Son just got let go...what to do next?

[jIMOh]

I'm not sure about the best, but I used Indeed to assist my son with his first job a few years ago. A friend of mine used Snag-A-Job. If he has some idea of companies he'd consider, he could go directly to their websites.

Don't discount job fairs. My son got a better job last year through a job fair at our local mall. It was sponsored by Goodwill. Their website might list some upcoming job fairs.

Best sites I find
1) linked in
2) indeed
3) glass door
4) all the other (ladders, monster, career builder). Collecting unemployment will likely require a less than optimum job board.

Linked in allows searches by area, job title and subject which I find easy to set up, and it tells me if any of the 2000+ people I know work there.

 

[target2019]

An additional item I recommend is to not cut short your experience and keywords. One keyword added to a searchable resume can trigger an interview.

It seems like a good idea to keep your resume short, and many recruiters mention it. Well, that would be the resume you hand to the interviewer, or pull out at *bux and hand to the marketing person you just bumped into.

But the key resume you put on linkedin or dice.com or wherever, should mention every hard or soft system you've touched. I do this in a section called "Keywords". If a recruiter doesn't agree, it's very simple to trim from your resume and re-send.

 

[brett]

Keep the resume short. No more that two pages. One and a half even better.

As someone who has gone through piles of them, believe me many people do not even get to page two prior to the discard/further action decision.

 

[CardsFan]

I am going to go back to the chemistry degree.

Short story. My former Megacorp was looking for a ChemEng. Applicant had a degree, but never used it (could not find a job at the time of graduation). He was managing a jewelry store that was being closed. I do not know his grades (was not on the interview panel), but he was hired based mostly on his personality/enthusiasm. Our process engineers had a LOT of customer contact. We could teach him our systems, but he needed to have the ability to work with customers.

Bottom-line: Don't discount the possibility of going with the original degree, if that is what interests him.

BTW, by the time I left, he was promoted twice and is currently managing a group of engineers.

 

[RunningBum]

I'm reading all of the posts, but I've been giving my son some room to figure things out, and I'm not sure where he's at right now. I did pass on a lower-level opening a friend knows of, and he said he'd consider it.

 

[eytonxav]

Providing advice and pros/cons to a adult child, even if unsolicited, and letting them make their own choices seems to me to be the right thing to do. I think the OP is being great parent and probably most of us would do likewise.

 

[ivinsfan]

Providing advice and pros/cons to a adult child, even if unsolicited, and letting them make their own choices seems to me to be the right thing to do. I think the OP is being great parent and probably most of us would do likewise.

You need to know your child..In certain cases even pros/cons comes across as pressure and can cause them to shutdown and/or lash out. A lot of times when this happens there are underlying causes such as depression and/or anxiety . You might think you are helping or not pushing but they don't see it that way.

 

[dirtbiker]

What?? Isn't that exactly what a person who has just become unexpectedly unemployed should be doing??

Agreed!

 

[Oakster]

Make sure and keep a good strong mindset. This could be a blessing instead of a bad event. He should move forward looking to improve his situation. Hopefully he can find a job that fits him better and pays more, or has more upside etc. With the right mindset he will go into job interviews with confidence instead of desperation.

On the parenting side, don't be too quick to bail him out of tight spots. I am not saying to let him get into big financial problems etc, but there are lessons to be learned and if you make it too easy for him, you will deprive him of those lessons. These are the moments that help to shape what we become.

 

[brett]

I know of a few people who say getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to them. It made a the decision to change course that much easier for them.

I believe that you son should look at this as an opportunity to improve his situation.

 

[alicebillis]

Experienced advice

For years I was UI intake at Texas Workforce Commission. My advice, register for UI immediately wherever you are, follow through with registering as a job seeker and comply with your state’s work search requirements. It can vary from locale based on the economy.

Apply with several temp agencies and continue the work search through the workforce commission and on your own. Retail merchandising might work if he has a retail background. Check out NARMS.com

Good luck!

 

[Maidensong]

OP--I agree with you about counseling your son not to neglect HI. Even young healthy people can have life-changing accidents. I believe losing a job counts as a life-change with ACA, so he should be able to use the Marketplace.

Both the DH and I have lost jobs in the past, so when our kids went through it, I think it gave us a little "street cred" with them. Like you, we provided them with the soft landing of a place to live while they sorted things out. But it was just a room in our house, not a place of their own, so they were motivated to move on.

Life goes on. And I don't think he should worry about his grades. After a while, it's just the degree that shows up on his resume. (I asked the DH for advice about resumes because he went through a mountain of them during his career looking for new hires. If you must go beyond one page, make sure the most important info is on the first page. Brevity and good organization of relevant information are a busy hiring manager's friends.)

 

[RobbieB]

With a degree in chemistry he should be making big bucks in biotech or industrial. That's not an easy degree to get. Not as good as chemical engineering, but not just a walk in the park either.

 

[jIMOh]

With a degree in chemistry he should be making big bucks in biotech or industrial. That's not an easy degree to get. Not as good as chemical engineering, but not just a walk in the park either.

I think the chemistry degree represents a person's capability- but most people which work in Biotech with such a degree will either be a lab analyst not making much $$, or need a Masters degree to actually have upward mobility.

I dated a chemist once (we even had chemistry LOL)... she had a hard time using the degree in SW Ohio until she went back for her Masters- and that was for teaching.

 

[brett]

He might want to get out and go on as many interviews as possible. It is good experience.

 

[RunningBum]

He's got a bunch of applications out.

 

[Lsbcal]

RunningBum, if your son has analytical talent and likes to use it then he is wasted doing what he was doing. Having taken chemistry seems to indicate analytical talent, just maybe applied in the wrong direction for the job market. Some parts of our country just are not the right place to be if one has certain capabilities. It is not always necessary to go back and take a complete course sequence in a subject in order to gain employment. Perhaps a stripped down course sequence could be followed while working part time?

You mentioned he was thinking of moving out West. Is that because he sees opportunities that are not in your region? Anyway, having lived and worked in Silicon Valley I know I would not have prospered in some other regions which do not have a tech industry.

P.S. have not read through everything to see if my thoughts are mirror others by here.

 

[HappyOutsourced]

I'm so sorry your son lost his job. I lost mine in 2005 at 51 and it stung.
I think your original post is pretty smart...applying for unemployment , possibly converting some 401 money to a ROTH if income is low enough this year to make sense, etc.. I think, though, COBRA is his best option. My sister's experience with Obamacare was a joke... 700-800 dollar premiums with crazy high deductibles. She opted for Cobra with 400 dollar premiums and good coverage.
I'm sure your son is hurting and I'm sure you're being very supportive. Sometimes it takes a while to find the good jobs so for a while he may have to take one he is over qualified for or doesn't particularly like. Times like this pass and are usually the start of something even better.

 

[PoorOldCountryBoy]

My son just called and told me he got let go from his job. I don't really know the details and it's nothing that would keep him from getting another job.

My main question is, aside from looking for a new job (which he had been doing anyway, but now will be more motivated) or possibly go back to school, what all should he be doing?

My thoughts:

0) Keep his head up and realize stuff happens, and not to take it personally. Have a short pity party and move on. He wanted out of there anyway (he was in retail) so this will probably turn out to be a good kick in a better direction.

1) Get on ACA. He loses the medical insurance he had through work. He'll probably come out better since he'll get a subsidy and was paying a good chunk for mediocre health care before. Any rules on how quickly he can do this?

2) File for unemployment compensation. Any rules here? He's already applying for jobs and will certainly be actively working.

Less urgently:

3) Move his 401K over to Vanguard. He had reviewed his investment options with me a couple years ago and I don't recall any especially good investment choices.

4) If this turns into a low income year we'll look at converting that 401K/IRA to a Roth, at least partially.

Any other advice? What are the best job seeking sites these days?

Dad had the best statement when he was part of a life changing labor strike (not his choice) back in the 1970's, and we were pretty concerned about making ends meet during a high inflation era:

He came home and very calmly said "It's only a job".

He was absolutely right. We toughed it out that year (cancelled the TV for 4 or 5 months--end of the world for us kids LOL, meatless pasta dinners were a staple, etc.) and he got a substitute job for just enough time, albeit at half the pay. We got a lifelong lesson in motivation and all of us got a college degree so we did not have to make that choice he did.

My point is reframe it and keep things in perspective - it IS only a job. Your son will grow and prosper although it may be a tough period short term. Good luck to him and you.

 

[RunningBum]

UPDATE: my son called me this morning to tell me he has a job offer he's going to accept. It pays a little less than he was making, but it's related to his field of interest and education, so if he does well I think his prospects for moving up are good. Plus he's pretty sure he'll like it better. He'll have to move to a different part of the state, but I think he'll like it there.

 

[Sunset]

UPDATE: my son called me this morning to tell me he has a job offer he's going to accept. It pays a little less than he was making, but it's related to his field of interest and education, so if he does well I think his prospects for moving up are good. Plus he's pretty sure he'll like it better. He'll have to move to a different part of the state, but I think he'll like it there.

That is good news.
After 4 months, it was wise for him to take the offer.
After 6 months or more on the job, he can always look for something better, and will be in a better position by being employed.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Great news!

 

[pb4uski]

+1

 

[REWahoo]

UPDATE: my son called me this morning to tell me he has a job offer he's going to accept. It pays a little less than he was making, but it's related to his field of interest and education, so if he does well I think his prospects for moving up are good. Plus he's pretty sure he'll like it better. He'll have to move to a different part of the state, but I think he'll like it there.

Good to hear he's found something that may work out well for him.

 

[Gumby]

Good news indeed.