Thread: Job Offer Question

It's better than nothing right? Take the job and start looking for a job right away. Make it even more temporary then it already is

Accept it for now, it's a bit more than unemployment. If you need to you can always do the chapter 7. But still keep looking. It should be easier to find something once you have work. Being unemployed for a while makes it harder to get hired already.

What were you working as before?

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Some of you know I've been out of work for about 9 months now... I've exhausted almost all of my savings & have run my credit cards up a little now just to stay afloat. I apply constantly, but am almost always told that they are being flooded with applications. I interview sometimes, but nothing's every really come up.

I had an interview last week for a "temporary job with a slim chance of long term" & it went really well. The recruiter was already talking about hiring me on the spot, but had to go over a few things with the boss.

I was making about 70 before I was laid off, but on the applications lately I've dropped my "desired salary" to around 55k hoping to just get hired.

Anyway, he tells me "even 50 is really high for us"... he's supposed to call me this week & let me know, but needless to say I'm not really optimistic about the impending offer.

Saying 50 is really high leads me to think it's going to be in the high 30's to low 40's. At 40k, I'd be able to pay just my bills, but have nothing else (food, gas, etc.)

Before I got this call, I was seriously considering chapter 7 bankruptcy & moving into my sister's guest house to get back on my feet. At that point, I'd be able to take a lower paying job and at least be working toward something.

Is there any reason to take a job that can't cover my expenses? Especially if it's probably temporary (between 3-6 months for a project, possibly long term but seems unlikely)? I wouldn't be asking, but I've waited so long for a job it seems impossible to consider rejecting an offer when I'm at the end of my rope.

Damn, man, that sucks. I've done unemployment before, I would recommend getting in a job as fast as you can. While you are collecting unemployment, you aren't proving your worth to anyone. I would recommend taking a job for lower pay only if you believe the boss is interested in you progressing to higher pay and more responsibilities. It sounds funny to say that, but at this time few are looking to progress their employees. When you are interviewing for a job, you should be interviewing your potential employer as well.

I'm going along with what everyone else is saying: take the job.

In addition to all the above reasons, 9 months won't cause a gap in your resume.

Take the 40 K job. Lower your expenses drastically, meaning, go with the cheapest cellphone plan, sell your car and get a "paid for bucket", downgrade in living space etc. 40K is plenty to live of and pay bills, you just have to get rid of what is not vital for you in order for you to come out on top.

If you dont mind traveling go to Roadechs.com they are always hiring people for power plant outages.

Originally Posted by Gissurjon

Take the 40 K job. Lower your expenses drastically, meaning, go with the cheapest cellphone plan, sell your car and get a "paid for bucket", downgrade in living space etc. 40K is plenty to live of and pay bills, you just have to get rid of what is not vital for you in order for you to come out on top.

That's the bitch of it: I already cut everything I could months ago: sold virtually anything of value I had, and am barely able to go out. I'm in a contract on my cellphone, my car is worth 4-5 grand less than I owe, my condo is about 30 grand underwater, and I have an escrow shortage now that's going to bump my mortgage up. I can't get out from any of it cleanly... Perfect storm of fucked!

Can you claim bankruptcy while employed? Being short about 500 a month, I'm afraid I will blow the rest of my savings within a couple months, leaving me with a job that doesn't pay me enough but disqualifies me for bankruptcy???

I could possibly get another job on the weekends, but I just go back to wondering if just doing the bankruptcy, clearing all of my debt & starting over makes more sense... otherwise I'll be spending 10 years trying to dig myself out of the credit card debt, and the "worthless" condo I have. I take my commitments seriously though.. I don't like bailing on the debt just because I can, but at what point do I say enough is enough...

Originally Posted by busyLivin

That's the bitch of it: I already cut everything I could months ago: sold virtually anything of value I had, and am barely able to go out. I'm in a contract on my cellphone, my car is worth 4-5 grand less than I owe, my condo is about 30 grand underwater, and I have an escrow shortage now that's going to bump my mortgage up. I can't get out from any of it cleanly... Perfect storm of fucked!

Can you claim bankruptcy while employed? Being short about 500 a month, I'm afraid I will blow the rest of my savings within a couple months, leaving me with a job that doesn't pay me enough but disqualifies me for bankruptcy???

I could possibly get another job on the weekends, but I just go back to wondering if just doing the bankruptcy, clearing all of my debt & starting over makes more sense... otherwise I'll be spending 10 years trying to dig myself out of the credit card debt, and the "worthless" condo I have. I take my commitments seriously though.. I don't like bailing on the debt just because I can, but at what point do I say enough is enough...

I'm sure there are bankruptcy options while employed. Might want to meet with a bankruptcy attorney and review your options. I'd take the job and then look into the best way to solve your other problems related to debt. Looks good on your resume to take what you can in the interim, and many employers hesitate to hire the unemployed. I think working will make you that much more marketable as an employee, both now and in the future. Good luck and I hope things get better for you.

Don't declare bankruptcy unless you absolutely have to. It will fuck your credit up for the next 7 years. You won't be able to get a mortgage, buy a car, and probably will have a hard time getting a cell phone contract or a halfway descent apartment. Don't do it. Take the job if they offer it. $40k is a hell of a lot better than zero. You can always move in with family while working and looking for another gig. If you file for bankruptcy, no one will loan you a dime for years and years. It will also hinder your chances of getting a descent job.

I don't know all your particulars but from what you've posted I'd:

1) Take the job
2) Do NOT declare bankruptcy
3) Let condo go into foreclosure
4) Move in with Sis to save $$$ and try to pay down your remaining debt


Like has been said, declaring bankruptcy will screw your credit for years. Letting the condo go into foreclosure will also screw with your credit but, not nearly as bad. A very good friend of mine let his house go into foreclosure three years ago and just bought a new one six months ago.

Try to sell the condo if you can. If not, do a voluntary foreclosure. It will still fuck your credit up, but not as bad if you work with the mtg company.

Take the job.

It may lead to another job. I've definitely had that happen. You meet people and they give you a lead on another position that's available or a company that's hiring.

Originally Posted by ALBOB

I don't know all your particulars but from what you've posted I'd:

1) Take the job
2) Do NOT declare bankruptcy
3) Let condo go into foreclosure
4) Move in with Sis to save $$$ and try to pay down your remaining debt


Like has been said, declaring bankruptcy will screw your credit for years. Letting the condo go into foreclosure will also screw with your credit but, not nearly as bad. A very good friend of mine let his house go into foreclosure three years ago and just bought a new one six months ago.

This.

Although I'd opt for looking for a cheap alternative housing than move in with family.

What profession are you in? I have had 2 companies headhunting me and also looks like I might get a night schooling job teaching solar electric. Have you thought about changing careers? Alternative energy is booming right now...

I'd take the job and keep on looking for something better. Hopefully it works out for you.

Reading this kind of stuff makes me glad I live and work in oil sands Alberta. Even during the worst of the great recession I never had to worry about unemployment or lack of work.

I would take it. My best friend was a rvp for tyco and was out of work for 11 months when the economy started to go down. He went on all types of interviews and couldn't get any work because he had his standards set too high bc he was making a lot of money before he was laid off. He finally took a lower paying job and for the past 6 months he has been promoted twice so who knows what other kind of opportunities can open up for you. Say you sell your condo and still move in with your sister, bank that money so you have something to fall back on and wait until you get back on your feet again before you look for something else

Originally Posted by Gissurjon

Take the 40 K job. Lower your expenses drastically, meaning, go with the cheapest cellphone plan, sell your car and get a "paid for bucket", downgrade in living space etc. 40K is plenty to live of and pay bills, you just have to get rid of what is not vital for you in order for you to come out on top.

Downsize downsize downsize.



best reply yet.

Originally Posted by GearsMcGilf

Try to sell the condo if you can. If not, do a voluntary foreclosure. It will still fuck your credit up, but not as bad if you work with the mtg company.

not a bad option, just make sure that weather it's foreclosed or goes into short-sale, that they will release you from the outstanding debt or you might be stuck with the bill of the difference.

Another thing is, you need to know weather you actually have a "mortgage". What alot of people call mortgages, are not mortgages. It depends on the state you live in and the rules are often different when it comes to foreclosures and short sales. The different types of security instruments for housing are deeds to secure debt, deeds of trust and mortgages.

I hope you did not bank with one of the major banks because right now, they care very very little about the average Joe and is almost impossible to get in touch with a person who has the authority to negotiate with you on thing like the bank accepting a short sale.

9 months is the average time spent out of work but that is obviously going to vary depending on your skill and location.

with high unemployment you are going to have to take a big cut in pay just to stay in the workforce there is just too much competition.

would have to know more about your long term goals to make a decision about filing bankruptcy. the days of high home ownership are pretty much done in the US, forever.

Originally Posted by maniclion

What profession are you in? I have had 2 companies headhunting me and also looks like I might get a night schooling job teaching solar electric. Have you thought about changing careers? Alternative energy is booming right now...

Software development.. Yeah, I do just about anything at this point

Originally Posted by LAM

9 months is the average time spent out of work but that is obviously going to vary depending on your skill and location.

with high unemployment you are going to have to take a big cut in pay just to stay in the workforce there is just too much competition.

would have to know more about your long term goals to make a decision about filing bankruptcy. the days of high home ownership are pretty much done in the US, forever.

Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with taking a substantial pay cut.. I was just on the edge about taking one that keeps me in the red.

At this point I'm leaning towards taking it & trying to get a short sale or foreclosure, but my financing is through GMAC/Ally... which I've already read online is really stingy about short sales.

While bankruptcy is my last option, the constant worry I've been in for over a year is taking its toll... the idea of getting the damage over with & moving forward is really enticing. I really would be comfortable living in an apartment, with a cheap car I owned. Moving in with my sister with all the debt will keep me at her place for years before I'd be able to rent... and I really don't want to do that to her.

If I went with the bankruptcy, I could have enough saved in less than a year to rent. I'm done with credit cards, if I ever buy a house/condo again it's going to be if I have a wife/family & hopefully it can be in her name, and I already plan on switching to a prepaid cell phone.

Originally Posted by busyLivin

While bankruptcy is my last option, the constant worry I've been in for over a year is taking its toll... the idea of getting the damage over with & moving forward is really enticing. I really would be comfortable living in an apartment, with a cheap car I owned. Moving in with my sister with all the debt will keep me at her place for years before I'd be able to rent... and I really don't want to do that to her.

this is what I was thinking about. the psychological tool of this has got to be a killer. it's bad enough that we all have to worry about the economy and now gov debt and then having personal debt on top of that is a lot of stress. crunch the numbers and see how long it's going to take you to pay this stuff off. if you are looking at anything close to a decade + I say 86 all that debt. so when you get a new jobs it's a fresh start.

in this day and age I think people get a bad rap for wanting to declare personal bankruptcy. it's a totally different story when there is financial hardship from job loss, etc. through no wrong-doing of the individual vs reckless spending when times are good, etc.

Originally Posted by LAM

in this day and age I think people get a bad rap for wanting to declare personal bankruptcy. it's a totally different story when there is financial hardship from job loss, etc. through no wrong-doing of the individual vs reckless spending when times are good, etc.

I do take some of the blame though.. didn't save enough while times were good.

Originally Posted by busyLivin

I do take some of the blame though.. didn't save enough while times were good.

Your human, things happen. You live and learn and things will eventually get better in time

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with taking a substantial pay cut.. I was just on the edge about taking one that keeps me in the red.

At this point I'm leaning towards taking it & trying to get a short sale or foreclosure, but my financing is through GMAC/Ally... which I've already read online is really stingy about short sales.

While bankruptcy is my last option, the constant worry I've been in for over a year is taking its toll... the idea of getting the damage over with & moving forward is really enticing. I really would be comfortable living in an apartment, with a cheap car I owned. Moving in with my sister with all the debt will keep me at her place for years before I'd be able to rent... and I really don't want to do that to her.

If I went with the bankruptcy, I could have enough saved in less than a year to rent. I'm done with credit cards, if I ever buy a house/condo again it's going to be if I have a wife/family & hopefully it can be in her name, and I already plan on switching to a prepaid cell phone.

1. yes they are, total assholes.
2.Look man I know it sounds cheezy but do not stress it. Imma say it like some famous baseball player said it "Dont worry about things you can change because if you can change them, why worry about them? Dont worry about things you cannot change because if you cannot change them, why worry about them?" I've been homeless before (sleeping outside kinda homeless) and it taught me allot, happiness does not come from having things. My point is, don't stress it, it does you 0% good and only bad. Worse things have happen and in the span of a lifetime this will only be a drop in the ocean.

3. Its good to see that you are not the type that can't make the right decisions due to pride or some similarly useless emotions.

Good luck

Let me tell you something from a management perspective. You are more attractive in the employment world when you already have a job. When an applicant has been out of work for a long time, it really looks bad when the application is being reviewed. In many ways, you would have been better off working for McDonald's than having a big hole on your resume. There is an unfair attitude among management that people who have been unemployed for a long time are either lazy or there is a problem with them. Unfortunately, the shit economy will never play into their thought process. So, with that said, Take the temp job.

Try to work with your creditors and see if you can make some arrangements. Banks really do not want to take back houses. By federal law banks are not allowed to hold property for a long time. Plus they want the cash flow. Also, they would much rather work something out than let the house go to short sale or auction. Example the guy across the street from me was underwater to the tune of 500K on his house. He went into receivership and simply walked away. The bank eventually put the house up on the auction block and only got 50K for it. You may not get anywhere at first but keep pounding on this. The mortgage people will come around.

I do not know how old you are. If you are relatively young, and you are drowning, fuck it, file for Chapter 7. Your credit will be shot for 7 years, but you will recover. You can keep your house if it is under a certain value and you sign an agreement (new promissory note) with the mortgage holder and what your state laws say. There are ways to keep things like a car and personal items. States have rules even with federal bankruptcies. For example, here in Arizona you are allowed to keep one rifle, one shotgun and one pistol when you file chapter 7. The states vary so you need to speak with someone who is a professional in this stuff. I'm just some guy who took 2 years of education law as part of my masters program. Most states or counties offer free legal clinics for people in trouble and are broke. Call the local bar association to find one in your area. Speak to lawyer about this.

Good luck, hang in there. And in the long run, it is all stuff. You can get it all back when you get straightened out.

Take the job - it'll make you a better candidate for another job, or you might get promoted before then. Keep looking for a new job furiously even when you take this one. Try to keep your contact personal when applying - go in and make sure they see your face as opposed to just email, it'll make you seem more than just another message in the stream of applicants. Also try asking businesses that aren't openly hiring, they might see they need someone with your specific skillset.

Best of luck man, good luck.