I need help

As of January 22nd of 2005 I will have no source of income. I have exceeded the number of course hours to received financial aid for college, my Co-Op position at a local crane company will come to an end and I will not be able to receive any disability cause of work experience.

Having limited vision, and transportation for the Richmond, VA and Henrico, VA areas Monday-Friday 8am - 6 pm further limits my ability to work. The resume websites have been of little use to me as most are scams, pure commission deals or requires you to have a driver's license or own a car.

I do however have some work experience and live in the Richmond, VA area. I live in the city and have access to cellular networks, DSL, Cable Internet service. I own several computers and have a deep clear voice with a mild southern accent. I am open to any job.

I do not mind helping with providing support for your product or service. I love facts, figures and specifications, I will know your product better than you if giving a chance. I do not mind processing orders for your company either. I am flexible hours wise any shift you need and live in the Eastern Standard Time Zone.

Below is part of my resume and for further information you can email me at [email protected] I can start immediately and was paid $10 an hour plus commission at my last job.

Education

J Sargeant Reynolds Community College 1999-2003
Associate in Business Administration
Associate in Social Science

Work Experience

Involved in Customer Service, Administrator of Sales and Telemarketing (Cold Calling), with Truck Mounted Hydraulic Aerial Equipment May 2004-present (part time)
Volunteered skills to build and maintain disability computer lab at community college August 1999-2003 (part time)
Performed three Internships at the Department for the Blind in the Rehab Engineering Division, 1999-2001
Senior Tech in charge of several computer labs and employees in the dorms of a rehab center, 1996-1997
Worked in a Chrysler dealership shop during Summers 1992-1994

Other Experiences

Member and Won Second Place State Level for Phi Beta Lambda Website Design, 2003
Helped Parents Deliver Newspapers (Richmond Times Dispatch, Daily Press, Virginia Pilot), 1990-1996

Relevant Skills

Aerial Equipment
Customer Service/Cold Calling/Administrator of Sales
Managing, Updating Database of Existing and Adding New Customers
Experience with Elliott, UTEM, Aichi and Baker Aerial Equipment
Assisted Existing and New Customers in Selecting the Right Piece of Aerial Equipment for Their Needs
Average 108 Connects in 5 Hours

Rehab Engineering

Built and Repaired Disability Hardware
Built Intranet and Internet Websites for Agency
Researched Information on Hardware and Software
Performed Routine Clerical Work

Computer Labs

Set up, Configured User and Disability Software
Maintained, Upgraded and Repaired Computers
Managed Employees Hired, Fired, Trained
Assisted people in using Computers with Disabilities
Wrote Documentation for use of Software Configurations
Experience with Kurzweil, Ruby, Jaws, JFW, Zoom Text

Automotive Work

Tuned and Serviced Automotive, Industrial and Small Engines
Inspected and Trouble shoot Automotives and Industrial Equipment
Maintained Waverly County Police Cars
Performed rudimentary shop work

Hi Cobb,

I am sorry I have no job offers or advice to offer although it sounds like you might have enough skills to land something? I am curious though is how bad is your eyesight? Being cross-eyed as a child I basically only have one good eye in which in the past few years the correctable vision has dropped down to 20/40 or so. It used to be 20/20 (corrected for near sightness) and actually for closeup I could read the 20/15 line and the problem may or may not be caused by a cortical cataract, depending on which doctor you ask. Driving (particularly at night) is a pain as well as the job but what has saved me so far is that I see better close then far and can generally still read the directions on the pill bottle. If the vision loss continues and indeed is not from a cataract then I have no backup skills. I could possibly be royally screwed in the future but I will hope for the best.

Anyhow best of luck to you.

Hello Cobb,

I'm sorry to hear about your income situation. I hope something comes along that will get you out of your bind.

I noticed your mention of your "clear voice" - have you considered doing voice work via IP or ISDN? Many announcers have websites with samples of their stuff, and they offer to do their work right out of their homes. Seems to me that this is something you could do, and with your computer knowledge it would be easy from a technical standpoint.

My vision is a ten degree field with 20/200. I see at 20 feet away in detail you or a normal person does at 200 feet. So, if you can read license plates at 200 feet away, I have to be tweenty feet away or I cant see them.

Basically I cant read small print without the help of my led lights the 6 chip or xpg. I also can not read room numbers without a light or feeling them. I can see to get around, but need to know my area. Most people too look a like till they get close to me or I discover something unique about them. I could likely drive, but I wouldnt be able toready any street signs, I can see traffic lights and car lights.

I never considered voice work, but have talk radio. I am sure talk radio is done and over with.

Well, been searching those online websites for jobs, big loss unless I want pure commission going door to door or business to business. I am also using the wanted section of the newspaper, most of those are odd jobs with hours or areas where I cant get to. Got an interview Tuesday at a Ford dealer as a warranty person. Bit concerned as the person made an appointment for me but did not take down my name. I then am heading to the employment commission THursday for the afternoon.

Yeah, wish me luck. Kind of a sticky situation. Between the college thing, my current job dumping me after they lead me on that I could work with them full time. Not too fund of being a telemarkerter, but its a living. Got an interview with another call center the 17. THis one is inbound calls. Woohoo, yeah right.

Maybe the democRATs were right about Bush and the job market?

Don't despair yet, cobb. Having gone through MANY lay offs & plant closings, I can only advise to persevere - don't give up.

I have a hearing impairment (wouldn't it figure that music and audio are my other hobbies) and am over 50, in an ecomomically depressed area and it took a year of temp & PT jobs, but I'm now working at a very good job.

Hang in there, cobb. And good luck to you.

Try Virginia one call system @ www.missutilityofvirginia.com

You might be able to work from home for these guys. I work *around* some of these people. Many of them work from home throught the net. The company forwards phone calls to their home # during working hours. You should have good phone skills, attention to detail, and the ability to see a computer monitor. Also, if your state's center is 24/7 you might be able to work the 2nd or 3rd shift.

I'm not sure about the pay, but here in MS the benefits are excellent. It's a nonprofit, but it falls under the state workers as far as healthcare is concerned.

Good luck. Your story makes me appreciative of how blessed I am.

THanks. Yeah, I am open to about anything within my time span. Hell, I applied to dress barn and some ladies fitness gym.

I will give that link a try. Shame my current boss has their kids work from home using the net, although probility would help if I had the same last name as they did.

I know it can be done, just got to find the person who will do it.

The United Way agency in my area does something similar; they run a virtual call-center where their employees work out of their home using VOIP and a broadband connection.

cobb,

Have you applied for Social Security Disability yet? If not, it is worth a try.

Chuck

You may want to apply to be an office building security officer.
With that kind of job, you could do your college work at the security site after everyone has left the building in many cases.
You may want to pull out the yellow pages and look up Barton, or Allied security to start.
I used to work for them a while back, and they I believe have a branch office in Richmond.
They should be in the Yellow pages under security.
If a no go, try the other companies in the security section of the yellow pages.
I mean, what can they do bad about it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Best of luck to you.

I am or "was" disabled. Since i worked I am not considered disabled unless some new happens to me. I will be able to get unemployment.

I visited the employment commission, sounded good, but will see. THe other two interviews fizzled. THe ford dealer already found a guy for his warranty position.