Sage

I need a job... more so than that, I WANT a job. A nice, steady income, regular hours, that sort of thing. I'm a bright, intelligent, well-educated young woman who looks like a totally normal person and who went to a good school. I have a BA degree. I'm not a bum, I have a good work history...

So, how the hell do I get a job? All of the jobs in the newspaper are for secretary work, or for waitresses (and those all want you to be expierenced). I have absloutely *no* idea what I'm supposed to be doing to get a job.. the last four or five jobs I applied to I was clearly qualified for (overqualified for some of them, really) and I didn't even get a callback, just called them up a week after I submitted my resume` only to get a "the position has been filled."

I am torn between saying "fuck it" and doing nothing (which finanacially I can do for a while) and getting really, really pissed off at the fact that I actively want a job and would be great at a job, yet can't get a fucking job!!

Where should I even begin to start?


and if this has been covered extensively before, please direct me to the right place

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maleficent

Have you considered temping for a bit-- they might not always be glamour jobs, but it might give you a feel for specific industries to help you with what you might want to do... it also gets you out and networking...

Experience right now I'm sure is what is keeping those call backs from comin, or rather lack of experience...

If you can't get a paying job, what about looking at volunteer opportunities... experience is experience... and it's also networking...

Networking is where many job leads and call backs come from...

Is there an alumni association for your alma mater? Career center at your alma mater?

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Sgoilear

What is your degree in? And how's your resume look? I'm sure there are several people on the forums would be happy to go over it and give you a few pointers. How do the interviews normally go also?

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"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." -George Bernard Shaw

Sage

I have had one interview from the fifteen or so jobs I've applied for in the past months.

My degree is a BA in Multimedia Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Interactive Design. I can do Photoshop, Illustrator, the entire Adobe suite (web page creation), Flash, Mac and PC platforms (for all those programs). My expierence (in anything) is three years working in clerical in the lab at a National Top 100 Heart hospital, the lab was ISO-9001 certified (and I went through the entire certification process). I had a 93% on my personelle review the last year I worked there. I was an apprentice to a jeweler this summer, helping her in creating more revenue for her buisness and organizing her studio- I also helped her at trade shows with her booth and selling stuff. I was a camp counselor for three consectitive summers at a Girl Scout camp between the ages of 16-18.

While at school I did the logo for the 20th national confrence on undergraduate research which is being held at my alma matter. It's apparently a big deal in the undergraduate research world.

I could totally understand if I was applying for jobs that required me to have a degree in something other than what I studied. But... why the hell aren't the secretary jobs calling me back? I lived and breathed hospital emergencies eight hours a day for three years and still managed to be one of the best employees there.... I just don't understand (when supposedly people are happy with employees that will come to work sober) why the crap I can't get a fucking $9/hr job as a secretary.

To answer your other questions, yes there's a career center at my alma matter, yes I've gone, the current incarnation of my resume has been through there and tweaked according to their suggestions. There's also an allumni association, but I've not visited there yet- you think they could help me with jobs?

I just don't understand what the hell kind of expierence these people want! I mean, no I haven't had fifty million jobs, but I'm a good worker who wants to work who easily learns new things and has a butt-ton of computer expierence. I can even clear a jammed copier

*sigh*.... Thanks for the help guys.... I really really appreciate it... keep it coming!

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The_Jazz

Here's my suggestion - stop looking in the want adds. I've gotten 1 job out of the paper (it ended up being a good experience), but every other professional job I've gotten has been because of who I know. If you're willing to work as a secretary, talk to your friends who are in the field that you want to go into. Find out who they know and if they're looking for anyone. I read once where 66% (or so) of all jobs are never advertised in the paper. Definitely talk to the alumni association - I know that I've helped a couple people from my college find things, even if its just referring them on to a friend of mine. Of the 15 or so folks that I've helped at various stages, only 2 have been with jobs at my company. Usually they're with a friendly competitor or a vendor or something like that. You need to make sure that the person recommending you is the right person, though, because I almost passed on one of my current assistants (who indespensible, BTW) because the person that recommended her is a complete flake.

If your old jobs were in the same city where you're trying to get a job, try calling your old bosses and see if they'll help you out. You might be surprised.

Good luck!

maleficent

Your resume might be too general... you might want to consider tailoring your resume to the job you are applying for, stressing the high points in the cover letter.

It's been suggested, but if you want to post your resume (blanking out the personal info if course) i'm sure that many folks, myself included, who look at tons of resumes a year, would be glad to give you some feedback.

The alumni association couldnt hurt - it's an opportunity to network - which these days, are the best places to job search...

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snowy

Also, if all you want is a basic job, go to the employment department. I know at least in Oregon they have comprehensive job search software that will allow you to run a search that matches your skills with potential employers. This is how I got my current job--and they called me.

Furthermore, look at the local school districts--are they hiring? There are LOTS of classified jobs in education--secretarial and otherwise. Since you DO have a Bachelor's degree, you could find out the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher (though I do understand that many people aren't interested in the classroom).

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Martian

networking and tailoring your resume are the two biggest tips and have already been covered. Some more general info...

First off, cover letters! They are essential. Your cover letter needs to sell you. If the cover letter is bad, the employer may not even look at your resume.

Basically, you want your cover letter to detail your experience and abilities and how they will benefit a prospective employer. Avoid weak working, like may, wish or want and definitely make sure you sell yourself! This is not a time to be modest.

Have someone look them over before you send them out. Another individual can critique the letter and spot errors that you may miss or offer constructive criticism. The ideal candidate is someone who is familiar with your background and has a strong grasp of the english language; an english major is best if you know one. I use my sister for the purpose.

You're already making follow-up calls, which is good. Keep that going; persistence pays off.

In regards to the degree, a lot of employers are less concerned what your degree is in and more concerned that you have one to begin with. This is especially true in regards to clerical work. That you went through the four or five years of university to get a BA shows that you have strong organizational skills, as well as a good work ethic (arguably both essential to do well in post-secondary education). Unless there are specific skills imparted by a degree that you don't have, the actual major doesn't really matter that much (in other words, those engineering jobs are out, but any clerical or secreterial work is a given).

Basically I've found that the two most important aspects of job hunting are confidence and persistence. Confidence comes in selling yourself to a potential boss; you may know you're the ideal candidate for the position, but he doesn't and you need to make him aware of the fact. Persistence is the next phase; the little details (follow-up phone calls, thank you letters after interviews, etc) make you stand out. You're no longer a face in the crowd; you suddenly have a name, as 'that girl who called back'.

Keep at it. A job search on average takes about three months. So long as you keep up that determination, you should find something.

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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Sage

Thanks so much guys for your help!

I think volunteering will be a good thing to do in the meantime while I'm looking for a job. I really want to have something that will get me out of bed before noon- a job, or a volenteer oppurtunity, or something. I also have not really thought of checking out a temp agency, but that is a very good idea- my brother got the position he is in right now (at Lowe's headquarters) through doing some temp work.

As to the cover letter, I always make sure mine are professional and taylored to meet the needs of who I'm sending it to. I taylor the resume too towards the job I'm applying for.

The allumni association I will check out- do I just go up there and be like "I need a job point me towards people to network with"? I think I'll drop by the career center too, the lady I work with there is *very* nice but I think they're more into helping you once you know where your resume will be going.

The networking thing I know is important but I'm not sure how to do it... I feel kinda silly marching into a buisness and asking to speak to the person who does the hiring. I am not sure what direction to come from when looking for a job- how confident to be, what to say, that sort of thing. I want to come across as my personable, reasonable, faublous self but I feel like that's hard to do with the pretext of "getting a job" hanging over my head. Are there any books you guys would recommend that would help?

I never expected it to be this difficult to really get a job- the first two jobs I had (the camp counselor and the hospital job) I got through.. well, networking! I guess it really does work!

I have a domain name registered- we're supposed to have snow this weekend so I'll work on getting my resume posted up there for anyone here who wants to take a gander at it.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH for your help- it really is a confidence booster and it is helping me feel like getting a job really is something I can do

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maleficent

Networking isn't necessarily an overnight way to get a job...

What you might do... (I've never done this myself, but am considering it) Thru your alumni association, find someone who holds a position that might interest you... Then email them, or write them a letter asking to set up an informational interview... where you can ask them about their job, what they do, what they like and don't like.. etc.. you basically get to find out about the position from the inside...

They might not do direct hiring, but they might be able to give you some leads as to who to talk to in other companies- it's really gettng you info about the job...

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The_Jazz

One other suggestion that I know has worked well for people around here. Send a thank you note to whoever interviewed you the same day. Fax it or email it you can to make it get there even sooner. It doesn't have to be long, but just making the effort can be quite impressive.

Cynthetiq

Networking is best done via mixers and organizations.

Are there any organizations that are within the industry you want to participate in? Example, if you'd like to break into the cable TV industry there is a group called NAMIC, North American Minorities In Cable. They meet monthly and those that are outgoing and networking seem to walk off with lots of business cards and contacts. Once you have those, you follow up with phone calls, emails etc. Let them know you are looking for work and specifically what you want to do and what skills you have.

Keep in contact with these people, try to have lunch with them, make them your friends.

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thesupermikey

have you thought about internships?

i dont know how long you have been out of school, but many will take who are a year or two out of school.

there are also internation programs. Countries like China and India and turkey are looking for young, well educated americans to each english

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Sage

Thanks for your help again: There's an internship and summer job fair coming up at my alma matter so I'll go check that out!

Here is the link to the .doc file for my resume

I'd really appreciate it if you guys would look it over and tell me what you see.... I can post all the expierence I have if that would be helpful too!

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asaris

Also, check the website of some of the companies near you. A lot of times they'll list openings there that are a bit higher up than what you'll find looking through the want ads. You might also try asking the master jeweler you worked for if they know of any openings.

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stevie667

Re: your CV.

Have you tried filling it out to two pages, instead of squeezing it all onto one page? All those snazy things you've got on the bullet points would be easier to read as a list. Then some personal likes/hobbies/interests e.t.c on the bottom to flesh you out as a person a little? All IMHBO though.

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Martian

I'm going to contradict that. A two page resume is perfectly acceptable, but it's generally preferable to keep it to one page if possible - following the KISS philosophy works here as anywhere. A single page resume has a bit more 'snap', for lack of a better term.

What I would recommend instead, is to drop some of the less necessary points in order to allow you to give the remaining ones a more readable format. Leave off the girl scout experience - unless it's directly relevant to the job you're applying for, it's not likely to have a big impact on your chances. And under the pc proficiency, leave out that your degree is computer-related. That's made apparent under the Education heading. Maybe leave out the hospital experience in the next heading and if necessary drop one other point, although between those two and the girl scouts you should have no trouble.

Reformat the whole thing, so that each bullet point gets it's own line and you have a blank line between the last point of one heading and the next one. That'll neaten things up and make it a bit easier to read.

Mind you, I'm not a professional, so take my advice as you will.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

maleficent

initial thoughts on this resume:

I'm not keen on the skills style resumes be listed seperately, I'd much rather see the skills as they pertain to the job.

Maybe I've read entirely too many resumes, or read too many job hunting books, but much of the phrases in your resume read like a resume guide... it uses too many of the buzz words that people think that HR people want to see... for instance -- everyone says Implemented new ideas into workflow in order to increase productivity if i were interviewing you - that'd be the first thing i'd ask about...

The ISO stuff is excellent.. .I'd put that under what job you did that under...

Under skills you've got some excellent skills listed... but I'm not seeing where they'd apply under the actual job

ie you've got supervisory experience - how many people did you supervise, and in what capacity
customer service is an excellent skill to have- emphasize that under the job you did it under.

I'd agree that bullets would be a better format - it's easier to read...

PC Proficiency seems to be redundent -- you've already got that info listed elsewhere...

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Sage

THanks guys, I'll take those suggestions and run with them! I was at a party last night and met two people who said where they work is hiring- one was at the YMCA! I think that one sounds good because it would be babysitting kids while their parents work out, and I LOVE kids.... it would be a good job to have for a while while I look for a more "serious" job...


Thanks again for all the help and keep it coming!

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