Getting a job after being unemployed for 2 years

I've been unemployed for going on almost 2 - 2.5 years now. I left my job due to health issues, which mostly have cleared up. Having free time I decided to get my degree and put getting a job on the back burner. Now that the school is almost finished I'm starting to look for work again.

I applied for a job that I thought I was a perfect fit for. The place emailed me right back and wanted some more information + set up a time to talk. I replied with the info they requested and waited for a phone call. They never called or emailed after that. I finally got an email back last week. It stated they are only interviewing people with "Current Experience". I was like ###, I've been trying to find work, we are in the middle of the worst reccession in years and you're telling me just because I haven't worked in a few years in won't interview me? Just down right crazy.

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Comments

phantasm

Unfortunately that's how it is now. A friend of mine in the recruiting business told me that being unemployed for anything more than 6 months almost makes you unemployable. It doesn't mean you can't find a job, it just means it will be a lot harder for you to do so.

LordQarlyn

yeah, I've been reading about that more and more in the news lately. Some companies practically state "Unemployed need not apply"

it_consultant

This blows but its true. You need a strategy, take temp or low paying work if you can find it, jump out when you have enough employed time to remove that stigma. I don't see it as a stigma but thats because I have seen so many competent professionals be unemployed for a long time through simple bad luck.

nhan.ng

phantasm wrote: »

A friend of mine in the recruiting business told me that being unemployed for anything more than 6 months almost makes you unemployable.

yup. A hiring manager at RHT told me the same thing

NetworkingStudent

themagicone wrote: »

I've been unemployed for going on almost 2 - 2.5 years now. I left my job due to health issues, which mostly have cleared up. Having free time I decided to get my degree and put getting a job on the back burner. Now that the school is almost finished I'm starting to look for work again.

I applied for a job that I thought I was a perfect fit for. The place emailed me right back and wanted some more information + set up a time to talk. I replied with the info they requested and waited for a phone call. They never called or emailed after that. I finally got an email back last week. It stated they are only interviewing people with "Current Experience". I was like ###, I've been trying to find work, we are in the middle of the worst reccession in years and you're telling me just because I haven't worked in a few years in won't interview me? Just down right crazy.

I’m trying to find an entry level Help desk/ support role in MN and I’m not having much luck. I’m not sure what the IT job market is like in other parts of the country, but the job market here in MN is very competitive. I thought it would be very easy to break into IT, but I’m finding out the hard way that it’s the complete opposite.

I’m currently employed, and I work in printing. I have applied for tons and tons of IT jobs and I have gotten a several interviews. However, they always go with someone with more experience. One thing that is really frustrating is that now I’m applying for contract to hire and contract jobs and these are be filled in one day after being posted.

phantasm

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

I’m trying to find an entry level Help desk/ support role in MN and I’m not having much luck. I’m not sure what the IT job market is like in other parts of the country, but the job market here in MN is very competitive. I thought it would be very easy to break into IT, but I’m finding out the hard way that it’s the complete opposite.

You need to think about the economy right now. When you apply for a job you're competing against individuals with maybe more education, certifications or the number one killer, experience. When you go up against someone with a B.S. degree and 8yrs experience and all you have is lets say an A+, you're hosed.

The IT industry, anywhere right now is very competitive.

Tackle

I didn't have a problem landing a job in MN, had no certs or expierence. My interview was actually on the last day of class for my AAS. And what I do I would consider quite a bit higher than help desk.

Maybe it's the way you present yourself during the interview?

shodown

I'm not going to sale the game on here, but impervise, adapt and overcome. There are plenty of jobs out here and plenty of idiot hiring managers take advantage.

sambuca69

themagicone wrote: »

they are only interviewing people with "Current Experience".

I'm surprised they actually said that in email, and didn't give you a BS reason. I wonder if this falls under some sort of discrimination.

LordQarlyn

sambuca69 wrote: »

I'm surprised they actually said that in email, and didn't give you a BS reason. I wonder if this falls under some sort of discrimination.

Actually, under current US laws, it doesn't. I've browsed some job ads recently, and yep, some companies are really outright saying "must be currently employed".

The execs at my company issued a memo to HR and hiring managers stating that unemployment will not be a basis for automatic non-consideration. Hiring managers are to look at what the candidate did during their unemployment. In my case, I was out of work for 8 months, but during that time, I studied and passed five IT cert exams.

I, for one, do not believe our current situations will last forever. When the economy booms again and it becomes an employee market again, the companies discriminated against unemployed are going to feel the pinch when workers leave them for greener pastures. I've already made notes which companies practice this, to avoid them in the future.

themagicone

Well they emailed me back today. I got a phone interview. Guess my bitching them out on "Current Experience" got their attention.

SteveLord

My guess is employers don't immediately know if someone has been sitting on their butt for X amount of months/years collecting unemployment checks or they're out of commission for a legitimate reason like the OP has. Or...it could just be that they don't want those who've been out of the "working" routine/mindset for so long.

Kudos for doing WGU in the mean time and good luck getting some work.