The Underemployment and Unemployment Thread

[Peter A.]

...she insists that if I go looking hard enough, and beg hard enough, that somebody'll take a chance and hire me

No, I will not beg. If an employer doesn't have the sense to see that the person who is applying for a position at his firm (i.e. me) can actually make a valuable contribution to it, then, as far as I am concerned, it is his/her loss not mine. One of the last interviews I attended was memorable not because I was nervous and stressed, but because the person who was interviewing me was. It was I who had to reassure him that he was going to be able to negotiate with his boss for the funding that he needed to hire us in the first place, and try to calm him down and counter his negativity. I actually got that job, but was then told that there was no work for me after all. Apparently, this silly person had not planned things properly in advance.

 

[robertwnielsen]

No, I will not beg. If an employer doesn't have the sense to see that the person who is applying for a position at his firm (i.e. me) can actually make a valuable contribution to it, then, as far as I am concerned, it is his/her loss not mine. One of the last interviews I attended was memorable not because I was nervous and stressed, but because the person who was interviewing me was. It was I who had to reassure him that he was going to be able to negotiate with his boss for the funding that he needed to hire us in the first place, and try to calm him down and counter his negativity. I actually got that job, but was then told that there was no work for me after all. Apparently, this silly person had not planned things properly in advance.

That sucks that you lost out on work because somebody hadn't planned things properly in advance. I agree with you about begging...to me, it lowers the image of the person doing the begging. Of course, my mother would see things differently (she always does...in her mind, she's always right, and I'm always wrong).

Don't worry, or even think about having the courage to do this, just start typing away. Your first attempt will almost certainly not be the best, but that doesn't matter because you can experiment with the idea. Alternative history is one of the many interests of mine that I have, and one of the best (if not THE best) writer in this regard is Harry Turtledove. I started reading one of his alternative history sets, the one that begins with the novel 'How Few Remain' (in this reality, the Confederacy did not lose the U.S. Civil War).

I'll investigate the link you have provided here, but I really do need to push myself more to actually get going with this idea. The good news is that people tend to be really impressed with my writing style and the ideas I come up with. That sounds immodest, but I've already had three professional writers at the LinkedIn website ask me without any encouragement on my part to check their work for them, and I only just joined about two months ago.

Wow...that's cool that you've already had three people ask you to check their work for them. And, it's cool that people seem to be impressed with your writing style. You probably already know this, but I do write in the fanfiction genre, specifically regarding the 1980's series Airwolf--I always thought the characters of Stringfellow Hawke and Caitlin O'Shannessy (one of my earliest celebrity crushes) should have been together romantically, but the writers/producers never even tried to put them together--and, don't try to tell me that romance had no place in Airwolf-- Hart to Hart was a drama/adventure series, much like Airwolf, but Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers still managed to steam up the screen with their romance!!

Okay, rant over...

Anyway, here's the link to my stories: robertwnielsen | FanFiction I've actually had people tell me that some of my stories would have made good episodes, or sub-plots of episodes...of course, I'm not sure I actually believe it (extremely low self-esteem), but people seem to enjoy them.

Anyway, here's some ideas I'm using in Armageddon's Clock (the title of my novel):


There's a huge conspiracy--involving everybody from the Russians to the military--to assassinate JFK at the beginning of the CMC (Cuban Missile Crisis)--Lee Harvey Oswald (who actually did defect to the USSR), in my universe, is a Soviet citizen who Khrushchev sends to assassinate Kennedy when he announces the blockade.

There will be at least a limited nuclear exchange between the U.S. and the Soviet Union...haven't decided what triggers it (could be the shootdown of Commander Ecker, or maybe one of the ships running the blockade...haven't figured that part out yet).

After LBJ assumes the Presidency following JFK's murder, he tries to continue Kennedy's policies, but the military (led by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis LeMay and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Army General Maxwell Taylor) basically assumes power, in a form of coup d'etat.

Still working on it, though.

 

[Peter A.]

Caitlin O'Shannessy (one of my earliest celebrity crushes)

I'll have to do a Google search to find out more about her From current T.V. shows I really like the actress in N.C.I.S. with the unusual name of Cote de Pablo.

I've often wondered how events may have turned had not Mikhail Gorbachev assumed power in the Soviet Union in early 1985 at the death of Konstantin Chernenko, which, in my view, would make a fantastic alternative history novel. We came very, very close to nuclear annihilation in October/November of 1983 (during the reign of Chernenko's predecessor Andropov), but so few people are familiar with the events that led to this particular crisis, or even that it happened at all. 1983 was also the year when KAL 007 was accidentally shot down by the Soviet Air Force over the Sea of Okhotsk, so it was a crucial year, a very dangerous time. The events that took place in subsequent years, between 1985 and 1991, were so unexpected, unprepared for and unlikely, that I sometimes think that maybe I (somehow) slipped into a bizarre, parallel world of my own (or maybe I'm still asleep, and having a nightmare). Perhaps in the world that I actually come from, the United States and the Soviet Union actually blew each other up. It reminds me of a notion that I've recently come across called 'Quantum Immortality', where the certainty of one's imminent demise is avoided because at the moment of death, or just prior to it, the requirement for the continued existence of consciousness for the continued maintenance of certain realities, means that when death arrives that person actually cheats it by being instantaneously transferred, so to speak, to a world where the cause of his/her death did not occur. Its bizarre, I know, but it's an interesting concept nevertheless.

 

[robertwnielsen]

I'll have to do a Google search to find out more about her From current T.V. shows I really like the actress in N.C.I.S. with the unusual name of Cote de Pablo.

I've often wondered how events may have turned had not Mikhail Gorbachev assumed power in the Soviet Union in early 1985 at the death of Konstantin Chernenko, which, in my view, would make a fantastic alternative history novel. We came very, very close to nuclear annihilation in October/November of 1983 (during the reign of Chernenko's predecessor Andropov), but so few people are familiar with the events that led to this particular crisis, or even that it happened at all. 1983 was also the year when KAL 007 was accidentally shot down by the Soviet Air Force over the Sea of Okhotsk, so it was a crucial year, a very dangerous time. The events that took place in subsequent years, between 1985 and 1991, were so unexpected, unprepared for and unlikely, that I sometimes think that maybe I (somehow) slipped into a bizarre, parallel world of my own (or maybe I'm still asleep, and having a nightmare). Perhaps in the world that I actually come from, the United States and the Soviet Union actually blew each other up. It reminds me of a notion that I've recently come across called 'Quantum Immortality', where the certainty of one's imminent demise is avoided because at the moment of death, or just prior to it, the requirement for the continued existence of consciousness for the continued maintenance of certain realities, means that when death arrives that person actually cheats it by being instantaneously transferred, so to speak, to a world where the cause of his/her death did not occur. Its bizarre, I know, but it's an interesting concept nevertheless.

Well, like I said, her real name is Jean Bruce Scott...and she had a lot of roles in '80s TV--she had a role as a newspaper editor in an episode of Knight Rider's first season, called A Nice Indecent Little Town, and then she also portrayed U.S. Navy Lt. Maggie Poole in several episodes of Magnum, P.I. (In fact, one of my favorite writers over at FanFiction.net, named Elanquest, made a crossover between Airwolf and Magnum, P.I. where Maggie Poole was Caitlin's twin sister...and Cait had to pretend to be Maggie. (here's the link: Dealing With It Chapter 1: Not a Kid Anymore, an Airwolf + MAGNUM P.I. Crossover fanfic | FanFiction I will say this--the years, IMNSHO, have not been kind to her--she was a lot better looking in the 1980's!!

H mm...that's a very interesting alternate reality of your own you've cooked up there, after the death of Premier Chernenko...and, I do recall the shootdown of KAL 007--you're right, that very easily could have started WWIII. And of course, there was Chernobyl in 1986 (not long after the space shuttle Challenger disaster, which occurred on Jan. 28, 1986--Chernobyl happened on April 26 of the same year).

Interesting concept, this 'quantum immortailty.' Might make a good sci-fi story, there.

 

[anne.bc]

I have a job interview for a job as a receptionist lined up. I still don't know when, but I am hopeful. The pay for this one is quite nice. Double what my fiance is making, and then some.

 

[Peter A.]

I have a job interview for a job as a receptionist lined up. I still don't know when, but I am hopeful. The pay for this one is quite nice. Double what my fiance is making, and then some.

Good Luck!

 

[robertwnielsen]

I have a job interview for a job as a receptionist lined up. I still don't know when, but I am hopeful. The pay for this one is quite nice. Double what my fiance is making, and then some.

Hope everything goes well for you...I would think being a receptionist would be hard for an Aspie, because of all the personal contact you have to have...I know I couldn't do it...but then again, maybe that's just me.

 

[anne.bc]

Hope everything goes well for you...I would think being a receptionist would be hard for an Aspie, because of all the personal contact you have to have...I know I couldn't do it...but then again, maybe that's just me.

I was a receptionist for my dad's "company" for years. Yeah. Long story. lol

But I could do it. I'm high functioning, so I only get nervous about answering the phone once in a while.

Since I posted that last post on this thread, I think they cancelled my interview. When I told them what day, they accidentally put it as the same date of the day that I filled out the form, which was this past wednesday. I emailed HR AND I called their office. Still nothing, but hopefully it's still on for this coming week, since most offices are closed on weekends. lol

 

[robertwnielsen]

I was a receptionist for my dad's "company" for years. Yeah. Long story. lol

But I could do it. I'm high functioning, so I only get nervous about answering the phone once in a while.

Since I posted that last post on this thread, I think they cancelled my interview. When I told them what day, they accidentally put it as the same date of the day that I filled out the form, which was this past wednesday. I emailed HR AND I called their office. Still nothing, but hopefully it's still on for this coming week, since most offices are closed on weekends. lol

Well, see, that's better than me. I spent most of my working life doing phone-based customer service...and got fired from every one of those jobs because of performance. But, that's me.

Hope things work out for you with the interview.

 

[oscar2012]

LIKE SOMEONE SAID THE DISCRIMINATION IS BAD OUT THERE IN THE N/T WORLD i no am living it day in and day out. but i keep fighting back

 

[Arashi222]

I am being punished at my job. I was doing well with work until recently where its just been one thing or another and I just...its like they don't understand and the ones that do aren't in the position to help you. I thought one of my bosses was a good person. I thought that she was able to understand that I have AS and I can't always do everything that everyone else can do. But...alas nope. So here I am thinking well craptacular once again I am the one having to wait out bad management. Frustrating this business of work.

 

[King_Oni]

LIKE SOMEONE SAID THE DISCRIMINATION IS BAD OUT THERE IN THE N/T WORLD i no am living it day in and day out. but i keep fighting back

And compared to racial features, your being discriminated by something way more invisible.

And before someone gets the wrong idea; I'm not saying discrimination against people with another skintone or whatever is justified.

 

[Arashi222]

Sometimes I wonder what will happen if I get fired from this position. I have never been fired but I have never had any other job from my current one. I am soo afraid of this job going away (I know stupid) but It is soo hard to find something that I can do, that i am good at and that people don't make fun of me for. The one thing I was super duper good at and right now I am not allowed to do it. I have the urge to throw my DX in my workplaces face and be like accommodate that too assholes. But I won't yet not until hear back from the disabilities act people.

 

[Geordie]

A few words from the local Disabled job group meetup that could be useful to our thread

1. One must be diligent and disciplined in his (or her) job. Come on time and come prepared.
2. One must be frank about his conditions
3. One must be prepared to 'listen'.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Sometimes I wonder what will happen if I get fired from this position. I have never been fired but I have never had any other job from my current one. I am soo afraid of this job going away (I know stupid) but It is soo hard to find something that I can do, that i am good at and that people don't make fun of me for. The one thing I was super duper good at and right now I am not allowed to do it. I have the urge to throw my DX in my workplaces face and be like accommodate that too assholes. But I won't yet not until hear back from the disabilities act people.

I really hope that doesn't happen. YOu've been there for so long. One would hope that on that basis alone, they would have a sense of loyalty towards you.
I have had past bosses who would stand behind me and protect me. And one who would always side against me. Huge difference.
The thing is, even if they mean well, most people who don't have AS, don't really understand. (i suppose the same is true for other minority groups. i don't claim to understand what it is like to have the things i don't have, but i can still decide to be accepting.)

 

[nowwhat]

I would read the thread, but it's probably too close to home, and therefore very depressing. I can do difficult things, I just can't deal with people and their politics, insincerity, inefficenty and hypocrisy. I have one skilled trade, at which I am very good, but after 20 years, I don't have the heart to continue it on more than a part-time basis. Unfortunately, we have full-time bills. Tried many, many things and it never works out. Largely the source of my ongoing depression of the last couple of years. Out of ideas and hope.

 

[Geordie]

I would read the thread, but it's probably too close to home

*offers a big hug, a warm snuggle and a smile to cheer you up*

We will have to be somehow honest with our issues. So long as we get things done for us, and we recognise our strengths and weaknesses as they are - especially the challenges of autism, we do what we can well and do our best.

 

[anne.bc]

Still nothing really lined up for me, but I do have 5 apps ready to fill out today. I'm pretty excited that I found that many. That's sad. This economy SUCKS.

But there's a lead for my fiance. Hopefully they want him. A permanent job for him would be greatly appreciated so this Groundhogs Day-length engagement can finally end and we can get married.... It will be 4 years in 2 months... We just can't afford living together yet. That's the one thing that's been preventing us from our journey to the altar.

 

[wyverary]

We just can't afford living together yet. That's the one thing that's been preventing us from our journey to the altar.

It is good that you have recognized that. I have known people who have made the mistake of tying the knot before either of them has any meaningful employment and it usually results in some sort of catastrophe.

 

[nowwhat]

It is good that you have recognized that. I have known people who have made the mistake of tying the knot before either of them has any meaningful employment and it usually results in some sort of catastrophe.

As one married for 23 years, I would have to say that the cold hard truth is that in the end, money and administration are far more important than love in the long-term survival of a marriage. If you have both, odds get much better.