Job hunting SUCKS while you are still employed

[blindmandesigns]

I am running out of excuses to hop out early for an interview. I currently work an hour away from home and have been applying to places locally.  But by the time I'm back in the area all the HR departments are out the door for the day.

Either I quit and dedicate all my time to job hunting, or I will eventually get canned after they catch onto what I am doing leaving for all these "dentist/doctors/eye" appointments.  I think they already suspect this also with me dressing extra nice for these appointments and the sudden surge of appointments I have been making.

Hopefully I will get a new job before either of those options happen.  

if I quit i run the risk of having bills pile up.

if I get fired that a bad mark on my work history but I might be able to collect unemployment which will help while finding work elsewhere.

Either outcome I do have some sidework lined up in the areas of hopping a buddies car up with some extensive upgrades and also doing some renovating on a house in the Poconos which was going to be my "weekend" work for the next month or so.

Any advice for someone in the same situation would be greatly appreciated since I am seeing the good and bad on both sides here.

Thanks,

Mike

[rettagurl]

I tell my boss I have something for school, or I'm leaving early for class and he has no problem with it at all.

[blindmandesigns]

I went to school for this "career" that I am trying to escape now so that wont work.

It doesn't pay the bills and sadly enough I can get much more working on a construction crew then I can doing graphic design.

I have grown to hate working at a desk behind a computer for 8 hours a day also.

Another problem is there are only 9 people at the company I work for. I am one of 2 designers. when I leave or call off it's like the end of the world to the owners and the whole building knows it.

I am leaning towards to just going in tomorrow and telling them I quit.

[1988GTU]

Been in that boat once (sorta) .  I basically did make a few doctors appointment, but for the EARLY part of the day and took the whole day off since the drive back to work would not have out weighed work time (That they actually understood) .  So I used the rest of the day off for interviews and anything else I had to do.  Today's jobs are just that, you cannot really find a "career" within reason unless you have 10004561200 years experience, word of mouth and multiple bach degrees in every field.  

hth

[blindmandesigns]

We are told to schdule any and all doctors appointments after hours.

I called off earlier this month due to a a fever of 102 and left a voicemail, sent an email and added to the calendar that I will not be in tomorrow I have a fever of 102 and I have a doctors appointment.

The next day boss man is calling me up telling me they cant afford to have me missing a day because a lot of work needs to get done and are asking why I cant come in. Told them I was sick and have a doctors appointment. then "click"

[93GTZguy]

job hunting SUCKS when you have no work experience to back your college education.....

[blindmandesigns]

My quite successful college education is going straight to the trash. I will never have a job in graphic design again aside from my own freelance work. (but you dont need a college education to do freelance work)

I have over 2 years actual field work and sadly hate every aspect about it. sitting at a desk really bothers me now as it has for the past 2 years but I thought I would grow out of these feelings.

What bothers me most is that I did what I was supposed to do. went to school got good grades and get a job in a field of your degree. well while I am making not even 25,000 a year while my brother and cousin are both pulling in atleast 43,000 a year with the winter (4 months off) doing landscaping/blasting outdoors work. I have always enjoyed outdoors work when I was in HS but never thought their was money in it which is the reason why I went to school in the first place.

this is just a life lesson learned I guess.  

I have applied to other design establishments but no one would match my salary requirement of at the very least 30000 a year. this is with 2 years of actual field work, my own personal freelance work, and 2 additional years backed up by an associates degree. what gives??? design jobs dead now due to a worsening economy???

Anyways just wish me luck in the job hunt. I am trying to bury this design job ASAP and move onto something else that is more suited for what I have enjoyed doing in the past.

[SuzukiGhostRider]

Piece of advice. If you're hoping to collect unemployment between jobs DO NOT quit, make them fire you.  Otherwise you'll be ineligible for unemployment. And as to the degree..... yup there's a reason I chose not to waste my time/money on a college degree. I've not made less than 36,000 a year since I was 18 and last year I made over $50,000 doing Oil Field Drilling and THAT was a lean year! All on a HS Diploma. College is generally a waste of time and a money pit you spend a decade or better digging out of. GL finding your way brother! I hope it all works out for the best for you.
Mike

[Asylum]

Any good company looking for quality candidates should be more than willing to acconodate after hour/off hour interviews.

That is the way HR is SUPPOSE to work, if they are serious.

Explain your situation, and if they are serious about you, they'll make some sort of arrangements.

[Mr. Beefy]

Trust me it took me YEARS to find the job I'm in now. I went to school for programming/networking and realized after I completed the programming courses that part of it wasnt for me. I couldnt sit behind a desk going through code 8+ hours a day. It was really cool making things work from nothing but I think that job would have become very menotinous and I would have gotten bored really quick.

At the time I was looking for work I was a Car Wash manager(managing 3 washes). There was a lot of money to be had there. I was loosing days because of going on interviews and my boss had his suspicions I'm sure. I took the initiative and just quit. I had a little money saved away as a backer in case I didnt find anything right away. This gave me the time to dovote to looking for a job, then I found where I work now. I'm a Field Computer/Network technician now and I make a decent salary. I still feel like I am underpaid but doesnt everyone feel that way?


My brother never went to college, had horrible grades in HS, and now he is an elevator mechanic/inspector (started as a tech installing them) and he's taking home about $1000/week. Granted he works 6 days a week but that's a nice salary. Me........ I went to school, had good grades, had a little professional experience, and it took me 3 years to get into the job(after applying and interviewing for those 3 years straight!!) I'm in now making just a little less than my brother. I say just learn a trade and you'll make out in the end.

[2tone88]

I can relate I have 10 years in parts. been at this company for 3 years. Can't get more money from the boss. Yet I'm expected to open, close, work weekends. and fix the mistakes of my co-workers. (2 are real a$$ clowns) and to top it all off they make more then me.
 I've been looking into truck driving. got my CDL permit a week ago passed my air brake endorsment Sat, now I'm gonna call a few recruiters for driving companys.
Sorry to jack your thread.

[blindmandesigns]

Well I have made my decision and I will be putting in my notice on Friday regardless if I have an offer abroad or not. I have enough money to get by for a bit so I am going to take that road and get out of here ASAP.

[95Z26beretta]

right after highschool I started going to school for architectural design, well that only lasted a year into school when I decided I did not want to sit behind a desk 8 plus hours a day.  I tried different jobs also kinda like what your doing to see where I fit best. I worked as a auto tech from 96-2003 but money was poor, then worked 4 years as a roofer money was not bad but I tried for like 3 years trying to get into the company I am currently at now working for a manufacture producing military, commercial vehicles and some fire trucks. I love it now has killer insurance, great benefits and the money is very nice.
  I say if u don't like it I say get out of there but to make ur work history look better stay til u find another job. When my current company called me and wanted me to come in for a job interview I told my old boss I had a dr appt. and had to leave early the following week. Then when it came time to the physical I called in and said my son was sick and I had to stay home to watch him.

[Rodville]

Keep the current job while looking. It is better to have income while looking for better.






[offtopic] 500th post. WOOT!!     [/offtopic]

[spacecadetz26]

I feel your pain, I got a new job a month ago and it took me forever to find a place to live, now i'm brokey from spending all the money I had saved from commuting and other worthless crap that I probably shouldnt have bought.  But I found a place finally so things are only going to get better      
I think you should keep working and look for a job.  I had to step out to look at places cause they were only open the same times we were open. If you have vacation take a week off to search for a new job hardcore. Once you find a new job you'll be set, if they dont like you taking off work then quit. But its a good idea to keep working as long as you still have a job.