Due to the length of the previous thread, we're starting a new thread.

Welcome to our group. Newcomers, let us know a little about you here. This is a good way to let people know about you.

a) What type of work are you doing at this point, or what type of work are you looking for, any details about the geographical areas where you are job searching.

and

b) What are some areas where you can help others in the group? Are you good at resume critiques, lending a listening ear, helpful advice, good at proofreading, able to help with introductions in certain fields, have some expertise on interview preparation or researching companies.

If you are familiar with the story of Stone Soup, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup
Each of us have a gift or talent that can make our community better. That little tidbit of advice or encouragement may be just what someone needs. So, don't sell yourself short on what you can contribute, even if you are looking for work.

Edited 10/20/2009 - 8:35 PM

Quote:
Due to the length of the previous thread, we're starting a new thread.

Welcome to our group. Newcomers, let us know a little about you here. This is a good way to let people know about you.

a) What type of work are you doing at this point, or what type of work are you looking for, any details about the geographical areas where you are job searching.

and

b) What are some areas where you can help others in the group? Are you good at resume critiques, lending a listening ear, helpful advice, good at proofreading, able to help with introductions in certain fields, have some expertise on interview preparation or researching companies.

If you are familiar with the story of Stone Soup, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup
Each of us have a gift or talent that can make our community better. That little tidbit of advice or encouragement may be just what someone needs. So, don't sell yourself short on what you can contribute, even if you are looking for work.

Hi my name is David Head

I am a construction superintendant looking for work in any of the areas that i have experience in, no matter if it is with hands on skills or with leadership positions I have 35 yrs. plus in the industry with great people skills and a good back ground. I have the respect of those I have worked with both customers and peers.
Over the years I have had many repeat customers which says a lot about my skills and integrity.

Hope I can be as much help to the others in this group as I hope they can be for me. Thanks for allowing me to join this group.

Hi David and welcome to the group.

Please take advantage of the experience and knowledge JobAngels offers to members. We have many posts to help job seekers. We encourage members to post specific needs and issues related to their job search and that they help fellow members. Would you like a free profile /resume critique?

Your 35 years in construction is valuable and I hope you can pass that knowledge on to those in your field. Have you personally thought of teaching what you know in a college or community program? Perhaps other members can offer more suggestions.

I know that sometimes these jobs have different names, but have you considered expediting, sales, or project management (you can get a certification in this area)? My husband's in construction so I know the economy's tough.

Hang in there, the right job will come, you just don't know where or when.

Hello everyone! my name is Shawn Haggerty and I am an electrical contractor in Ohio. Joye and I share several other groups together and upon hearing my story has invited me to join this one as well. I have 15 years in the construction trades. When I got married and quit driving semi to have a child (I didn't want to be a weekend father) I found a job as a plumber at a local company. When they found out that I had a high mechanical aptitude, they cross-trained me in everything they did: bathroom/kitchen remodels...where I learned some carpentry/cabinet installation, drywall installation and finishing,as well as tile/marble/natural stone installation and other general remodeling skills...gas well repair/gas line installation...water well repair/installation...boiler repair/installation...water service line taps/installation/repair...minor electrical repair/installation...heavy equipment operator...and of course plumbing repair/installation. Since they wouldn't put me in a true apprenticeship program after three years of working there, I went and found my own at the local electrical union at the age of 35. I tested, interviewed and was accepted into the Inside Wiremans Apprenticeship Training Program (commercial/industrial electrician). I trained for 5 years and became a journeyman electrician. As everyone knows, the winter time is the slowest time in construction. After being laid-off around Christmas time and not going back to work till April/May 2 years in a row, I went and took the state licensing test for electrical contracting. I passed it the first time around and started my own business. After 4 years of struggling to expand and on the verge of a breakout year with the good possibility of buying a new truck and hiring a second electrician, we had our economic collapse. I really struggled to pay not only my business bills but my personal ones as well. With the looming tax increases on small businesses and the middle class in general, I decided to call it quits. At the end of the year, my insurance will lapse and my licenses will expire although I put my state license in escrow.
Since the time of my decision made in  May, I have been looking for a job. I wrote my resume and had several people critique it (including professional resume writers and people here on BF). I posted it on over 100 different job-sites ad over 20 headhunter sites. I applied to any job anywhere in the country...usually 10 to 15 jobs per day. of course, the several phone interviews i had resulted in no call backs and every job I applied for resulted in the " I regret to inform you" e-mail no matter how eminently qualified I was for the job...probably because I was asking for a pay amount commensurate with what I felt I was worth. I had electrical contracts in my business days worth as much as $300,000 dollars and led as many as 20 electricians on a job-site so I felt I was worth at least $45,000 per year. After being frustrated for months, I finally got my break.
During the summer, I played a lot of golf at our local course. Many days I would go out by myself and find some stranger to play with. By the end of the round I usually had a new friend. One day I met up with this gentleman I had played with on several other occasions. I never new what business he was in but we always had fun together. That day we had a conversation about work. I told him I was an electrical contractor and that I was really struggling. He said he was a general contractor and  his business was based in Pittsburgh which is about an hour away although he lived here (as many do for the lower cost of living). Over the course of the rest of the summer, we met up and played a lot more golf together. One day I told him I was calling it quits. He looked at me and said "I want to get rid of my head electrician. He's costing me too much money. I also need a project manager and with your background, I think I'm going to talk to my business partner about you." Of course I didn't take him seriously because we were always joking around together. However, he called the next day and asked if I wanted to come and work for them. I was totally flabbergasted. He asked how much I expected to make and i told him if I was doing both jobs I would need $70k a year thinking I was blowing him out of the water. He told me that he'd call back. We played golf that afternoon and he offered $60k with benefits, a bonus check for each project completed on-time and under budget, a company gas debit card with a $1000.00 allowance each month and a golf membership to the country club that the company has a corporate membership with. Of course I about fell out of the golf cart and said not only "yes" but "HELL YES!" So if I can offer you all a word of encouragement I will tell you this...Don't get discouraged, there are jobs out there. Talk to anyone and everyone...you never know who is willing to offer you your next job.

Edited 11/4/2009 - 11:05 PM

I also have a wider variety of job-sites in my list as well as a wide variety of specialized job-sites. If I come across any of your posts that I think I can help you with, I will post some of these more obscure sites that I have run across in my search. I don't know if it will help but you never know.

Quote:

Quote:
Due to the length of the previous thread, we're starting a new thread.

Welcome to our group. Newcomers, let us know a little about you here. This is a good way to let people know about you.

a) What type of work are you doing at this point, or what type of work are you looking for, any details about the geographical areas where you are job searching.

and

b) What are some areas where you can help others in the group? Are you good at resume critiques, lending a listening ear, helpful advice, good at proofreading, able to help with introductions in certain fields, have some expertise on interview preparation or researching companies.

If you are familiar with the story of Stone Soup, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup
Each of us have a gift or talent that can make our community better. That little tidbit of advice or encouragement may be just what someone needs. So, don't sell yourself short on what you can contribute, even if you are looking for work.

Hi my name is David Head

I am a construction superintendant looking for work in any of the areas that i have experience in, no matter if it is with hands on skills or with leadership positions I have 35 yrs. plus in the industry with great people skills and a good back ground. I have the respect of those I have worked with both customers and peers.
Over the years I have had many repeat customers which says a lot about my skills and integrity.

Hope I can be as much help to the others in this group as I hope they can be for me. Thanks for allowing me to join this group.

Hi David! Just a thought but have you tried the hospitality industry? The big hotel chains such as Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton seem to be hiring facility maintenance people continuously. My brother-in-law works for Marriott and he was sending me chief engineer (their title for maintenance tech) job notifications. Depending on which area of the country you live in and apply for, these positions with Marriott typically pay between $45,000 and $80,000 a year plus benefits. I applied for several of these but I live in Ohio and would have had to relocate. It's not that I wouldn't have, but in each instance they hired someone locally. Their websites are a little hard to navigate until you figure them out. Once that happens, they are pretty much all the same. Maybe you can find something closer to you. I hope this helps!

Shawn, I've heard that business deals can be made on the links, but never realized someone could gain a job offer that way. Congratulations once again!!

Quote:
Shawn, I've heard that business deals can be made on the links, but never realized someone could gain a job offer that way. Congratulations once again!!

Thanks!