I’m going to become homeless before I get an interview. I have ten years experience. I’m trying to keep my head held high and do self training. Even posting my Udemy certs on LinkedIn (I know they’re worth less than toilet paper).
No one cares.
20 years experience. 58 years old laid off by a thinly veiled pac masquerading as a no. Profit
Can’t even get a damn interview. It’s been two years. I’ve quit looking for work and just started teaching guitar.
I will never make good money again.
Lucky for me I can’t play guitar either. The only passion I got is Aztec history and I’m not qualified to teach anyone.
What technologies did you work with?
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your field?
Web Development and UI/UX Design. In practice a React Developer that used Figma for planning. Basically I would draw the site, then build all the visual elements, implement all the behaviors, and then hook it up to a backend built by someone else. I’m cramming Udemy courses to become a Full Stack Web Developer.
I know it sucks to take on something that either seems beneath you or will be contributing to preventing you from getting a job in your field but have you considered things like call center work? It absolutely sucks but it’s work and they accept almost anybody. Bonus is a lot of call center jobs are remote.
Another option I am nervous to suggest but has been helpful to me is gig work through something like DataAnnotation or Babel? They are both companies that work in the domain of training existing AIs to be smarter and give better answers. The pay isn’t top tier but its pretty okay for people with a background in programming (I think the programming work makes between $30 and $40 an hour, not great but not awful). I feel gross contributing to killing the jobs I could otherwise have but I try to remind myself that AI is still overrated for what it can actually do and that AI does have some beneficial aspects which are weighed down by a corporate class who only want to use it as a way to cut human workers out of the picture. I can also attest to these actually being real and having gotten paid for the work I did.
dataannotation.tech
babel.audioI hope this at least helps you get some meager income to stay off the streets my friend. I know they aren’t the best options but sometimes that is the nature of life. If nothing else it gives you a foothold to get better/more valuable certifications.
Edit: also for anyone looking for work in Washington state try Ecology Litter Corps through the Washington Department of Ecology. Pays decent and you help make the state look nice by picking up trash.
https://ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/solid-waste-litter/litter/ecology-youth-corps
EDIT II: @fayaz@lemmy.world suggests Mercor and says they have better rates than DataAnnotation: https://mercor.com/
I’ve been working for Mercor for the past 3 months. I think their rates are far better than what you mentioned.
I could be wrong about the pay, of course, I don’t have enough programming knowledge to apply for that. Mercor seems like another good option though for people looking for something like that. Thanks for including the suggestion for others here! I have added it to my original comment.
I ditched the IT world for production and manufacturing. CNC machining has a surprising amount of skill crossover and even more so in inspection. If you’re physically capable and have programming experience, it’s worth looking into.
What a time for me to realize that my position in my job is no longer stable. I asked for a raise in return for getting certs they want me to have off the clock and suddenly my bosses aren’t cool anymore. Place got real shitty real fast when I was like, “Hey, I’ll do this shit you want off the clock if you pay me more during work hours”
They literally laughed in my face and now tensions are high between management and the employees that aren’t happy here. I’m going on medical leave for 4 weeks starting next Thursday and I’m terrified they’ll realize they can manage without me in that time and fire me for some bullshit when I come back
This is the time to start looking around elsewhere. Never wait for them.
It hasn’t been this bad since a few years ago?
Edit: never mind, just remembered Covid, I forgot Covid…