with no luck, and few interviews. On his first 2 attempts at an informational interview (on the phone, no less), he was offered 2 jobs that weren't even posted yet.

Networking can be uncomfortable as hell, but like good running training, you've got to suck it up & put in the work. And, you'll only get out of it what you put into it.

Set a goal of building your contact list into the several hundreds. It might take that many, or you might get lucky early on. Either way, it isn't wasted effort as these new contacts are already in the area & field you're interested in, so they could prove to be valuable contacts throughout your career.

As another poster said, see if there are opportunities to work at your wife's college. Sometimes there is preferential hiring for spouses of faculty.

Have you looked into teaching math at the HS (or lower level)? You might be able to substitute and/or get a temporary credential or work towards one. Meet with a principal or district HR person. There may be part-time instructor positions at your wife's college.

If you are in a small college town, the job market may be saturated with other well-educated spouses of faculty, and you may need to look outside the immediate area and commute on weekends.

Meet with a career counselor (at your wife's college) to help generate some ideas and job search strategies.

In an extreme case you may need to get training for a new/different career for where you live, or you and your wife may need to relocate to a larger job market that will meet both your needs.

OP

Are you prepared to move?

If not, then, good luck.

If so, then either you are not looking hard at all, are you must have serious skeletons in your closet

If VA means Metro DC then you are in the middle of a Gold Rush of opportunity. Since you are a Math guy find a JC or big-name-school-extension that teaches Bioinformatics or any math related Genetics courses. The Genetics Industry is booming like crazy everywhere. They need people desperately and will take people with good backgrounds.

Unemployed wrote:

How does one obtain a career?

Walmart. Check aisle 22 - baked goods.

I actually have started tutoring. I said I'm unemployed, but I suppose underemployed is more accurate as I tutor about 10 hours per week. I'd like to thank most of you for your responses, networking seems to be the way to go. I'll google/ youtube some good approaches and start that ASAP.

Moving isn't really an option, as we just moved for my wife's employment. I have applied to the local school system to become a Secondary Math Teacher, but even if I got that its 5 months away. Also I'm not really looking for Wal-mart, but if we start hurting financially due to me not finding anything, then I suppose something like that would be necessary.

Just quick info, online on bing search I noticed big article of Nation looking at hiring older people. Stuff about people getting back into the workplace. Had a bunch of businesses listed like Metlife, Law firms etc. I post because a ton of the jobs and things were in Virginia? Also what about state and city jobs. May sound crazy but jobs in city government, law enforcement etc. I mean it could be temporary until you hit something in your interest area.

If you actually like teaching, home schoolers are looking for good math teachers. It's not rocket science, but needs some determination, follow a curriculum on pdf, and be a good teacher and comfortable with Skype and other online stuff.

You will need to 'find' homeschoolers as it is a bit like herding cats. But good teachers get referrals quickly.

Unemployed wrote:

My wife and I recently (2 months) moved because she accepted a position at a university. I have been actively seeking employment in our new town. I have gone into multiple places that said we only accept online applications. I have applied through multiple places online. I actively search through online job search sites (indeed) and apply. I have also registered with multiple temp agencies.

I have a B.S., 8 years of managerial experience and cannot find a job. Any advice?

The fact of the matter is that the profitable companies of today don't have a need for a large number of employees. GM, Ford and Chrysler, at their peak, employed millions. Twitter employees about 2,000. You need to figure out how to become self-employed. There has to be some service you can provide better than anyone else.

Figure out what you want to do, insist that you are smart enough to learn and can help, get an interview, be willing to learn and start out as a grunt, not worried about pay. IF you do these things and really want to learn the job, the manager's hire decision is much easier. Prove yourself. Good managers figure out who wants it and who are the pretenders.

Can you teach? When I lived in the DC area (you said VA, but perhaps DC area?), I taught computer classes. Lots of government employees there that need training on all kinds of things.

How about becoming a driver for Uber? Do this while looking for something better.

Become a trophy husband.

I can teach. I live in Charlottesville. I have no plans on becoming a driver, as I really really dislike driving. I have a couple of interviews with some temp agencies, hopefully those work out, but either way start networking.

Unemployed wrote:

My wife and I recently (2 months) moved because she accepted a position at a university. I have been actively seeking employment in our new town. I have gone into multiple places that said we only accept online applications. I have applied through multiple places online. I actively search through online job search sites (indeed) and apply. I have also registered with multiple temp agencies.

I have a B.S., 8 years of managerial experience and cannot find a job. Any advice?

BIGGEST mistake people make while job hunting is letting the online application process wash them away. Apply online, but CALL to make sure they got your application. Hell, even if you show up to where you've applied that's better than just hitting send and waiting. As crazy as it sounds, you have to be pushy.