Ask HN: How to find work while homeless? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#111

Post by luckylion » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 5:51 PM UTC

fsloth wrote: post #97

luckylion wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This might depend heavily on the country and location, but that's not my experience. I'm not religious, but I know some people who are, and their churches are quite active in their local communities, doing charity work, helping the homeless and the poor in general. I live in an area that's heavily dominated by protestants, so my experience is mostly with them, I don't know how that's for catholic areas. The Netherlan…

Ok, cool, I was not aware of this. I thought they were all sadly just waiting to become obsolete. In what area are you in?

I'm in Northern Germany. The planned/willful obsolescence here mostly applies to the "official" churches imho. The smaller, free ones tend to be a bit more radical and more grass-roots oriented, so they're more hands-on (which probably also has to do with them not having a lot of old wealth and close ties to the state).

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#112

Post by PopeDotNinja » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 5:52 PM UTC

I used to be homeless, so I have some thoughts:

- guard your laptop with your life, cuz you don't wanna lose it if you can't afford to replace it

- study your ass off

- don't bring homelessness into job interviews, as it is a big distraction for the employer

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#113

Post by tus88 » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 5:58 PM UTC

Become a webdev. Current or recent homelessness is a job requirement.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#114

Post by tbronchain » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 5:59 PM UTC

Lots of good answers here.

"All I want is to make enough money to survive" well, this may be what is wrong with you.

You have programming skills? This is amazing. I understand you currently need some help, but someone also most likely needs your skills.

It's a tough world, but most businesses will not care about your needs to make money. They might even avoid you. However, they will beg for you skills if they realize what you can bring them.

In other words, you may want to focus on learning how to sell yourself, help a business to solve their problems and you will make money.

PS: I know a few people who made lots of cash on upwork with programming skills without qualifications. Try looking for agencies looking for hands.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#115

Post by opinionated1 » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:01 PM UTC

jchallis wrote: post #15

Find a church - neither too big nor too small. Introduce yourself as someone willing to do assist with the IT/ secretarial / etc. in exchange for warm food and a shelter bed. Churches have very large networks. When you get on your feet, and you will, remember who helped you survive.

Second that. I‘m from Germany and attended a conference at a an Evangelical Church in the Netherlands (in Ede: https://www.schuilplaats.net/) a couple months ago without having booked a place to stay. At the end of the last evening session, I simply asked the pastor if he could help me and sure enough, one church member offered me an entire vacation apartment that he owns for one night for free. This is not a suggestion to take advantage of their hospitality but I have to say that the people at the church were very open and welcoming to new people without displaying a missional agenda.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#116

Post by wackget » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:02 PM UTC

abinaya_rl wrote: post #51

Remote Leaf[1] founder here, I would like to offer you three months of free membership, that might help you land a remote job since you have coding skills. We hand-pick thousands of remote jobs from tons of job boards and only sends the ones that apply to you. Just ping me on Twitter and send me an email to avail this :) [1] - https://remoteleaf.com

C'mon, don't advertise your website on a post where someone's looking for help. If you truly cared and didn't just want to advertise your service you'd have PMd the OP and your comment wouldn't sound so much like a marketing ploy.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#117

Post by dfsegoat » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:02 PM UTC

vertex-four wrote: post #74

csomar wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There's a very complicated system Navigate that system. People with much lower IQ are relying on it, you should be able to do that too. > I'm trans, which means companies (even big ones) will not put me in a position where customers might possibly see me, Same if you were homeless. I wouldn't hire a homeless barista that will turn off customers. > I've had interviewers in the UK visibly disappointed when they saw m…

> Same if you were homeless. I wouldn't hire a homeless barista that will turn off customers. To be clear, I currently have a shower, mattress, access to a washing machine, etc etc. Living in squats is pretty ok, police repression aside. I don't look like... whatever you're guessing, and nobody I'm applying to knows I don't have a permanent legal residence. Hairdressing is a ridiculously qualified job in the UK, I ha…

> Hairdressing is a ridiculously qualified job in the UK..People go to vocational school to learn it.

Can confirm. It is actually a very technical and regulated field, despite what many people think - myself included before i met my wife.

For instance, you need to know the risks of all the chemicals used, and infection vectors, etc. etc. and prove that you know it all in a licensing exam (both written and practical).

(Source: Married to a licensed hairdresser)

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#118

Post by akeck » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:05 PM UTC

Jugurtha wrote: post #106

I think we need to reframe the problem. It shouldn't be how to find work while homeless, it should be how to find shelter while jobless. Finding work _while_ homeless is akin to getting married with a cut femoral artery. Can be done, but the odds of success of the former are improved if we stop the bleeding. I think changing the amenities situation should be top priority. That should be the objective. How can you get…

Having worked with newly resettled refugees, I personally think this comment is a very important observation.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#119

Post by badlogin78 » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:10 PM UTC

Your biggest problem is not your lack of experience or lack of an address. Your biggest problem is that you are trying to get a job from a position of complete exhaustion (physical, mental and economical).

If your country has social services get in touch with them, they can give you shelter, food, an some job to get you back on track.

You deserve better.

Re: Ask HN: How to find work while homeless?

#120

Post by threatofrain » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:11 PM UTC

TheFullStack wrote: post #107

abinaya_rl wrote: post #51

Remote Leaf[1] founder here, I would like to offer you three months of free membership, that might help you land a remote job since you have coding skills. We hand-pick thousands of remote jobs from tons of job boards and only sends the ones that apply to you. Just ping me on Twitter and send me an email to avail this :) [1] - https://remoteleaf.com

This person sounds borderline suicidal and you see is as an opportunity to plug your site? okay...

This founder has provided something of value to someone with tech skills looking for entry level tech employment. And you?