I don't know if this is the right place for it but today is just I'm a mess day.
Earlier this year the lawfirm I worked at full time as IT laid off about 30% of its employees. This wasn't the office choice, this was a corporate choice. I was making 16/hr full time. I still work part time just to keep it on my resume.
My then fiance, now wife, said hey, come work where I do, which is a fire safety and suppression company. Talk to one of the managers there and have a “interview”, which was really just a phone call. I'm supposed to start at 16.50 an hour, but for some reason it's 16.25. Talk to them about that early on, “we'll take care of it.” Never gets to the correct pay and since I don't have actual paperwork stating any different I'm kind of screwed. That was almost 6 months ago. And it's a recurring theme, “we'll take care of it.” Need help with studying for your licenses to stay employed here? Need assistance to stay safe in this extreme heat? “We'll take care of it” yet nothing changes. So I started looking for a job back in the IT field.
I have 4+ years now of experience, 2 associates, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Project+, and I'm working on my Bachelor's along with other certifications. So let's apply.
Internal apply at the fire safety company. They went with someone else. It happens. Except my wife needs help with an accounting program so she contacts IT, who eventually contacts the woman I interviewed with, who had to speak with someone else and they sent my wife info to fix it. None of the fixes helped nor made sense to my wife, so she asked me for help. I fixed it. Along with doing other IT tasks for the company.
I've applied at everything I qualify for and even what I don't qualify for. I've had a few interviews with actual companies and more with staffing agencies. 1st interview was, “we gave already chosen someone but we have to dot the it's and cross the t's.” What? I took time off work to do an interview and you have already hired someone? Others where the interview seemed to go great only to be sent a preset email of:
Dear USER,
Thank you for applying for JOB POSTING. Etc.
Then there's the staffing agencies on Indeed who don't state they are hiring on behalf of another company. Of the 4 I've been contacted by:
1) Asked what I was not looking for (I don't want a call center) and then states he has a call center that would be a great fit. I reiterate multiple times I don't want a call center. He tries to sell me on it. I say no. He ignores it, sends my resume anyway and says they want an interview. He also appears to have sent my info to some photography place, which holy hell.
2) Actually helped with resume building but has nothing available right now.
3) Has a job “I'd be perfect for”. Then states that even though it's in the city I live in (Oklahoma City) I'd have to drive to Tulsa 2 days a week in my personal vehicle, not a company one, on unpaid time. I got the address, it's 151 miles/2 hours and 23 minutes each way. But they pay mileage (at 10 cents a mile).
4) Has put in my resume at a bank.
I know I don't know how to sell myself but is this really it? I'm 37, wife and 2 step kids and I still can't find anything else? I'm just so demoralized and defeated and all I want to do is work at a decent company that is actually taking care of its employees at and make a life for my family.
I'm sorry for ranting.