? for Furloughed collecting unemployment

[Magic]

I was wondering what people have been doing to document their job search. This isn't a line of work where you can beat the streets each week looking for a job. My search has consisted of updating apps and resumes and calling SWA once a month. Fortunately, I haven't been asked to produce a job search log yet but if they ask, I got squat. I'm supposed to have made 4 contacts each week! I appreciate any info from people in the same position and hope none of us will have to worry about it much longer.

 

[AWACoff]

I am only required to have a name and contact number. Considering how fast some of the smaller operators throw away resumes, I don't know how they could prove I sent them a resume. Oh well.

 

[bobbysamd]

Unemployment Documentation

You just have to list the name and address of the contact and the result or action on the unemployment check request card you mail in every week. E.g., for ABC Airline, "sent resume," "sent update," "appeared in person," "no work," etc. I always kept copies of my cover letters.

You could keep a contact log. I never made that many phone calls when I was out of work because there weren't that many places to call. Proof positive of long distance calls would be your phone bills.

Hope that helps a little and hope that everyone gets back to flying soon.

 

[TurboS7]

Been there and done that, get a FCI and send everyone a resume then just fill in the 4 contacts per week. If you really feel guilty go to the local airport and drop one off at each FBO, then fill that in. Everyone knows things are nasty out there, just remember unemployment does run out eventually.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Boy, you all have it rough...

I, too, am THEORETICALLY supposed to be keeping a log and all that stuff, but in my meetings with the people in the unemployment office have been a joke. They know what I did for a living and what it's like finding work in this field, so they aren't even holding me to the letter of the law. Really, the first time I went in there we just sat around and wondered why I wasn't "WTC Code" and they spent the whole time fixing the error. The second meeting was earlier this week, and the guy and I just shot the you-know-what for half an hour, really not talking about MY situation at all (it didn't hurt that the first thing I said was "I have three interviews in the next three weeks"). Perhaps it's my close proximity to NYC, but I get the feeling these people aren't really in the mood to closely interrogate someone who lost their job 8 days after The Late Unpleasantness.

And yes, this does run out eventually. By the time I will have heard back from my prospective employers, I will be about a month away from the end of my particular road. If I don't get anything out of these interviews, well, I guess it's back to hotel work... Not that there IS any in the NYC area, but it's worth a look.

 

[PHX767]

I send a lot of resumes out from Monster.com - They always send an acknowledgement to your email address. If anyone asks I will list off the 50-60 or so jobs I have "applied" for. Also I write down who I talked to at various places. Had a couple of phone interviews so far. They all ask if I will go back to the airline if recalled - I say,"You bet your sweet a$$ I will." Then I go back to surfing the net and try to remember when my next call to unemployement is.

These are all non-flying jobs, by the way.

I hooked up with AEPS because my union paid for it. It's been a big waste of time so far. I keep getting emails from companies that don't have jobs posted, and AEPS staff can't figure out who they are.

If somebody were to ask why I had not gone for more interviews I would just say my degree in Professional Aviation Basket Weaving from ERAU doesn't mean much to the civilian world.

 

[deskjobssuck]

I was told to open the phone book, start at the first entry and begin calling. All you have to do is say "do you need a pilot?." Write down the name of the company and the phone number. I know it sounds stupid, but it worked for six months here in butt-ass cold VT. They seem to understand that we are professionals and aren't expected to take any job other than flying.
Good luck.