Comments on: Ramit’s Inbox: An email from a very confused guy who can’t find a job

By: Juan Olvera

Juan Olvera — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:49:45 +0000

There are so many people that give advices about their own finances and economy (and everything about it),
but we are the audience, and we should take everything that can be useful for us (each person is a world and one advice is not useful
for everybody) It’s impossible the fact that so many people is asking about if Ramit’s right or if he is not. If you read it and you’re desagree
just take the good things and done, some people will take this post as a jewel, some others will take this as trash.

________

On the other hand, in my adolescence, I learned about web programation and a little bit of design, i read about marketing and publicity,
now in my actual job, i’m doing the marketing, the advertisement, i’m building our website and I’m doing the publicity design too, this fact
is making us save a lot of money, maybe this comment is out of place, i mean with the post, but i’ve the skills to do this, and i just learned it in the past, just before
i had a real job. Greetings.

By: Ouida Vincent

Ouida Vincent — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:26:44 +0000

Wow, this is totally amazing. Thank you Ryan for participating in this discussion. Here is a truism: You dig your well BEFORE you need it. Ryan, thankfully you have given yourself an amazing financial cushion allowing you time to figure things out. Your blog comments have been far more focussed than your e-mails. The truth is that most of us really don’t know how we come across in print and, therefore, Ramit comments about long, rambling e-mails being reflective of Ryan’s CV and thought processes are actually appropriate. Ryan as you come to greater peace about moving, I hope that you use the time you have to gain skills and network! Don’t stop networking even when you land your next job!

By: Time to Save Money on Food | Dazzle Blog

Time to Save Money on Food | Dazzle Blog — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:01:00 +0000

By: Jordan M

Jordan M — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:18:19 +0000

Of course, we don’t fully have info about Ryan’s situation (maybe his cv is a mess, who knows?) but I’ve spent about the same amount of time Ryan has out of normal “office work” after returning to the US from traveling abroad 6 months prior (having quit my office job before someone could fire me). I think that Ryan probably has a lot better qualifications and experience than I do (a science degree vs my liberal arts degree, real focused job experience vs a mish-mash of hospitality and office work). With all those givens, why is his situation so bad?

For one, bad luck. But millions of others are less qualified and have less future chances than he does in the US. Talking to recruiters is one avenue to employment but many others are doing the same. Why not create your own luck? You have technical skills, you must’ve gotten into software development for some reason, and probably have some neat ideas. Why not spend your time working on those? Currently, you have lots of unstructured time which (I know from experience) leads to lethargy and inertia. I had other obligations January – March but April virtually disappeared for me due to diddling around on the net, watching movies, etc until the last two weeks.

So, for one, find something to keep you a) occupied and that will b) either teach you new skills or c) be good for you to point to when being recruited. You are your own brand and whenever you send in a resume, cover letter, go for an interview, etc you are marketing yourself.

Given that you also have technical skills, these are portable. Instead of spending 2000/mo, why not get out of the country? I spent about $4000 traveling around SE Asia b/w June and Dec last year. You could live rather cheap over there and still work. I met plenty of folks who were doing the same and enjoying a good standard of living.

The key here is to be creative. You have more options than people who are severely in debt, had industrial jobs, and a family to support. The billions of dollars the gov’t has floating around now is going somewhere – find out where (usajobs.com), or freelance (elance/oDesk), or volunteer (Geek Corps, UNOV) or create your own future.

Good luck.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:34:41 +0000

Your sarcastic attitude is a real turn off. Have you ever heard the saying,”People don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care?” I live in Ohio and am 45 years old. The truth is even McDonald’s isn’t hiring & not even you can change that.I know people that have worked since they got out of high in 1978 and are now unemployed.The work just isn’t there. The schools are cutting all programs like art, music, sports, busing and even nurses are being cut from their jobs. Makes you want to go to the hospital , doesn’t it.I know that nursing homes are requiring their housekeepers to get certified as State tested Nurse Aides so, they can do away with the housekeeping jobs. They will be taking care of patients and cleaning their rooms too.I applied for a custodian job for a state park, but like all the other jobs way to many people applied for one job.Any other year they would have had trouble even finding the help to do it. My son and I applied to pick strawberries. They even have too many applicants. It’s been since the1950’s that farmers have that much choice of workers. It used to be just 5 years ago that farmers could offer pay of $10 an hour and even teenagers wouldn’t apply, too much work for them. The strawberry job was even a 45 minute drive one way job.The IT tech jobs are gone here too. I know men who have 6 degrees & were making 150,000-200,000 five years ago. Now downsized out of a job, went to work for $7.30 an hour and laid off from two or more minimum wage jobs now.Where are there jobs and I’ll tell some people I know to move there? Of course, you have to have money to move too. Lisa

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:54:19 +0000

My husband is a programmer analyst who was “restructured” out of a job in January. He’s been in the business for 30 years and is sort of a jack-of-all-trades with software. He found a job (through a recruiter) in February. His personal network didn’t prove to be much help. My point is that the tech job situation may not be as bad as Ryan thinks it is. Otherwise, why would an employer hire a guy who will be ready to retire in 10 years over someone who was fresh out of college?

By: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Shock Doctrine Edition | Rich Dad Poor Dad Blog

Wed, 06 May 2009 21:12:23 +0000

[...] Ramit’s Inbox: An email from a very confused guy who can’t find a job I like this quote (except for the use of the word “rich” – I think the more appropriate term is “financially sensible”) – “Rich people plan for things before they need them, while others are caught treading water when something bad happens.” (@ i will teach you to be rich) Take the Time to Play I often feel like there is too much to do. Reminders like this help keep me mentally in line. (@ productivity 501) Reverse Engineer the Best Time of Your Life Another great article from the always thought-provoking Philip Brewer. I find that when I do such a “reverse engineering,” I always find that the core of the moment was free – and that essence is something I can find again in my own life today. (@ wise bread) [...]

By: Chris Brightwell

Chris Brightwell — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:50:38 +0000

As a software geek, why not spend his time hacking out some low-cost software?

The indie developers on the Mac platform make a killing with simple, basic apps. The iPhone can be a lucrative platform, as well. If nothing else, he can at least say “This is what I’ve been working on in my free time.”

By: The Simple Dollar » The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Shock Doctrine Edition

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:58:37 +0000

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:27:31 +0000

I think you did exactly the right thing. If Ryan was looked at as someone who deserves a 6 figure job then he should know that nothing will just show up at his doorstep.

I know I don’t about anyone else but I hate when people sugarcoat things for me.

I’m glad you gave him the truth.

Thanks Ramit