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Passed Concerned, Now Worried, Approaching Scared

10,092 Views | 53 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by bbb78
Zip 88
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2:36p, 8/17/17
Howdy! Some of you here may have seen previous posts of mine over the years seeking career advice, networking contacts, and opportunity leads. Your responses have lead me to a few successes in the past, and I thank you for that.

However, due to market conditions within certain industries, and locations, those jobs did not pan out in the long run and I am currently employed in a minimum-wage job (hotel bellman), hustling for tips, in order to put some dent in my financial obligations. Unfortunately, hotel occupancy levels are down, hours may be cut, and tips are drying up. I thought that entry-level work into a new field (hospitality) would open up longer-term career opportunities for me, but that doesn't appear likely (although I'm just 8 months down the road).

I'm a 51-year old military vet who is worried about not being able to capitalize on experiences gained from a logistics background, and scared there won't be any opportunities in other areas. I have been passed over for employment consideration by FedEx, UPS, DHL, et.al., as well as other distribution companies. Applications for other entry-level work within hospitality have been turned down. I may need to consider Mr. Shelley's resume services! I have attended a few events at the local A&M club, and tried to reach out to industry professionals via LinkedIn, but the ROI has been nil.

My apologies if this comes across as being a bit whiny; I understand my situation is nowhere near as dire as some. I just need some feedback as to what the hell I'm doing wrong, and what I need to focus on in order to be given some serious consideration. Thanks in advance.

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Joseydog
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3:34p, 8/17/17
AG
As a veteran, I always recommend searching federal government jobs, which can be found at: usajobs.gov

Also, you can search for jobs on the Texas Workforce Commission website, which has many jobs listings from around around the state.

Sorry that I cannot help you any more than this. Good Luck!
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Ragoo
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3:58p, 8/17/17
AG
location?
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Zip 88
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5:08p, 8/17/17
San Antonio.
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Ragoo
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5:09p, 8/17/17
AG
Amazon in San Marcos?
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Zip 88
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5:10p, 8/17/17
I resigned from Amazon a few years ago.
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Ragoo
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5:10p, 8/17/17
AG
There is a packaging company in seguin on ih10. A distribution company in seguin on the corner of 78/725.
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78bc3
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In reply to Zip 88 • 5:20p, 8/17/17
AG
don't know if we have connected. I help Former Students with resources and strategies at the Career Center if you would like to check it out ppausky78@aggienetwork.com.
Paul Pausky BC3 '78
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Zip 88
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10:10p, 8/17/17
Joseydog, my clearance lapsed a few years ago, so that puts me behind the curve regarding USA.gov postings. I appreciate the TWC suggestion and will set up a profile with them and utilize their services.

Jon, Seguin would be a bit of a commute, but I would consider it for the right opportunity. Do you recall the company name(s)?

Paul, I'll send you a LinkedIn inMail; you're a connection of mine. I just read another thread on this board regarding some assistance you provided another poster this evening.
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ThreeFive
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11:00p, 8/17/17
AG
I don't want to come off as rude, but it seems like you're looking for the perfect opportunity. You mention a resignation from Amazon and concerns with a commute to Seguin, yet you're working as a bellhop and sound like you're in desperate spot.

I think you need to realize the perfect opportunity is going to take time, or make some sacrifices if worried and approaching scared.
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histag10
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In reply to ThreeFive • 11:33p, 8/17/17
AG
ThreeFive said:
I don't want to come off as rude, but it seems like you're looking for the perfect opportunity. You mention a resignation from Amazon and concerns with a commute to Seguin, yet you're working as a bellhop and sound like you're in desperate spot.

I think you need to realize the perfect opportunity is going to take time, or make some sacrifices if worried and approaching scared.


Well, you failed miserably at that, at least in my opinion.

I love how people always seem to preface a rude statement with something to the tune of "I don't want to come off as rude".

Maybe it's just a pet peeve of mine, but I hate when people point to a resignation and say it's basically your fault for not being employed because you had an opportunity. You never know why someone resigned from a position. Hell, I resigned from a pretty great position with upward growth potential with nothing else on the horizon or even reasonably close to that type of job open in the area. Why? It wasnt because I was being picky about what job I wanted, and it wasnt for being petty. It was a direct result of something that happened at work that would be unprofessional of me to share on a public message board. (Sorry for the rant, I guess it just hit a nerve with me....)
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ThreeFive
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7:07a, 8/18/17
AG
I think you're being a bit sensitive here. I provided an honest opinion with the information I had. The poster mentions he's desperate, but is making excuses for a potential position in Seguin. San Antonio to Seguin is not a far commute if you're worried or scared about your future.

When you're seeking advice on a job forum, you can't have thin skin, and the truth can be harsh.
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zooguy96
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7:11a, 8/18/17
Pet peeve - why do Aggies have to be asses to each other some time?

Please show some class and be respectful to those who are in different situations which you may not understand.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
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IrishTxAggie
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7:20a, 8/18/17
AG
Wal-Mart has that distribution center off of I-35 near New Braunfels.

Buc-ee's would be a hell of a lot better than bell hopping I'd think. They pay pretty good money and they love vets. Founder is an Ag.

Dispatch companies could be an option. Lots of oil field activity picking up again in that area.
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Marauder Blue 6
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7:22a, 8/18/17
AG
There are people on this board who've posted for years about their career issues. Over time, it's possible to see a pattern of why they may not be achieving the success they seek. Personally, I feel like it's a disservice to them to not speak up. I never want to see anyone fail but sometimes people need to hear things that a casual observer picks up but they can't see.

Zip88 is one of those people who've been around a long time. I've often had the impression that there's an expectation that a company should roll out the red carpet solely based on his military service. Perhaps he just needs to be coached on how to sell that service to a company.

If we're all here to help each other but not being honest when we see things, we're failing each other. Opinions or impressions can be wrong but it never hurts to say something that might help someone if your intentions are good.
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zooguy96
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8:03a, 8/18/17
Zip,

I think it would be a great idea to speak with Paul Pausky.

From personal experience, I've had difficulty finding something new outside of those fields I've been comfortable with or extremely well qualified for (certified in Math and Science in Teaching - the two highest need areas, so I know I'll always have a job despite having a desire to be in a different position).

I spoke with him at length last night, and took 25 pages of notes. It helped me better understand steps I needed to take in order to go where I'd like to be (and I had no clue about most of it; it totally changed my outlook on looking for jobs).

Please take Paul up on his offer. I can give no other better advice.

I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
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Ragoo
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In reply to IrishTxAggie • 8:48a, 8/18/17
AG
ColinAggie said:
Wal-Mart has that distribution center off of I-10 near New Braunfels.

Buc-ee's would be a hell of a lot better than bell hopping I'd think. They pay pretty good money and they love vets. Founder is an Ag.

Dispatch companies could be an option. Lots of oil field activity picking up again in that area.
walmart is on 35 by the Texas ski ranch.
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IrishTxAggie
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In reply to Ragoo • 8:49a, 8/18/17
AG
That's right. My bad.
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aggiemike02
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9:47a, 8/18/17
AG
do you work at the Emma?
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aTm2004
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In reply to ThreeFive • 2:19p, 8/18/17
AG
ThreeFive said:
I think you're being a bit sensitive here. I provided an honest opinion with the information I had. The poster mentions he's desperate, but is making excuses for a potential position in Seguin. San Antonio to Seguin is not a far commute if you're worried or scared about your future.

When you're seeking advice on a job forum, you can't have thin skin, and the truth can be harsh.
I agree with what you said. I drive from Kingwood to the Energy Corridor everyday (~80 mile round trip in Houston traffic) because I was out of a job when the offer came. Truth be told, if my old company (who was 10 minutes from my door) offered me a 50% pay increase to come back, I'd tell them to pound sand because I'm much happier with the company I'm at with the commute than I would be there without a commute and more money. My point is, you sometimes have to sacrifice to find the better opportunity, and if a commute is an issue, the company may let you work an alternate schedule (I work 7-4) to help with the commute. Once you're hired, all you have to do ask, you may be surprised by their response.
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Marauder Blue 6
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In reply to aTm2004 • 2:48p, 8/18/17
AG
aTm2004 said:
ThreeFive said:
I agree with what you said. I drive from Kingwood to the Energy Corridor everyday (~80 mile round trip in Houston traffic) because I was out of a job when the offer came. Truth be told, if my old company (who was 10 minutes from my door) offered me a 50% pay increase to come back, I'd tell them to pound sand because I'm much happier with the company I'm at with the commute than I would be there without a commute and more money. My point is, you sometimes have to sacrifice to find the better opportunity, and if a commute is an issue, the company may let you work an alternate schedule (I work 7-4) to help with the commute. Once you're hired, all you have to do ask, you may be surprised by their response.
I concur. Atascocita to Westheimer/Wilcrest working 6:30-3:30 every day. The adjusted hours were something I asked for prior to hire and they gave it to me. They've tried to take my schedule away a couple of times but I made it clear that doing so would be a dealbreaker.
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Zip 88
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6:54p, 8/18/17
Sorry it's taken a while to respond. I just got done honing my Sherpa skills on mismatched Samsonite and tattered Walmart bags. I'm glad my situation provided some spirited discussion fodder around the water cooler. Have an extra shout-out to the threads that garnered the most stars; those with a bit of a "bite" to them.

I don't have any delusions of companies genuflecting due to my military background. I do, however, find it puzzling that my experience seems to count for NOTHING, as all I have received are the "going forward with another candidate" form letter; not even a whiff of an invite for an interview. Even more frustrating is seeing those same positions being advertised a few months later. You want to go with younger and cheaper? How's that working out for your company in the long run? If you can absorb that kind of turnover and training costs, your shareholders must be proud.

I am no stranger to commutes, having one job that required travel of 1.5 hours to our field office BEFORE my day of work on the road began. Commuting is a consideration, NOT an excuse. Of course I could discuss that with a would-be employer, but we have already covered the fact that I can't even line up a friendly interview.

Lastly, I do not work at Hotel Emma. That establishment is a little higher up in the TripAdvisor ratings.

Thank you to those that have followed my body of work over the years, and those that took a knock for showing a little empathy. Truth be told, I thought I might be coming back to the well one too many times before posting last night. My apologies.
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IrishTxAggie
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7:02p, 8/18/17
AG
Ever consider getting a CDL?
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zooguy96
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In reply to Zip 88 • 7:51p, 8/18/17
Again, I recommend you talk with Paul. He really will help you immensely.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
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John Francis Donaghy
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In reply to Zip 88 • 1:19a, 8/19/17
Quote:
I do, however, find it puzzling that my experience seems to count for NOTHING, as all I have received are the "going forward with another candidate" form letter; not even a whiff of an invite for an interview. Even more frustrating is seeing those same positions being advertised a few months later. You want to go with younger and cheaper? How's that working out for your company in the long run? If you can absorb that kind of turnover and training costs, your shareholders must be proud.


You should google the term "phantom job post." There a number of good articles about them from wel respected sources. Basically, companies post lots of jobs for positions for which they already know who they are going to hire, do not intend to fill at all, or need to have posted publicly so they can deny everyone who applies domestically and hire a worker from another country on an H1B visa. If you are relying on internet job boards, a good portion of the jobs you find and apply for likely have zero intention of hiring you, regardless of your qualifications.

It's a strange quirk of the job search process these days, but you can't let all your blindly declined applications get you down, there's a good chance nobody ever even intended to look at a lot of them.
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chisumwomack
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10:00a, 8/31/17
Have you had somebody take a look at editing your resume? Maybe it's just formatted/worded poorly and needs to be fixed up. That matters a lot. My wife has an English degree and has edited several, I'm sure she'd be happy to take a look.
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10andBOUNCE
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9:33a, 9/1/17
AG
Looks like our group has a Logistics Mgr req open. Defense industry in Colorado.

It's not my world and I don't have any say but happy to pass along the req. Email at username at gmail.
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sfroebel82
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In reply to Zip 88 • 12:25p, 9/1/17
AG
Have you looked into Project Management? With your logistics background, that might be a good fit.
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Bitter Old Man
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In reply to Zip 88 • 3:20p, 9/1/17
AG
Zip - Curious, what didn't you like about Amazon?
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O.G.
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8:58a, 9/7/17
You might also look into Aramark. I know a guy that is a manager in that area, approximately your age, prior military with logistics experience etc., check out their website. They usually have a lot of jobs in that area.
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Complaint Investigator
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4:55p, 9/13/17
AG
In the position you are in, I would start looking to move. Anywhere. I have a friend who works in Austin and heads to his house in SA on weekends. He rents a room in Austin.

Lots of .mil friendly companies in Austin.

What was your military job? Highest rank? Years served?
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MookieBlaylock
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7:50a, 9/14/17
AG
Ups sales just hired 50 people
Did you apply?
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$240 Worth of Pudding
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12:21p, 9/14/17
AG
Zip, my company is looking for a Construction Materias Testing Technician in the San Antonio office.
Willing to train if you've got no experience.

Interested?
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Zip 88
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6:07p, 9/14/17
sfroebel82,

I have started looking a requirements for completing a PM certification, as well as how/if to apply my post-9/11 GI Bill benefit.

Bitter,

Let's just say that the turnover rate for AMs, especially those with military backgrounds, was rather significant. It would take something other than this forum board to convey my thoughts.

Saw,

I have looked at quite a few posted ads for Aramark, and I need to fine tune my resume more. I see a lot of sales-type positions, but my resume is still logistics-centric. I have applied to CAT, Penske, Ryder, Cotton Logistics (to name a few), and I am applying to ModSpace.

Mookie,

I contacted an Inside Sales Rep with UPS a few months back and discussed that position as a means to get into logistics operations with them. I got the impression that sales didn't transition to ops, and that any long-term growth within sales would require relocating after a while...I'm locked in to San Antonio for a few years.

Limon,

I would like to know more about that opportunity with your company. What is the best way to get in contact with someone? Thank you for your interest.
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GIF Reactor
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7:36p, 9/14/17
AG
Construction? Would think your military background would be advantageous.
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