Thanks everyone. I sent my resume to Kelley Services. Thanks for the link. I apply online everyday to jobs on craigslist, careerbuilder, monster. Some of them are too far away.
Thanks for the prayers everyone.

I'm also unemployed now and I would suggest registering with more than just Kelly for temp work. Try Robert Half and Manpower, too. If you can, set up an appt to actually go in to the agencies and meet the people. I did that and found that it really helps getting jobs if they can put your face with your name. Have you looked at this site: http://www.careerjet.com/clerical-jobs/scottsdale-6024.html

I second the vote about filing for unemployment and contacting Mayo to see what's going on there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Career jet

Praying for you, Eileen.

(((((Hugs)))))

You may also be able to tap in to your Social Security benefits due to your medical problems.

Here is a link that might be useful: SS Disability

Lots of prayers coming your way! I know several families in the same situation. Keep your chin up- it will happen! :-) PRAYER CHAIN!

I'm sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts your way. God will never abandon you. I also think you should look into unemployment. That's what it is there for, to protect workers like you in hard times. Please take care and know we are all pulling for you.

Thanks everyone. I am working on the unemployment now. I had applied for UE and then everytime I went online the website said my SS# was not in the system. Everytime you would call the machine would hang up on you saying they are too busy. Plus going through surgery, then chemo really sapped my strength and energy. So next week I am heading over to main UE office early in the morning. I may have to sit there all day. I have one of my part time jobs paystubs but the other one could not give me anything. But she said to have UE fax her a form and she will fill it out and send it back to UE. Last thing I am waiting for is the letter from my surgeon stating I was unable to work from Oct 6 to Nov 24th. UE here is so much more difficult than it was in WI. WI UE website was so much easier to use.
AZ UE owes me money all the way back to Sept. But the payment here is at least $100 lower a week than it was in WI.
As far as SS benefits you have to be unable to work for 12 months or more. That's not my situation.
I looked at manpower - no jobs I could do. Kelly Services says they will call me if somthing comes up. I am also applying at the grocery stores websites.
Thanks for the prayers!!

(((threedgrad))) You have gotten some good ideas here, from possible selling some items or other places to search for work.

I am returning the duvet and pillcases back to Dillards. What really put me in the whole are the bank fees that my bank loaded on me. I asked for them to be reversed but the bank did not do it. They charged me almost $300 which I did not expect. I might have to find a better bank.
I really though I would have found a job by now - any job.

Hi Eileeen,

I haven't been hanging out here much lately. But I have often thought of you and wondered how you were doing. Remember your health is most important. I saw some good advice in this month's Reader's Digest about the current economy & jobs situation. There were good websites listed also. Hopefully you can get your UE money owed to you. Is there a friend or fellow church member who can go with you for some moral support when you go to UE office?

Things can work out alright, you have been through so much, you must be exhausted. Here's to your health and new job, and to you Eileen!

Exhausted to the point I can't even imagine, Eileen. I do hope you have some sort of support network and if the one you have is not so great right now, the ideas above for beefing it up and/or expanding it sound good. A friend with whom you can share all the details so they can help you think and make sure all the bases are covered. Ya know, two heads are better than one kind of thing on appointments or even to conference in on phone calls.

You are in my T&P's and I know one day soon you will be posting about your new job, and how wonderfully the treatments have worked, and that you are healthy and happy and all settled in your home once again.

Absolutely work through the UC issue if you can. I don't know where we would have been had I not been able to collect partial UC here in PA. After a yr. this Feb. I was finally able to pick up more hrs. but I'm still not quite at FT and we would have been ruined.

Prayers w/ you!

Blessings to you, Moonshadow. You've been missed. :)

Prayers always, Eileen. xo

Thanksto everyone for good wishes and prayers. Moonshadow, thank you for your lovely thoughts.

I went to mass this morning and there was a cake and coffee meeting afterwards. I finally had the chance or nerve to mention to our priest one of the reasons I believe God sent me here to AZ. Reasons I was sent here:
1) God sent me here to get diagnosed and cured of cancer.
2) God had me gain weight so I would have enough to lose while I was going through cancer treatment.
3) God sent me here to get closer to Him and to my Catholic faith. I went to confession right before my surgery in early October in case I died during surgery. I wanted to make things right with the Lord. The priest told me in confession that God will have something for me to do after I had recovered from all of this medical troubles.
Many, many years ago I had a dream while I was in architecture school in WI about a church in the desert. At that time I did not know what that meant. I had something to do with either designing or getting the church built. Now at that time I had no intention or idea about ever moving to AZ.
4) This is the main reason I think I was sent to AZ. Today I got the chance to mention to Father Greb that St. Joseph's should start a fund to build a new church. The present church was never meant to be permanent. It is more of a meeting hall, community center setup type of building. There are these huge wooden beams across the expanse of the church that really do not lend themselves to a beautiful Catholic church look. I believe we need a more traditional, more lovely Catholic church with stained glass windows, side chapels, baptism font, a place for a choir, etc.
So now everytime I go there I am going to work on getting more people involved. My idea is just to start raising money. The design will come much later or whenever we get closer to having enough cash. It may take ten years but you never know. Some rich person may want to donate to such a fund. But at least we need to get a fund started so donations could start coming in, no matter how big or small.

After the church social, I spent maybe close to an hour talking to a lady I met last fall when I was attending the rosary after 8am mass every day. (I now say rosary every night because my sleep patterns are not very reliable these days.) She too had been through two kinds of cancer and survived. We talked about a variety of subjects but mostly about prayer and how important it is.

Thank you again everyone for their thoughts and prayers and cyber hugs. God is there for each and everyone of us. Always remember that.

Love to you all,

Eileen

Eileen, have you returned the duvet yet? If not, don't! I've bought things on eBay and craigslist that people were lucky enough to find on amazing clearance prices, and sold again at decent prices, making some profit on it. The RL pieces you found would be attractive to someone at, say, $125? Or $100? Might as well give it a try before you throw away such a great deal.

Flyleft, thanks for the idea! I just listed the duvet on ebay. Most posts are asking for 3x for what I paid for it. So I listed it. If it does not sell, well, at least I tried.
Now I am going online to apply for a 4th grocery store chain.

Thanks again.

Eileen, I was raised in a very traditional/ethnic Catholic family, and our faith has always been a source of comfort and joy for our family. I am glad that your faith is a source of strength and comfort for you. Being nosy, I see your name is Eileen. Are you Irish? If so, don't you love St.Patrick's prayer that starts "Christ be with me, Christ be beside me..."? Remember, God will never abandon you, even in your darkest hour. About Churches and architecture, every out of town trip I have ever taken, of course I go to Church on the weekend. I have seen the most amazing Cathedrals and the most tiny little churches on these trips. Even if it was out of the country, I could follow the Mass by the rhythm of what was being said and the motions of the priests and people. I'll never forget, once in a very poor church in Aruba, the congregation sang (in their Dutch dialect) "The Saints go Marching In" as the closing hymn. Keep up your spirits, and know many here are pulling for you.

deedee, my father was born in Ireland and came here when he was 28 years old. He had to have a sponser here so that he could immigrate. he helped most of his brothers come over as well. His sister and the oldest brother who inherited the farm are the only ones that stayed in Ireland. He met my mother in Chicago. My mother is mostly Irish as well as are a lot of Chicago people. I even took Irish dancing lessons in Chicago as a child. Riverdance's Michael Flatley's sisters went to dance school with me.
I do love St. Patrick's prayer called St. Patrick's Breastplate. I have to print out another copy. My middle name is Patricia so I have an affinity to St. Patrick. I have many relatives (cousins and their children) in Ireland too. I would love to visit one day. I was there only once when I was 6 years old. I tried to smuggle a puppy into my parents' luggage. The puppy kind of messed up my parents' clothes. Oops! I heard that story from my parents for years plus one I guess I did when I was much youger like 2 or so. My younger sister was crying in the crib and according to the story I put silverware in there to keep her occupied. And of course the story when I sat on an ant hill when I was very young. It's funny the stuff that one recalls.
Keep the faith. Yes. God has a plan for me and for each of us. Thank you so much for reminding me of the St. Patrick's prayer. He was a slave to the pagan Irish from the age of 16 to 19 or so, herding sheep in the countryside. Then he heard an angel saying, Your ship awaits you. St. Patrick walked like 200 miles to the coastline and there was a ship which he talked himself onto. He sailed to France with the crew and finally made it back to his family in England. Only when he was much, much older and had become a priest did he go back to Ireland to convert the druids into Christians. I just enjoy reading everything about St. Patrick.
Thanks again everyone.

I finally got through to someone who could help me get caught up with unemployment due to me. I drive 18 miles to get to some office where the woman said she could not help me but gave me a number. Before leaving that office I called the number she gave me and twice it did not go through. The third time Les - a man - answered. Turns out I had brought the wrong stack of papers with me so we could not do much then. But he gave me his direct office number which I called when I got home (another 18 miles) and found the correct paperwork. So supposedly whatever is owed me will be on the debit card I was given by this weekend. Plus I can now file for unemployment each Sunday. I previously could not do that because if you miss a few weeks the system throws you out. It's all computer or phone computer. So it was great talking to a real person today to get this straightened out. I hope it's enough to pay my rent. Wish me luck.

I hope you get it straightened out soon, Eileen! Good luck and hugs!

((((Eileen)))))
I hope and pray that you get a job very, very soon.
Best to you.

Thank you all so much. I am alone here in Phoenix, no family near by. But I have made some good friends through my part time job. And I have my internet friends here. My son and daughter whom I love to death turned out to be very good people with each having a good girlfriend and boyfriend respectively. I am very happy for each of them. But mainly I have God and the angels and Mary. My faith and my friends and my family are my support system. Thank God for the internet and for all of you. God bless everyone of you and may you also be helped in whatever problem or anxiety you may experience.
Love from Phoenix,
Eileen

(((((Eileen)))))

Your sweet spirit just speaks volumes about the person that you really are.

I just read that the government is beginning to hire many people for the upcoming census.

The pay is around $15.00 an hour and some of the jobs start now. 20 hours a week and flexible hours.

Check your county.

Eileen,

You are always in my prayers. You need to personally go into your bank and speak to the branch manager or whoever else is in charge there. Tell that person what your situation is, and ask them again to refund the charges to your account. They can certainly do it.

((((Eileen))))

Hi again, Eileen. Parma had a good idea about the census-takers. Not all their jobs involve canvassing neighborhoods. Some are phone-work, too. Check them out, because the jobs might fit well with your bouts of fatigue and all the doctors appts you have. (PS: Keep St. Pat's breastplate "on"....sounds like you need a coat of armor from some of the mud being lobbed at you, LOL) Keep your chin up and your heart open, and never give up your dreams.

Threedgrad, I am sorry to hear that you are still searching for employment! This is a very challenging time to find work, & I admire your tenacity. The way you face tough times is an inspiration, & I thank you for your wonderful example!

I keep you in my prayers!

Here are two prayers for employment:

God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment.
I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.
Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen

and...

(Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker, for employment)
God our Father and our Creator, You bestow on us gifts and talents to develop and use in accord with Your will.
Grant to me, through the intercession of St. Joseph the worker, as model and guide, employment and work, as I may, with dignity, provide for those who depend on me for care and support.
Grant me the opportunities to use my energy and my talents and abilities for the good of all, and the glory of Your name. Amen.

Peace be with you.

Thank you everyone. Yes, I am me - with all the good and bad I have going on in my life. I would not wish this cancer ordeal on anyone. But I am going to use this tough time to get closer to God.
stinky-gardener, thank you for those prayers.
As far as the census I did call them twice at least a month ago to make an appointment but they never called me back. So I think I will have to drive down to their office, wherever that is, to take the test. There is a test which a friend of mine took in WI. She did not finish the questions in time. She thought it was a tough test. But I will go and do it soon. Here they pay $15 an hour if you meet the quota that they set. So I will let you know what turns out. Meanwhile I am applying online to jobs on craigslist or careerbuilder or monster. Today I applied for 6 jobs. All of them pay much less than the job I lost last August. But some money is better than none.
Thanks again.
Love to you all, even dilly
Eileen in Phoenix

Well, I got through to census bureau on the phone. My zip code has enough people so there are no openings. They won't let you work in a different zip code then where you live. Call back in October the gal says. That's when they are hiring again. Oh, well.

Hang in there Eileen. We've all seen doors open for you in last few years. It seems that just when you start to think nothing is happening, suddenly the right thing comes along. It's so scary to *not* know what's coming next, but I can look back on your story and see that when you need that next step, the pathway appears.

(((((Eileen))))))

DillyDally, I'm just speechless at your attitude and the tone of your posts.

Eileen, I have a friend whose sister is a nurse in a very nice place here in our town, where handicap children stay for periods of time. During the night shift, there seems to be a need for good people to work that shift. It pays really well and the benefits are amazing. They give lots of sick time and vacation. They hire a lot of students because there isn't much to do during that time and the students get to study. The kids are sleeping most of the time. I don't think it would be a stressful job. Maybe you could find something like that in your town.

However, I have heard changing to a night shift job could be stressful, so I don't know if that would bother you or not, since you need to keep yourself healthy.

I guess I need to add, the people on the night shift aren't nurses. I'm not sure of their title, but they watch over the kids, and if anything was to happen, there are nurses on duty.

I just wanted to thank everyone again for their prayers. Although I do not have a job as of yet or even an interview, my unemployment going back to September came through. Thank God for that guy Les who went through each week with me on the phone this past week. So I am using the money to pay April and May's rent so I can stopped worrying about that for the next two months. God does deliver.
Thank you all again for your good wishes and prayers.

Eileen, that's wonderful news that the unemployment came through. It's as though you are really getting some first-hand knowledge of what it means to live by faith, and your positive attitude and loving spirit is a testament to the rest of us. Wishing many more blessings upon you!

I don't know if this would be an option, but have you tried looking for part-time receptionist-type jobs? I was thinking especially for dentists, doctors, small businesses. I've often seen such jobs advertised. The application process might be less bureacratic than for a large company and wouldn't be too physically demanding, and they might appreciate someone with a flexible schedule.

It wouldn't hurt to search through your local want ads using "receptionist" or "office manager" or "office assistant" as search parameters.

Good luck. I hope you find something.

harriet, I apply for those jobs every day. In fact, I am going to fax my resume to an office job in Scottsdale. I am also going to get a deferment on my school loans until I get another good paying job. Thanks!!

Ach, that's such good news. A lucky Friday the 13th story!

Excellent news, Eileen. I'm so happy for you.

So glad that your unemployment benefits will be returned to you. Let's applaud the efforts of Mr. Les!

If you can get payments on your school loan deferred, that's a great idea.

Just want to mention, there was a woman interviewed on a Larry King show this week about finding a job in this tough market. She said that mostly, her experience had been that people were just not calling her, that she heard nothing back when she sent out her resume. The expert on the show said for every 21 resumes a person sends out, expect only one response!

So, don't feel alone in this. You are doing all the right things. This is a challenging job market, but your stick-to-it-iveness will pay off!

Goodluck to you Eileen I know looking for a job can be stressful and disheartening, but hang in there.

I would also suggest that for every resume you email/fill out online, you followup with a phone call every few days. I remember my first boss telling me that he hired me because I was so persistent. I really wanted that job, and he kept telling me we're not ready to hire blah blah blah. I called him every week for like two months. I think he was sick of me! I worked there in many different positions for 22 years!

They probably get a ton of online applications, but follow up either in person or over the phone and ask for an interview.

Thanks Carol. Most of these craigslist and careerbuilder positions say no phone calls. Things are so different than they used to be as far as getting a job.
Several weeks ago I did just walk into Drexel/Heritage furniture store wearing a suit and carrying my resume. The manager did take time to speak to me but he had no openings. Business has been slow. But I will followup with him because I really liked the atmosphere in there and he seemed to be a very nice boss. When I walked into Mor Furniture - a much lower end type of merchandise - the boss was snippy and several people working seemed afraid of him. I never bothered to fill that application out. And the one interview I had at Ashley Furniture was not very pleasant. The boss kept me waiting for 20 minutes. The hours were like 9:30 am to 8pm - no overtime, straight commission. The draw is only $10 an hour which you have to pay back when you get your commission check. You need to sell at least $9000 a week to make up for your draw. Every salesperson there was a guy in his 20's or early 30's. So that is not a dependable paycheck.
But I did apply at a bank and a jewelry store and for a receptionist job and for a cabinet desgner/salesperson. There are no jobs in my field - architecture. There must be a ton of us out there looking for work.
Thanks again everyone for all of your ideas.

Eileen,
I'm not sure what caused your hard time with unemployment but benefits throughout the country are extended for 11 months past the 6 months you are given initally that includes in AZ. It's part of the stimulus package. That means that you should continue to get unemployment after you receive the 6 months that they owe you.

I've been on unemployment for the last 6 months so I pretty well keep up with what's going on. I just want to inform you of information that might be helpful to you. The environment is very poor right now for getting a job which is why we have gotten a very long extension.

Try posting your resume on Monster.com. I have had success with it recently. You just have to keep reposting your resume every 10 days so that is doesn't go to the bottom of the black hole. Something is bound to stick. It's just going to take longer. Usually I go through recruiters for work but they are even having a hard time getting the work orders.

Good luck to you. Don't forget that everyone will be receiving $400 from the stimulus package also.

Jerseygirl gives some good info. I recently hired 7 people and despite the large number of resumes I received, it took months to do so-- I had very little luck with posting to dice.com. The FLOOD of resumes was unmanageable and very few received the personal attention they deserve. I did, however, search the dice listings-- and that is what the services are suggesting employers do. Definitely post your resume if you have not already. I hired 1 of the 7 employees from Dice.

All the other new hires came through personal connections (2) and a local staffing company (4 contract to hire). I recommend that you NETWORK and check out some of your local staffing companies. More and more organizations are using the staffing orgs. Research them-- who is placing the most people right now? My company works with just one (Tek Systems) and we have for years. While we complain about their rates, the reality is that their screening saves us a lot of valuable time (and likewise, saves the candidates a lot of time). While it is frustrating for you sending out your resumes and getting no response, it is just as frustrating for understaffed employers to read them all and to go through numerous interviews. These staffing services really help push the process along for all parties. And if you use one, be sure to make a good impression with your recruiter-- they are very involved with placing the right person in the right job and tend to push their best candidates to their most reliable companies. One more thought on staffing companies-- many offer training courses. Use your downtime now to beef up your skills. What skills are being sought after in your area?

I wish you luck-- but the reality is that in the good times finding a job is a full-time job. In these times, you absolutely need to put ALL the energy you can spare into your search. Don't look for the perfect match or the work from home gigs-- look for the companies that are hiring and impress them-- then try to find the best match for you in their organization. I, for instance, am very generous with my work from home policy with my staff-- but I absolutely would not hire someone who walked into an interview asking about telecommuting/working from home. I need a team player-- if I hire someone who has all the skills and characteristics I need for a position then I would absolutely trust them to work from home. If someone walks in the door asking to work from home, my first impression is that they are either a slacker or not interested in being a part of the organization-- neither of which would encourage me to hire the individual over the next guy or gal.

Finally, make SURE your resume and cover letter are well written and contain no spelling or grammatical errors. This sounds like a no brainer but I can't tell you how many resumes and cover letters are littered with errors. Nothing moves a resume or application to the "no, thank you" list faster than poor grammar/spelling errors.

Good luck to you and all others looking for work.

Thank you both. I do have my resume on careerbuider, monster and now on dice which I had never heard of. But I did not know about having to repost the resume.
I want to work in an architectural office as that is my education and knowledge. But none of those places are hiring right now. So I have to look elsewhere. I don't type very fast at all.
I am registered with 2 staffing agencies but they have no jobs at all. I would not ask to work from home if I am applying to a regular company. The two places I had applied for online that were work from home turned out to be scams.
But I am applying for admin jobs, sales jobs, bank jobs, whatever I think I could do.
Meanwhile, I am up to date with unemployment so I can now file each week.
What other employment agencies shoiuld I sign up for? I am with General Employment and Kelley Services. I think we have Aerotek here too.
Thanks again.

indeed.com is another good job search website.

eileen...my continued thoughts and prayers for you.

along with the unemployment, please do research what else is available to you during this time.. ie...food stamps, help with rent, etc.

Thanks Christina, I have applied for food stamps, general assistance, etc. They have 45 days to make a decision. I am ok on food because St. Vincent De Paul will bring me food if I need it. What a wonderful organization that is.
Thanks again to everyone.
I hope to finish my chemo by the end of this month but they may spill into April if the doctor does not want to do the last three treatments consectutively, each Monday. He may want me to do only two and a week off and then final one. I may be wrong about the number left - it might be just 2 which would be great!

Hey Eileen,
I just stumbled onto this web site and thought of you. I don't see it previously mentioned: kijiji. It's sort of like a smaller craig's list only a little better (I was antique window shopping and all the posts have photos, lol!) I took a peek in Phoenix classified before I posted the link here since I'm not familiar with kijiji, by all appearances there are legitimate jobs posted. No doubt there are scams on there as well, but I do see 'known' names of places hiring (be sure to check out "Other" in jobs category, there are some legitimate looking ones mixed in there as well).

Still thinking of you and wishing you all good things!

It looks like Manpower has an office in your area. I've done temp work for them in the past as well. They may have jobs that are not listed on their website.

My current job was obtained thru Spherion. It looks like they has positions in AZ as well. http://jobsearch.spherion.newjobs.com/jobsearch.asp?col=dltj&vw=b&sort=dt&lid=1668&fn=&q=&x=21&y=5

It also looks like you have a local firm called Staffing Consultants as well: http://www.staffing-consultants.com/resources.html#Employee%20anchor

Here is a link that might be useful: Manpower

Thanks dktrahan! I will look those up.