That's two...

[Imogene]

Two times now I've wended my way to a particular office, looking for assistance in finding a job for the disabled. (Side-story suck: Goggle maps gave me really bad directions the first time I attempted to find the office, and sent me the wrong direction down a very long street... I found the spot where Google was leading me, and gave up, cause it was an elementary school) Anyway, Friday, I tried to find the place, and succeeded (hurray), only to be told my point of contact for this program was in a meeting all day, but should be available Monday. I drive home.

I try again today, and get told to wait in the resource room. No biggie, no other plans today... I found flyers on the table I sat at advertising for positions at some electronics company, but the first line basically stated, "If you have an associates (I do), you are overqualified."... I wait an hour (an HOUR! Seriously, I know because my watch had the wrong time on it, and I kept checking it against what the workers were saying) and three times got called a new version of my legal name that I've never heard before. "You're Jordan, right?" No... and finally get approached to be told, "Yeah, she's not going to be able to see you today, she's not seeing anyone today, she's behind closed doors."
WTH? I go home. Definitely calling before I go in again.

[Hobbs]

How are you overqualified with an associates? O_o

Plus, if this is a government office, isn't there someone you can complain about this to?

[Kogarashi]

How are you overqualified with an associates? O_o

Because the company would have to pay you what you're worth, annoyingly enough.

I hated job searching. Pretty much all the relevant places I wanted to apply to wanted "minimum 4 years experience!" with no options for someone whose sole experience was college, and no other job openings through which to get said experience.

[Andara Bledin]

Ugh, I hate the whole "You're overqualified, and under experienced" pitfall.

I can't keep track of all of the places that refused to even give me an interview because they thought I'd bail at the first chance of a better job.

The funny thing is that my current boss said something along the same lines, and I've been there for over 14 years, now.

^-.-^

[Horsetuna]

This bugs me about stuff too...
When I jobhunt, I see lots of jobs while looking for my own, asking for 10, 15, 20 years of experience or 'must have experience', and I'm thinking 'All the people with 20 years of experience will not be around for ever. Meanwhile, everyone fresh out of school who are qualified for the jobs but have no experience will have a hard time GETTING that experience in the first place'

While no employer has told me, I think the fact that I have almost 11 years experience in retail and stuff has been why I've been let go before my probation period is up or simply not hired, instead being hired by people who hardly know how to count, have no experience... even though I'm willing to work for the same amount.

It sucks.

[Imogene]

So, before this gets sidetracked into hiring practices... I finally got in to see the point of contact Monday afternoon, after playing phone tag with her the better part of the morning.
I go in, and she has someone else observing as she tells me all about what the program is for. First thing, she asks me what I know about this program.
M: "It's a job placement for disabled people...?"
H: "Now, where did you get that idea?"
M: "Social Security Office basically said as much. Plus, my sister in law..."
H: "Well, we're really only here for guidance in landing a job on your own."
(Thinking: And that's been working swell thus far...)
H: "How much can you make and still be on disability pay, do you know?"
M: "I knew at one point... but I haven't kept up with that info..."
H: "Well, you need to know so you don't get a job, and have the IRS suddenly knock on your door saying you owe them $1,000 for having been working..."
(Thinking: Wonderful, make me fear getting a job...)
H: "Do you know your rights in the hiring process, being disabled?"
M: "No..."
H: "Why not?"
(Thinking: This apparent culturing of non-information about the program?)

Anyway, long story short, she sends me home with a packet of information that's roughly a tree and a half of paper... the area code of a phone number to some contact she thought I should talk to... and a lot less hope for this endeavour.

I finally read through that packet tonight, and it's basically a guide of disinformation. Did you know when job searching, you should have:
Information about your previous employers, their names, their addresses, how much you made working for them, and how long you worked there? Cause I sure didn't have that information in a handily accessible file or two on my computer, no sirree.

Oh, but the resources center I spent an hour in the last time is freely available for job hunting any time I need.
I'm sorry, I have a computer at home, thanks. Why would I drive the twenty minutes to your building to look for jobs on the internet? Hell, I pass two libraries just to get to you.

Useless! Wasted time! Screw you!