Job Hunting Tips?

[Blarburg]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if anybody had any job hunting advice. I have filled out dozens, if not hundreds of job applications, ranging from the local Sheriff's department to the local McDonald's, done call backs, went in personally, etc. Out of all of this, in 6 months, I have only gotten one interview, at Starbucks. I was told they would call me back on a Monday, so when Tuesday rolled around and I hadn't gotten a call, I called them back - no answer. After this experience I got extremely discouraged, and just haven't really been completely the same since. I still fill out tons of applications every day, and follow up, etc, and no one EVER contacts me back or gives me interviews. It is the most frustrating thing I have ever experienced.

I am 18 years old, and I don't have any work experience, although I do have volunteer experience working with children at my church. I do however, have a great work ethic, I am a fantastic writer, I can type over 80 WPM, am in excellent physical shape, am a great problem solver, etc. I am not being cocky, I just know where I excel, and where I don't. All I want to do is get a job that can give me some valuable experience and a small income so that I don't feel like I am being a leech of my parent's resources. I have tried everything, and am just flat ready to give up (but I won't). I've even considered starting a small eBay consignment business just to get some income, but even that requires business licensing, and I can't get the funds to get that licensing if I can't get a job!

I just don't understand it. Every day I come in contact with a sub-par worker, who is lazy, unmotivated, unskilled, etc., and yet these people are able to get jobs, while someone like me who is motivated to work hard is not. I know I would be a great worker. I know I would be able to impress a manager. I just don't get the opportunity, no matter how hard I fight for it.

Currently I'm working on the internet doing menial tasks and earning maybe $3 per hour. It's highly unmotivating, frustrating, and I do get taken advantage of, but it's my only option to pay the bills. I feel horrible that I am making my parents pay so much for me, I really do. I want to be responsible and self reliant. I just am never given the chance. I'm working on my degree through CLEP credits (I REFUSE to get an expensive student loan just to get a piece of paper saying that I am allowed to work), but until I get it, I still need to pay the bills somehow. How did you guys find your first job? What am I doing wrong? Feel free to criticize me, I feel like there must be something wrong with me that employers just hate. I just don't know what that is. And if you are completely annoyed by reading this, I do apologize, I am just extremely frustrated, and needed somewhere to rant.

[Lindagerr]

I don't know how the economy is in California but in NJ jobs are also very hard to come by. The boys renting my house in NJ all in there early 20's are having a hard time paying rent because jobs are hard to find. Here in Western NY where I live now jobs are easier to find if you are willing to take a low paying fast food job.

Sometimes the problem if you are looking for a low paying job is that you look to smart or to qualified and they think you won't stay long. So now onto the questions are you clean cut no purple hair black make up, no multitude of piercings or tattoos? These can put employers off. You said you had an interview did you go in clean, neatly dressed and hair combed?

Have you tried any temp agencies? sometimes getting a temp job either gives you some experience or it can lead to a full time offer. Do you fill out job applications online for the bigger companies like Home Depot? They will not even look at a paper application. When you fill out an application do you make sure to answer all of the questions in a complete answer and is your spelling and grammar correct?

You have to understand that in these economic times finding a job can be hard do more volunteer work in other areas like the library or local foodbank or soup kitchen sometimes being at the right place at the right time does the trick. Never forget to let everyone you know that you are looking for a job, sometimes when someone hears about a job they say oh I know someone. I have known people that have gotten jobs in all of these ways.

Don't despair you will eventually get a job if you network and keep applying. Don't forget to keep working on that degree while you look. If your parents are not complaining don't worry , get your degree work hard and someday you can pay them back when they need it.

[Blarburg]

Thank you for all your feedback. In response, yes, I am clean cut, clean shaved, no piercings, or anything of the sort. My father was a police officer so he taught me how to always look professional. I always triple check applications for grammar so I'm fairly certain that's not the problem. As far as companies like Home Depot, I have stopped applying to those companies in general: I research hiring records before applying and find companies that are less than reputable or have jerky schemes when it comes to hiring: The Home Depot is one of these. I guess it's true that you have to know someone to get a job in today's economy. It just sucks, some employers out there are missing out on a very good quality employee

[BIPolarGuy]

I am 42, I have significant work history and a fairly impressive resume. (IMHO) I have been looking for a job for over a year. It can be frustrating to say the least.
Keep working on the degree.

By the way, I tested at LaSierra University.

I know some people in the area, send me your resume. (make one if you don't have one) -no promises-
PM me

[Jonathan Whatley]

The metros where recent college grads are less likely to find work (based on the concentration of skilled jobs in growing fields) are largely centered in the West and the Sunbelt. At the very bottom of the list is Las Vegas (with an LQ ["location quotient"] of 0.68), with its large concentration of low-skilled service work. Following Vegas are Riverside, California (0.80); Memphis (0.87); New Orleans (0.89); San Antonio (0.91); and Orlando (0.91).

The Best U.S. Metros for Recent College Grads Looking for Work (Richard Florida, The Atlantic Cities, September 9, 2013)

[Blarburg]

I will do that! Thank you! If you're up for it, the Riverside Sheriff's Department is hiring, I don't know if you're too old to be an officer, but you could apply to be a dispatcher. They at least have a hiring process that will pretty much always get you to an interview as long as you're qualified, I tried this but was turned down, at least for now, because I do not have any work experience, or as they called it, "life experiences".

[Blarburg]

That explains much, at least it makes me feel a little better. I knew I needed to get out of this city.

[BIPolarGuy]

Moreno Valley has an Explorer Program for the sheriffs department. If you want to get in to that department. Join the program. You will have an "in". I did that at 18, with san bernardino, and was sponsored to the academy at 21. Although I didn't pursue law enforcement as a career, I developed lifelong contacts in the departments.

Thank you for the information on the job, however, I just got an offer. ( yea)

I sent you an email regarding the resume you sent.


Greg

[ncpenn]

If I was in your shoes, I'd start looking for a job in ways that didn't involve the normal way of applications, HR, call-backs, etc. It's obviously not working (and it doesn't work for most everyone else either).

If I were in your shoes, I'd check out Unlock The Hidden Job Market or Cracking The Hidden Job Market from the library (both books are similar in content) and start applying what they say and teach. It's often about who you know, and those texts will show you how to put that power to use even if you don't know anyone right now and are turned off (and rightly so), by the idea of cold calling for jobs.

[AlbaTiVo]

Networking is always the answer. Have a look at this too. I don't know anyone that has tried it, but you can't have too many leads.