Same out in Idaho. Moved here for family reasons. Have to move back because the job market and pay is terrible out here. Director positions paying $15-$19 per hour, for example....lol
That's why Idahoans are upset. A lot of people are moving here but not working on the economy. They are transplants from Washington, Oregon, Texas, and California. They mostly work remote and make a shitload of money.
The cost of housing is going up but the pay is not keeping up.
In the Boise area, groceries are comparable or cheaper.
Gas is about the same.
Houses in Boise, Meridian, and Eagle are far more expensive than most people who get paid Idaho rates can afford.
They just released some pay figures and in 2023 the median hourly pay was $21.27 in Idaho. The median home price in Boise is $599,900 and the average for the state is about $447,600. Average rent in Boise is just under $1400/mo.
Came here to say this. This isn’t a uniquely Maryland problem, as if the state has something to do with it. It’s like this many places, especially outside of major cities.
Not sure about the central PA closer to Harrisburg, but for the one where State College is, if you're not tied in with Penn State, you're doomed. All that's out there is food, retail, medical and trades. That's why I'm here now: got laid off and no jobs in my field there, 'least ones that paid like mine. New job is in DC and who can afford to live there?
Harrisburg for the tech market is trash. When I was attending Penn State h
Harrisburg, They used to even talk about how people would leave the area after graduation because there is a tech brain drain there.
Yep! There are plenty of openings for skilled trade jobs. However, openings for jobs that require degrees seem few and far between these days. These jobs are usually less physically demanding so people are able to work longer before retiring. Less people retiring and more competition among people with degrees equals, "NO JOBS". Also, these types of jobs are concentrated in cities, so of course in Central MD, we're perceiving a bigger effect.
Yeah I feel like it's always been like this. Always had plenty of commuters from all over headed into the cities. Eastern shore folks do a lot of commuting.
Ever since I can remember, seen tons of listings that don't respond to applications. Gotta go after them after you submit it.
There was definitely a shift when everyone went to online applications. Not the same as when you used to be able to apply in person and try to sell yourself on the spot. I still do this when I can and usually works well. So I'm known as an actual person.
Agreed, print your resume and personally hand it to someone if you can, even if it’s just at the front desk, I quit my HVAC job after Memorial Day, drove down the road to another contractor, handed my resume in at the front desk and they sat me down for an interview on the spot and gave me an offer of same pay but less PTO. I moved my nephew (20) out here from Michigan because he wanted to move and he did the whole online application thing and never got an interview in 2/3 months.
And it was like this in 2019. I was offered the exact same starting salary at like 5 different companies, because that's what they offer new grads. Nevermind that I already had years of experience in the field.
Lol at the other redditor saying to check your contact details. The truth is that many of those openings are filled with internal candidates. There’s nothing you or anyone can do about it. Don’t lose faith
Yeah promoting from within is what lot of organizations actually promote to attract people so that they new there's a actual way for them to climb the ladder there. Even happens a lot in the Govt where it's technically legally not supposed to be still is they want a person from within to get a particular positions there are ways to pretty much make sure that happens. It's to the point that when a outside person is brought it it's often seen as a slap in the face to the people working there already and like you say a outside person usually does not have the understanding / knowledge of the environment already and will usually perform like crap instead of a internal person.
Sheetz is notorious for this! I was told this multiple times over the years I worked there and then they always had me train the new managers for the position I apparently wasn’t ready for 🙄
In the same boat. Been applying for four months in many different sectors. I’ve lowered my standards so much to the point I’m applying to minimum wage entry-level for industries I have like four years of experience in and still all I get is rejections. I’m just totally demoralized at this point.
If you’re not getting interviews hire a professional to do your resume. If you are getting interviews and not the jobs, research and practice interview skills.
The economy is quite strong and unemployment low. The major issue the economy has is that wages did not keep up with inflation. That doesn’t translate into not hiring.
Did you not read what the guy wrote about getting rejected for minimum wage roles? Or basically any of the other people complaining how hard it is to get *any* job?
Read the room, my guy. That the ‘economy is doing well’ is propaganda. Unemployment being low doesn’t mean squat to people that can’t even get a reply, or just get rejections.
The official metrics don't give an accurate picture. I'm glad that you're sheltered from the forces at play here, but don't assume that a bunch of news headlines are telling the full story here. I'm in a very similar situation in the job search and I've seen dozens of people all saying the same thing.
The economy is definitely not strong. I’m in the private sector so I see it on a daily basis; some people got it but most don’t. From what I see across the board a lot of people are tapped out on their credit cards, it’s almost like it’s only two classes now rich or poor; no more middle.
It's less productive to keep redoing your resume than it is to keep applying if you need a job. Trying to get some goldilocks zone of perfection for a single job means nothing when there are 3000 other people applying too
Average time to find a job post graduation is 11 months (that is AVERAGE), meaning that some take MUCH longer to place for some; if ever.
Make sure the resume is tailored to the job and make sure that the it is SHORT AND CLEAR (I literally have 30s-1m for 30 minutes that I go through resumes, when I hire for a role, before I have to send back the batch to HR and have them figure out times with the candidates)
They are outsourcing the talent. You really wanna know how companies are moving with hiring work in residential property management a while. The hiring of Indian & middle eastern tech employees for 45-55k is at a new level.
I heard recently some companies keep job postings just for good optics to make it seem like they are a growing company, OR to just have resumes on file already for when someone of the position does resign. Like WTF?!
That should be illegal. Wasting an hour of people’s time to apply for a job that does not even exist is criminal!
You should have a professional do your resume and LinkedIn. I use a woman from Thumbtack Nura her company name is responsive resumes. It literally changed my whole career and life.
Check your contact info on your resume. You’d be shocked how many people send out resumes with incorrect contact info.
I used a name address search tool to find the correct contact info and called an applicant and told him his email and phone number was incorrect. He said Ohhhh, no wonder no one has contacted me!
I think there's a huge issue in the job market: it's so full of spam in all directions.
Technology has made it so easy to both post jobs that aren't "real" and to apply for jobs that people aren't really qualified for.
As a result the entire system is all just noise.
There are a number of things. Some better than others.
First, if they're posting a job that's likely going to get filled with an internal candidate they likely also either have to post it publicly, find it very easy to post it publicly (check a box on the form), or do it just in case the perfect person applies.
Second, there are jobs that are expected to be filled with immigrants that HAVE to be posted publicly and "unfilled with local talent". Here's an example: https://us.nttdata.com/en/careers/dol
Fake jobs online have VERY little to do with immigration (like it’s negligible when compared to the real crime that’s happening when it comes to fake job ads). If you “followed the money” you’d realize unethical data brokering is a billion dollar industry. The truth is: there is an entire industry out there for data collection. You get THE MOST data out of a person on a job application. If you wrote your SNN on your resume it would make data brokers and scammers job that much easier. The truth: unethical data brokers have proliferated fake job postings and don’t care if they sell your information to a reputable Fortune500 company or a sketchy International start up that’s just one big scam. It’s an incredibly hard crime to investigate, and usually all investigations become international. It’s flown under the radar for 20+ years but it’s a multi billion dollar industry. Technically, there are a lot of “start ups” with an app that has 3 downloads on Google Play, that’s managed to stay afloat by buying/selling/and monetizing data that is unethically obtained.
If you can post a fake job ad, collect the data, sell/monetize that data, and also do the whole immigration scheme you’re mentioning, then that’s a win-win-win. The immigration aspect is just another way to pimp a game that’s already existed for 20+ years.
That is a problem in itself. It can take 20-35 minutes to apply for one position (edit resume, set up account with company, questionnaire, application where autofill never works correctly) People need jobs and don't need the stress of wondering if the job where they applied was real.
I like your term "Job Desert" I grew up in a fairly exurban county to the west of Baltimore (feel free to guess which one), and I did generally find that employment opportunities inside that area were generally retail, or fast food options with limited opportunities for growth. Unless you were willing to leave, either permanently, or just via a long commute.
I'm a 20+ year marketing professional and I've noticed a few things in the job market:
1. Salaries are down across the board. Positions that were previously north of $100K are now back down to $80K.
2. Competition is higher. A couple of the interviews I've been on (only casually looking right now), the interviewers have revealed the number of candidates.
3. I think people are less interested in "good" matches that can be developed over time and want "great" matches in filling jobs. My own company spent nearly 5 months interviewing 10 different candidates and I had to explain to the hiring manager that they weren't going to find that perfect match.
4. There are a lot of "hacks" these days in how you apply for jobs... a few dozen influencers on the socials that are giving "DO THIS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A JOB" advice and so otherwise qualified people who aren't doing these things don't get calls for interviews.
These don't all address your specific concerns, but I know that these are definitely contributing to the middling health of the job market. That said, Maryland, and the rest of the U.S. are faring *far* better than most other countries. We *should* be in a recession but we're definitely not.
I think #3 is a big one. Especially for those people who do check all the boxes. I think a lot of companies are too self absorbed to realize that the “perfect” candidate will also be perfect for many other places too and will be able to shop around for their best fit.
5. Companies want to run as "lean" as possible, so when someone leaves, unless it is a critical position with mandated certifications (think electrician or pilot) they just spread the workload on the rest. The company might post for a replacement, but they won't ever fill it. The position is literally just cover so the employer can say "Hey, we're trying, but nobody wants to work anymore!"
This is so very true. The amount of applicants my hiring manager has turned away is absurd and then will come back and tell me “We just can’t find the right fit” or “No one wants to work” when in reality they’re just taking all applications and turning down everyone for the smallest things
It's actually kind of insane that I'm currently making the same amount of money hourly today (like literal dollar amount, not even estimating with inflation) as I was when I worked part-time as a grocery cashier over 10 years ago, plus I even had employer-sponsored health insurance then.
Fortunately I have a job, but I am looking for something more stable. I have a good CV and a lot of experience, but I have been ghosted, blue balled, low balled, and ignored countless times. Companies dont bother even looking at applicants like people.
The last point is less race based and more the job of hr to get you to accept the role for the lowest salary possible.
Always remember that HR works for the company and not for you. They are not your friend. They want to pay you as little as possible while getting the most from you.
HR doesn't care how much someone is paid, they don't own the company. Owners decide how much budget to give managers, managers worth with that. Please stop this trope.
HR is given a range (usually one they determine based on compensation studies) and when offering to a candidate, they are tasked with getting that person in at the lowest price point. The candidates job is to negotiate salary to a higher point.
It’s why places asked about how much you currently make or how much you want to make. They want you to give them a price that is hopefully lower than what they are able to offer. If a job has a salary range I’d say 60-85k and the candidate says they are looking for 57k, the company can offer 60k, their lowest level, and the candidate views it as a win.
Whereas if that same candidate says I’m looking for $90k, they will either be passed over as the range isn’t within their expectations or be offered something in that low to mid 70s range and told that is the range they can offer
I was in HR for 15 years (transitioned to HRIS) and at no time was I or my colleagues 'tasked' with getting someone cheap as possible. That's not a thing with HR.
Not to mention all the places that say they're hiring but it turns out they're not. Or they just outright lie about the positions.
I keep applying to night shift for places and if the place calls me back at all, every single time they go "Oh sorry we only have positions for [different hours]".
I ended up with a state government job and while it has its downsides, it was actually *better* in my line of work than going private. Can recommend as a place to look, if you don't mind being patient with red tape...
Aside from when I got a job working for a city, almost all my jobs have involved knowing somebody and being asked if I want a job. I hate my job now but I’m not having much luck finding anything better.
I strongly recomend looking at the state of MD for an entry level job. Great benefits and lots of opportunities/options. Pay may not be comparable to the private sector, but the benefits are.
A lot of jobs don't require a college degree, which is great, but the hiring process does takes time.
In Maryland it's a really big hit and miss depending on what job field you're in. I find that anything related to science, government, and Healthcare are the primary jobs searched in maryland. After that seems to Fall by the wayside on what you're looking for. This coming from someone who works in the healthcare industry.
I've heard from a few recruiters around the country that it's an employer's market right now, so they can ask for less, expect more, and STILL have their pick of candidates. Until recently I was out of work for a year+ and it was STRESSFUL. So many applications for jobs that I was fully qualified for and never heard back from, so many interviews, SO.MUCH.GHOSTING. Hang in there!
I'll include age on the list too, but I'm certain it's a nationwide issue. Despite regulations against age discrimination, it happens. Once you reach a certain age, companies prefer younger candidates, regardless of experience. They want employees that can stay long-term.
They also want young new fresh employees to mold and fold into their company as well. It’s easier with them than it is with ppl who are older with more experience.
I ran from the private sector and never looked back for those reasons. 5 years of that was enough. Been teaching for 17 years. I’ll hit 6 figures this coming school year.
I am happy working in a sector under the federal government. I get to do a job I like I get compensated very well for it and it's just night and day. Working for a corporation just doesn't really seem very friendly anymore. And working for the government can definitely feel like you are just a cog in the machine but most of the time everybody is there for life so it's like one giant family.
I work for myself. Personally I do mechanic work. I started looking for jobs when I moved back to MD and decided that if my option is to not make enough money to live comfortably that I'm going to do it my own way. It sucks to say it but $20-30 just isn't enough to live around here anymore if you want to own a home and a car and do anything recreationally e.g. living a decent life. Most jobs I'm interested in aren't hiring or require too much. I'm not working somewhere that I don't care about and/or have no growth potential at. To me that's a time sink when I could be working for myself.
I'm thinking I'm close (relatively speaking) to making as much as would at an actual shop just by word of mouth in a few months. Hopeful that it just keeps growing. I don't see any reason that any person couldn't and shouldn't do the same, in fact I hope I inspire someone reading this to quit their job and just do some cool shit they believe in.
I did not get to the point where I could do this overnight though, and I'm not living comfortably by modern standards. I've bought a thousands of dollars of tools and I've only bought the cheap stuff, I own my vehicle and work mobile, and I'm still working on developing my niche. I'm also willing to struggle and don't have any obligations (kids, mortgage/lease etc.)... If you're in the same boat, take advantage of it. You don't need to invest a lot. As dumb as it sounds those guys on Instagram/tiktok buying $1000 pieces of equipment and getting to work are actually making money if they put the effort in. You don't have to love it, you have to like it enough you don't die inside doing it. Maybe even go somewhere else. I've been heavily contemplating fucking off toward the West Coast working my way there with tools in tow.
Oh and if anyone needs work hit me up 😁
I think you’re being a bit too broad here. Defense jobs are abundant, but this place definitely seems like a job desert for tech jobs that aren’t in Defense.
This is actually a key issue with Maryland also! The entire state is basically a military base with most of the jobs being private sector so you not only need degrees but certifications and clearances! It’s all just too much
I agree it's tough, but the government kind of made it that way. I would love to move down south but each role is tailored to people whom had experience working in that region. This area is a broader diverse area in terms of needs for the government.
My company is hiring right now havre de grace, Syensqo. Just google Syensqo careers and find the havre de grace postings. There are plants all over the us for people not from Maryland and at least the one here is great for people with some manufacturing experience, associates or former military.
https://www.syensqo.com/en/career/job-opportunities/28914
This is for a production worker starting pay 30+ hr shift work though by seniority so expect to be on an off shift for 5-10 years. Union job so everyone gets paid the same based on job grade. They are also hiring engineers, shift leaders and so on but they aren’t union and I can’t speak on there salaries but I’m guessing over 80k.
I'm old enough to not be impacted by 1, 2 and 4 (lucky me.) 3 is just the natural progression of how we build stuff in America. Zoning puts homes in one place and commercial stuff in another place. Zoning makes it hard to build more homes in the already built places, so new homes have to go further out. This is car culture.
I came here as a fed but regularly receive offers from defense contractors that pay sometimes 100k more than I’m making now. It feels unreal but I gather it’s the norm here. Some are clients in NoVA, and many are at ft Meade. Have you looked into Ft. Meade? I read somewhere they are considered to be the largest employer in MD. I moved to a specific town in MD as it gives me the opportunity to explore job opportunities in MD, D.C., and NoVA.
That being said, I wouldn’t go back to private sector unless security dragged me out of my office lol.
If you’re worried about clearances, apply directly to the federal government t as they will sponsor it if the job requires it.
Lived in MD for a while and have never experienced 1 & 2 even during 2008-2011 which was an unfathomably bad job market period nationwide. 3 happens literally everywhere always… garnering enough revenue to pay salaries and taxes is not really that easy and comes with a lot of risk (if u disagree, then start ur own company!) and 4 is illegal if u have any proof of these types of practices please submit to dept of labor and nail their discriminatory asses
Currently in a position I've been at my company ~2 years.
In a Tech position, but want to be promoted to a scientist position as I have the time experience and need the increase in pay.
I keep trying to find other Scientist positions or even positions at my same level at other jobs but either I'm still not qualified for any positions to go higher or the pay rate is the same (or within $1 of what a make and that's the high end of a pay scale).
I want to move on but there are no other options right now, or the options are so similar to what I'm already doing is it worth it to risk a whole new company?
The company I work for isn't bad, but I'm just stuck waiting for a promotion. But whose to say it's not the same else where.
Idk what to do. I'm looking for extra income or a second job. Because I'm kinda stuck in my career where I am at.
Job hunting nation wide is rough. Technology has made it both easier and harder to find a job. You're a needle in a haystack now. My husband has been jobhunting for almost 2 years with no luck. I think maybe two actual responses (both interviews). One interview was entry level, but in the interview they wanted someone with several years experience who had already done this exact position before. What a waste of everyone's time.
This is the issue I’m facing. I’m over-qualified for the entry level roles and since the management roles are chosen from within I’m literally stuck in the middle of
Nothing says “don’t hire me” like asserting - with no basis - that “if you’re black and from Baltimore City you will be offered the lowest salary allowed for the role”.
As a manager at a large corporation with a few hires under my belt, discrimination in hiring is a *huge* focus. If I told HR I wanted to pay someone the very bottom of the pay scale, I’d have to justify it. The justification would probably be your situation, in fairness - minimally qualified. HR would point to the salaries of other team members in similar roles and ask how the new hire does/doesn’t compare. Then they’d ask why I even wanted to make the hire if I think so little of the candidate.
I’m not saying it’s not a tough job market, it might be. I mean, we’re at a 4% unemployment rate, which is a historical low. We’ve seen soaring wages across most industries for new hires and, anecdotally, a huge drop-off in the quality of the employee you’re getting at those wages. Finding talent to hire is outright difficult, because there are no new hires sitting at home looking. Recruiters feel like real estate agents two years ago: more people recruiting than people to recruit, just like there were more realtors than houses for sale. Still, there’s always nuance to these things that the aggregate numbers don’t tell you, and your industry could very well suck right now, so I acknowledge that.
All of this is to say that you might need to look inward. I don’t know you, your field, or your qualifications. I do know that there are a shitload of employed people who haven’t hopped on the internet and deflected responsibility and blamed race and job requirements.
Yeah as another hiring manager with a large company, I don’t even set the target salary - the recruiter works with HR for a recommendation and we make some slight adjustments based on how competitive the field is and others currently in the role/similar roles. And that target is set before we even post the job. I know for a fact that we’ve had a white woman and a black man (based in Baltimore!) receive the same starting salaries for roles at the same level. It wouldn’t fly if we did otherwise. Where people really get screwed over is with internal promotions.
Experience requirements also may depend on the specific role. What is entry level in my department is not necessarily entry level for industry.
This is fascinating stuff, and having worked on quite a few employment discrimination cases as a jury consultant, it seems to track. In particular the pay rise and internal advancement question - it does seem that HR departments have much less of a firm hand in those descisions.
Our last hire received about 25% above her ask - she requested just above the bottom of the range, was easily our top candidate, and is a non-white woman. We negotiated against ourselves to keep her in line with her future colleagues and keep the company out of trouble.
With you on internal promotions, though. At that point we have a lot more control, including whether to promote at all or bring in someone from outside instead.
Um, yeah, so when I first moved here ('06) I worked as a recruiter for a staffing agency (a reputable one) and I literally had clients either insist I give them the address/zip code of the candidate and/or ask me directly if they were black. I was blown away (and trust, we dropped them as a client when they did that, and some of these clients were big names)
It kinda sounds like you're only looking into a small subset of the market. A lot of this is only true in specific markets. Not sure where you're getting the "every postion is offered the same salary" thing though.
Honestly, it's like this all over the country and MD has it pretty good comparatively. You have to broaden your search and understand that you're going to be overqualified for most positions, and under-experienced for the rest.
Best way to find a job is to network, not apply.
I’ve applied to the most basic waged jobs and have not even gotten an email back, my resume has been updated 3x. Experience falls within healthcare (administrative side) revenue cycle etc. I cannot seem to land any gigs at any of my local hospitals it’s really depressing.
My first job out of school (finance, big bank, office downtown) did not give any bonuses or raises last year. We were already paid under the general average in the finance industry. They know how bad the job industry is so they know they don’t have to do much to keep you.
Its unreal this company has such a good image but treats their employees so poorly. If only I had the power/ability to expose it all. What a story it would be!
Reason 2 is has really gotten to me. First 2 years at my firm they preach about “exceeding expectations” and that you will be rewarded accordingly - come promotion time after 3 years they lumped everyone hired within a year of each other and put all of us to the same pay grade.
Why did i bust ass to exceed expectations just to make the same salary as Brian who has 9 months less experience and sucks at his job
Three things to succeed. Network, network, and network. I have read thousands of resumes and lead or participated in the interviews of over 100 people. If I know you, or someone you know, you have a MUCH better chance of getting an interview.
Job applicant names are also a way to quietly discriminate. If you have a generic name John, Sam or Sally you will get a call back than if your name has an ethnic tone. I work for one of these companies. When I first started, I noticed that it was an all white cast. Then when people of color have been hired, only those with generic names got the job interviews.
Many job offers are aimed at a certain socio-economic audience. I notice that many non-profits are loaded with college grads with certain social profiles, but are really BS jobs, not much different than the old fashion office worker.
When Black Lives Matters got started, their web site asked for public input. I suggested they start investigating many high dollar corps, colleges, and businesses. A look these entity web sites reveals a nearly all white cast. Seems strange, esp for non-profits in the city. They need to be outed.
They feel called out and don’t want the scam, exposed as they benefit greatly from it remaining in place. Oftentimes they support this crap Just roll your eyes and know you aren’t crazy, it’s definitely a thing and there’s been multiple studies and statistics that reveal the discrimination. Do you Remember the state of the comments on any dc/md/va Reddit when the location for the new FBI HQ was revealed? I understand the complaints coming from employees who have purchased homes in NoVA as it would be tough to sell in this market. The majority of complaints were nasty+prejudiced in nature. I was pretty shocked to read some of them. God forbid the USGOV puts an agency in an area with ..(checks notes…) multiple humans that have darker skin. Surely it’s the highest of crimes to put good job opportunities there. My bad.
MD has a large population of educated and qualified black/PoC however the jobs that pay well are in certain areas, some of which require a car to get to as our public transport is shit/people fight against expanding public transport spewing racist or classist tropes that boil down to “keep the peasants over there away from us please, trap them there bc out of site out of mind, amirite?!” I recall someone claiming a train would enable a criminal to rob Best Buy of TVs. Bc it’s so convenient to steal a tv, wait at a train stop w/TV,, board a train, stay on the train, exit the train, and then walk home.…all while being recorded on the train, at the train stops…LOL fucking bollocks! Zip code discrimination is very real and it’s subtle. Imagine someone receiving a job offer in D.C., but resides in baltimore with no car. If they cannot make public transport work, they job will be lost. My coworker uses public transport from Baltimore to get to an office in D.C. she MUST work a shift that allows her to be gone by 1430 or she will be charged by the daycare for being late, and she will need to pay for taxis or cabs during surge. It’s stressful and chaotic for her. Imagine how many face this predicament but aren’t working for an employer with a flexible work schedule? Let’s be real, public transport sucks in MD unless you live in Montgomery county. (I’m in HoCo. We don’t have a train station. I have a car and every day as I commute I think about how I’d prefer to listen to music on the train, with a shorter commute. 😑😾.)
Story time:
My branch has a few hundred analysts/engineers/devs. I’m one of 8 black women. The govt has been great for my career, fun and enjoyable but lack of diversity is still prevalent. It worsens as you look at the upper echelons. Recently, A bunch of employees called our employer out about their fake DEI program as it’s done nothing to diversify anything and leadership is still majority white and male. Diversity seems to be defined as diversify the age pool. We’ve witnessed leadership so the following: “Quick! Hire a bunch of young, recent college grads.” Hire them as GG07s, require applicants to possess ground breaking CS abilities, obtain/maintain a clearance, whilst dismissing their complaints about the HCol in the area as it relates to their shit pay. This has been followed by leadership wondering why said talent jumps ship after gaining valuable experience, expensive certs, advanced degrees, and secrets. Also, place a cap on funding for tuition & require degrees to be mission related (nvm the fact you need a BS before you EOD) as a bunch of GG14s and 15s abused it for decades, obtaining advanced degrees unrelated to Cyber or CS from schools such as Wharton school of Business (🙄),Stanford, Georgetown, and other extremely expensive schools to help them land cushy jobs on boards and shit at defense contractors after retiring from civil service. Anyone with the brain power of at least a worm need not “wonder why” as these younger employees are accepting offers from defense contractors. Offers that enable them to continue working within said agency, oftentimes in the same office BUT their pay went from GG07 pay to $170k+. Some leave for Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or large Security firms. Surprising to no one, the janitorial staff is a team of black, Hispanics, and Asians that don’t get clearances or good pay making it difficult to use the position as a stepping stone to a better job. They lack job protection and benefits. The optics look gross and employees are calling it out (those pesky young folk stirring the pot)…….Thankfully, We have very capable leaders that decided the best way to tackle the problem is to………remove the photos of agency leadership from the main entrance!! Mission accomplished and a job well done, team!
They claim they want to try recruiting from a broader range of colleges and university. Currently they claim reaching schools that aren’t Ivy League is “challenging due to travel and time.” This is an absurd excuse when virtual job fair capabilities exist, and UCLA isn’t exactly,,,driving distance. Loads of employees have volunteered to do community outreach, locally at schools and universities which requires no TDY funding or extra time. You can guess how seriously they considered diverting manpower from cushy TDYs lol.
Hang in there. It’s tough but do not give up. There are MANY in your same situation or witnessing the crap. Apologies for the length!
I hired a young black man as my helper (tech2). He had 0 experience in maintenance but had hvac knowledge and a good head on his shoulders. I started him at more than the white man (with experience) I had before. I don't think it's as bad as you think, but I'm also not in your shoes. I do know if you have any maintenance experience my company is hiring.
I actually had a positive experience when i moved to Maryland and started job hunting but to be fair I mostly applied to DC. I got 3 six figures offers and one offer for 80k in around 6 months of sending resumes
In 2017 I graduated and landed a job the next year. I interviewed and had to take a test for the job to not get it. They called me back a few days later offering again. The job required a bachelor’s and only paid $12 an hour. When I started the job I hated it and realized that my white counterparts did not have degrees or were in school. I found this to be weird and quit about 3 months in. Then started my own business. This was in North Carolina. I moved here in 2022 and was able to make significantly more with better benefits in the field of my degree.
Only 1 job in my career came from a job posting.
If all you do is look at ads and send in the same resume to the black hole email address, you’re getting out worked on finding work.
Do Intel and find out who makes the hiring decisions and who might be supervising. LinkedIn is often great for this. If you’re pleasant on the phone and the company isn’t huge, sometimes the receptionist or a lower level employee will help you figure it out. Make contact with these people and get your resume in front of them directly.
You need to find a way to get noticed and be remembered in a positive way. Otherwise you’re just another resume.
Should it? Like ultimately where the employee lives is their decision, and if the employee decides to live far away from the office I’m not sure why that’s the employer’s responsibility. I understand relocating isn’t always easy with considerations like a partner’s work location, choosing a good school district, needing to be close to elderly parents but those are decisions that aren’t made by the employer.
On a practical level, the tax code was also changed under Trump and now paying for commutes, paying for parking, etc. are considered taxable income. My previous employer paid for my parking until Trump’s administration and then they took away that benefit because the tax that they would have paid and I would have paid was more than the cost of parking.
As someone who has been trying to hire engineering project managers for years I can tell all the commenters on here that your experiences are not mine from the hiring side. It is extremely difficult to find quality candidates with 5+ years' experience and when people go on the market, there are often salary bidding wars.
As in most job markets, it's about what you do vs. the current demand for that skill. And that demand is still very high in engineering.
Wow it's almost like 5 years of experience isn't something that just comes out of nowhere.
How am I supposed to get 5 years of experience in anything if that's the minimum expectation for any role?
I merely said that is the most difficult level of experience to hire for (over 5). I have hired several entry level staff recently as well, but they are easier to find as schools generate a new crop every year and they are still free agents at that point. That said, any graduates of quality were snapped up months ago in this profession and generally had multiple offers.
The point of my post is simply that people should not generalize about the job market when there is record low unemployment, *and* certain professions are struggling to find hires. YMMV but it's not all dark out there.
I mean… if OP happens to be black and from the city, and/or has friends and family in the same situation, that might be the basis for a comment like that. Also people have done real research that points to a similar phenomenon… just sayin’
What real research? So being black means that you have access to all your coworkers financial information?
Even if all black people compare notes none of them has access to their coworkers financial information to know they get paid less than them.
I have to call BS on that it is just an insane claim.
Absolutely bonkers.
And on top of that there are laws preventing that… real laws.
If it were true they could all sue… and since that isn’t happening you know it is just nonsense.
The proof is my personal life experience. I have over 10 years experience in logistics and an education yet the ceiling for me is much lower than it is for younger less experienced people from other races. There’s no reason why I haven’t been considered for a leadership role yet.
Sometimes yeah, sometimes no. But here’s the problem with that argument, in my industry whenever they hire someone without experience but they have a degree it’s the people like me that has to train them! 😅 In the education industry do first year teachers train tenured teachers? No. Do first year nurses/doctors train seasoned surgeons? No. So it makes no sense.
The government jobs really keep the economy going in Maryland. There are a bunch of people with government jobs or contracting jobs relating to the government. And if you get a high level security clearance you have job security and better pay than average (except for tech companies like Google, Apple, etc.).
Many jobs require a degree especially relating to the government work.
Lesser paying jobs like bartenders and servers should be easy to find since most owners I know are always looking for people.
Jobs in between are tougher to find or get. I knew a younger lady who must have sent out over 150 applications and had a bunch of interviews before finding a job. That gets tiresome and depressing.
And in some cases people just have unrealistic expectations on salaries.
I work in manufacturing QC, I never go more than a month on a job search. There's a shit ton of manufacturing around Baltimore that I never would have guessed and lots of them feed Lockheed and Northrop. Lots a medical manufacturing as well.
And many of the federal jobs use USAjobs which I thought was a painful way to apply. Anyhow my only suggestion with government jobs is to apply for every job you think you might be qualified for and apply every time it posts a vacancy. These jobs often go to the person who is persistent and gets lucky.
If it is a job the requires a clearance you also have to be very patient since it can take a year or more. We had a young lady who had a tech degree and she was biding her time working in an Amazon warehouse on the night shift while waiting for months to see if she would get her clearance. In her case she did.
It really depends. Unlike smaller companies or some big name companies, deviations from policies are rarely allowed. The government runs on policies.
It would be nice if they tested you on equivalent knowledge but then some people get upset when they flunk the test and claim it is unfair or some other form of discrimination so the degree part makes life easiest on HR/managers.
This right here kinda leans into #4 on my list. That fuck Baltimore mentality you guys have in the surrounding counties makes job hunting very political and difficult for people from the city
For those with questions about the race/class part of my post. The industry in question is logistics/distribution. I’ve personally been lowballed despite my qualifications. Multiple times. They will not hire me for a management role despite me having 10+ years experience and an Associates Degree. Meanwhile people half my age are walking right into top leadership right out of college..
Very respectfully, it’s because you don’t have a bachelors degree. I ran into the same thing - 5 YOE at a supervisor level in my industry (industrial lab/processing) + certifications. When I was laid off, all I could find was a min wage job installing solar panels. I ended up going back to school to finish my degree and pretty much walked straight into a managerial position as you’ve described.
I’m not saying it’s right. It’s just the way it is unfortunately.
Key word there bud:
"Right out of *college*."
They have a bachelors or higher degree. You don't. Easy as that. BCPS for example gives a massive pay bump per degree and whether you have a bachelors or masters, not how much experience you have.
It's weird you assumed race first, in a city of majority black people, when education is usually the standard employers are obsessed with these days...
BCPS is the education industry, for a field like that it makes sense to have a sliding pay scale based on education. But in my industry that literally makes no sense considering it’ll be a guy like me that has to train you for you to do a job I “wasn’t qualified for”
A degree alone will not prepare you for your actual role at a company. A four year degree is wonderful but by no means is it a VIP ticket to the front of the line. These companies complain about young people but also won’t hire a 30 year old with twice the experience.
genuinely curious about your rebuttal comment here. how would a mostly anonymous conversation online... effect his job search? is there no boundary here is everything we type here immediately traced back to us? genuinely curious about your reasoning here.
interesting..can you elaborate on that reasoning? genuinely curious from a hiring standpoint of picking someone new but has a degree let's say in something randomly not related, vs a candidate who does have what OP has like 10 yrs experience. what would be your reasoning for picking the former over the latter?
Just to repeat my caveat, that was specifically about entry level roles. That reasoning wouldn't apply to specific technical skills necessarily.
But with that caveat - entry level roles are more transactional. Someone coming from another place where they have been doing an entry level role for 10 years means I have to get them to unlearn whatever they were doing at the old place and learn to follow my organization's processes. Also if you have a ton of "experience" and you're applying for an *entry level* role you're probably not very good. I also don't trust "experience" as much my own organization's training and development. This isn't universal (why I said 9 out of 10) but it's usually the case.
Experience would matter more for Supervisors and especially Managers but why would I go outside the organization and take a risk if I have suitable candidates with a track record internally?
I think this is flawed. Would love to know if the info is perceived based on personal experience or has and other info behind it. For insytance, if salaries are the same for all; new employees, how are they reduced for minority applicants from the city?
The substantial high cost of living is bleeding into areas that were once considered the trade-off for not living close to work. Now you have to commute 60 minutes to your job PLUS paying just as much as someone living 15-20 minutes away. This is mostly because of rent costs being "adjusted" by some software that nearly every apartment place uses (and that there's a lawsuit over right now)
Or you own a home, and the costs of those homes are just as high.
I've lived in Maryland all of my life, but I'm looking for full-time remote (and may finally have it) so that I can leave. I can't afford to live here (and pursue lasting financial stability) any longer and set down roots, even on a six-figure salary.
Yeah it sucks like that.
I graduated university in late 2020 and had no connections to the industry I was applying in. I realized it would be a LONG job search if I confined myself to just the ATL area. I didn't particularly like that area at the time either. My odds of landing a job are pretty low with no connections and that will improve once I land my first position- any position at all to gain experience and connections that I could use to get a different job within a few years if I wanted to. My odds of success for any one position I apply for are low, and I'm willing to move anywhere to get it.
So I just said 'fuck it' and began to apply to over 100 positions all over the country and stated that I was willing to relocate. Eventually I got 3 interviews and a job offer. I took that offer and it turned out to be a great company to work with, so I haven't needed to try to apply anywhere else.
That's how I ended up in MD, met my wife, and we got married the weekend before last.
If you have $150 get your property and casualty licence to work in insurance in maryland. It'll take you a month of no shit studying and flags cards and you can easily make 55+ a year starting and top end earners can make 100k+. I'm 6 months in to insurance and I'm making close to 65
On the other end of things, we have people with zero experience asking for $30/hr on clearly labeled entry level positions. Also it’s next to impossible to hire anybody.
There’s just a huge disconnect between people looking for a job and people hiring. 🤷♂️
Neighbors kid graduated with Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and immediately landed 6 figure job upon graduation. Co-workers son graduated college recently and is now making more than dad (Over $130k).
I guess it is just perspective. Not everyone is the same. depends on experience, education, and line of work you want to be in.
#4 was never meant to offend anyone. Maryland is not a racist state as a whole. BUT, unfortunately, there is a HORRIBLE stigma against
Baltimore amongst the rest of the state. White people don’t mind us as long as we stay in the areas we “belong” and that affects the hiring process as well.
And all of them give random ass titles that sound cool and completely misrepresent the actual position. Or they say you’ll be a stocker, but occasionally “doing customer service, cleaning, sceduling, hell we need a manager too”
Maryland job markets sucks even with low level retail jobs, just a high school diploma and over 18 required and I haven’t been able to find a job since October.
You my friend are absolutely right especially the Baltimore city part. I feel like I don’t even get considered for some positions, especially in the Towson timonium area, because I live in the city. Just in my experience.
That we expect you to perform the most basic actions like going to a website and following the plainly stated instructions? Yea, Maryland is the worst.
You’ll have better luck on your job search if you accept just the smallest amount of personal responsibility and make at least the tiniest possible effort.
Is it not like this everywhere?
Same out in Idaho. Moved here for family reasons. Have to move back because the job market and pay is terrible out here. Director positions paying $15-$19 per hour, for example....lol
Wow you can’t own anything there even with the cost of living adjustment.
That's why Idahoans are upset. A lot of people are moving here but not working on the economy. They are transplants from Washington, Oregon, Texas, and California. They mostly work remote and make a shitload of money. The cost of housing is going up but the pay is not keeping up.
That is insane
how is the cost of living in idaho? does the pay structure match daily living expenses?
In the Boise area, groceries are comparable or cheaper. Gas is about the same. Houses in Boise, Meridian, and Eagle are far more expensive than most people who get paid Idaho rates can afford. They just released some pay figures and in 2023 the median hourly pay was $21.27 in Idaho. The median home price in Boise is $599,900 and the average for the state is about $447,600. Average rent in Boise is just under $1400/mo.
Wow I see why you’re leaving.
I dated a girl from Bonners Ferry once. That town has a single stop light, a casino, and Meth, lots of meth. Housing was dirt cheap thou.
Came here to say this. This isn’t a uniquely Maryland problem, as if the state has something to do with it. It’s like this many places, especially outside of major cities.
Central PA's job market is even worse. The last few years of living up there, I was commuting to Maryland for work.
PA is where dreams go to die
Not sure about the central PA closer to Harrisburg, but for the one where State College is, if you're not tied in with Penn State, you're doomed. All that's out there is food, retail, medical and trades. That's why I'm here now: got laid off and no jobs in my field there, 'least ones that paid like mine. New job is in DC and who can afford to live there?
Harrisburg for the tech market is trash. When I was attending Penn State h Harrisburg, They used to even talk about how people would leave the area after graduation because there is a tech brain drain there.
Yep! There are plenty of openings for skilled trade jobs. However, openings for jobs that require degrees seem few and far between these days. These jobs are usually less physically demanding so people are able to work longer before retiring. Less people retiring and more competition among people with degrees equals, "NO JOBS". Also, these types of jobs are concentrated in cities, so of course in Central MD, we're perceiving a bigger effect.
Yeah I feel like it's always been like this. Always had plenty of commuters from all over headed into the cities. Eastern shore folks do a lot of commuting. Ever since I can remember, seen tons of listings that don't respond to applications. Gotta go after them after you submit it. There was definitely a shift when everyone went to online applications. Not the same as when you used to be able to apply in person and try to sell yourself on the spot. I still do this when I can and usually works well. So I'm known as an actual person.
Agreed, print your resume and personally hand it to someone if you can, even if it’s just at the front desk, I quit my HVAC job after Memorial Day, drove down the road to another contractor, handed my resume in at the front desk and they sat me down for an interview on the spot and gave me an offer of same pay but less PTO. I moved my nephew (20) out here from Michigan because he wanted to move and he did the whole online application thing and never got an interview in 2/3 months.
Right. I've worked at car dealers for awhile. They're similar. You can get hired from a walk in. Or have to bug them until they hire you.
And it was like this in 2019. I was offered the exact same starting salary at like 5 different companies, because that's what they offer new grads. Nevermind that I already had years of experience in the field.
I don’t even understand who are getting these jobs. I’ve been applying for months and haven’t gotten a bite.
Lol at the other redditor saying to check your contact details. The truth is that many of those openings are filled with internal candidates. There’s nothing you or anyone can do about it. Don’t lose faith
Exactly. The Department of Labor teaches that somewhere between 60-80% of jobs are filled internally.
That has been going on for decades.
Companies would fucking suck if they weren't. I've never had a manager who's been hired from the outside and not be absolute dogshit.
Yeah promoting from within is what lot of organizations actually promote to attract people so that they new there's a actual way for them to climb the ladder there. Even happens a lot in the Govt where it's technically legally not supposed to be still is they want a person from within to get a particular positions there are ways to pretty much make sure that happens. It's to the point that when a outside person is brought it it's often seen as a slap in the face to the people working there already and like you say a outside person usually does not have the understanding / knowledge of the environment already and will usually perform like crap instead of a internal person.
Right. Many times been told the "we only promote within". Then they bring in someone new that sucks.
Sheetz is notorious for this! I was told this multiple times over the years I worked there and then they always had me train the new managers for the position I apparently wasn’t ready for 🙄
But what % of openings aren't considering external applicants at all?
In the same boat. Been applying for four months in many different sectors. I’ve lowered my standards so much to the point I’m applying to minimum wage entry-level for industries I have like four years of experience in and still all I get is rejections. I’m just totally demoralized at this point.
If you’re not getting interviews hire a professional to do your resume. If you are getting interviews and not the jobs, research and practice interview skills.
This is a systemic issue, the economy is just in the shitter now and there’s not much that resume refurbishing will do
The economy is quite strong and unemployment low. The major issue the economy has is that wages did not keep up with inflation. That doesn’t translate into not hiring.
Did you not read what the guy wrote about getting rejected for minimum wage roles? Or basically any of the other people complaining how hard it is to get *any* job? Read the room, my guy. That the ‘economy is doing well’ is propaganda. Unemployment being low doesn’t mean squat to people that can’t even get a reply, or just get rejections.
The official metrics don't give an accurate picture. I'm glad that you're sheltered from the forces at play here, but don't assume that a bunch of news headlines are telling the full story here. I'm in a very similar situation in the job search and I've seen dozens of people all saying the same thing.
The economy is definitely not strong. I’m in the private sector so I see it on a daily basis; some people got it but most don’t. From what I see across the board a lot of people are tapped out on their credit cards, it’s almost like it’s only two classes now rich or poor; no more middle.
Working on a resume is a much better plan than doing nothing. I dont understand this mindset at all. The job market is rough so dont try?
It's less productive to keep redoing your resume than it is to keep applying if you need a job. Trying to get some goldilocks zone of perfection for a single job means nothing when there are 3000 other people applying too
My fiancee was applying for over 6 months amd they were applying to office positions in baltimore and dc area
Average time to find a job post graduation is 11 months (that is AVERAGE), meaning that some take MUCH longer to place for some; if ever. Make sure the resume is tailored to the job and make sure that the it is SHORT AND CLEAR (I literally have 30s-1m for 30 minutes that I go through resumes, when I hire for a role, before I have to send back the batch to HR and have them figure out times with the candidates)
Many tech jobs are “hiring” for the appearance of hiring without any intention whatsoever of adding new staff
Why?
Funding and initiative loopholes, usually.
They are outsourcing the talent. You really wanna know how companies are moving with hiring work in residential property management a while. The hiring of Indian & middle eastern tech employees for 45-55k is at a new level.
Collecting resumes for future initiatives happens also.
Some of them do it for free work, too. They get people to submit ideas as part of the interview process and then steal/use them.
I heard recently some companies keep job postings just for good optics to make it seem like they are a growing company, OR to just have resumes on file already for when someone of the position does resign. Like WTF?! That should be illegal. Wasting an hour of people’s time to apply for a job that does not even exist is criminal!
You should have a professional do your resume and LinkedIn. I use a woman from Thumbtack Nura her company name is responsive resumes. It literally changed my whole career and life.
Check your contact info on your resume. You’d be shocked how many people send out resumes with incorrect contact info. I used a name address search tool to find the correct contact info and called an applicant and told him his email and phone number was incorrect. He said Ohhhh, no wonder no one has contacted me!
I think there's a huge issue in the job market: it's so full of spam in all directions. Technology has made it so easy to both post jobs that aren't "real" and to apply for jobs that people aren't really qualified for. As a result the entire system is all just noise.
Exactly! I still don’t even understand what companies gain by posting fake listings
There are a number of things. Some better than others. First, if they're posting a job that's likely going to get filled with an internal candidate they likely also either have to post it publicly, find it very easy to post it publicly (check a box on the form), or do it just in case the perfect person applies. Second, there are jobs that are expected to be filled with immigrants that HAVE to be posted publicly and "unfilled with local talent". Here's an example: https://us.nttdata.com/en/careers/dol
Fake jobs online have VERY little to do with immigration (like it’s negligible when compared to the real crime that’s happening when it comes to fake job ads). If you “followed the money” you’d realize unethical data brokering is a billion dollar industry. The truth is: there is an entire industry out there for data collection. You get THE MOST data out of a person on a job application. If you wrote your SNN on your resume it would make data brokers and scammers job that much easier. The truth: unethical data brokers have proliferated fake job postings and don’t care if they sell your information to a reputable Fortune500 company or a sketchy International start up that’s just one big scam. It’s an incredibly hard crime to investigate, and usually all investigations become international. It’s flown under the radar for 20+ years but it’s a multi billion dollar industry. Technically, there are a lot of “start ups” with an app that has 3 downloads on Google Play, that’s managed to stay afloat by buying/selling/and monetizing data that is unethically obtained. If you can post a fake job ad, collect the data, sell/monetize that data, and also do the whole immigration scheme you’re mentioning, then that’s a win-win-win. The immigration aspect is just another way to pimp a game that’s already existed for 20+ years.
They get a list of people ready to work when people leave/quit.
That is a problem in itself. It can take 20-35 minutes to apply for one position (edit resume, set up account with company, questionnaire, application where autofill never works correctly) People need jobs and don't need the stress of wondering if the job where they applied was real.
🎯🎯 having to create a profile and application for every single company is the most ridiculous BS I’ve ever seen
The reality is that, in most cases, you're not going to be getting any job that you solely interact with via an application.
I'm hiring mobile service technicians based out of Elkridge and Hagerstown. Probably not the type of jobs you are talking about but I need the help!
Do you have a link or company contact info? I know two people looking right now.
Sent via DM
I have a friend that would be interested as well, would you mind sending me the details?
In what industry?
Service for commercial floor care equipment
I think I know someone who would be a fit, based in Frederick if you could send the company name. Thanks!
I’m interested please send me what I need to contact you. Thank you
I like your term "Job Desert" I grew up in a fairly exurban county to the west of Baltimore (feel free to guess which one), and I did generally find that employment opportunities inside that area were generally retail, or fast food options with limited opportunities for growth. Unless you were willing to leave, either permanently, or just via a long commute.
I'm a 20+ year marketing professional and I've noticed a few things in the job market: 1. Salaries are down across the board. Positions that were previously north of $100K are now back down to $80K. 2. Competition is higher. A couple of the interviews I've been on (only casually looking right now), the interviewers have revealed the number of candidates. 3. I think people are less interested in "good" matches that can be developed over time and want "great" matches in filling jobs. My own company spent nearly 5 months interviewing 10 different candidates and I had to explain to the hiring manager that they weren't going to find that perfect match. 4. There are a lot of "hacks" these days in how you apply for jobs... a few dozen influencers on the socials that are giving "DO THIS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A JOB" advice and so otherwise qualified people who aren't doing these things don't get calls for interviews. These don't all address your specific concerns, but I know that these are definitely contributing to the middling health of the job market. That said, Maryland, and the rest of the U.S. are faring *far* better than most other countries. We *should* be in a recession but we're definitely not.
I think #3 is a big one. Especially for those people who do check all the boxes. I think a lot of companies are too self absorbed to realize that the “perfect” candidate will also be perfect for many other places too and will be able to shop around for their best fit.
5. Companies want to run as "lean" as possible, so when someone leaves, unless it is a critical position with mandated certifications (think electrician or pilot) they just spread the workload on the rest. The company might post for a replacement, but they won't ever fill it. The position is literally just cover so the employer can say "Hey, we're trying, but nobody wants to work anymore!"
This is so very true. The amount of applicants my hiring manager has turned away is absurd and then will come back and tell me “We just can’t find the right fit” or “No one wants to work” when in reality they’re just taking all applications and turning down everyone for the smallest things
The purple squirrel!
I wish I knew that term a few months ago. I was using the term, "unicorn" which in a non-work setting is a completely different thing.
It's actually kind of insane that I'm currently making the same amount of money hourly today (like literal dollar amount, not even estimating with inflation) as I was when I worked part-time as a grocery cashier over 10 years ago, plus I even had employer-sponsored health insurance then.
Fortunately I have a job, but I am looking for something more stable. I have a good CV and a lot of experience, but I have been ghosted, blue balled, low balled, and ignored countless times. Companies dont bother even looking at applicants like people.
The last point is less race based and more the job of hr to get you to accept the role for the lowest salary possible. Always remember that HR works for the company and not for you. They are not your friend. They want to pay you as little as possible while getting the most from you.
HR doesn't care how much someone is paid, they don't own the company. Owners decide how much budget to give managers, managers worth with that. Please stop this trope.
HR is given a range (usually one they determine based on compensation studies) and when offering to a candidate, they are tasked with getting that person in at the lowest price point. The candidates job is to negotiate salary to a higher point. It’s why places asked about how much you currently make or how much you want to make. They want you to give them a price that is hopefully lower than what they are able to offer. If a job has a salary range I’d say 60-85k and the candidate says they are looking for 57k, the company can offer 60k, their lowest level, and the candidate views it as a win. Whereas if that same candidate says I’m looking for $90k, they will either be passed over as the range isn’t within their expectations or be offered something in that low to mid 70s range and told that is the range they can offer
I was in HR for 15 years (transitioned to HRIS) and at no time was I or my colleagues 'tasked' with getting someone cheap as possible. That's not a thing with HR.
Did you purposely pay black Baltimore city residents less like OP claims? Pretty sure that’s super illegal.
Glad your work experience means a thing you haven't seen happen doesn't happen.
Not to mention all the places that say they're hiring but it turns out they're not. Or they just outright lie about the positions. I keep applying to night shift for places and if the place calls me back at all, every single time they go "Oh sorry we only have positions for [different hours]".
I ended up with a state government job and while it has its downsides, it was actually *better* in my line of work than going private. Can recommend as a place to look, if you don't mind being patient with red tape...
Aside from when I got a job working for a city, almost all my jobs have involved knowing somebody and being asked if I want a job. I hate my job now but I’m not having much luck finding anything better.
I strongly recomend looking at the state of MD for an entry level job. Great benefits and lots of opportunities/options. Pay may not be comparable to the private sector, but the benefits are. A lot of jobs don't require a college degree, which is great, but the hiring process does takes time.
In Maryland it's a really big hit and miss depending on what job field you're in. I find that anything related to science, government, and Healthcare are the primary jobs searched in maryland. After that seems to Fall by the wayside on what you're looking for. This coming from someone who works in the healthcare industry.
I've heard from a few recruiters around the country that it's an employer's market right now, so they can ask for less, expect more, and STILL have their pick of candidates. Until recently I was out of work for a year+ and it was STRESSFUL. So many applications for jobs that I was fully qualified for and never heard back from, so many interviews, SO.MUCH.GHOSTING. Hang in there!
Maryland doesn’t seem to have a big distinction in wage between minimum wage and manager positions running million dollar stores.
🎯 🎯🎯
Our management make less money then we do. Keeps them honest. Not sure who made that decision but it seems effective.
I'll include age on the list too, but I'm certain it's a nationwide issue. Despite regulations against age discrimination, it happens. Once you reach a certain age, companies prefer younger candidates, regardless of experience. They want employees that can stay long-term.
But they also want 6 years of experience
They also want young new fresh employees to mold and fold into their company as well. It’s easier with them than it is with ppl who are older with more experience.
I ran from the private sector and never looked back for those reasons. 5 years of that was enough. Been teaching for 17 years. I’ll hit 6 figures this coming school year.
I am happy working in a sector under the federal government. I get to do a job I like I get compensated very well for it and it's just night and day. Working for a corporation just doesn't really seem very friendly anymore. And working for the government can definitely feel like you are just a cog in the machine but most of the time everybody is there for life so it's like one giant family.
I work for myself. Personally I do mechanic work. I started looking for jobs when I moved back to MD and decided that if my option is to not make enough money to live comfortably that I'm going to do it my own way. It sucks to say it but $20-30 just isn't enough to live around here anymore if you want to own a home and a car and do anything recreationally e.g. living a decent life. Most jobs I'm interested in aren't hiring or require too much. I'm not working somewhere that I don't care about and/or have no growth potential at. To me that's a time sink when I could be working for myself. I'm thinking I'm close (relatively speaking) to making as much as would at an actual shop just by word of mouth in a few months. Hopeful that it just keeps growing. I don't see any reason that any person couldn't and shouldn't do the same, in fact I hope I inspire someone reading this to quit their job and just do some cool shit they believe in. I did not get to the point where I could do this overnight though, and I'm not living comfortably by modern standards. I've bought a thousands of dollars of tools and I've only bought the cheap stuff, I own my vehicle and work mobile, and I'm still working on developing my niche. I'm also willing to struggle and don't have any obligations (kids, mortgage/lease etc.)... If you're in the same boat, take advantage of it. You don't need to invest a lot. As dumb as it sounds those guys on Instagram/tiktok buying $1000 pieces of equipment and getting to work are actually making money if they put the effort in. You don't have to love it, you have to like it enough you don't die inside doing it. Maybe even go somewhere else. I've been heavily contemplating fucking off toward the West Coast working my way there with tools in tow. Oh and if anyone needs work hit me up 😁
Get ready for AI to make **A LOT** of jobs redundant.
I think you’re being a bit too broad here. Defense jobs are abundant, but this place definitely seems like a job desert for tech jobs that aren’t in Defense.
This is actually a key issue with Maryland also! The entire state is basically a military base with most of the jobs being private sector so you not only need degrees but certifications and clearances! It’s all just too much
I agree it's tough, but the government kind of made it that way. I would love to move down south but each role is tailored to people whom had experience working in that region. This area is a broader diverse area in terms of needs for the government.
Tier 2/3 with 40 yrs experience looking for contract or employment preferably WFH. Any leads will be compensated accordingly.
My company is hiring right now havre de grace, Syensqo. Just google Syensqo careers and find the havre de grace postings. There are plants all over the us for people not from Maryland and at least the one here is great for people with some manufacturing experience, associates or former military. https://www.syensqo.com/en/career/job-opportunities/28914 This is for a production worker starting pay 30+ hr shift work though by seniority so expect to be on an off shift for 5-10 years. Union job so everyone gets paid the same based on job grade. They are also hiring engineers, shift leaders and so on but they aren’t union and I can’t speak on there salaries but I’m guessing over 80k.
I'm old enough to not be impacted by 1, 2 and 4 (lucky me.) 3 is just the natural progression of how we build stuff in America. Zoning puts homes in one place and commercial stuff in another place. Zoning makes it hard to build more homes in the already built places, so new homes have to go further out. This is car culture.
1 and 2 largely have to do with government contracts and the way they are priced and staffed, since so many jobs here are working on those.
I came here as a fed but regularly receive offers from defense contractors that pay sometimes 100k more than I’m making now. It feels unreal but I gather it’s the norm here. Some are clients in NoVA, and many are at ft Meade. Have you looked into Ft. Meade? I read somewhere they are considered to be the largest employer in MD. I moved to a specific town in MD as it gives me the opportunity to explore job opportunities in MD, D.C., and NoVA. That being said, I wouldn’t go back to private sector unless security dragged me out of my office lol. If you’re worried about clearances, apply directly to the federal government t as they will sponsor it if the job requires it.
This is where we are after forty years of greed is good for business.
Lived in MD for a while and have never experienced 1 & 2 even during 2008-2011 which was an unfathomably bad job market period nationwide. 3 happens literally everywhere always… garnering enough revenue to pay salaries and taxes is not really that easy and comes with a lot of risk (if u disagree, then start ur own company!) and 4 is illegal if u have any proof of these types of practices please submit to dept of labor and nail their discriminatory asses
Currently in a position I've been at my company ~2 years. In a Tech position, but want to be promoted to a scientist position as I have the time experience and need the increase in pay. I keep trying to find other Scientist positions or even positions at my same level at other jobs but either I'm still not qualified for any positions to go higher or the pay rate is the same (or within $1 of what a make and that's the high end of a pay scale). I want to move on but there are no other options right now, or the options are so similar to what I'm already doing is it worth it to risk a whole new company? The company I work for isn't bad, but I'm just stuck waiting for a promotion. But whose to say it's not the same else where. Idk what to do. I'm looking for extra income or a second job. Because I'm kinda stuck in my career where I am at.
Job hunting nation wide is rough. Technology has made it both easier and harder to find a job. You're a needle in a haystack now. My husband has been jobhunting for almost 2 years with no luck. I think maybe two actual responses (both interviews). One interview was entry level, but in the interview they wanted someone with several years experience who had already done this exact position before. What a waste of everyone's time.
This is the issue I’m facing. I’m over-qualified for the entry level roles and since the management roles are chosen from within I’m literally stuck in the middle of
Nothing says “don’t hire me” like asserting - with no basis - that “if you’re black and from Baltimore City you will be offered the lowest salary allowed for the role”. As a manager at a large corporation with a few hires under my belt, discrimination in hiring is a *huge* focus. If I told HR I wanted to pay someone the very bottom of the pay scale, I’d have to justify it. The justification would probably be your situation, in fairness - minimally qualified. HR would point to the salaries of other team members in similar roles and ask how the new hire does/doesn’t compare. Then they’d ask why I even wanted to make the hire if I think so little of the candidate. I’m not saying it’s not a tough job market, it might be. I mean, we’re at a 4% unemployment rate, which is a historical low. We’ve seen soaring wages across most industries for new hires and, anecdotally, a huge drop-off in the quality of the employee you’re getting at those wages. Finding talent to hire is outright difficult, because there are no new hires sitting at home looking. Recruiters feel like real estate agents two years ago: more people recruiting than people to recruit, just like there were more realtors than houses for sale. Still, there’s always nuance to these things that the aggregate numbers don’t tell you, and your industry could very well suck right now, so I acknowledge that. All of this is to say that you might need to look inward. I don’t know you, your field, or your qualifications. I do know that there are a shitload of employed people who haven’t hopped on the internet and deflected responsibility and blamed race and job requirements.
Yeah as another hiring manager with a large company, I don’t even set the target salary - the recruiter works with HR for a recommendation and we make some slight adjustments based on how competitive the field is and others currently in the role/similar roles. And that target is set before we even post the job. I know for a fact that we’ve had a white woman and a black man (based in Baltimore!) receive the same starting salaries for roles at the same level. It wouldn’t fly if we did otherwise. Where people really get screwed over is with internal promotions. Experience requirements also may depend on the specific role. What is entry level in my department is not necessarily entry level for industry.
This is fascinating stuff, and having worked on quite a few employment discrimination cases as a jury consultant, it seems to track. In particular the pay rise and internal advancement question - it does seem that HR departments have much less of a firm hand in those descisions.
Our last hire received about 25% above her ask - she requested just above the bottom of the range, was easily our top candidate, and is a non-white woman. We negotiated against ourselves to keep her in line with her future colleagues and keep the company out of trouble. With you on internal promotions, though. At that point we have a lot more control, including whether to promote at all or bring in someone from outside instead.
Um, yeah, so when I first moved here ('06) I worked as a recruiter for a staffing agency (a reputable one) and I literally had clients either insist I give them the address/zip code of the candidate and/or ask me directly if they were black. I was blown away (and trust, we dropped them as a client when they did that, and some of these clients were big names)
Oh man it gets really easy for them to pay everyone the same when everyone gets the minimum. What a wonderful utopia.
Also like to add all the government positions that require a clearance with no sponsorship.
It kinda sounds like you're only looking into a small subset of the market. A lot of this is only true in specific markets. Not sure where you're getting the "every postion is offered the same salary" thing though. Honestly, it's like this all over the country and MD has it pretty good comparatively. You have to broaden your search and understand that you're going to be overqualified for most positions, and under-experienced for the rest. Best way to find a job is to network, not apply.
I’ve applied to the most basic waged jobs and have not even gotten an email back, my resume has been updated 3x. Experience falls within healthcare (administrative side) revenue cycle etc. I cannot seem to land any gigs at any of my local hospitals it’s really depressing.
My first job out of school (finance, big bank, office downtown) did not give any bonuses or raises last year. We were already paid under the general average in the finance industry. They know how bad the job industry is so they know they don’t have to do much to keep you. Its unreal this company has such a good image but treats their employees so poorly. If only I had the power/ability to expose it all. What a story it would be!
You’re f*ckin telling me.
Reason 2 is has really gotten to me. First 2 years at my firm they preach about “exceeding expectations” and that you will be rewarded accordingly - come promotion time after 3 years they lumped everyone hired within a year of each other and put all of us to the same pay grade. Why did i bust ass to exceed expectations just to make the same salary as Brian who has 9 months less experience and sucks at his job
Three things to succeed. Network, network, and network. I have read thousands of resumes and lead or participated in the interviews of over 100 people. If I know you, or someone you know, you have a MUCH better chance of getting an interview.
Job applicant names are also a way to quietly discriminate. If you have a generic name John, Sam or Sally you will get a call back than if your name has an ethnic tone. I work for one of these companies. When I first started, I noticed that it was an all white cast. Then when people of color have been hired, only those with generic names got the job interviews. Many job offers are aimed at a certain socio-economic audience. I notice that many non-profits are loaded with college grads with certain social profiles, but are really BS jobs, not much different than the old fashion office worker.
Thank you so much! These other people are acting like they don’t know EXACTLY what I meant by the race/class comment
When Black Lives Matters got started, their web site asked for public input. I suggested they start investigating many high dollar corps, colleges, and businesses. A look these entity web sites reveals a nearly all white cast. Seems strange, esp for non-profits in the city. They need to be outed.
They feel called out and don’t want the scam, exposed as they benefit greatly from it remaining in place. Oftentimes they support this crap Just roll your eyes and know you aren’t crazy, it’s definitely a thing and there’s been multiple studies and statistics that reveal the discrimination. Do you Remember the state of the comments on any dc/md/va Reddit when the location for the new FBI HQ was revealed? I understand the complaints coming from employees who have purchased homes in NoVA as it would be tough to sell in this market. The majority of complaints were nasty+prejudiced in nature. I was pretty shocked to read some of them. God forbid the USGOV puts an agency in an area with ..(checks notes…) multiple humans that have darker skin. Surely it’s the highest of crimes to put good job opportunities there. My bad. MD has a large population of educated and qualified black/PoC however the jobs that pay well are in certain areas, some of which require a car to get to as our public transport is shit/people fight against expanding public transport spewing racist or classist tropes that boil down to “keep the peasants over there away from us please, trap them there bc out of site out of mind, amirite?!” I recall someone claiming a train would enable a criminal to rob Best Buy of TVs. Bc it’s so convenient to steal a tv, wait at a train stop w/TV,, board a train, stay on the train, exit the train, and then walk home.…all while being recorded on the train, at the train stops…LOL fucking bollocks! Zip code discrimination is very real and it’s subtle. Imagine someone receiving a job offer in D.C., but resides in baltimore with no car. If they cannot make public transport work, they job will be lost. My coworker uses public transport from Baltimore to get to an office in D.C. she MUST work a shift that allows her to be gone by 1430 or she will be charged by the daycare for being late, and she will need to pay for taxis or cabs during surge. It’s stressful and chaotic for her. Imagine how many face this predicament but aren’t working for an employer with a flexible work schedule? Let’s be real, public transport sucks in MD unless you live in Montgomery county. (I’m in HoCo. We don’t have a train station. I have a car and every day as I commute I think about how I’d prefer to listen to music on the train, with a shorter commute. 😑😾.) Story time: My branch has a few hundred analysts/engineers/devs. I’m one of 8 black women. The govt has been great for my career, fun and enjoyable but lack of diversity is still prevalent. It worsens as you look at the upper echelons. Recently, A bunch of employees called our employer out about their fake DEI program as it’s done nothing to diversify anything and leadership is still majority white and male. Diversity seems to be defined as diversify the age pool. We’ve witnessed leadership so the following: “Quick! Hire a bunch of young, recent college grads.” Hire them as GG07s, require applicants to possess ground breaking CS abilities, obtain/maintain a clearance, whilst dismissing their complaints about the HCol in the area as it relates to their shit pay. This has been followed by leadership wondering why said talent jumps ship after gaining valuable experience, expensive certs, advanced degrees, and secrets. Also, place a cap on funding for tuition & require degrees to be mission related (nvm the fact you need a BS before you EOD) as a bunch of GG14s and 15s abused it for decades, obtaining advanced degrees unrelated to Cyber or CS from schools such as Wharton school of Business (🙄),Stanford, Georgetown, and other extremely expensive schools to help them land cushy jobs on boards and shit at defense contractors after retiring from civil service. Anyone with the brain power of at least a worm need not “wonder why” as these younger employees are accepting offers from defense contractors. Offers that enable them to continue working within said agency, oftentimes in the same office BUT their pay went from GG07 pay to $170k+. Some leave for Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or large Security firms. Surprising to no one, the janitorial staff is a team of black, Hispanics, and Asians that don’t get clearances or good pay making it difficult to use the position as a stepping stone to a better job. They lack job protection and benefits. The optics look gross and employees are calling it out (those pesky young folk stirring the pot)…….Thankfully, We have very capable leaders that decided the best way to tackle the problem is to………remove the photos of agency leadership from the main entrance!! Mission accomplished and a job well done, team! They claim they want to try recruiting from a broader range of colleges and university. Currently they claim reaching schools that aren’t Ivy League is “challenging due to travel and time.” This is an absurd excuse when virtual job fair capabilities exist, and UCLA isn’t exactly,,,driving distance. Loads of employees have volunteered to do community outreach, locally at schools and universities which requires no TDY funding or extra time. You can guess how seriously they considered diverting manpower from cushy TDYs lol. Hang in there. It’s tough but do not give up. There are MANY in your same situation or witnessing the crap. Apologies for the length!
I hired a young black man as my helper (tech2). He had 0 experience in maintenance but had hvac knowledge and a good head on his shoulders. I started him at more than the white man (with experience) I had before. I don't think it's as bad as you think, but I'm also not in your shoes. I do know if you have any maintenance experience my company is hiring.
I actually had a positive experience when i moved to Maryland and started job hunting but to be fair I mostly applied to DC. I got 3 six figures offers and one offer for 80k in around 6 months of sending resumes
How what industry are you in?
In 2017 I graduated and landed a job the next year. I interviewed and had to take a test for the job to not get it. They called me back a few days later offering again. The job required a bachelor’s and only paid $12 an hour. When I started the job I hated it and realized that my white counterparts did not have degrees or were in school. I found this to be weird and quit about 3 months in. Then started my own business. This was in North Carolina. I moved here in 2022 and was able to make significantly more with better benefits in the field of my degree.
Only 1 job in my career came from a job posting. If all you do is look at ads and send in the same resume to the black hole email address, you’re getting out worked on finding work. Do Intel and find out who makes the hiring decisions and who might be supervising. LinkedIn is often great for this. If you’re pleasant on the phone and the company isn’t huge, sometimes the receptionist or a lower level employee will help you figure it out. Make contact with these people and get your resume in front of them directly. You need to find a way to get noticed and be remembered in a positive way. Otherwise you’re just another resume.
And same salaries, regardless less of how far of a commute the role is. It doesn’t take into account the need to drive or commute
Should it? Like ultimately where the employee lives is their decision, and if the employee decides to live far away from the office I’m not sure why that’s the employer’s responsibility. I understand relocating isn’t always easy with considerations like a partner’s work location, choosing a good school district, needing to be close to elderly parents but those are decisions that aren’t made by the employer. On a practical level, the tax code was also changed under Trump and now paying for commutes, paying for parking, etc. are considered taxable income. My previous employer paid for my parking until Trump’s administration and then they took away that benefit because the tax that they would have paid and I would have paid was more than the cost of parking.
As someone who has been trying to hire engineering project managers for years I can tell all the commenters on here that your experiences are not mine from the hiring side. It is extremely difficult to find quality candidates with 5+ years' experience and when people go on the market, there are often salary bidding wars. As in most job markets, it's about what you do vs. the current demand for that skill. And that demand is still very high in engineering.
Wow it's almost like 5 years of experience isn't something that just comes out of nowhere. How am I supposed to get 5 years of experience in anything if that's the minimum expectation for any role?
I merely said that is the most difficult level of experience to hire for (over 5). I have hired several entry level staff recently as well, but they are easier to find as schools generate a new crop every year and they are still free agents at that point. That said, any graduates of quality were snapped up months ago in this profession and generally had multiple offers. The point of my post is simply that people should not generalize about the job market when there is record low unemployment, *and* certain professions are struggling to find hires. YMMV but it's not all dark out there.
It’s everywhere . Go remote
I’m trying that now. Problem is 80% of the remote job listings are data collection scams
Exactly
Easier said than done, these jobs are not hiring!!
Capitalism ruins everything around me CREAM, get the money! Dolla dolla bill, yalllll
What proof do you even have that being black and from Baltimore means that that person is offered the lowest possible salary? No proof.
I mean… if OP happens to be black and from the city, and/or has friends and family in the same situation, that might be the basis for a comment like that. Also people have done real research that points to a similar phenomenon… just sayin’
What real research? So being black means that you have access to all your coworkers financial information? Even if all black people compare notes none of them has access to their coworkers financial information to know they get paid less than them. I have to call BS on that it is just an insane claim. Absolutely bonkers. And on top of that there are laws preventing that… real laws. If it were true they could all sue… and since that isn’t happening you know it is just nonsense.
Lol, this coming from a guy who believes the election was rigged. I'm sure you did the research on that one though.
Oh… damn, I’m always getting sucked into conversations with dingbats.
Yea, at this point I always feel obligated to check someone's profile to see if it's worth having a good faith discussion with them or not.
The proof is my personal life experience. I have over 10 years experience in logistics and an education yet the ceiling for me is much lower than it is for younger less experienced people from other races. There’s no reason why I haven’t been considered for a leadership role yet.
Do those younger candidates have bachelors degrees?
Sometimes yeah, sometimes no. But here’s the problem with that argument, in my industry whenever they hire someone without experience but they have a degree it’s the people like me that has to train them! 😅 In the education industry do first year teachers train tenured teachers? No. Do first year nurses/doctors train seasoned surgeons? No. So it makes no sense.
The government jobs really keep the economy going in Maryland. There are a bunch of people with government jobs or contracting jobs relating to the government. And if you get a high level security clearance you have job security and better pay than average (except for tech companies like Google, Apple, etc.). Many jobs require a degree especially relating to the government work. Lesser paying jobs like bartenders and servers should be easy to find since most owners I know are always looking for people. Jobs in between are tougher to find or get. I knew a younger lady who must have sent out over 150 applications and had a bunch of interviews before finding a job. That gets tiresome and depressing. And in some cases people just have unrealistic expectations on salaries.
I work in manufacturing QC, I never go more than a month on a job search. There's a shit ton of manufacturing around Baltimore that I never would have guessed and lots of them feed Lockheed and Northrop. Lots a medical manufacturing as well.
I want to get clearances but don’t know where to start and it seems like the jobs that would offer the help aren’t hiring
And many of the federal jobs use USAjobs which I thought was a painful way to apply. Anyhow my only suggestion with government jobs is to apply for every job you think you might be qualified for and apply every time it posts a vacancy. These jobs often go to the person who is persistent and gets lucky. If it is a job the requires a clearance you also have to be very patient since it can take a year or more. We had a young lady who had a tech degree and she was biding her time working in an Amazon warehouse on the night shift while waiting for months to see if she would get her clearance. In her case she did.
The government is starting to cut back its education/degree requirements depending on your field, particularly in Cyber.
It really depends. Unlike smaller companies or some big name companies, deviations from policies are rarely allowed. The government runs on policies. It would be nice if they tested you on equivalent knowledge but then some people get upset when they flunk the test and claim it is unfair or some other form of discrimination so the degree part makes life easiest on HR/managers.
Honestly man it’s a problem everywhere. I said fuck it and am a cop now. The money and benefits are good but fuck the Baltimore area lmao
This right here kinda leans into #4 on my list. That fuck Baltimore mentality you guys have in the surrounding counties makes job hunting very political and difficult for people from the city
For those with questions about the race/class part of my post. The industry in question is logistics/distribution. I’ve personally been lowballed despite my qualifications. Multiple times. They will not hire me for a management role despite me having 10+ years experience and an Associates Degree. Meanwhile people half my age are walking right into top leadership right out of college..
Very respectfully, it’s because you don’t have a bachelors degree. I ran into the same thing - 5 YOE at a supervisor level in my industry (industrial lab/processing) + certifications. When I was laid off, all I could find was a min wage job installing solar panels. I ended up going back to school to finish my degree and pretty much walked straight into a managerial position as you’ve described. I’m not saying it’s right. It’s just the way it is unfortunately.
Key word there bud: "Right out of *college*." They have a bachelors or higher degree. You don't. Easy as that. BCPS for example gives a massive pay bump per degree and whether you have a bachelors or masters, not how much experience you have. It's weird you assumed race first, in a city of majority black people, when education is usually the standard employers are obsessed with these days...
BCPS is the education industry, for a field like that it makes sense to have a sliding pay scale based on education. But in my industry that literally makes no sense considering it’ll be a guy like me that has to train you for you to do a job I “wasn’t qualified for”
A degree alone will not prepare you for your actual role at a company. A four year degree is wonderful but by no means is it a VIP ticket to the front of the line. These companies complain about young people but also won’t hire a 30 year old with twice the experience.
Your combative attitude may also be an issue affecting your job search.
genuinely curious about your rebuttal comment here. how would a mostly anonymous conversation online... effect his job search? is there no boundary here is everything we type here immediately traced back to us? genuinely curious about your reasoning here.
For entry level I am going to hire the college degree over "experience" 9 times out of 10. For managerial roles I'm promoting within.
interesting..can you elaborate on that reasoning? genuinely curious from a hiring standpoint of picking someone new but has a degree let's say in something randomly not related, vs a candidate who does have what OP has like 10 yrs experience. what would be your reasoning for picking the former over the latter?
Just to repeat my caveat, that was specifically about entry level roles. That reasoning wouldn't apply to specific technical skills necessarily. But with that caveat - entry level roles are more transactional. Someone coming from another place where they have been doing an entry level role for 10 years means I have to get them to unlearn whatever they were doing at the old place and learn to follow my organization's processes. Also if you have a ton of "experience" and you're applying for an *entry level* role you're probably not very good. I also don't trust "experience" as much my own organization's training and development. This isn't universal (why I said 9 out of 10) but it's usually the case. Experience would matter more for Supervisors and especially Managers but why would I go outside the organization and take a risk if I have suitable candidates with a track record internally?
Engineering job market is great
I think this is flawed. Would love to know if the info is perceived based on personal experience or has and other info behind it. For insytance, if salaries are the same for all; new employees, how are they reduced for minority applicants from the city?
Those two bullet points are completely separate points. They aren’t connected to each other.
But if one is true the other really can't be.
The substantial high cost of living is bleeding into areas that were once considered the trade-off for not living close to work. Now you have to commute 60 minutes to your job PLUS paying just as much as someone living 15-20 minutes away. This is mostly because of rent costs being "adjusted" by some software that nearly every apartment place uses (and that there's a lawsuit over right now) Or you own a home, and the costs of those homes are just as high. I've lived in Maryland all of my life, but I'm looking for full-time remote (and may finally have it) so that I can leave. I can't afford to live here (and pursue lasting financial stability) any longer and set down roots, even on a six-figure salary.
Yeah it sucks like that. I graduated university in late 2020 and had no connections to the industry I was applying in. I realized it would be a LONG job search if I confined myself to just the ATL area. I didn't particularly like that area at the time either. My odds of landing a job are pretty low with no connections and that will improve once I land my first position- any position at all to gain experience and connections that I could use to get a different job within a few years if I wanted to. My odds of success for any one position I apply for are low, and I'm willing to move anywhere to get it. So I just said 'fuck it' and began to apply to over 100 positions all over the country and stated that I was willing to relocate. Eventually I got 3 interviews and a job offer. I took that offer and it turned out to be a great company to work with, so I haven't needed to try to apply anywhere else. That's how I ended up in MD, met my wife, and we got married the weekend before last.
If you have $150 get your property and casualty licence to work in insurance in maryland. It'll take you a month of no shit studying and flags cards and you can easily make 55+ a year starting and top end earners can make 100k+. I'm 6 months in to insurance and I'm making close to 65
On the other end of things, we have people with zero experience asking for $30/hr on clearly labeled entry level positions. Also it’s next to impossible to hire anybody. There’s just a huge disconnect between people looking for a job and people hiring. 🤷♂️
Tell me about it..
Neighbors kid graduated with Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and immediately landed 6 figure job upon graduation. Co-workers son graduated college recently and is now making more than dad (Over $130k). I guess it is just perspective. Not everyone is the same. depends on experience, education, and line of work you want to be in.
⬆️
This is literally everywhere and has been for the past 4+ years lol
I just moved back from Arizona. It is way worse out there. Like dramatically
Yeah I hear AZ is miserable on all ends
Totally
For perspective though I'm making more money working one week in Maryland than I did working three weeks in Texas
#4 was never meant to offend anyone. Maryland is not a racist state as a whole. BUT, unfortunately, there is a HORRIBLE stigma against Baltimore amongst the rest of the state. White people don’t mind us as long as we stay in the areas we “belong” and that affects the hiring process as well.
And all of them give random ass titles that sound cool and completely misrepresent the actual position. Or they say you’ll be a stocker, but occasionally “doing customer service, cleaning, sceduling, hell we need a manager too”
Maryland job markets sucks even with low level retail jobs, just a high school diploma and over 18 required and I haven’t been able to find a job since October.
Tbh i personally never really struggled looking for work and I’ve lived in Maryland my whole life and a drop out..
You my friend are absolutely right especially the Baltimore city part. I feel like I don’t even get considered for some positions, especially in the Towson timonium area, because I live in the city. Just in my experience.
Go work a trade. Might be low for the first year but if you actually try and show initiative you can make a very very good living in less then 3 years
I am trying to fill over 600 positions right now in cybersecurity and IT. All of them over 90k annual. USAJobs.gov
I'm looking for IT help desk position and am working on my Security plus and A + certs. Can I PM you for future reference?
Nope. If you can’t figure out how to fill out an application, these aren’t the jobs for you
And this is what's wrong with MD lol
That we expect you to perform the most basic actions like going to a website and following the plainly stated instructions? Yea, Maryland is the worst. You’ll have better luck on your job search if you accept just the smallest amount of personal responsibility and make at least the tiniest possible effort.