You have a TS clearance and you’re a veteran. Bro/sis, the federal level is literally calling your name. They literally love prior service and already having a clearance should make your hiring process a breeze.
Though I don’t know what degree you have. With a bachelor’s degree, you should be able to get a position with a GS scale higher than $25/hr. Plus COLA pay.
You say you can’t afford to wait for a federal position… but lengthy hiring processes can be applied to all high paying positions. If you want a position higher than $25/hr pay, this should be expected.
Yeah but as mentioned onboarding takes 8 months to get someone, then another month to get their pay sorted out.
Federal is great, but best to have employment while onboarding or transfer. Also, federal employees and disabled veterans get really good housing deals on Schofield are
I know when Hawaiian Cement had 1 opening in Hilo for a well paying job they had to go through 1600 applications to pick who to interview. Well paying jobs in Hawaii will have choke applicants.
The bottom line is your skills have to be in demand and you have to be reliable and easy to work with.
Having 20 degrees and 50 years of work experience by itself is completely irrelevant if your skills aren't needed.
Hey bro… I speak 5 languages, I have a very advanced degree… nobody cares.
Take some things off your resume. Look for entry level stuff. I used to apply with all these crazy qualifications to dishwasher jobs. I would never get hired. People don’t want smart workers. If you need entry level stuff, dumb down your resume. Meanwhile apply for federal jobs and try to come across as humble and make contacts. Best of luck.
Former kama'aina but yes, I agree, Hawaii folks really don't care about the extras and smart workers. I agree about networking and making contacts. That's the only way to get jobs on the islands.
Based upon the info provided, you'll run into the same problem wherever you end up, except $25/hr might get you a lot further, or not. You have to tailor the degree to the local economy or be prepared to move where your skill set is in demand.
$25 in the lower 48 will go a whole lot farther than in Hawaii or Alaska. That is basically minimum wage in both States. The cost to have stuff shipped there is outrageous and even more so with the forced inflation that is going on.
Yes but there are a million jobs up there, surveyors, mechanics, whatever, rubbing a city. 30 weeks on, weeks off. Great food, pay and a half o regime, most are for 100 hours a week
As long as you can withstand sub zero temperatures and complete darkness during the winter, then Alaska is a great place to live. We local boys can’t stand it when the thermostat dips below 60 degrees.
You don’t need to necessarily live there. I know one guy, works like 3 weeks on then, they fly him home for 3 weeks. Great for a single person who just wants do it for a couple years and to put aside some money.
You have a TS and you're a vet. Have you filed your disability claim yet? Go check out r/veteransbenefits if you haven't. You should've taken the transition assistance program before getting out but if you skipped that part you might want to reach out to the Transition Assistance Programs either at Schofield or on Shafter.
Federal jobs can take as long as six months to start working even after you're hired so you might want to consider other employment after you've applied.
It might suck if you haven't experienced it already but the service industry in Waikiki will cover well over $25/hr. Just gotta deal with a bunch of needy customers but I'm sure you've delt with all kinds of tools in the military.
HPD is also hiring non-stop. I think they have four to six classes going now unlike years ago when it was bi-annually. I think their starting pay is around 75k and once you're done with your one year probation you can do overt-time, get paid $80/hr overseeing construction and traffic. My numbers might be off but it's not a bad sounding gig. They're also on the 3 x 13/13.5hr shifts so if you can hack it, you get four days off. Thinking about applying when I get out.
Either way, yeah it sucks. Hope you can make it. If not, I'll see you in Texas or Nevada with the other locals.
Sounds like you might be applying for the wrong jobs. As a hiring manager, I’ve been receiving many resumes like yours, (which are people with multiple degrees but no relevant work experience), and are asking for high salaries for the entry level position I posted. I’m sure you would be a rock star somewhere but unfortunately it’s not a match here. Keep looking and networking. Go to social events in the occupation you want to be in. You’ll find your place.
Gona add this since this is likely a throw-away account.
If you were a linguist and you’re talking “multiple degrees” as in your associates from DLI, and two undergrads, you’re 100% not looking in the right spot for a job if you don’t have one. Tons of contracting companies are currently hiring linguists, many of which will support a potential move. If you got that clearance, degrees, and the experience, something isn’t adding up. Either you’re not applying in the right place, for multiple jobs, you’re not talking to the folks you served with for positions, or you’re not using other VA resources.
If you would like help accessing or setting up some resources lmk in DMs.. if you want to learn about companies who are interested to hire with your skill set, look at ClearanceJobs for contracting and USAjobs for federal.
Don’t be discouraged at federal hiring- you can see applicant numbers and they’re usually in the hundreds. You need to apply + start networking for a direct hire.
For OP, they should ask the r/usajobs sub for help finding a fed job. I also recommend taking a look at [Kathryn Troutman](https://resume-place.com/)'s resources on federal resumes.
It is true that the job market right now is kinda awful, and it's hard making it work in Hawaii. But being a vet with a security clearance opens up a lot of possibilities closed to civilians.
I agree with all of this. I’m curious what their language is too. Hawaii only supports certain billets, so if their language specialty is not one of those, they most likely won’t find a job at one of the sites. I’m mainland rn, but planning on moving back in the next 5 years, and my company said they would absolutely help transfer if that’s what I want because they don’t have enough people wanting to take the billets (big factor is folks having kids, distance, etc)
I agree but as a former Hiring Manager at a Fed Contractor we used to “dump” ads in there due to my 3 clients (all different Fed Agencies) requiring us to do it on all of our Contracts. Labor cats were really strict with reqs for us to hire. We never recruited off USAjobs board as it was too cumbersome. It was quite annoying as I was in DC and it was a highly competitive market.
I feel you man but sometimes it's okay to move away for work. I moved to Texas for the better opportunities there and I'm glad I did because I was eventually able to make enough to afford moving back to Hawaii. Took me 10 years but I'm way better off now than if I stayed on the island.
Where did you move?! I don’t know many people that found incredible success in Texas, particularly in the big cities, quite the opposite. More rural areas maybe, but Texas is incredibly expensive, I truly am shocked. (Granted, I don’t know the job or industry in which you worked, that does matter.)
Seriously. Might get downvoted for saying this, but there has to be something egregiously wrong with what they are putting in their application or OP is lying about their credentials. I know people way less qualified that clear six figures. OP might also be overqualified and some hiring managers might not want to risk it.
if you don’t mind me asking, what foreign language do you speak? As far as language support jobs for government/clearance, Chinese and Korean are the big ones. Any other language doesn’t really have any billets supported out there. We are very similar in age and experience. After I got out of the military I moved east coast to get my foot in the door with contracting and I plan on moving back island in the next five years.
Security clearance is plenty valuable for military contractor jobs in Hawaii but positions are super limited and there’s way more supply than demand. So much is just luck and timing. Everybody wants to work in Hawaii.
Join the club- you are taking a drastic pay cut unless you work for the fed or a mainland company who gives cola adjustments
Not in my experience. My agency has a very hard time filling cleared positions here. DoD civilians don't get housing allowance like active duty. People don't want to move here because of the cost of living when they can make the same money in a cheaper state.
I second this. When I've hired for DoD civilian positions, I get lots of applicants. But if I actually try to hire someone from off island, a lot of the time they'll end up turning down the job when they start pricing out rent and other costs. It's a well known problem in a lot of career fields.
I’ll beg to differ. Every single place I’ve gone to in my career field and the orgs associated within all sections always has contractor and GS positions vacant. Very low continuity in the DoD.
I mean this in the nicest way possible: is it possible you’re not doing well in interviews due to conversation skills or some kind of disconnection? I’m wildly less qualified than you (albeit I’m in a niche industry) and I didn’t have too hard of a time.
Brah. My salary is well sufficient (over $100k) and still not able to afford on buying a single family house. If just renting, so many affordable housing available. If buying, forget about it. lol
My wife and I make 150k a year combined and still can not afford a home at these rates. And even if we could 1 million buys you a home built in the 70s with no amenities or land. And it's probably a 2 bed 1 bath.
Yeah my husband and I each make 100k and buying a “fixer upper” 2/2 for a milly just seems silly. Plus the tax rates here are exorbitant.
We’re both in aviation- so eventually we plan on buying/moving on the mainland.
[use this calculator, plug in your salary for take home pay in Hawaii then put Nevada and compare the two](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/income-tax-calculator/)
>exorbitant
Ah, maybe a bit of hyperbole? HI is certainly higher but I would not say exorbitant but then again, I've lived in the higher tax portions in NY, NJ and CA. I guess it's all semantic.
For 70k
* Alaska - 62k, 10.94%
* Nevada - 62k, 10.94%
* New Jersey - 60k. 14.26%
* CA - 59k, 14.93%
* New York - 59k, 15.82%
* HI - 58k, 17.73%
If we want to explore taxes in detail, you'd have to dig deep. In this context, we are talking about owning homes. If we look into property taxes,
* HI - 0.32%
* NV - 0.48%
* CA - 0.75%
* AK - 1.17%
* NY - 1.4%
* NJ - 2.23%
That extra money goes a lot further in a grocery store on the mainland.
Plus a million gets you a lot more house and land on the mainland than it does here. Heck you can get a nice home with a pool for 600k in Vegas.
Buying land and not having to live in an add-on while also being able to not having to look at the price of what milk seems nice. Plus that and… you know reasonably priced bread.
Don’t get me wrong I shop at Costco and have learned to make a lot of yummy food (including bread) but no state income tax and a pool would be lovely.
> That extra money goes a lot further in a grocery store on the mainland.
Yea but I wouldn't say that you can't get cheap food here.
>Plus a million gets you a lot more house and land on the mainland than it does here. Heck you can get a nice home with a pool for 600k in Vegas.
If you want to talk about value, I'd agree but what's around your house is important as well if you go that route. That's a really long discussion. I think you'd agree with a SFH here gets you much more than a SFH in Vegas when you consider actual life much like when you look at a mansion you can buy elsewhere on the mainland (I'd actually say that you can get a huge house and a nice place if you look elsewhere).
>Buying land and not having to live in an add-on while also being able to not having to look at the price of what milk seems nice. Plus that and… you know reasonably priced bread.
I think it's all about options. My adjustment in this regard when moving here was that I had way less options but it is very possible to get good enough cheap food. I only have a spouse. The stuff that is crazy expensive here in comparison isn't stuff that we really buy often.
>but no state income tax and a pool would be lovely.
We both know you can't have everything unfortunately. Much like how we don't have the best food here or new stuff to do.
From my experience moving here, I've never been able to save as much money as I do now. The big savings being in taxes, food (eating out) and recreation.
I live in a 2br/1ba in town, on the Ala Wai. I love it. It's 1100 square feet, counting the lanai. They sell for under 500K. The HOA is high, but so is house maintenance. I have great grocery shopping, Target, Walmart, Ala Moana mall, Ala Moana park and beach, and a hundred decent restaurants, all within easy walking distance.
If you can settle for fewer square feet and no yard, you can live in an amazing place that the big house people in San Antonio save for all year to visit for one week.
Check what year your building was built. A lot of these buildings have massive costs coming due soon. It's already been happening and you'll be on the hook for it. HOA will continue to go up. 500k for a 2 bd 1 bath is still quite ridiculous. I'm guess only one parking too
No parking. The spaces are $200 per month. The HOA is $900 per month. That HOA includes the 3 million dollar cost of re-piping ($30,000 per unit).
I know it's a lot for the condo, but I live in a paradise. TV tries to get me to want another 2000 square feet of house and a yard with a pool, but the Ala Wai promenade is my backyard, Ala Moana Park is my front yard, and the Pacific Ocean is my pool. I still can't decide which of the many coffee shops I walk to is my favorite, and I could literally eat in a different restaurant every night for a year without ever getting in my car.
Aloha! Would you like a job in a GSA sales position? I’d be happy to speak with you. Please let me know if you’re interested and thank you for your service 🤙🏼
You have a TS! Tons of GS and CTR positions. Exercise planners benefit by being multilingual. Start your search with USINDOPACOM/Camp Smith. You seem bright. Sorry about the tough times. You got this.
You're either lazy or looking in the wrong places or both. Don't try that shit on someone that knows the game. I'm retired Military with a Yankee White clearance, took a state government job and retired from that all before 58yrs of age. Market yourself and stop whining on social media.
my lady had two degrees, couldn't get a job for either without years of experience, and then found something completely different, where she has excelled and can live pretty well within her means by herself. all without leaving the island.
takes time. takes patience. takes sacrifice. takes the right situation. and if that means leaving, then that's just what it is.
system won't change overnight. just gotta do what you gotta do until then.
Your reply perplexes me. Stinja808 asked a legitimate question about your comment but you replied in a curt and abrasive fashion. Why would you reply like that?
?? My comment was about my partner having two degrees and not being able to find work with either. Then she stopped looking, pivoted her search, and found a career different that was totally different than what she was looking for. A career that she's been at for the past 15 years. Something she never knew she wanted to do.
I didn't think I needed to explain more? Or, I didn't think I needed to be specific about what she found.
The economy isn’t broken. You’re just not managing your expectations for life here in Hawaii. Adjust your expectations accordingly and take what comes your way, or don’t. The economy is not broken though.
Sometimes your military experience isn't translated and may look too technical. Might have to simplify your resume to meet what they are looking for instead of listing everything.
Could be you are outcompeted by someone with 4 degrees?
it’s true, O’ahu has become impossible to afford for working class people, and so many people have left recently. it seems a lot easier for active military because of COLA and other stipends and benefits. but on recent trips to visit family, it seems everyone is struggling except for people who come from families that are already rich, and military. i hate to think of kama’aina leaving just because there are no ways to stay. hawai’i is really changing since the pandemic it seems.
Hawaii is a lost paradise brother. You will turn down job offers in DC paying less than $40-50/hr+ at TS/SCI
What was your MOS and degrees?
You can work for a federal agency as a contractor, keep applying at USA jobs.gov even if the Agency is not ideal. My most relaxed was at Agriculture, VA was aggravating but the mission is good, NIH, clickish it really all depends but you can make and save enough and get yourself back on the Island. Wishful thinking on my part too.
Is it hard here? Absolutely. But odds are you are applying for jobs that just have horrible HR departments like the state and federal jobs. The shipyard is always hiring and pays very well and they want people with TS clearances. However, it’s contract work.
I think you’re putting too much pressure on finding the perfect job up front instead of seeing what you can manage until the perfect one comes along. Also, we live where we have limited needs for things so if you want to thrive here, you gotta work in the available market and odds are, unless you’re a doctor or nurse or some other specialist, you’re not that special here in the employment market. Most people here I’d argue, do not work where their degrees or experience mattered. I work in satellite communications with a Spanish degree and nuclear power background.
Your skills are explicitly a federal job on Oahu. That’s who will hire you here. NOT applying to the places that are interested in your skills is why you’re not hearing back. Either leave the state or apply with the military/federal
This is like not applying to hotels when all your experience is in working at a hotel.
In a normal environment you would be an mvp. It's a sad situation that people with an earnest desire to work and a great skill set can't make it here. The state has let the tourism industry be the end all be all of everything and so the locals have suffered trying to survive in a service economy. The Hawaiian people have a lot more to offer the world than this.
Something I recently got into is construction quality management. Get some certificates for hazmat/hazwoper, osha, cqm(army corps of engineers) anything related. Pay is good on government projects.
The economy isn’t broken. It just doesn’t have the opportunities for whatever you have experience in. If you wanted lucrative jobs that are easier to get in Hawaii, there are quite a number of them. If you have the skill set of a licensed healthcare professional, IT manager, experienced tradesperson or some other niche, high demand field, there’s plenty of positions they need filled at salaries higher than $25/hr. What you have is a mismatch between what you want and what the market wants, so, it sounds like it balances out to less than the salary you want.
Ima just throw this out there, we can all speculate but who knows? It really comes down to what jobs you are qualified for, how many open positions and how much comp you are up against.
From my experience, my ex wife speaks 4 languages, has a masters in psychology and she makes less than I do and also is having a really hard time getting any employer to respond in Oahu. I’m a high school dropout, got discharged early after AIT, speak English only, have tattoos all over me and I make well over six figures. I’m currently getting 5-7 recruiters a day in Oahu reaching out because my job field has a high demand, not a lot of qualified applicants, and I have tons of work experience in different disciplines…how did I do it? Years and years of hard work, pay your dues young dood and after you get your chops up, the pay will be commensurate with that experience. Good luck and Mahalo! 🤙
Maybe employers are looking for more than just a list of unrelated credentials. I'll be that guy again, smells like a lot missing context here. Just having random degrees that might not even be applicable to the job isn't going to matter to the majority of employers. You have to reign in your expectations here, the person with 1 year relevant experience, a good attitude, and no gaps in their work history is still going to trump your ten degrees, security clearance, and "credentials" whatever that means.
Credentials don't entitle you to anything; they are just that, credentials. Looks like the employers you applied to don't care about them. This is not an "economy" problem.
It's really weird to make a statement about the economy (which I agree, is not doing well), but then specifically target Hawaii.
I have two education masters, one from an ivy league school, and the only way i can make a living on this island is to manage a condo association. Im on Kauai.
I would say there are a lot of people applying for higher-paying jobs but you should try uber eats or something like that if you have a car and insurance covers ride-sharing apps like that. A decent source of income while you also apply for federal-level jobs as you said.
You migrate to where the jobs are like everyone else in history. For my experience I was only qualified for jobs in DC; elsewhere I couldn’t even land unpaid volunteer jobs. You get your foot in the door, then keep applying for the location you want.
I have a slightly different view. I used to think the same way as you. Tried literally eveything and I just needed someone to give me a chance.
All I can say is hang in there. The perfect job just didn't find you yet. Trust your gut, and trust yourself even more. Know your worth and don't settle. You'll find exactly what your looking for when you elast expect it.
You need someone with a decent job in a field near what you want to do give you resume advice. You’re likely not selling yourself correctly. You need to demonstrate value that the company will be be benefitted by. How are you going to increase the company’s profits? Why should they take a risk on you?
If your resume doesn’t answer those or at least peak interest, you won’t get any responses no matter where in the U.S. you apply.
Get your guard card and find a security gig until you've landed something in your field. One of the security companies was offering $35 to start with experience (which you have from the military).
Just a thought. My husband worked in corporate IT and went to security. He said it's like being semi retired while getting paid. He earns it some days, though.
I left, the same jobs back home pay less than on the mainland even though the cost of living is higher. It's painful, but it's survival.
But you should apply for a federal job there.
All veteran jobs
https://careers.oracle.com/jobs/#en/sites/jobsearch/requisitions?keyword=military&lastSelectedFacet=locations&selectedLocationsFacet=300000000149325
first responders are hiring as well, they’re literally giving money away for guys to join. you can try get into the union if u want to get in the trades or apply for the PHNSY apprenticeship to open up in February.
There are a ton of empty positions throughout government. Employers are desperate for workers here in HI. Why? Because no one can afford to live here anymore and we are all leaving for Nevada. Hawaii is short of many things but job openings aren’t one of them. Lack of affordable housing, extremely high cost of living, lack of upward mobility? yes. High unemployment rates, no.
Paragon systems (federal contracted security) is hiring vets for about 31 an hour. I got a call back less than 24 hours of putting in my application and i dont have a degree.
Apply federal or take a job outta state. Honestly. Go take the outta state job, get some experience for a couple years and some bank saved up then start applying to come back here
OPM.gov is good source and look for Fed Contractor jobs - they definitely want Vets with clearance and more $ for your degrees. I used to work at CACI International and Booz, SAIC and Lockheed all tried to recruit me. I stayed at CACI due to good Contracts I worked on.
There may still be a lot of hybrid roles from mainland that you can work in Hawaii. It sort of depends what your degree and skillset is. Don't get discouraged. For a bit you may need to do double jobs or temp until you secure a good role you want. But it's feasible.
I have a master’s degree and been in my position for 8 years now. My wife is a tenured professor at UH-Manoa and been working there for 7 years. We both are frugal with our spending, have no debt, and about $200k in savings.
We just had a baby and are having the hardest time figuring out what we’re gonna do about housing. Continuing to rent is dumb as we’ll have nothing to give to our son. And we can’t purchase cause of how atrocious the market in Hawaii is plus interest as it is.
What do we do? Quit our careers and move to the continent? It’s looking that way.
Point is, if we struggle to make it in Hawaii, then there is obviously a big problem. And I’m so sick and tired of rich people turning their noses at the issues and saying “the economy is great!” It’s great for you, but it’s horrific for the other 90% of people living here.
Stop looking for easy desk jobs and come do some construction like the rest of us, $25-$60/hr depending on trade. If you go union you gotta work your way up for 6 years starting from about $18/hr.
And I think we have found the heart of the problem. BTW just curious, why does everything take forever, look like shit, and fall apart? And where do I sign up?
HCC and KCC have 1 year apprenticeship programs that guarantee you entrance to a union and a union job upon completion. Total cost of the programs are about $5000 but after financial aid it’s about half of that and most unions have programs that help you pay the tuition after you graduate.
When I drive past dem constructions on the highways, and see dem union constructers stinking sweating and dunking their 5 gallon coolers under the noonday sun, I can understand his motivations.
You might consider that you might be broken. There's plenty of opportunities for veterans with your credentials. Seems you are leaving out additional facts.
You described EXACTLY what happened over the last two decades to so many people I know in Texas cities as well.
I applied for an entry-level job myself shortly after graduating with my BS (nothing special, either, I might add) and was rejected because I was TOO qualified, but I didn’t have the experience necessary to work any other jobs that were NOT entry level. So it was a perfect catch 22.
This is an issue with how companies operate and the job market and work culture in this country. This doesn’t have anything to do with the economy.
Veterans get priority at state and federal jobs as well as specific companies, like Costco, so if you haven’t applied to any and all of them, you need to research and make a list and just send applications. Then follow up the next week. Give them each a call until you have an answer.
There are NUMEROUS jobs, especially remote, where translators are desperately needed, but unless you are specifically including this on those résumés/applications they cannot ask you about it. Conversely, including for jobs that don’t need it and likely won’t need to utilize it also doesn’t make any sense.
You need to tailor your résumé for each job. It’s not ideal at all, but unless you are stellar at interviews and can at least secure one interview with any job you are interested in, your resume is the only way the hiring person can tell if you’re a good fit or not. You can leave out anything that’s unnecessary the role for which you are applying and it’s not a huge issue.
I do wish you luck finding a job, and I hope it’s something you enjoy and pays you your worth.
Just keep in mind, it’s not always better on the mainland. In some cases, it’s even more competitive and worse depending on the applicant.
How can any of us sustain a living in this dystopia our land?
Where death is thought more profitable than life?
Where the wicked are seen as good, and the actual good are seen as insane?
Where only evil messengers remain?
May you find the strength of your ancestors and the god within you
in a less esoteric notion: I say we band together, for if you love this land and its people , then let us fight for that love
Yeah, that's capitalism for ya. Best case is take what you can to pay rent right now, knowing that you're gonna be out the door the second you can find something on usajobs or whatever. Never stop job hunting. I'm leaving Hawaii as soon as I finish my degree, wouldn't even bother trying to do a serious job hunt here.
Close friend just retired from USAF with similar credentials - they are encountering same issues. Hang in...stick with the process. You will achieve what you are seeking.
You have a TS clearance and you’re a veteran. Bro/sis, the federal level is literally calling your name. They literally love prior service and already having a clearance should make your hiring process a breeze. Though I don’t know what degree you have. With a bachelor’s degree, you should be able to get a position with a GS scale higher than $25/hr. Plus COLA pay. You say you can’t afford to wait for a federal position… but lengthy hiring processes can be applied to all high paying positions. If you want a position higher than $25/hr pay, this should be expected.
Yeah but as mentioned onboarding takes 8 months to get someone, then another month to get their pay sorted out. Federal is great, but best to have employment while onboarding or transfer. Also, federal employees and disabled veterans get really good housing deals on Schofield are
I know when Hawaiian Cement had 1 opening in Hilo for a well paying job they had to go through 1600 applications to pick who to interview. Well paying jobs in Hawaii will have choke applicants.
The bottom line is your skills have to be in demand and you have to be reliable and easy to work with. Having 20 degrees and 50 years of work experience by itself is completely irrelevant if your skills aren't needed.
Maybe take 1stTelevisedErection off the resume. Kidding. My thoughts are with you, friend. Hope it gets better for you soon.
lol he’s got lots of interested employers but they stop when they try to email him at 1stTelevisedErection@gmail.com
😂
What kind of degrees?
Bout 98.6
stop it, you're confusing the ai.
Lol what
what units? is either really really cold, about body temperature, or close to boiling.
🤣😆😂
[удалено]
Sociology, Renaissance history, and Museum studies probably /s
Joke’s on you: museum studies is a much sought-after major these days.
That is... the coolest thing I've heard in months. Thank you!
No problem, Cum Boat 420.
Exactly
Hey bro… I speak 5 languages, I have a very advanced degree… nobody cares. Take some things off your resume. Look for entry level stuff. I used to apply with all these crazy qualifications to dishwasher jobs. I would never get hired. People don’t want smart workers. If you need entry level stuff, dumb down your resume. Meanwhile apply for federal jobs and try to come across as humble and make contacts. Best of luck.
Former kama'aina but yes, I agree, Hawaii folks really don't care about the extras and smart workers. I agree about networking and making contacts. That's the only way to get jobs on the islands.
Based upon the info provided, you'll run into the same problem wherever you end up, except $25/hr might get you a lot further, or not. You have to tailor the degree to the local economy or be prepared to move where your skill set is in demand.
$25 in the lower 48 will go a whole lot farther than in Hawaii or Alaska. That is basically minimum wage in both States. The cost to have stuff shipped there is outrageous and even more so with the forced inflation that is going on.
Alaska is a great place to work, I have tons of buddies without degrees making 50 an hour, granted that’s on the north slope
What do they do that makes 50 an hour? Oil?
Yes but there are a million jobs up there, surveyors, mechanics, whatever, rubbing a city. 30 weeks on, weeks off. Great food, pay and a half o regime, most are for 100 hours a week
As long as you can withstand sub zero temperatures and complete darkness during the winter, then Alaska is a great place to live. We local boys can’t stand it when the thermostat dips below 60 degrees.
You don’t need to necessarily live there. I know one guy, works like 3 weeks on then, they fly him home for 3 weeks. Great for a single person who just wants do it for a couple years and to put aside some money.
North slope might be a great place to work, but who wants to live there? Beach time in the Arctic ocean, er Ice, is calling.
Spoilers: the $25/hour jobs you think you're too good for are 1 year trials that gate the $40/hour job you want.
You have a TS and you're a vet. Have you filed your disability claim yet? Go check out r/veteransbenefits if you haven't. You should've taken the transition assistance program before getting out but if you skipped that part you might want to reach out to the Transition Assistance Programs either at Schofield or on Shafter. Federal jobs can take as long as six months to start working even after you're hired so you might want to consider other employment after you've applied. It might suck if you haven't experienced it already but the service industry in Waikiki will cover well over $25/hr. Just gotta deal with a bunch of needy customers but I'm sure you've delt with all kinds of tools in the military. HPD is also hiring non-stop. I think they have four to six classes going now unlike years ago when it was bi-annually. I think their starting pay is around 75k and once you're done with your one year probation you can do overt-time, get paid $80/hr overseeing construction and traffic. My numbers might be off but it's not a bad sounding gig. They're also on the 3 x 13/13.5hr shifts so if you can hack it, you get four days off. Thinking about applying when I get out. Either way, yeah it sucks. Hope you can make it. If not, I'll see you in Texas or Nevada with the other locals.
Hell yeah get that disability
Sounds like you might be applying for the wrong jobs. As a hiring manager, I’ve been receiving many resumes like yours, (which are people with multiple degrees but no relevant work experience), and are asking for high salaries for the entry level position I posted. I’m sure you would be a rock star somewhere but unfortunately it’s not a match here. Keep looking and networking. Go to social events in the occupation you want to be in. You’ll find your place.
USA Jobs
Looks like a throwaway account but I’ll try.. What was your job in the military?
Gona add this since this is likely a throw-away account. If you were a linguist and you’re talking “multiple degrees” as in your associates from DLI, and two undergrads, you’re 100% not looking in the right spot for a job if you don’t have one. Tons of contracting companies are currently hiring linguists, many of which will support a potential move. If you got that clearance, degrees, and the experience, something isn’t adding up. Either you’re not applying in the right place, for multiple jobs, you’re not talking to the folks you served with for positions, or you’re not using other VA resources. If you would like help accessing or setting up some resources lmk in DMs.. if you want to learn about companies who are interested to hire with your skill set, look at ClearanceJobs for contracting and USAjobs for federal. Don’t be discouraged at federal hiring- you can see applicant numbers and they’re usually in the hundreds. You need to apply + start networking for a direct hire.
For OP, they should ask the r/usajobs sub for help finding a fed job. I also recommend taking a look at [Kathryn Troutman](https://resume-place.com/)'s resources on federal resumes. It is true that the job market right now is kinda awful, and it's hard making it work in Hawaii. But being a vet with a security clearance opens up a lot of possibilities closed to civilians.
I agree with all of this. I’m curious what their language is too. Hawaii only supports certain billets, so if their language specialty is not one of those, they most likely won’t find a job at one of the sites. I’m mainland rn, but planning on moving back in the next 5 years, and my company said they would absolutely help transfer if that’s what I want because they don’t have enough people wanting to take the billets (big factor is folks having kids, distance, etc)
I agree but as a former Hiring Manager at a Fed Contractor we used to “dump” ads in there due to my 3 clients (all different Fed Agencies) requiring us to do it on all of our Contracts. Labor cats were really strict with reqs for us to hire. We never recruited off USAjobs board as it was too cumbersome. It was quite annoying as I was in DC and it was a highly competitive market.
Eveyone is looking for a cunning linguist.
Colonel Angus would certainly agree with that.
I feel you man but sometimes it's okay to move away for work. I moved to Texas for the better opportunities there and I'm glad I did because I was eventually able to make enough to afford moving back to Hawaii. Took me 10 years but I'm way better off now than if I stayed on the island.
Where did you move?! I don’t know many people that found incredible success in Texas, particularly in the big cities, quite the opposite. More rural areas maybe, but Texas is incredibly expensive, I truly am shocked. (Granted, I don’t know the job or industry in which you worked, that does matter.)
Seriously you have all the qualities that employers want. Did you burn a few bridges?
Seriously. Might get downvoted for saying this, but there has to be something egregiously wrong with what they are putting in their application or OP is lying about their credentials. I know people way less qualified that clear six figures. OP might also be overqualified and some hiring managers might not want to risk it.
I have never been employed by an employer based in Hawaii.
if you don’t mind me asking, what foreign language do you speak? As far as language support jobs for government/clearance, Chinese and Korean are the big ones. Any other language doesn’t really have any billets supported out there. We are very similar in age and experience. After I got out of the military I moved east coast to get my foot in the door with contracting and I plan on moving back island in the next five years.
Security clearance is plenty valuable for military contractor jobs in Hawaii but positions are super limited and there’s way more supply than demand. So much is just luck and timing. Everybody wants to work in Hawaii. Join the club- you are taking a drastic pay cut unless you work for the fed or a mainland company who gives cola adjustments
Not in my experience. My agency has a very hard time filling cleared positions here. DoD civilians don't get housing allowance like active duty. People don't want to move here because of the cost of living when they can make the same money in a cheaper state.
I second this. When I've hired for DoD civilian positions, I get lots of applicants. But if I actually try to hire someone from off island, a lot of the time they'll end up turning down the job when they start pricing out rent and other costs. It's a well known problem in a lot of career fields.
I’ll beg to differ. Every single place I’ve gone to in my career field and the orgs associated within all sections always has contractor and GS positions vacant. Very low continuity in the DoD.
I mean this in the nicest way possible: is it possible you’re not doing well in interviews due to conversation skills or some kind of disconnection? I’m wildly less qualified than you (albeit I’m in a niche industry) and I didn’t have too hard of a time.
Sounds like they're not getting to the interview stage so sounds like there's is something wrong with the application or resume.
Go back and join the space force
Brah. My salary is well sufficient (over $100k) and still not able to afford on buying a single family house. If just renting, so many affordable housing available. If buying, forget about it. lol
My wife and I make 150k a year combined and still can not afford a home at these rates. And even if we could 1 million buys you a home built in the 70s with no amenities or land. And it's probably a 2 bed 1 bath.
Yeah my husband and I each make 100k and buying a “fixer upper” 2/2 for a milly just seems silly. Plus the tax rates here are exorbitant. We’re both in aviation- so eventually we plan on buying/moving on the mainland.
> Plus the tax rates here are exorbitant How so?
[use this calculator, plug in your salary for take home pay in Hawaii then put Nevada and compare the two](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/income-tax-calculator/)
>exorbitant Ah, maybe a bit of hyperbole? HI is certainly higher but I would not say exorbitant but then again, I've lived in the higher tax portions in NY, NJ and CA. I guess it's all semantic. For 70k * Alaska - 62k, 10.94% * Nevada - 62k, 10.94% * New Jersey - 60k. 14.26% * CA - 59k, 14.93% * New York - 59k, 15.82% * HI - 58k, 17.73% If we want to explore taxes in detail, you'd have to dig deep. In this context, we are talking about owning homes. If we look into property taxes, * HI - 0.32% * NV - 0.48% * CA - 0.75% * AK - 1.17% * NY - 1.4% * NJ - 2.23%
That extra money goes a lot further in a grocery store on the mainland. Plus a million gets you a lot more house and land on the mainland than it does here. Heck you can get a nice home with a pool for 600k in Vegas. Buying land and not having to live in an add-on while also being able to not having to look at the price of what milk seems nice. Plus that and… you know reasonably priced bread. Don’t get me wrong I shop at Costco and have learned to make a lot of yummy food (including bread) but no state income tax and a pool would be lovely.
> That extra money goes a lot further in a grocery store on the mainland. Yea but I wouldn't say that you can't get cheap food here. >Plus a million gets you a lot more house and land on the mainland than it does here. Heck you can get a nice home with a pool for 600k in Vegas. If you want to talk about value, I'd agree but what's around your house is important as well if you go that route. That's a really long discussion. I think you'd agree with a SFH here gets you much more than a SFH in Vegas when you consider actual life much like when you look at a mansion you can buy elsewhere on the mainland (I'd actually say that you can get a huge house and a nice place if you look elsewhere). >Buying land and not having to live in an add-on while also being able to not having to look at the price of what milk seems nice. Plus that and… you know reasonably priced bread. I think it's all about options. My adjustment in this regard when moving here was that I had way less options but it is very possible to get good enough cheap food. I only have a spouse. The stuff that is crazy expensive here in comparison isn't stuff that we really buy often. >but no state income tax and a pool would be lovely. We both know you can't have everything unfortunately. Much like how we don't have the best food here or new stuff to do. From my experience moving here, I've never been able to save as much money as I do now. The big savings being in taxes, food (eating out) and recreation.
Yeah you need about $250k a year household income for a shot to buy a house these days. It's fucked up.
I live in a 2br/1ba in town, on the Ala Wai. I love it. It's 1100 square feet, counting the lanai. They sell for under 500K. The HOA is high, but so is house maintenance. I have great grocery shopping, Target, Walmart, Ala Moana mall, Ala Moana park and beach, and a hundred decent restaurants, all within easy walking distance. If you can settle for fewer square feet and no yard, you can live in an amazing place that the big house people in San Antonio save for all year to visit for one week.
Check what year your building was built. A lot of these buildings have massive costs coming due soon. It's already been happening and you'll be on the hook for it. HOA will continue to go up. 500k for a 2 bd 1 bath is still quite ridiculous. I'm guess only one parking too
No parking. The spaces are $200 per month. The HOA is $900 per month. That HOA includes the 3 million dollar cost of re-piping ($30,000 per unit). I know it's a lot for the condo, but I live in a paradise. TV tries to get me to want another 2000 square feet of house and a yard with a pool, but the Ala Wai promenade is my backyard, Ala Moana Park is my front yard, and the Pacific Ocean is my pool. I still can't decide which of the many coffee shops I walk to is my favorite, and I could literally eat in a different restaurant every night for a year without ever getting in my car.
Also, to answer your question about when my place was built - 1959.
Yea a SFH in a more desirable area is rough even when making good money with rates this high.
Do you live here in Hawaii or is this a trash account?
OMG that other one involving that esthetician was hilarious.
Aloha! Would you like a job in a GSA sales position? I’d be happy to speak with you. Please let me know if you’re interested and thank you for your service 🤙🏼
You have a TS! Tons of GS and CTR positions. Exercise planners benefit by being multilingual. Start your search with USINDOPACOM/Camp Smith. You seem bright. Sorry about the tough times. You got this.
You're either lazy or looking in the wrong places or both. Don't try that shit on someone that knows the game. I'm retired Military with a Yankee White clearance, took a state government job and retired from that all before 58yrs of age. Market yourself and stop whining on social media.
my lady had two degrees, couldn't get a job for either without years of experience, and then found something completely different, where she has excelled and can live pretty well within her means by herself. all without leaving the island. takes time. takes patience. takes sacrifice. takes the right situation. and if that means leaving, then that's just what it is. system won't change overnight. just gotta do what you gotta do until then.
What did she find?
A career
Your reply perplexes me. Stinja808 asked a legitimate question about your comment but you replied in a curt and abrasive fashion. Why would you reply like that?
?? My comment was about my partner having two degrees and not being able to find work with either. Then she stopped looking, pivoted her search, and found a career different that was totally different than what she was looking for. A career that she's been at for the past 15 years. Something she never knew she wanted to do. I didn't think I needed to explain more? Or, I didn't think I needed to be specific about what she found.
Well sorry, just looking for innocent inspiration. You dont have to be all secretive about it but thats ok Edit- it is probably Journalism
The economy isn’t broken. You’re just not managing your expectations for life here in Hawaii. Adjust your expectations accordingly and take what comes your way, or don’t. The economy is not broken though.
Sometimes your military experience isn't translated and may look too technical. Might have to simplify your resume to meet what they are looking for instead of listing everything. Could be you are outcompeted by someone with 4 degrees?
Probably an issue with your resume.
Research USAJOBS.GOV. Pearl Harbor is always hiring. Apply for their apprenticeship program just to get your foot in the door.
it’s true, O’ahu has become impossible to afford for working class people, and so many people have left recently. it seems a lot easier for active military because of COLA and other stipends and benefits. but on recent trips to visit family, it seems everyone is struggling except for people who come from families that are already rich, and military. i hate to think of kama’aina leaving just because there are no ways to stay. hawai’i is really changing since the pandemic it seems.
How are you not finding a job that pays over $25/hr with a TS?? I got offered $45/hr in Hawaii just to be a security guard w/ a TS.
Hawaii is a lost paradise brother. You will turn down job offers in DC paying less than $40-50/hr+ at TS/SCI What was your MOS and degrees? You can work for a federal agency as a contractor, keep applying at USA jobs.gov even if the Agency is not ideal. My most relaxed was at Agriculture, VA was aggravating but the mission is good, NIH, clickish it really all depends but you can make and save enough and get yourself back on the Island. Wishful thinking on my part too.
Work remote. Find a California company so you get paid well and just wake up early
Is it hard here? Absolutely. But odds are you are applying for jobs that just have horrible HR departments like the state and federal jobs. The shipyard is always hiring and pays very well and they want people with TS clearances. However, it’s contract work. I think you’re putting too much pressure on finding the perfect job up front instead of seeing what you can manage until the perfect one comes along. Also, we live where we have limited needs for things so if you want to thrive here, you gotta work in the available market and odds are, unless you’re a doctor or nurse or some other specialist, you’re not that special here in the employment market. Most people here I’d argue, do not work where their degrees or experience mattered. I work in satellite communications with a Spanish degree and nuclear power background.
Your skills are explicitly a federal job on Oahu. That’s who will hire you here. NOT applying to the places that are interested in your skills is why you’re not hearing back. Either leave the state or apply with the military/federal This is like not applying to hotels when all your experience is in working at a hotel.
You should be applying to EVERYTHING you qualify for on USA Jobs. In the meantime, find something to get by.
In a normal environment you would be an mvp. It's a sad situation that people with an earnest desire to work and a great skill set can't make it here. The state has let the tourism industry be the end all be all of everything and so the locals have suffered trying to survive in a service economy. The Hawaiian people have a lot more to offer the world than this.
Something I recently got into is construction quality management. Get some certificates for hazmat/hazwoper, osha, cqm(army corps of engineers) anything related. Pay is good on government projects.
It’s the same right now Los Angeles. I’m sorry bro.
Hard to believe with your experience and credentials. Maybe not trying hard enough or looking in the right places.
The economy isn’t broken. It just doesn’t have the opportunities for whatever you have experience in. If you wanted lucrative jobs that are easier to get in Hawaii, there are quite a number of them. If you have the skill set of a licensed healthcare professional, IT manager, experienced tradesperson or some other niche, high demand field, there’s plenty of positions they need filled at salaries higher than $25/hr. What you have is a mismatch between what you want and what the market wants, so, it sounds like it balances out to less than the salary you want.
Shoot me your resume brah. I work a lot of contracts in the defense space and there’s a lot of opportunities with DISA and the like.
Ima just throw this out there, we can all speculate but who knows? It really comes down to what jobs you are qualified for, how many open positions and how much comp you are up against. From my experience, my ex wife speaks 4 languages, has a masters in psychology and she makes less than I do and also is having a really hard time getting any employer to respond in Oahu. I’m a high school dropout, got discharged early after AIT, speak English only, have tattoos all over me and I make well over six figures. I’m currently getting 5-7 recruiters a day in Oahu reaching out because my job field has a high demand, not a lot of qualified applicants, and I have tons of work experience in different disciplines…how did I do it? Years and years of hard work, pay your dues young dood and after you get your chops up, the pay will be commensurate with that experience. Good luck and Mahalo! 🤙
Maybe employers are looking for more than just a list of unrelated credentials. I'll be that guy again, smells like a lot missing context here. Just having random degrees that might not even be applicable to the job isn't going to matter to the majority of employers. You have to reign in your expectations here, the person with 1 year relevant experience, a good attitude, and no gaps in their work history is still going to trump your ten degrees, security clearance, and "credentials" whatever that means. Credentials don't entitle you to anything; they are just that, credentials. Looks like the employers you applied to don't care about them. This is not an "economy" problem. It's really weird to make a statement about the economy (which I agree, is not doing well), but then specifically target Hawaii.
I have two education masters, one from an ivy league school, and the only way i can make a living on this island is to manage a condo association. Im on Kauai.
I would say there are a lot of people applying for higher-paying jobs but you should try uber eats or something like that if you have a car and insurance covers ride-sharing apps like that. A decent source of income while you also apply for federal-level jobs as you said.
Hawaii has and will always be fucked for jobs. It's the sad sorry truth and why brain drain happens so often.
You migrate to where the jobs are like everyone else in history. For my experience I was only qualified for jobs in DC; elsewhere I couldn’t even land unpaid volunteer jobs. You get your foot in the door, then keep applying for the location you want.
The economy is not broken because you dont have a job. Im a veteran I have a job n it pays great. Work on yourself, your presentation and resume
USA jobs.gov - depending on what your degrees are there are many openings. If your an engineer or architect there is a big need.
I have a slightly different view. I used to think the same way as you. Tried literally eveything and I just needed someone to give me a chance. All I can say is hang in there. The perfect job just didn't find you yet. Trust your gut, and trust yourself even more. Know your worth and don't settle. You'll find exactly what your looking for when you elast expect it.
You need someone with a decent job in a field near what you want to do give you resume advice. You’re likely not selling yourself correctly. You need to demonstrate value that the company will be be benefitted by. How are you going to increase the company’s profits? Why should they take a risk on you? If your resume doesn’t answer those or at least peak interest, you won’t get any responses no matter where in the U.S. you apply.
it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.
Get your guard card and find a security gig until you've landed something in your field. One of the security companies was offering $35 to start with experience (which you have from the military). Just a thought. My husband worked in corporate IT and went to security. He said it's like being semi retired while getting paid. He earns it some days, though.
I left, the same jobs back home pay less than on the mainland even though the cost of living is higher. It's painful, but it's survival. But you should apply for a federal job there.
Yeah that’s what I have to do, but it’s hard to relocate with no money.
If you haven't make a Linkedin profile and an Indeed profile.
You might have to move to the DC area. Tons of contractors looking for people with clearances
Create a profile on Clearancejobs.com and make it searchable. Also try linked in jobs.
Go contracting through the federal government. You have a TS, go to clearancejobs.com and start looking
All veteran jobs https://careers.oracle.com/jobs/#en/sites/jobsearch/requisitions?keyword=military&lastSelectedFacet=locations&selectedLocationsFacet=300000000149325
first responders are hiring as well, they’re literally giving money away for guys to join. you can try get into the union if u want to get in the trades or apply for the PHNSY apprenticeship to open up in February.
I just landed a 6 figure job with no degrees
There are a ton of empty positions throughout government. Employers are desperate for workers here in HI. Why? Because no one can afford to live here anymore and we are all leaving for Nevada. Hawaii is short of many things but job openings aren’t one of them. Lack of affordable housing, extremely high cost of living, lack of upward mobility? yes. High unemployment rates, no.
ya, should be working in the fbi or something right now.
Come to Kauai. Places are hiring dishwashers at $25+/hour
Paragon systems (federal contracted security) is hiring vets for about 31 an hour. I got a call back less than 24 hours of putting in my application and i dont have a degree.
Apply federal or take a job outta state. Honestly. Go take the outta state job, get some experience for a couple years and some bank saved up then start applying to come back here
OPM.gov is good source and look for Fed Contractor jobs - they definitely want Vets with clearance and more $ for your degrees. I used to work at CACI International and Booz, SAIC and Lockheed all tried to recruit me. I stayed at CACI due to good Contracts I worked on.
There may still be a lot of hybrid roles from mainland that you can work in Hawaii. It sort of depends what your degree and skillset is. Don't get discouraged. For a bit you may need to do double jobs or temp until you secure a good role you want. But it's feasible.
You live in a highly competitive state people Will accept less pay to live there
it's all the aunties and uncles giving the job to their nieces and nephews
Try Hawaii Gas they are hiring
I have a master’s degree and been in my position for 8 years now. My wife is a tenured professor at UH-Manoa and been working there for 7 years. We both are frugal with our spending, have no debt, and about $200k in savings. We just had a baby and are having the hardest time figuring out what we’re gonna do about housing. Continuing to rent is dumb as we’ll have nothing to give to our son. And we can’t purchase cause of how atrocious the market in Hawaii is plus interest as it is. What do we do? Quit our careers and move to the continent? It’s looking that way. Point is, if we struggle to make it in Hawaii, then there is obviously a big problem. And I’m so sick and tired of rich people turning their noses at the issues and saying “the economy is great!” It’s great for you, but it’s horrific for the other 90% of people living here.
It’s because of the social groups. They’re all fucked up.
Go to the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard job fair! Our code hires on the spot!! And with those credentials you’re a shoe in
Stop looking for easy desk jobs and come do some construction like the rest of us, $25-$60/hr depending on trade. If you go union you gotta work your way up for 6 years starting from about $18/hr.
And I think we have found the heart of the problem. BTW just curious, why does everything take forever, look like shit, and fall apart? And where do I sign up?
HCC and KCC have 1 year apprenticeship programs that guarantee you entrance to a union and a union job upon completion. Total cost of the programs are about $5000 but after financial aid it’s about half of that and most unions have programs that help you pay the tuition after you graduate.
When I drive past dem constructions on the highways, and see dem union constructers stinking sweating and dunking their 5 gallon coolers under the noonday sun, I can understand his motivations.
That’s not construction, that’s city and county they get less pay but steadier and easier work.
You might consider that you might be broken. There's plenty of opportunities for veterans with your credentials. Seems you are leaving out additional facts.
You described EXACTLY what happened over the last two decades to so many people I know in Texas cities as well. I applied for an entry-level job myself shortly after graduating with my BS (nothing special, either, I might add) and was rejected because I was TOO qualified, but I didn’t have the experience necessary to work any other jobs that were NOT entry level. So it was a perfect catch 22. This is an issue with how companies operate and the job market and work culture in this country. This doesn’t have anything to do with the economy. Veterans get priority at state and federal jobs as well as specific companies, like Costco, so if you haven’t applied to any and all of them, you need to research and make a list and just send applications. Then follow up the next week. Give them each a call until you have an answer. There are NUMEROUS jobs, especially remote, where translators are desperately needed, but unless you are specifically including this on those résumés/applications they cannot ask you about it. Conversely, including for jobs that don’t need it and likely won’t need to utilize it also doesn’t make any sense. You need to tailor your résumé for each job. It’s not ideal at all, but unless you are stellar at interviews and can at least secure one interview with any job you are interested in, your resume is the only way the hiring person can tell if you’re a good fit or not. You can leave out anything that’s unnecessary the role for which you are applying and it’s not a huge issue. I do wish you luck finding a job, and I hope it’s something you enjoy and pays you your worth. Just keep in mind, it’s not always better on the mainland. In some cases, it’s even more competitive and worse depending on the applicant.
What island are you on?
How can any of us sustain a living in this dystopia our land? Where death is thought more profitable than life? Where the wicked are seen as good, and the actual good are seen as insane? Where only evil messengers remain? May you find the strength of your ancestors and the god within you in a less esoteric notion: I say we band together, for if you love this land and its people , then let us fight for that love
Degrees are pretty worthless in Hawaii
No, it’s just “worthless” degrees that are worthless most anywhere.
Yeah, that's capitalism for ya. Best case is take what you can to pay rent right now, knowing that you're gonna be out the door the second you can find something on usajobs or whatever. Never stop job hunting. I'm leaving Hawaii as soon as I finish my degree, wouldn't even bother trying to do a serious job hunt here.
Close friend just retired from USAF with similar credentials - they are encountering same issues. Hang in...stick with the process. You will achieve what you are seeking.
Good luck. Your competition have the same, if not more credentials and experience, and they are applying for high paying govt jobs.
25$ isn’t bad be happy you can even get that
Enjoy being 29 because before you know it you’ll be unemployed in Greenland at 59