Jobless? More Employers Say You Need Not Apply

The more things change, the more they stay the same. See Jobless? More Employers Say You Need Not Apply

In the bad old days of the 1800s, when it was legal for employers to discriminate against anyone they pleased, job postings used to say things like: "No Irish Need Apply." Now the unemployed, it seems, have become the new Irish: In advertisement after advertisement, employers come right out and tell them they're not wanted. Right now CareerBuilder, one of the biggest job sites on the web, has a posting for an entry-level engineer. The candidate, it says, will perform structural analysis of telecommunications cell towers. A civil engineering degree is required, an undergrad GPA of at least 3.4 as is knowledge of AutoCAD. Some travel is required. Oh, and there's one other thing: "No layoff candidates."

You laid off? Floating that resume? Trying to bust through the buzzword bingo that the HR software gatekeeping programs have erected as barriers? Feeling like you're too old and no one wants you?

Well the fact is -- they ARE discriminating against you.

Look anywhere where jobs are posted, and you'll see more examples. This discrimination isn't subtle. It's not covert. It's right out in the open, stated in the listings: A phone manufacturer looking to fill a marketing job stipulates "No unemployed candidates will be considered at all." An electronics firm looking for an engineer says it will "Not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed regardless of the reason." A Craigslist posting for an assistant restaurant manager in New Jersey says all applicants "Must be currently employed."...As for the help wanted notices, "What you see stated in the advertisements is just the tip of the iceberg...For every ad that's explicit, many more have the same policy but don't say so.

Yes they are indeed. I've been there, lived that. The only advice I can give is that for many, you will have to become what is called an "independent contractor". That means no benefits, you get paid by the hour, and cover your own expenses. But it is better than nothing.

What do you all think? Any of you dealing with this?

In my line of work, I expect lot of discrimination, so it doesn't phase me too much when I see it....but when I am going through multiple listing- even the ones I am not personally qualified for, I DO see alot of the stuff you mentioned. These employers are terrible.

What employers do not want is dossers and layabouts and hopeless dreamers. The discriminatory approach that some employers take to the unemployed applicant can be combatted!

Leave no gaps in your resume. Think creatively about periods of unemployment; how did you use your time? Did you take up a new hobby, go to school, do voluntary work? I've filled my gaps with the heading 'Career Break' and then filled in the detailed fact that I redesigned my garden, did a short course, helped family and friends set up business ventures and did some voluntary work for a charity. It's not a fool proof method of demonstrating a proactive approach to work-life balance but it does not convey a loser. And it has helped me secure work!

Craziness. Only the employed may apply? Lol.

I could see that perhaps when there are normal rates of employment, and being unemployed may indicate a less than motivated person, but in this market?

Im going back to the thread where the laid off workers burned their boss in his car. I feel less and less sorry for the guy when I read stuff like this.

reply to post by teapot


Yeah, that is true, but the employers are going a bit overboard. Here is an example....I once worked in an establishment that required interviewers to write a "G" on resumes received from African Americans....this was so management could tell the job hunter was"ghetto" and/or "black"....I left the company for other reasons, but that sure did make me lose respect for them.

Much of this is many unemployed people totally ruining it for many more unemployed people . Sitting on their asses for months , up to two years on unemployment insurance and not even bothering to look for work until weeks before the benefit runs out . No attempt to educate or re-educate during that time just sit home and drink beer and employers are fed up waisting their time interviewing them and processing applications and resumes . I have a friend who opened a new car dealership in West Virginia where unemployment is high and he advertised looking for 19 people . He and his staff narrowed the resumes and applications to 30 likely candidates and called them to come in for interviews . 12 of 30 showed up and during the interview told the HR people that they could start work right now if they'd be paid cash so it didn't interfear with their unemployment insurance or they could start in several weeks after the unemployment insurance had run out . It's those kind of people , and there are a lot of them who have ruined it for everyone else who is actually ready , able and willing to work . Employers are seeing this everywhere . Become a consultant or a contractor for a short time and as your working start applying for the better jobs . At the car dealership including a huge maintainance garage/shop wages were from 17 to 19 dollars per hour to start with plenty of possibility to advance into apprenticeship to the mechanical trades .which included heavy equipment mechanics and the rest were for office oriented and delivery jobs paying 15 to 16 dollars per hour .

reply to post by bandito


Im sure thats part of it, that some people are abusing unemployment, but what is wrong with taking a sabbatical to............write a book, travel Europe, build or remodel a house, hike across the country, or whatever thing it might be that you have dreamed of for years and finally had the opportunity to do?

As long as you are paying your own bills, and you arent on unemployment, why should you be discriminated against because you had the foresight or opportunity to live a little? Does that really say something horrible about you as a person?

We just need to opt out of their system altogether. Its just more and more clear. There is no way to play their game and remain a human being.

reply to post by SunSword


Yeah, I've been dealing with it almost 2 years now. Feels like I've been
black balled from employment. Doesn't really matter though, the
way thing are going they will soon be out of business anyway.
They say yay, unemployment is down....hehe what they are not saying
is that the fiat currency printing press is working overtime to keep a
semblance of normalcy. cest la vie and so be it.

reply to post by jetflock


It's learning about that sort of overt discrimination that makes me glad I'm not American! Good on you for leaving a company that pursues such a blatantly racist employment policy!

Companies are learning that the trend for people is to work for them and then try and get fired or laid off for something that will get them unemployment and then milk it. When or if they get kicked off they do it again, I see it pretty frequently.

If you think that just because a company says they are equal opportunity and don't have any prejudices that that's the truth you are a sucker. Every person has beliefs they have formed over the years and they will apply it to the people they interview even if they don't think they are.

Originally posted by whoshotJR
Companies are learning that the trend for people is to work for them and then try and get fired or laid off for something that will get them unemployment and then milk it. When or if they get kicked off they do it again, I see it pretty frequently.

If you think that just because a company says they are equal opportunity and don't have any prejudices that that's the truth you are a sucker. Every person has beliefs they have formed over the years and they will apply it to the people they interview even if they don't think they are.

That is not always true for everyone. I'm 41 years old and have been
working or in school since I was 16 non stop until 2 years ago. I was
employed with one company (several subdivisions) for 10 years straight.
(until I got laid off). Since the company was overseas and I came back to
the U.S. I am not allowed to get unemployment. I''ve worked though I have
post traumatic stress syndrome and a host of other war related illnesses
and now poof....no work, no unemployment and no disabilty. I filed for military
disability which I have also been waiting for to no avail. (so far). Something is
seriously wrong in this country for sure.

This has been my issue. I am 54. I keep telling people that competing with 20- and 30-somethings is the biggest reason that despite over 35,000 job applications since I was laid off in 2006 I am still unemployed.

They don't believe me when I say I am discriminated against because of my age. "It's illegal," they say. So? Like that means anything. I can see it in the eyes of interviewers when I walk in the door. "Oh. She's old." And I know right there I'm not getting the job.

Originally posted by Amaterasu
This has been my issue. I am 54. I keep telling people that competing with 20- and 30-somethings is the biggest reason that despite over 35,000 job applications since I was laid off in 2006 I am still unemployed.

They don't believe me when I say I am discriminated against because of my age. "It's illegal," they say. So? Like that means anything. I can see it in the eyes of interviewers when I walk in the door. "Oh. She's old." And I know right there I'm not getting the job.

Imagine all the experience they are missing out on! They sacrifice the
experience of older workers for lower wage less experienced yung uns.
Then they wonder why the USA is falling behind most industrialized
nations. Younger people need jobs too of course however the corporations
are just looking at the bottom line and looking to make a quick buck and
the consequences be damned.

reply to post by Mr. D


Oh, indeed. I know that my efficiency, tenacity, organization, analysis, enthusiasm, attention to detail, ability to learn extremely quickly, and loyalty are far greater than virtually anyone else they are looking at - but I never get a chance to prove that.

I keep applying, though.

There is a difference between unemployed and laid-off. Many companies do seasonal lay-offs every year, and hire those some folks back when business picks up. Also, laid-off usually means that the employee is eligible for rehire.
A company looking for a long-term commitment for a position that will require alot of training and such doesn't want to take a flier on someone who may run back to their previous employer should they get a phone call.

Straight-up unemployed because you quit, got fired, or hit the job searching after the miltary or college, is not the same category as laid-off.

So, when applying for a job that state "no laid-off candidates please", simply leave that phrase out of your resume.
Tell them you left your previous position to pursue other ventures or whatever.

Now, I do know that recruiters put laid-off candidates into a different category than those that were fired or quit their previous jobs. Getting laid-off is usually due to force reduction requirements and most companies base the decisions on seniority. It doesn't mean the employee was worthless, lazy, etc... In my opinion, laid-off means more employable and lesser-risk than someone who was fired or quit. Recruiters think along those lines too; they are paid incentives for finding the right candidates and will skip over anyone they think a risk against their statistics.

My 2c.

I had a Nevada corporation for many years(for my vehicles, my mining projects and to independent contract a few jobs)
When i was unemployed i could list that i worked part time for my corporation.and was looking for full time work.

The real joke was when they called my corporation (me) for a information on me and i gave myself a recommendation.
Then had them call me a hour or two later to see when i was ready to start work.

I worked construction and mining and had a collection of old phone book.

I could go back and fill in gaps in my job history by listing that i had work for small companies that had went out of business.

Almost got caught once when i listed working for a big contractor at a power plant construction project.
later during a interview one of the foreman on that project had worked on the same job.
But i was lucky in that case that i had worked at that power plant a couple times on shutdowns and knew how the plant was laid-out. For the rest of that job the foreman was trying to remember me.

I have got jobs that i never applied for foreman that i had worked for had my phone number and the company they were working for asked there foreman if they knew of anyone and i got phone call out of the blue.

The mining company i work for as a mine superintendent was one of those i worked four projects with them starting as a miner and ending up as a superintendent on the last project.

Originally posted by Amaterasu
reply to post by Mr. D

 

Oh, indeed. I know that my efficiency, tenacity, organization, analysis, enthusiasm, attention to detail, ability to learn extremely quickly, and loyalty are far greater than virtually anyone else they are looking at - but I never get a chance to prove that.

I keep applying, though.

See and those are the very traits that make you a threat to management
because they will then think that you are after their job. Another reason
why the good ol boy network and nepotism at corporations are killing this
country. It is like watching the titanic sink and not being able to do anything
about it.

reply to post by Mr. D


Yeah. I am pretty sure I have had some of that fear present in some of the interviews.

It also probably does not help that I'm female. Just sayin'.

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander
We just need to opt out of their system altogether. Its just more and more clear. There is no way to play their game and remain a human being.

Please let me know the way. I'm contemplating starting my own business. If you have any advice, it is welcome.

I'm sick of making other people rich.

Well, I've already decided to get out of their system...screw them I will be laughing when the ship sinks I don't even care If I'm going down with it. I hope an asteroid hits the US!!!!