I know, it's a recession but is there ANY hope?

So I've been stuck for 2 years as a crap hole of a job. I make less (due to some loop hole of theirs) than I did to begin with (starting at 8.50 an hour, not at 8.15 an hour) and don't get benefits due to another loop hole. I accepted the low paying job under the assumption that I would be getting a raise at 6 months and promotions by now. Wrong.

I'm a somewhat single mom (engaged, but not to the father) and it's rough. I make 200 a week IF I'm lucky. Mostly I make about 150 a week and it's driving me up the wall. Every stinking pay check I'm selling things to try and make ends meet. My light bill is sky high, backed up on rent and all other bills, and I myself have had more Ramen than I ever care to have (to save the better food for my daughter)

Applied for medicaide but I make $50 too much a month. Yeah. So now I have $10,000 in hospital bills due to the seizures I was having.

I'm at my wits end, my job is so extremely stressful in every aspect that it's part of why I was having seizures. I need to quit but don't know what to do about it. I don't have a license and my fiance works, our schedules work around eachother so thankfully I no longer have to pay for child care (as I can't afford it) and I have a ride to work.

I need to quit, I can't take this stress much longer. I get treated like absolute ***** by my employers as well as customers, I've had a decrease in pay even though I was the best employee they have (got the decrease just a couple months after my employee of the month certificate) and I can't afford it but I don't know where to go if I do. But I'm afraid it will do more damage to my health and put me that much more in debt from these seizures.

So I'm considering certificate programs, as I need something to help ASAP and not 5 years down the road, I'm financially drowning (I know, it's a recession many of us are) but I know those who have gone to school for nursing, graduated and been out of school for years and still haven't found a job. Same thing with paramedics and many other jobs. It's like they tell you "You have to go to school to make it" but even those who go to school often can't get work in their field. My friend who graduated nursing school two years ago is still working at hooters, can't get a job anywhere and she lives in a large city.

So basically, any advice on what to do in my current situation, how to pick a certificate program, one that would actually be easier to find a job, and any advice on anything at all? I need out of this hole, it's suffocating me

I would study my county statistics and opportunities and check government and college job opportunities (would pay better and make going to school less expensive and possible to do both at the same time) and see if I could not get a slightly better paying job and/or find the biggest need (if you live in a town where there are no hospitals, then training to be a nurse is not a good idea?) and work in that direction.

I'd maybe think outside the box; if you are able to sell things and make a bit of money, I'd think about buying other people's things and selling them for more, setting up a weekend flea market table, something to get "extra" money if you are too stressed to consider changing jobs right this minute; if you can shift your energies to doing something you enjoy more part-time, then perhaps the job you are working too hard for (being best employee that gets you a pay cut :-) will not be as stressful and you could just "take the money" and not be so invested in it but rather in something on the side you really liked but could expand slowly.

I feel for you and your situation. I would'nt quite your job, they are hard to come by. Try and figure out a way to deal with the stress. Kill'm with kindness maybe. My daughter went to school for a cna certified nurses ***. and she worked and went to class at night. it did'nt take very long 10 to 12 weeks. Its not to bad of pay 10 to 12 dollars an hour to start with benefits. There seems to be plenty of jobs in our area for them and we live in a smaller city. I wish you luck.

Dear PurpleFlyingMonkeys,
Thing are tight everywhere.
Hitting some harder then others.
This is not your fault, you are a stong woman, and will get through this.
I think Perna gave you good advice. But it is hard to get out there without a drivers license and a car! So I would suggest start with that, you can view or download your state manual from your computer.
Then when your mind is calm sit back and think about all the good qualities and skills you have. You are more vaulable then you think.
Sometimes doing child care/adult care is more profitable then a job. Make sure you can get a certificate in cpr. There are free classes at hospitals and community centers.
For now, are there bus routes in your area? If so take a ride and see if something or place of business inspires you.
Sometimes, local Managment will hold you back when in reality there is open opportunity to move up in a company/corporation so seek out the truth!
I hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
H.

Just want to wish you luck and say I sympathize. I've been unemployed except for some part time teaching for the last 2 years. I had lots of interviews - no job. My Employment Insurance only lasted a year, so now I'm living off my retirement savings, which I'm lucky to have. I was also lucky enough to get into subsidized housing even though it means I just have a room, and I had to do a major downsize and put the rest of my stuff in storage. But the economy is just brutal. I'm going back to school in the fall, in the hope that retraining in a different accounting specialty will make me more marketable.

I'd say don't quit your job, until you have another one lined up, but do like Perna suggested and see if there's something you can do on the side while keeping your current job.

Good luck.

splitimage

Not everyone can, or should, drive. In her post, she mentioned having seizures--many people who have them can't get licenses. I can't drive either because 0f my limitations. usually people who don't drive have a very good reason for it--and it's usually not because they just dont feel like it. So blasting someone for not driving is not helpful.

Thank you all for the responses. I'm still at the same job and will likely be for the next 10 months at least since I just got the banquet room here for free for my reception in April. Trying to cut costs considering how broke we are. There always seems to be a reason to stick around. Eck. It doesn't help though that everyone that seems to approach me tonight thinks everything that goes wrong is my fault. "You removed your vending machines and you don't have any more soda" And all I can think is "You're right, little 130lb me lifted a soda machine and hid it from you while I'm sitting behind my desk working"

Everyone tonight seems to have it out for me. I realize this is a part of customer service. I noticed this as a server. When you have unhappy customers, it seems to be a trend for the day. Same thing is happening today with the guests. It's a trend for them to blame everything on me and want to use me as a punching bag. They had a terrible flight, or a long day, and although this is my first time encountering them, they automatically sum up all of their anger to whatever is not perfect at the time and pin point it on me even though I have nothing to do with it. "YOU didn't change my sheets in my room today" so lately to comments like that I've been responding "I'm sorry your sheets were not changed but you're right I did not because it is not my job, that is housekeepings job and if HOUSEKEEPING did not change your sheets I will contact that department and let them know"

It making my customer service not as great as it once was, here at my job they want me to bite my lip and "Sorry ma'am I should have changed your sheets that's right, this never should have happened, I understand why you're about to rip your hair out, it's rediculous that I did not change your sheets" but I've had absolutely no tolerance for these people in the last few months.

I've never in my life treated others that way and if I did get angry over the phone or in person I was quick to apologize in the beginning of my rant and explain it's not them that I'm upset about.

One wrong thing, among millions, with the human race, is the inability to put your selfishness to the side in respect of someone elses feelings. But there are millions of things the human race is guilty of, and I'm afraid the crime and debt will only get worse, never get better

I love your talking-to-self quips, "You're right, little 130lb me lifted a soda machine and hid it from you while I'm sitting behind my desk working" I would share some of the more benign ones with the guests to remind them you are an individual. Unless, like me, I couldn't control the sarcasm and it would make "them"/my boss unhappy.

I would try agreeing with what they say? "Yes, they did take out the soda machines, that didn't make sense to me, either!"

"Oh, sorry they didn't change your sheets, I'll call and yell at housekeeping right away for you?"

My attitude is a little better today. Although I got pretty snappy with a chick after she got snappy with me. I'm so tired of people thinking that the way to get what they want is by acting harsh. Well, she may have gotten a room but it wont be a nice room, I'm gonna stick her where she belongs, in the trash.

Gah it's getting harder and harder to be nice to these people today. I'm obviously in the wrong profession

I used to work for the most discussing people that owned a chain of Travel lodges OMG I was there 6 months and had to leave because these people were so hard to work for.... *hugs* I understand and please use me to vent to if needed...

You can train as an Emergency Medical Technician thru your local emergency squad for free or next to free. That by itself begins the process of taking the next step of Cardiac Tech which is also taught my the emergency medical service in your locale. You then have a resume to submit to doctors offices looking for lower level nursing staff; we do this in pediatrics where we do not necessarily need RNs to run the office.

If you are a great worker (read that: shows up on time, does the job with a bonafide good attitude, crosscovers others when they are off or sick, and basically make yourself a favored employee), you will find that the employer will make time for you to begin classes and may even pay your way. For example, if a venipuncture class makes you a better nursing staff employee, they might pay for you to go.

If your daughter is under 5 I believe she still may qualify for the WIC program thru the health dept: food stamps for certain staples of food and if you are only 50 dollars over medicaid limit, you may qualifyfor the medicaid health maintenance organizations + famis, ie amerigroup + famis , anthem healthkeepers plus + famis: this is the next level up of income but still allows government benefit. Talk to social services about whether you qualify for one or both of these assistance programs.

Apply for HUD chapter 8 housing; rent is based on income but there is a waiting list of applicants: this is managed by county usually.

Hope some of this gets you on the path to success!