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My skills include Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Visio and Power Point. Management of inventory in a factory. Purchasing of commodities for commercial air conditioning and relays. Cashiering, daily sales reports. stocking floors, general administrative work and an extremely fast learner. These skills are nothing to be ashamed of. They are included in my resume' and many of the restaurants or retail stores only provide space for a line or two of information on your skills and they do not want a resume.

I have been job hunting for over two months. Most of the work in the local area is either factory work, retail, or fast food. Being a small town compared to many cities, everyone knows everyone. I have been away for five years and returned to this particular area so my son could graduate from high school with many of his friends that he grew up with.

I send my resume out to a posting for one particular company. It was just put on-line that day and my response from them comes within a day saying they have found someone to fill this position. At least they responded. I apply for Assistant Managers, Managers, administrative, cashiers. I am at the point of not being very choosy right now. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you never receive an acknowledgement from the companies.

I was interviewed by a local uniform company that also provides cleaning services. The man that interviewed me was approximately 28 years old. He actually told me he was concerned as to whether I could handle a power sprayer that was loaded in the back of a truck. It had a mechanical lift to take it in and out and wheels on it. He wanted me to convince him that I could do the job. I tried, but I guess the physical labor needed to upkeep a home or to install 450 new telephones in a 4 story building was not what he was looking for.

I hear people who have never worked a day in their life are getting interviewed and hired, especially in retail. The local hospital has the reputation for only hiring you if you know someone there and because they take applications on-line, they become quite irritated if you make a personal appearance to their Human Resources Department. You can go to many businesses and find that the hired population is under the age of 40. Most positions are part-time and next year, their wages will be borderline to the Minimum Wage Requirement.

Some of the factories require such rigorous shifts that drugs are a huge factor in their workforce, especially stimulants. Many of the people working for them get fired and rehired on a continual basis. Their reputations are to hire personnel and keep them for time lengths of less than 10 years. Most factories end up laying off their long-term employees.

Employers do not ask your age, but they do want to know the year you graduated from High School. It is obviously not hard to figure out a persons age from this information. Ten years ago, I could get an interview in a heart beat. Now I second guess my ability to be employable because I am 44 years old. My skills have not decreased from 10 years ago. If anything, they have increased. The only thing that has changed is the number of days that I have existed on this earth.

Learn more about this author, Susan Harter.
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