[misterno]

My wife just finished her English classes. She can write, read and understand very well. She is from overseas with a law degree and has been living in the States for over 2 years now.

Since her English is not good enough to get an interview yet, we decided that she should volunteer. After searching the internet for every possible volunteer job in a library, church and hospital, I came up with a dozen places to call/email/visit.

Oh boy, what a nightmare that was. You should try a hospital for volunteering and see with your own eyes. They require candidates to be a LEGAL resident which was not a problem. If you want to get a job involving communication, you need to speak and understand close to perfect. Oh yes they have tons of meal carry or assist elderly jobs but no thanks. I tried probably 10 hospitals and nursing homes with no avail. Volunteering in a hospital is so serious, they even have orientation day first and then hiring day. WTH??? 99% of the volunteer positions involve physical involvement.

I then tried libraries. I am not surprised that they limited their opeation hours drastically but the library manager told me that my wife has to put her name to a waiting list to be a volunteer. I said fine, and asked "how many people are in the list?". He replied well dunno but she has to wait probably a year or more before we call her.

Now this is the fun part. Then I tried churches. Of the 15 churches we tried one said she has to be baptized, 2 of them said "bring your husband and kids attend the prayers and then we will decide. The rest did not even get back or called us.

Posted on craigslist hoping someone wouldrespond. Nope. Then I listed probably 60-70 temp agencies from the internet, and emailed them all again no replies.

Yeah she can get a job in Walmart or Target but she can not stand 8 hours straight so retail jobs or physical jobs are not for her.

Here is a legal person who wants to work for FREE and yet there are no jobs. The only thing she wants is to communicate. An light ofice job will be perfect for her. But the job market should be really bad. I am in Houston by the way.

[SeaGypsy]

Oh yes they have tons of meal carry or assist elderly jobs but no thanks. I tried probably 10 hospitals and nursing homes with no avail. Volunteering in a hospital is so serious, they even have orientation day first and then hiring day. WTH??? 99% of the volunteer positions involve physical involvement.

That's a job snob attitude. Would the patients prefer hospitals put on volunteers un- screened with no orientation? Most people who work in medical support have at some point wiped bums and carried trays. The attitude that this is beneath your/ wife's dignity is insulting to those who she would prefer to shuffle mail for.

In 2008 I took a bum wiping job in an aged care hostel. I am in the final process at the moment of signing up for a level 6 public service position as a disadvantaged employment consultant/ $65/ $70 kpa. I got the grounding for this job wiping those bums.

I strongly suggest you and your wife revise your attitude and take what's available. At least that is a start, which you clearly haven't got otherwise.

[bochen280]

My wife just finished her English classes. She can write, read and understand very well. She is from overseas with a law degree and has been living in the States for over 2 years now.

Since her English is not good enough to get an interview yet, we decided that she should volunteer. After searching the internet for every possible volunteer job in a library, church and hospital, I came up with a dozen places to call/email/visit.

Oh boy, what a nightmare that was. You should try a hospital for volunteering and see with your own eyes. They require candidates to be a LEGAL resident which was not a problem. If you want to get a job involving communication, you need to speak and understand close to perfect. Oh yes they have tons of meal carry or assist elderly jobs but no thanks. I tried probably 10 hospitals and nursing homes with no avail. Volunteering in a hospital is so serious, they even have orientation day first and then hiring day. WTH??? 99% of the volunteer positions involve physical involvement.

I then tried libraries. I am not surprised that they limited their opeation hours drastically but the library manager told me that my wife has to put her name to a waiting list to be a volunteer. I said fine, and asked "how many people are in the list?". He replied well dunno but she has to wait probably a year or more before we call her.

Now this is the fun part. Then I tried churches. Of the 15 churches we tried one said she has to be baptized, 2 of them said "bring your husband and kids attend the prayers and then we will decide. The rest did not even get back or called us.

Posted on craigslist hoping someone wouldrespond. Nope. Then I listed probably 60-70 temp agencies from the internet, and emailed them all again no replies.

Yeah she can get a job in Walmart or Target but she can not stand 8 hours straight so retail jobs or physical jobs are not for her.

Here is a legal person who wants to work for FREE and yet there are no jobs. The only thing she wants is to communicate. An light ofice job will be perfect for her. But the job market should be really bad. I am in Houston by the way.

Maybe try having her find a job that requires or at least allows the use of her native language? Also, volunteer is negative ROI, never do that.... it doesn't work to get your/her "foot in the door".... (seriously, volunteering? waste of time) if it is for financial reasons that she has to find work, then try different ways... but otherwise why not just be content with her staying home? Maybe like a nanny or daycare job until her English gets a proficient enough level? But in all honestly, given that Dec 2012 is right around the corner, I'd say finding a job is the least of worries.

[EnergyUnlimited]

My wife just finished her English classes. She can write, read and understand very well.

I presume, she is 13 now.
Do you have any kids?

Here is a legal person who wants to work for FREE and yet there are no jobs. The only thing she wants is to communicate. An light ofice job will be perfect for her. But the job market should be really bad. I am in Houston by the way.

One who wants to have a wife is expected to maintain her if she cannot work for whatever reason.

[bochen280]

One who wants to have a wife is expected to maintain her if she cannot work for whatever reason.

Where did you get that idea from? Pride and Prejudice? Something along the lines of... IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.?

Too bad Jane Austen never had to deal with the reality of Peak Oil, EROEI, Olduvai Gorge, Post Industrial Stone Age, Next Greatest Depression, WWIII, Lizard TPTB, zombie apocalypse, Petrodollar hegemony, etc etc etc....

[EnergyUnlimited]

One who wants to have a wife is expected to maintain her if she cannot work for whatever reason.

Where did you get that idea from? Pride and Prejudice?

Do otherwise and face consequences.
Reality will deal with you and your unlucky wife.

IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.?

History teaches us that In general such a man invests heavily in feminine stocks, would that be wives, concubines, lovers, whores or whoever similar.
Exceptions are rather sparse.

[radon]

It may look more like "I'd like to take courses in communication skills for free" rather than "I'd like to work for free" for those who consider your applications. Hence they may be skeptical. It looks like she primarily needs to develop her communication skills, but in order to achieve that you appear to be seeking positions where the developed communications skills are critical to her ability to perform the duties and add value. Volunteering requires certain motivation and the interviewers need to understand what this motivation is. It may make sense to go and visit the prayers in the church as they demand and talk to them directly explaining your situation, or describe your specific situation to the person in the library. They may empathize and admit your application. People generally like helping in such situations if it costs them nothing.

[bochen280]

One who wants to have a wife is expected to maintain her if she cannot work for whatever reason.

Where did you get that idea from? Pride and Prejudice?

Do otherwise and face consequences.
Reality will deal with you and your unlucky wife.

IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.?

History teaches us that In general such a man invests heavily in feminine stocks, would that be wives, concubines, lovers, whores or whoever similar.
Exceptions are rather sparse.

Except history is not going to be a reliable indicator of things to come going forward in the "bigger picture" sense. And even if it was, there is still the fact that you are talking about aggregate trends and averages that do not serve to be precise indicators of what will actually happen to any particular individual (and in truth usually that is all one is interested in) ... but otherwise, yes, everyone understands from a biological perspective how that works.

[EnergyUnlimited]

Except history is not going to be a reliable indicator of things to come going forward in the "bigger picture" sense.

Claimed "bigger picture" is to a large degree illusion which represents our wants, beliefs, expectations etc.
In reality, as long as you agree with an overall premise that civilization is facing powerdown, downsizing and considerable setbacks one can only expect that a lot of "value added" jobs usually done by women will disappear.
I mean all these clerical jobs which society may do without (maybe 10-20% has some merits other than paper wasting to demonstrate compliance with useless).
Also sales and representation jobs where pretty faces are needed.
I expect more and more trouble on job market, those still existing jobs will circle around tasks which most of females don't wish and don't even have strength to do.
OK, some low paid hamburger swapping job for girls will still exist, but if your wife has one and you don't have anything better, family will still suffer and possibly collapse.
So more traditional partition of tasks is expected to return in such circumstances at least in successful families.

And even if it was, there is still the fact that you are talking about aggregate trends and averages that do not serve to be precise indicators of what will actually happen to any particular individual (and in truth usually that is all one is interested in) ... but otherwise, yes, everyone understands from a biological perspective how that works.

Of course, there will be plenty of exceptions but statistical trend is all what one can discuss while dealing with changes in society.

[bochen280]

In reality, as long as you agree with an overall premise that civilization is facing powerdown, downsizing and considerable setbacks one can only expect that a lot of "value added" jobs usually done by women will disappear.
I mean all these clerical jobs which society may do without (maybe 10-20% has some merits other than paper wasting to demonstrate compliance with useless).
Also sales and representation jobs where pretty faces are needed.

If anything, you have just suggested that as civilization "downsizes" (which is a premise we all agree with) and the cannibalization starts in earnest (first figuratively, later who knows?) then "beauty" will also devalue as a commodity, on a level that is at least commensurate and proportional with the loss of "value add", etc... There will be disproportionally (probably orders of magnitude) more very beautiful women than extremely rich men. Accumulation of wealth is a more or less modern concept, one that only exists in a post agricultural environment capable of affording much of the population the luxury of specification of skills and trade. From an biological perspective present day humans did not evolve under such arrangements during the stone age... (net worth was a nonexistence concept) ....

Why do you think the male/female ratio always holds steady at 50%/50%? The same reason that even as we revert back to much harder times, on average it won't be any more difficult for males to have access to females. From the biological sense water always finds its own level.

[EnergyUnlimited]

"beauty" will also devalue as a commodity, on a level that is at least commensurate and proportional with the loss of "value add", etc... There will be disproportionally (probably orders of magnitude) more very beautiful women than extremely rich men.

To run successful family you don't need to be *extremely rich*, whatever that might mean.
There will be 10-20% of men wealthy and resourceful enough to run family, and these will secure females of good health (physical appearance is considerably associated with health).
Such females will of course find their way to said group of men (also only 10-20% of young women can be classified as "good enough" and maybe 1-3% as "beautiful").

Of course some much smaller proportion of females will do well base on their skill but these are going to be exceptions, due to type of skill set which I expect to be demanded in coming years and decades.

Why do you think the male/female ratio always holds steady at 50%/50%? The same reason that even as we revert back to much harder times, on average it won't be any more difficult for males to have access to females. From the biological sense water always finds its own level.

By rates of birth it seems to be case, however in most of societies other than India, China or few similar where female infanticide is practised we have usually more women than men.

Women are of better resistance to disease, they are not slain on massive scale during wars and even if they are raped, they usually survive.

Females are also usually (but not always) spared in genocides.
Raped, enslaved but left alive.

On the top of it males are more likely to die due to accidents related to everyday activities and without aid of female they are often neglecting their health easy and badly.

So "natural proportion", as per historic consideration is in my opinion something like 3 females for 2 males at the age of 25.
Modernity brought it to about 50/50 but once modernity is gone, we are going to see that again.

[Tanada]

By rates of birth it seems to be case, however in most of societies other than India, China or few similar where female infanticide is practised we have usually more women than men.

Women are of better resistance to disease, they are not slain on massive scale during wars and even if they are raped, they usually survive.

Females are also usually (but not always) spared in genocides.
Raped, enslaved but left alive.

On the top of it males are more likely to die due to accidents related to everyday activities and without aid of female they are often neglecting their health easy and badly.

So "natural proportion", as per historic consideration is in my opinion something like 3 females for 2 males at the age of 25.
Modernity brought it to about 50/50 but once modernity is gone, we are going to see that again.

That turns out not to be the case for several reasons. Primarily women in poor health often die in childbirth directly or are so exhausted caring for an infant that their weakened immune system opens them up to infections of many sorts. As for the enslaved aspect the conquerors have to see a profit in taking a slave vs killing the conquered immediately. If the conqueror is resource constrained then a slave isn't worth the cost of feeding and housing them. It is only cultures with surplus food/wealth that maintain slavery, poor cultures have few or none. It was not uncommon for people in the past to have multiple spouses in one lifetime as their earlier ones died from varied events or diseases. A man or woman of very good health into their 60's would often have two or three spouses by the time they themselves passed away in old age.

[dsula]

Here is a legal person who wants to work for FREE and yet there are no jobs. The only thing she wants is to communicate. An light ofice job will be perfect for her. But the job market should be really bad. I am in Houston by the way.

Strange. 100 (or 1000s) of illigals entering the US every day. Most find a job.

[Cloud9]

I heard the same story from my son. Fresh grads from the law schools can't find a job. several came by his firm and offered to work for free just to have something to put on a resume.

As for a good woman. Nothing is more important. I've been with mine 35 years. She is my best friend and is a damn fine shot.

[Pops]

Why not try volunteering at a law clinic?

Google "law clinic houston"

[Lore]

We're hearing a lot about volunteering, no-pay internships in the media lately. Bereft of solutions to find employment we have sunk to the low of asking to work for nothing in hope that we can win the job lotto. How rediculous is this? In other words, what you're saying to the employer, is that your time and skills are worth nothing and you're willing to pay them to make money off of you. Essentially, what occurs is that there is no investment or incentive by the employer to develop you as a productive worker. Meanwhile you get to walk around all day in your fake job wearing a "kick me" sign pasted to your back.

The whole farse has created a fools rush, which is why you can't even find a work for free job.

[bochen280]

We're hearing a lot about volunteering, no-pay internships in the media lately. Bereft of solutions to find employment we have sunk to the low of asking to work for nothing in hope that we can win the job lotto. How rediculous is this? In other words, what you're saying to the employer, is that your time and skills are worth nothing and you're willing to pay them to make money off of you. Essentially, what occurs is that there is no investment or incentive by the employer to develop you as a productive worker. Meanwhile you get to walk around all day in your fake job wearing a "kick me" sign pasted to your back.

The whole farse has created a fools rush, which is why you can't even find a work for free job.

It is like a game of musical chairs where there are far more people left standing at any one point in time than there are chairs. Capitalism is a collective rat race to see who can get first to the bottom.... while I think it is always foolish to work for free (not only immediate negative ROI, but these days also long term negative ROI since the "future" is dwindling at a faster rate than the "investments" will ever pay off) you can't really blame people who do so anymore than you can blame the companies that offshore and outsource to remain competitive in an environment where every other company in the industry has already done so... it is like the red queens race of having to run faster and faster just to stay in place. It is definitely a "buyers" market for employers... and like how so many prospective first time homeowners are ONLY looking at foreclosed homes (they don't want to pay "full price" when they are so many other cheaper options and alternatives out there) pretty soon you will see employers only "hiring" volunteers, interns, part time with zero benefits, contractors, etc.... simply because they are in a position to exploit and can get away with it...

[PrestonSturges]

http://www.smew.com/all-feed/item/2196- ... ience.html

Unpaid Internship Requires Ten Years Experience
.... this is an excellent unpaid internship opportunity for a college student or recent graduate who has ten-plus years of experience in business accounting.” said Will Newlin, the CEO of Hoolazoo. “Unfortunately we can’t actually offer college credit for this internship.”

[SeaGypsy]

There is not a shadow of a doubt that should be illegal.

[Plantagenet]

Internships aren't just for big business and corporations anymore.

I've got a friend with a son who has just been hired as an intern with a...........mountain guide service.

The kid is pretty excited, but the internship pays ..... $200 a month.


Excuse me up there...I know this is an awkward time to ask---but are you the real guide or just an intern?