Comment by Tallgirl on June 30, 2010 at 9:12am

Let all friends who are remotely connected to your industry about your skills...all's fair in love and job-hunting. It IS a war out there on surviving on your own! The human connection is just as much a tool (even in olden days, people carried a letter of reference with them to speak to character) as the resume. Only speak positive in public, and that quality will get you farther than complaints. Smile at the clique people...buy one of them coffee and thank him/her for something genuine that they taught you: word will spread. Then go make your mark in a hobby or philanthropic activity you enjoy, to get your power back mentally. I am in my current job because of a referral from a hobby friend to her step-grandson in this new profession. It lead to full-time work, a new credential at a college, and health benefits. Oh yeah: I am on job #3 in the new profession, and am doing well. Got to get to work! You will be speaking differently two years from now...so, what choices will start your new journey? Keep the job for now, but also work on the next challenge!

Comment by Maritza Stern on June 30, 2010 at 10:34am

I worked in a hospital for 9 years as a ward clerk while I finished up with college and career choices, etc. It is what you said, they hire based on who you know and who they are related to. When I was hired, I believe it had something to do with the fact that I volunteered at the hospital for a period of time on two separate occassions. When I started working many of my co-workers would ask, so who are you related to? I would reply no one, why? This went on for some time. Then I started to realize that most of the people working at the hospital had a sister, brother, mother, aunt, uncle, etc. working there and that is how they got the job. To their surprise I got in on my own merit. That made me feel good, but at the same time the application had stated that they do not condone family members working in the same facility and that if you had a family member working there they wanted to know it on the application. So it was to my shock and disbelief when i found out that most of my coworkers DID have some relative working in the same facility. I really don't recommend you try to leave there in this economy, but when things get better, if you are stuck in the corporate latter, it's become stale and so will your skills become. I never stuck around any job that I found there was no growth in and found boring. What's the point. Good Luck!

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