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Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

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Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#421

Post by hombre_fatal »

Aeolun wrote: post #314
DwnVoteHoneyPot wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to possibly being a scammer, some people found my resume to be less believable without a linkedin profile. One interviewer thought I was lying about my previous job title.

Why would it matter what your previous job title was? Why would I care if your previous job title was ‘Grand Vizier of Khyrgistan’? Can you do the job I want you to do now?

It’s because LinkedIn creates a social cost for lying, and it also creates social proof because coworkers can agree that you worked there.

As opposed to claiming whatever the hell you want in resume.pdf.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#422

Post by uxcolumbo »

grakker wrote: post #367

I quit my last job. I found myself thinking that the easy way out was really attractive, and I was seeing fewer and fewer downsides. Then I thought, I might as well quit, enjoy as much as I could, then take the easy way out when my account ran down to zero. Then, as it was approaching zero, I found out I could start withdrawing pension from my old job, with a heavy penalty for doing so early. Fuck it. I did that. Now…

This is a tough read.

I’d probably have a similar mindset as you, but responsibilities for others is one force that keeps us going.

I don’t have any advice other than finding a support group online or offline.

Hope you’ll experience brighter days.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#423

Post by DamonHD »

uxcolumbo wrote: post #401
DamonHD wrote: post #30

Retired - sort of - when the remains of my last two start-ups died (in the same month!) after the pandemic and were sold for OK money. Now doing a part-time PhD working fixing the climate. Coping - generally fine - helped by building up a new network of friends and doing things like going clubbing and going to music festivals and giving talks and running voluntary orgs. Just been out for beers with my mentee; he will…

What’s your advice for people who want to transition to working on projects to help fix the climate crisis? Where would you start? Curious, what bit are you working on to help fix this? Research as you’re doing a PhD? Reading “Reinventing Fire” currently. So much needs to change, but it feels like there is zero political will to address this crisis.

You can work on climate fixes quietly within a current role (eg write more efficient code, scheduling non-critical stuff away from demand peaks towards generation peaks, ... #frugalComputing) or maybe move to a role which has some explicit climate goals.

There are so many things to work on, some can be tackled as a start-up, which is HN territory! My last start-up developed a domestic heating control to save energy by setting back temperatures a little when a room is empty and likely to stay empty for a while. There's >500k units installed.

My PhD is finding how to best improve decarbonisaton of UK home heating (~14% of UK GHGs). Mainly by replacing gas boilers with heat pumps. Did my own at the end of last year.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#424

Post by lazyasciiart »

uxcolumbo wrote: post #401
DamonHD wrote: post #30

Retired - sort of - when the remains of my last two start-ups died (in the same month!) after the pandemic and were sold for OK money. Now doing a part-time PhD working fixing the climate. Coping - generally fine - helped by building up a new network of friends and doing things like going clubbing and going to music festivals and giving talks and running voluntary orgs. Just been out for beers with my mentee; he will…

What’s your advice for people who want to transition to working on projects to help fix the climate crisis? Where would you start? Curious, what bit are you working on to help fix this? Research as you’re doing a PhD? Reading “Reinventing Fire” currently. So much needs to change, but it feels like there is zero political will to address this crisis.

You could look here? https://www.climatetechlist.com/blog/about

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#425

Post by hombre_fatal »

jjav wrote: post #413
ComputerGuru wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t have a LinkedIn and it has impaired my job hunts in the past but I always worry that creating one now (without the references of colleagues from decades of past work) would look worse than not having one?

As I take a break on friday night from reading through an endless pile of resumes for a role I'm hiring... I would suggest creating the linkedin profile but be sure to fully populate the job descriptions for each job (or as far back as you care to go) and spend some time looking up past colleagues from each one and send them invites to connect. I'm finding that a completely blank linkedin profile (listing only compan…

Man, for 15 years I’ve been working on projects that are not LinkedIn friendly. For example, online casinos where my coworkers all have pseudonyms. Or taking 1-2 years to work on a personal project that fizzles out. Not to menion, surfing for 2 years.

I'm in a terrible position for when I need to find a normal job, and comments like this don't let me forget it!

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#426

Post by RobRivera »

fragmede wrote: post #238
93po wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

can i ask what the non-tech job is? im considering this too but the idea of stocking shelves at target makes me feel miserable

But more or less miserable than the idea of living out of your car and eating stolen cans of cat food?

Listen, nobody wants to admit they ate 12 cans of chef boyardi

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#427

Post by thirtygeo »

pluc wrote: post #109
mgh95 wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not the US? Anecdotally, I'm beginning to see the US market pick up again and a TN visa should see you employed pretty quickly.

Because I'm Canadian. There's three places I won't go, the US, Israel and Russia. Happy to work remotely for US, but won't set foot in the place.

+1

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#428

Post by thirtygeo »

pluc wrote: post #118
sanswork wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After that much if you're as skilled add you think you should be finding an interview coach and someone to edit your CV. Have you asked past bosses, co-workers for referrals?

I've done a few rounds of CV edits and reviews early on, it hasn't helped. It's worth noting that the initial CV I had was one where I never had trouble finding work with. Edit: misunderstood "referrals" for "references" so edited my reply out. No, I've never asked for referrals from past colleagues.

Sooo... Have you made that LinkedIn yet so fellow Canadians might see what you worked on in the past and can get in touch?

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#429

Post by uxcolumbo »

fschuett wrote: post #178

Technically 2.5 years here (I had a shitty job in the meantime for 4 months, but it wasn't a tech job). I have a decent GitHub portfolio though and I've made sure to never waste my time. So, I'm unemployed on paper, yet always "employed" building open-source software in reality. I have tried to finish building my cartography startup and my mini-browser engine. Once I have that, I can hopefully support myself with non…

Ignore those who judge you.

You’re doing something that will move you closer to getting a job or earning income (ie paying taxes).

What do people do if they don’t have a house? You can’t live on 500 if you also have to pay rent.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#430

Post by mgh95 »

lazyasciiart wrote: post #419
mgh95 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok; all I can say is what the statistics indicate. It seems like at least some Canadians accept assignments which result in business travel to the US. As with the OC, this may result in more desirable employees to Canadian employers who wish to continue to do business with the US, hence the original question.

In other words, Canadians aren’t going to the US unless someone pays them for it. That’s pretty negative sentiment.

Oh sure. But the important thing -- especially for the OC, who is having a rough time in the job market -- is getting paid to do it.
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