[2:31:50 PM] ballin1337: if you're super desperate you might be willing to do things you don't like or suffer in the short-term for the long-term
[2:32:16 PM | Edited 2:32:40 PM] ballin1337: but a lot of people are just stuck between "life sucks" and "there's nothing I can do... that I want to do"
[2:32:55 PM] ballin1337: for instance. learning another language.
[2:33:07 PM] ballin1337: it's basically never bad to know another language
and it can be an appealing quality in any job
of course, it's much more useful in some than others but
[2:33:34 PM] ballin1337: just knowing another one is one thing to add to your l ist
[2:33:38 PM] ballin1337: and can come useful in weird ways
[2:33:49 PM] ballin1337: I remember a story where someone got a raise just because they were able to recognize what language a document was written in
[2:34:26 PM] ballin1337: think about it this way, if other people applying for X job also have no notable credentials
[2:34:32 PM] ballin1337: then ANY advantage you can get
[2:34:34 PM] ballin1337: no matter how small
[2:34:35 PM] ballin1337: is an advantage
[2:34:40 PM] ballin1337: and could easily be the difference between getting or not getting a job
[2:35:49 PM] ballin1337: knowing how to use Wordpress or make a blog, knowing how to edit videos for YouTube, knowing how to use Photoshop comfortably (i.e. without having to look anything basic on google), etc. are all small but valuable skills
[2:36:20 PM] ballin1337: if you want to go the extra step there are so many different software and programming languages and real languages you could teach yourself at least a little bit just by playing around
[2:36:46 PM] ballin1337: even mastering Word and Powerpoint--specifically knowing how to do more advanced things in it and not just typing and bolding/coloring text and the like--is a useful skill
[2:37:20 PM] ballin1337: I'm ranting at this point but I guess my point is that now with computers there are plenty of opportunities to GIT GUD if you really want a job
[2:37:42 PM] ballin1337: it just comes down to, do you want a job badly enough to actually learn things and do things that you might not like or have any natural motivation to do?
[2:37:49 PM] ballin1337: so for people who CLAIM they're desperate
[2:37:52 PM] ballin1337: if they aren't actually doing anything
[2:38:01 PM] ballin1337: they don't have much sympathy from me
[2:41:36 PM] ballin1337: to be fair it's tough! [I know I just said I don't have much sympathy for such people, but I do have SOME, just out of an understanding that it's much easier said than done. It's just not nearly as much sympathy as for someone who IS putting in 110%.]
[2:42:13 PM] ballin1337: but an analogy would be like
[2:42:25 PM | Edited 2:43:54 PM] ballin1337: someone is in a desert and falling into quick sand
[2:43:08 PM | Edited 2:44:36 PM] ballin1337: it feels like some people aren't even trying to get out, they are either complaining about how they are sinking in the quick sand, or they are maybe reaching out a hand just barely but their hand is kind of flimsy and every time they put it up for 5 seconds they give up because it's too much work and they're not getting pulled out
[2:43:20 PM] ballin1337: and then there are the people that are fighting, struggling, and stretching their hand out as far as it will go
[2:43:38 PM] ballin1337: so that someone will pull them out of the quick sand (give them a job)
[2:44:58 PM] ballin1337: if I had to save one of the two types of people I'd definitely save the latter
[2:45:14 PM] ballin1337: not to mention employers look for things like work ethic so if there is some gap period where you didn't do anything
[2:45:21 PM] ballin1337: they will def notice
[2:45:24 PM] ballin1337: and maybe even ask
[2:45:40 PM] ballin1337: be like "hey, so what did you do between 2014-2014?"
[2:46:00 PM] ballin1337: and if all you can say is "I screwed around" or more formally, "I took some time off to rest"
[2:46:08 PM] ballin1337: that's not making any kind of positive impression
[2:46:57 PM] ballin1337: if you say "I've been looking for a job and studying PHP on the side" they'll guaranteed be impressed that you have the willingness to do work to better yourself
[2:47:05 PM] ballin1337: especially when so many people are lazy that they won't do their job even when they DO get paid
[2:47:09 PM] ballin1337: forget doing work when they don't get paid.
[2:47:16 PM] ballin1337: see: I'm not doing my job now, I'm ranting about this
A rant about a topic that gets me talking a bit and that I've thought about for a while. the tl;dr would be, how it's difficult to find a job but how people often times aren't putting in as much effort as they could towards finding one and making themselves a quality candidate. Feels like too many people just kind of "want jobs" and aren't willing to sacrifice something or do something they don't want in order to get it. I think it's one thing if people admit they are content with whatever (e.g. mooching off people or not really needing a job yet) but what bothers me is when people aren't really invested in finding a job and are just complaining about the economy or how it's too tough or how you need experience to get a job but a job to get experience. You can get valuable skills and experience just by doing productive stuff on the computer. Complaining isn't productive, at best it makes you feel a little bit better.
I guess a tiiiiny bit of it is that it's annoying to those people who do work for what they get, especially when people are like "you have it so easy" or whatever. I'm sure some people do have it easy and got good jobs without a ton of work but there are also a lot of legitimately hard-working people, lol.
[2:54:51 PM] ballin1337: all I'm really saying is
[2:55:00 PM] ballin1337: put your effort where your mouth is
[2:55:15 PM] ballin1337: if you have time to complain, you have time to be doing something productive
[2:55:56 PM] ballin1337: though obviously everyone's circumstances are different and this isn't directed at you or anyone else
[2:56:13 PM] ballin1337: it's just a general comment because I know there are people out there who claim to be desperate but don't act like it
[2:56:15 PM] ballin1337: and that's kind of annoying