Trying to stay motivated while looking for a job.

Wow! I wish I hadn't given out my best response already. I did that for a job once, they had us wait while deciding which candidate to take. Then they called each one of us in and told us their results. They told me I didn't have the job and asked me if I had any questions. I asked them what I needed to get a job there. So I was told to get more experience by applying at a lower level. Also to take classes in sign language. So I applied for and got a position at a lower level. Then I took a class in American Sign Language. Then later when I applied for the original job, they asked me why I thought I should get it. I told them because I had done all they had asked me to do and gotten good references at the lower levels. They told me to wait outside, called each person in again, and I was called last and told I got the job. It was for working in a prison and I have all the experience and everything I need. My degrees are in teaching and I have taught in a prison. But I'm not political and other people are. I was told that the last time I didn't get a prison job. You are correct, often times, I am competing with hundreds of applicants and to be interviewed, to be in the top three is an honor. But top three doesn't pay my bills. This was for a $40 thousand+ a year job, so I took it hard.

I taught adult prisoners at a medium level security prison for 10 years. Both degrees are current. The insiders have told me I'm not getting in because I'm not political. I was told during the interview that all three of us had the same rating. So they could pick or had to pick the most political because we were all evenly ranked. It's politics. So I'm not wasting my time on applying to prisons any more.

So now there is more definition and this becomes easier to work with. If you are applying for similar positions within similar settings I would start by finding someone within the system who can act as a "mentor", someone who can provide some guidance to you in the way of skills or capabilities that you need that will put you in the top. It is clearly not just whether they "like" you or not. It is whether you have the right skills, capabilities, experience, and applied knowledge. So what do you need to do to obtain these? There are some questions you can ask. What made the top three similar? What made the top one stand out? What single skill would make me stand out and be appropriate for the setting? If you are applying for teaching positions within a prison setting I am assuming that this is working with adult offenders. So do you have teaching credentials for adult learners? Are they current? Have you researched the latest trends in learning? Is it possible for you to add to you skill set? What about other functional skills or capabilities that might be added to your personal briefcase in this situation? What about computer skills? What about technical skills? Are you able to teach behavior or life skills to adult learners? I am a volunteer in a Prison program called Victim Impact. The program is sponsored by the Justice Department in my state and works at all levels including Juvenile, State, and Federal. The offenders who participate in this program are usually also in some sort of education programs. I think it would be really useful for you to research the types of programs the systems in your area offer and make certain that you can speak directly to these programs and your "value add" or what you bring to the table as an instructor.

Last paragraph, done all those things. You havea real agency there. All we have is temp service here and they are useless. They used to be good, but Labor Ready came in and messed everything up. Thank you can take care.

I'm not sure what type of job you are going for but how about a temp to perm option?

Thank you, I'm trying.

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I'm starting to run out of places to look. So if there is something out there, it had better show up soon. Good luck on your job hunting. Hope you get something soon. Take care.

Thank you, very good advice!

Thank you. I've gotten expert advise. From three different people. It hasn't helped. The competition is really fearce up here. I've received rejections that start like: "We received 300 applications and although yours was impressive. . .."

There is a job that might work for coming up. Thanks. I'd love to give up looking, by my current income since they reduced my hours and are telling me they will reduce more does not pay my bills. Thanks for your assistance, take care.

That really is hard. French is my second language and it would be very difficult for me to get a job in that language. But your English seems to be much better than my French. Can you teach your language until you can get some accounting work? Are there other people in your community that speak your language and need accounting? Can you do a little private accounting? Take care and good luck, I hope something opens up for you and me, too!

Thank you so much for your encouragement! Let's just positive and approaching the success step by step.