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+--- Thread: Job Hunting Tips? (/Thread-Job-Hunting-Tips)
Job Hunting Tips? - dposborne - 09-10-2013
Did you try your local military recruiter? A quick 4 years and you could have a degree paid for (whether in or out) and the experience you need to get a more than decent job...
Job Hunting Tips? - mrs.b - 09-10-2013
A lot of great advice here, particularly Lindagarr's.
Are you listing your volunteer work experience in your resume/applications as work experience? If not, talk to someone at your church who is willing to serve as an authorized contact and throw it in there.
To second one of the earlier suggestions, while you're unemployed, keep getting that volunteer experience and listing it on your application/resume so long as you can get someone to be a valid reference. Go to the local hospital and try to get signed on as a volunteer there; not only is it a great listing for work experience, but it'll get you an "in" to meet people at a place with hundreds of PAYING jobs so you'll have the option of applying and listing their own employees as references after a little time investment.
I also second the suggestion of going with a temp agency if money is critically tight. No, you won't be able to hand-pick your employers. Yes, you'll probably work a few jobs you'd rather not. In the current job market, though, more and more quality employers, particularly smaller businesses that the time and management availability to direct hire, are using those agencies as "test drive" hiring centers to get a few weeks or months to see how a potential employee truly works before seriously considering them as an applicant. And even if it doesn't work out that you get a permanent option out of the deal, it's yet another bit of work experience to list. [Edited to add: If you go this route, list the Temp Agency as your employer, not the individual places you're assigned. Those individual places likely do not track hire and end dates, and may have automated reference systems that may result in a valid reference check hearing that you were not employed there. In the explanation of duties section under the temp agency, you can go into detail about your employment assignments and responsibilities, but your employer will be the Agency.]
It sounds like you're following up on your applications which can be a good thing, but I'd like to gently say to do so only once and make sure you're not too pushy about having the HR person dig your application out and verify its status. As one of those HR people that gets calls from prospective applicants, there is such a thing as too pushy. I'm not saying you're one of those...but if you're applying for entry-level positions with an entry-level application, you should be getting more phone interviews at the very least. Fill out the application, and if you haven't heard anything after 4 days to a week, make one call to check on whether the position has been filled or if they're still considering. Leave your name, but do not demand they stop what they're doing to look up yours if they do not offer to do so.
Have someone you trust "interview" you for practice. Get their feedback on how you do, what you can improve, and so on. Then practice on your own in front of a mirror (yes, it sounds silly but it works). If you're only landing a few interviews, make them count.
Job Hunting Tips? - Blarburg - 09-10-2013
dposborne Wrote:Did you try your local military recruiter? A quick 4 years and you could have a degree paid for (whether in or out) and the experience you need to get a more than decent job...
Actually, I was enlisted in the military a few months ago. However, for religious reasons, I requested that I be dropped from the program (you can do so with zero consequences, so long as you have not shipped or been paid for anything).
Job Hunting Tips? - Blarburg - 09-10-2013
Thank you for your advice. I will definitely look into more volunteer opportunities, it can't hurt anything I guess
Job Hunting Tips? - Jonathan Whatley - 09-10-2013
Winter is coming.
I mean, seasonal hiring for Christmas! From 2012: 2012 Seasonal Retail Job Openings and Christmas Holiday Hiring Plans Roundup (Barbara Farfan, retailindustry.about.com). And it would only be so many months or weeks with a clean break at the end of the season; in this context, you might even give Home Depot, etc. a try.
Job Hunting Tips? - ironheadjack - 09-10-2013
I didn't really understand your point about Home Depot and the like, but don't be so quick to dismiss Home Depot. Home Depot was my first real job after high school, I pumped gas part-time during HS but I filled out an application online for HD, got called in for an interview, and a week later I started orientation/training. For an 18yo kid the pay was pretty good and having my own benefits was a nice perk. It also allowed me to network myself into my next job, working in construction.
Also the military has many different branches, and many different career paths that might align with your religious beliefs. I know in the Army they have Chaplain's assistants, who help Chaplains prepare for mass, dealing with family struggles, etc. Many different paths that don't involve combat. (I am assuming your religious/moral conundrum has to do with wartime/combat.)
Job Hunting Tips? - Lindagerr - 09-10-2013
Another thought on the Military type thing is have you looked into the Coast Guard? My Granddaughter enlisted and has been in since ~Feb. and she loves it. They also help with college and unless you are in drug trafficking areas there probably will be no conflicts with your religious beliefs. Above all do not give up, my husband was out of work for almost 18 months after 30 years with the same company. You just have to keep on looking and eventually the right thing will come up.
Job Hunting Tips? - Blarburg - 09-11-2013
ncpenn Wrote: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.
I just requested this book at my library, and will be reading it soon
Thanks for your advice!
Job Hunting Tips? - Blarburg - 09-11-2013
Lindagerr Wrote:Another thought on the Military type thing is have you looked into the Coast Guard? My Granddaughter enlisted and has been in since ~Feb. and she loves it. They also help with college and unless you are in drug trafficking areas there probably will be no conflicts with your religious beliefs. Above all do not give up, my husband was out of work for almost 18 months after 30 years with the same company. You just have to keep on looking and eventually the right thing will come up.
As far as leaving for religious beliefs, I left more because I felt I joined for the wrong reasons, not because I have anything against anything the military does in general. I was joining to be prideful and prove that I was "better than others", so I felt it best to humble myself and just not get involved in something like that until I was more mature, if at all. I may consider the military as an option in the future, but for now, I believe I still have much to learn about my place in the world. Thank you for sharing this info though
Job Hunting Tips? - Blarburg - 09-11-2013
ironheadjack Wrote:I didn't really understand your point about Home Depot and the like, but don't be so quick to dismiss Home Depot. Home Depot was my first real job after high school, I pumped gas part-time during HS but I filled out an application online for HD, got called in for an interview, and a week later I started orientation/training. For an 18yo kid the pay was pretty good and having my own benefits was a nice perk. It also allowed me to network myself into my next job, working in construction.
Also the military has many different branches, and many different career paths that might align with your religious beliefs. I know in the Army they have Chaplain's assistants, who help Chaplains prepare for mass, dealing with family struggles, etc. Many different paths that don't involve combat. (I am assuming your religious/moral conundrum has to do with wartime/combat.)
I researched the Home Depot, and found many people from inside and outside the company from people who confirmed that the company was posting fake jobs in order to get people to apply just to have information about labor force and competitors, etc. This may or may not be true, but I have applied there 4 times, and haven't heard anything back, so even if it isn't it doesn't appear I will be getting a call from them. As far as the military, I mentioned this in a different reply, which should be directly below this one.