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

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

#71

Post by fredgrott » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:12 PM UTC

Look folks let's see if we can help this dude out...

First, everything is very noisy now. You need to switch to putting out free value somewhere online so that potential employers see it. I was doing it your way, although different set of circumstances, doing a whole bunch of hey look at me will not work in a very crowded room.

So vertex-four do you have anything online that you can point to so we can use Hn to get the word out?

We know by your moniker that you might be math inclined(as it refers to the four vertex theorem) for one and programming for second.

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

#72

Post by csomar » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:14 PM UTC

vertex-four wrote: post #60

csomar wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Netherlands has a generous social system that I can't access because I'm not actually from here. Then any reason why you are there? Are you allowed to legally work in the Netherlands. > there's not actually any support in the UK for people like me I'm pretty sure there is. 2/3 of British families receive some kind of benefits in Britain. You might have to ask for it. I also suspect there is more to this story (…

> Then any reason why you are there? Are you allowed to legally work in the Netherlands. I am. > I'm pretty sure there is. There's a very complicated system, but tl;dr being unable to find work would cause me to lose benefits and be left without a home. I don't trust that I would be able to find a job, so I would prefer to keep a roof over my head for now. To add to the mess, I'm trans, which means companies (even bi…

> 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 me

Find places that are gay-trans friendly. Even where I live such jobs exist and are valued (ie: a woman hair dresser will prefer hiring a trans-gay as straight guys might put off customers, etc...)

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

#73

Post by avgDev » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:16 PM UTC

louwrentius wrote: post #70

I don't know you and I might be wrong. But not having a paying job for the last 8 years feels to me like you have some personal issues and now being homeless is a symptom of that. If you are a UK citizen, you should absolutely be able to get the professional help you need from that country.

Unfortunately, this is what is stopping OP from getting a job. I don't know how to even help as it is very difficult situation to be in, if he is not even getting any call backs.

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

#74

Post by vertex-four » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:21 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #72

vertex-four wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Then any reason why you are there? Are you allowed to legally work in the Netherlands. I am. > I'm pretty sure there is. There's a very complicated system, but tl;dr being unable to find work would cause me to lose benefits and be left without a home. I don't trust that I would be able to find a job, so I would prefer to keep a roof over my head for now. To add to the mess, I'm trans, which means companies (even bi…

> 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 have no idea what you're talking about. People go to vocational school to learn it.

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

#75

Post by adamsea » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:23 PM UTC

Hello sir. Good luck. In addition to all the other good advice, if there is someone you know and respect, and who has a stable living situation overall, I would strongly encourage reaching out to them and ask for help and meeting with them regularly, both for the advice that they can give, with their more intimate knowledge of you than those of us online, and for the encouragement and motivation that comes from feeling like you have someone in your corner. It's one day at a time.

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

#76

Post by adventured » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:29 PM UTC

pavas wrote: post #61

aphextron wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>After you get yourself a place to stay, better clothes, and a haircut then I’ll start branching into tech again. I'd strongly disagree with this. If you can code, you are wasting your time doing any other kind of work. Do whatever it takes to land a job. Lie about your living situation. Spend all day at the library practicing Leet Code. The amount of time you spend trying to land a job will more than be made up by t…

You might be severely underestimating the impact that a bad living situation can have on a persons confidence, motivation, and mental energy to approach tasks. The most important thing they can do is ANYTHING that gets them into a stable living situation.

I agree with this comment. First seek stability. Then you have a base, launch position, to move upwards from at your personal mental pace, after you get your feet back under you. Most people do not function well at all under the intense stress of homelessness, it breaks you down.

If they can quickly find a tech job, that's great of course; otherwise find anything that provides the necessary stability to make further sound moves from. It's dangerously easily to get trapped in homelessness for extended periods of time as it breaks people down and they can't get back out.

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

#77

Post by Scarblac » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:29 PM UTC

vertex-four wrote: post #63

lazyjones wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being homeless in a rich European country with proper welfare systems screams of 'mental health issues'. Of course it will be a red flag for any job.

Technically speaking, I have a residential address that I can get post delivered to; squatting is nice like that. Nobody knows I'm homeless, except everyone on HN now.

That helps a lot. Do you have a good LinkedIn page with a list of technologies you've done something with?

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

#78

Post by pinkfoot » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:30 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…

> nobody I'm applying to knows I don't have a permanent legal residence.

Er how do you get past "meldung" then. When I last had the pleasure of experiencing the dutch job market, the Vreemdelingenpolitie (lit. foreigner police) and the myriad other amptenare (term of affection for govt officals) made it impossible to not have a verified, permanent address.

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

#79

Post by tigerlily » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:32 PM UTC

vertex-four wrote: post #36

tigerlily wrote: post #32

Which city are you currently in?

Rotterdam.

My parents are from villages just outside that area. They emigrated to NZ 42 years ago.

I spent about three and a half years in NL, which was five years ago. I worked in Arnhem doing electrical testing. I lived in Nijmegen for two years. I definitely found it friendlier and living in a smaller city a lot easier on my mental health, not to mention financially easier. I found Rotterdam to be a bit of a concrete jungle.

In the immediate term, you have shelter right now, which is extremely important. Use that while you find more secure shelter.

I'm just so gutted I'm living on the other side of the world, or I'd help you in a more personal way.

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

#80

Post by Scarblac » Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:33 PM UTC

lazyjones wrote: post #54

Scarblac wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Als being homeless is a huge red flag for any job. It's a nasty spiral.

Being homeless in a rich European country with proper welfare systems screams of 'mental health issues'. Of course it will be a red flag for any job.

The thing is he's from the UK but living in the Netherlands now, and apparently hasn't worked in a normal job recently. I think he's not going to get any help from the Dutch welfare systems.