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Job-Hunting Help Thread

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Phazon Elite

New Member
First, some ground rules.

1. No making fun of people because they are poor. Via karma, you'll magically become poor and (even more) stupid if you do.

2. This is a serious topic, so let's keep it that way. Let's not allow SPAM to clutter up potentially useful advice

3. Please, only give advice if you actually have job experience. Theoretical crap helps nobody find work.

Anyway, I decided to make this after some interesting off-topic discussion in this thread. I was in that boat before, and while my current job barely pays above $10 an hour, at least it's something.

So yeah, experienced, more adult people can post advice and answer questions (primarily from personal experience is possible), while inexperienced peeps can ask questions. If you think your question is dumb, don't worry: everyone used to be where you are now.

Maybe with enough useful advice, this could get stickied. : )

-Marvin
 
Haha! Sweet topic. I'm glad something good came out of that thread.

Anyway, I'll be 15 next month. I'm going to be getting my driver's permit and all that fun stuff. Also, I'll be graduating high school by next year, too (which is really good because I'll be able to work full time year round, not just those sucky summer part time jobs).

Any advice for hunting down your first job in an economy like this? I don't see how I'm going to convince employers I'm better suited/more deserving of a job than a more experienced adult.
 
yay, the thread was made like i suggested! lol. skyline contributed to pokegym! haha.

anyway.

im going to be dead serious on this next thing.

for those wanting to go into the IT field....my opinion, dont do it. unless you are some prodigy, or will graduate with a BS (bachelors in science), it will not be worth it as many employers are not hiring too many people in this field. my friend was lucky tho, but then again, he applied for a company that is affiliated with the military.

my suggestion, is to hit the medical field. the demand is so incredibly high its ridiculous! i threw aside my associates in computer science and am now going to school to become a nurse, to then become an anesthesiologist. it is well worth it to hit the medical field.

the days of having an associates are long over and most high profile employers will accept no less than a bachelors or masters. it hurts, but will be worth it in the end.


i myself was laid off from my sys admins position...sad...

now im unemployed but going to school in nursing! :D good times ahead as its what i wanted to do with my life anyway. dont know why i got sidetracked and went IT to begin with. =/


i can help with some IT questions and whatnot if needed if some youngins are still wanting to work in this field.













toxi - for a job at your age, your best bet is to work at a grocery store, or a type of fast food place. its some real get your hands dirty type work at your age. not much else you can do unless you have some mad connections somehow.

you say you are graduating next year. DO NOT WORK FULL TIME! take advantage of being able to live at home and go to college. its well worth it to live at home and attend school. makes life much easier! school/college is so important right now and is the ultimate factor in obtaining a "real" job.
 
Now, as horrible as it sounds one of the best places to have great success in securing a job is by reading the Obituaries. Often times when someone of working age dies unexpectedly the company that person worked for and what they did for a living will be included. Knowing this, you can find an opening before it is advertised which will increase your chance of being hired for said job.

This happens because the company then doesn't have to advertise to fill the position. If you wait until the position is advertised, out of respect, you will often shoot yourself in the foot; especially in today's job market. Once the position is advertised there will be droves of qualified applicants for the one position, while when you apply before the position is advertised you will be in a much smaller aplication pool the employer has to choose from.

As morbid as it sounds, it does work.
 
Great advice so far. That's exactly what I'm looking for out of this thread.

waynegg said:
Now, as horrible as it sounds one of the best places to have great success in securing a job is by reading the Obituaries. Often times when someone of working age dies unexpectedly where that person worked and what they did for a living will be included. Knowing this, you can find an opening before it is advertised which will increase your chance of being hired for said job.

This happens because the company then doesn't have to advertise to fill the position. If you wait until the position is advertised out of respect, you will often shoot yourself in the foot; especially in today's job market. Once the position is advertised there will be droves of qualified applicants for the one position, while when you apply before the position is advertised you will be in a much smaller aplication pool the employer has to choose from.

As morbid as it sounds, it does work.
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Wow, that actually makes sense.

Also, out of the thread, someone expressed concern that calling employers to check on an application would make the applicant look bad. This is generally only true for places with lazy management. Personally, I have minimal hiring authority at the Walmart I work in, but if a qualified applicant were to call once or twice about his or her application, I'd be more likely to select that person over similarly qualified applicants. Calling, but not pestering, shows that you have concern for the job and you really care if you get it, which gives you a higher chance of being a hard worker, in the eyes of the application reviewer.

Of course, this is not always true (I got hired on a year ago without calling and without and prior sales experience), but it's a good pointer.
 
toxi captain now what u want todo is work at a place like walmart or a store like it now all u can do at 16 is push carts but that not a bad first job. the reason u want to goto a place like walmart they will pay u more.
also walmart will pay for ur first 2 years of school.i know this bc i used to work for walmart. they averang is 7.80 what they pay.
 
toxictaipan said:
Haha! Sweet topic. I'm glad something good came out of that thread.

Anyway, I'll be 15 next month. I'm going to be getting my driver's permit and all that fun stuff. Also, I'll be graduating high school by next year, too (which is really good because I'll be able to work full time year round, not just those sucky summer part time jobs).

Any advice for hunting down your first job in an economy like this? I don't see how I'm going to convince employers I'm better suited/more deserving of a job than a more experienced adult.
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It depends on your state's laws for working minors. In some states, the laws are so strict, most of the more reliable places are discouraged from hiring anyone under the legal age. For example, a law might restrict how early/late you can start/end work, or what kinds of heavy equipment (if any) you would be allowed to operate. With enough restrictions, it makes more sense for a company to hire someone older.

At your age, throwaway jobs (fast food places, card shops, etc) might be your best bet. While they usually suck, they'll at least give you work experience for when you're of age to take on a better job.
 
idahodarkhorsejustbelieve said:
toxi captain now what u want todo is work at a place like walmart or a store like it now all u can do at 16 is push carts but that not a bad first job. the reason u want to goto a place like walmart they will pay u more.
also walmart will pay for ur first 2 years of school.i know this bc i used to work for walmart. they averang is 7.80 what they pay.
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Wal-Mart will pay for your first 2 years of school? Whe-- When did that happen?!


Thanks for the advice everyone!
 
I'm 23, so I'm far from being an experienced adult in this situation, but I feel I could shed some information here as well. I got my first job when I was 15, working for one of those little ice cream stand/fast food places that are only open during the summer months. I made 5.25 an hour at that time, and worked there for four months before being let go as a seasonal. I had to have a worker's permit at that time, and had some limits to how much I could work, but it was money, and gave me job experience early.

After that point, I got into mall clothing retail. I'd applied at a store that was getting ready to open. I'd just turned 16, and was sitting on two jobs. One in a grocery store, and this clothing store. Having two jobs didn't work out too well, and because I was "negligent" (grocery store didn't like working with my schedules) I got fired, and kept the one job. I worked there part time until I left for college. My college experience revolved around ping ponging through retail clothing stores during my summer and winter breaks, and being a residential assistant while at school.

Fast forward to graduation of college. It literally took me 6 months of searching to find a job. I was filling out applications until I was blue in the face. I had quite a few interviews, but none of them seemed to work out for me. Until about a month ago, when I got my current job as an assistant manager at Gamestop.

If you are young, get your permit and license as soon as you can. If you can save up with allowance to get even a crappy car, do it. Having transportation to and from work will be very important, and if you don't, you may not get picked for the job.

Be flexible too. If a company is short handed, and you are willing to pick up hours when needed, that will look good for future employment.

Attendance. Calling off work and being late are bad. If you are going to be late, call as soon as you know this. Some things just can't be imagined, like accidents on the way to work, or cars not starting when you leave the house.

Responsibility at even the small dirty jobs will be good for you in the future, because those employers will have good things to say to potential employers about job performance, etc.

I know the economy sucks right now. Just don't give up, and something will come to you soon enough. Sometimes where you least expect it.
 
For the last year and a half I have been unemployed after being released from Target as seasonal help last winter. I have to say, the ONLY reason I believe I didn't have a job was because I wasn't motivated enough. You have to think of it like how far are you willing to go? What are you willing to do to secure this job?

I recently applied at Toys R Us and have gone far far beyond what I would EVER do to get a job in the past. I called them 10 times in the past week, and I even dropped by their store dressed fully in business attire just to show them that I'm not messing around with this. Since then they agreed to interview me and I'm expecting a call(which I'll probably end up making in the morning) soon.

It's dog eat dog right now. Persistence is key, never ever give up, keep calling, keep bugging them until they either submit or get a restraining order.
 
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For Toxic's situation, you're 15 years old. Take a look at the park districts in your area for sports refereeing jobs. They tend to pay pretty well, aren't especially hard if you know the rules of the game you're reffing, and the hours are relatively short. I spent my 4 years in HS as a soccer referee doing about 3-5 games a week. I eventually built myself into two figures a game for an hour of watching six-year-olds run after a little round ball.

My sophomore year, I got a job at a movie theater. Don't discount these places. They're generally non-union for the regular employees, which means there are fewer rules over who they can hire. The pay generally isn't great (minimum wage or slightly above that), but for a HS job, it's not bad.

If your school allows it, try training as a lifeguard. Park districts are always looking for new lifeguards, and they generally target HSers. Also, check around for apartments with a supervised pool area. You'd be surprised at what they'd hire for.

Once you turn 18, that's a good time to try out the retail scene. Walmart, Best Buy, Staples, etc. Big Box stores tend to pay a little bit more than the movie theaters and fast food chains, but the hiring process is rather lengthy.

Also make sure that you can make time for college coursework, even if it's just at a community college. The job market likes to see people with educations floating around out there. Toxic, you're 15, and graduating HS in a couple of years. You're likely in line for a pretty hefty scholarship from a major university if you're graduating that early legitimately. DON'T PASS UP THAT OPPORTUNITY!!! Having a Bachelor's degree is quite possibly the most important step towards your first full time job, rather than the hourly stuff you've likely been doing up until that point.

Now, if somebody can give out some tips on how to do a successful interview for a person that, no matter what, can't get comfortable in an interview room until 5 minutes before the interview is over, I'd most appreciate it...
 
I am 21, jobless and only strength is in IT which is nowhere easy to get in for me, and I have hearing and vision disability so I have no idea what other job options should I take on.... Keep in mind....consider my disabilities first as in I cant drive, or handle a hgh level of communication n stuff...
 
Job searching now is different from when I was in high school but I think I can still offer some advice. If you have an interest in something career-related such as computer programming talk to your teachers and guidance counselors. Many of them also have side or summer jobs and my first 'break' came when my math teacher strongly recommended me and got me a summer internship at a company he helped on the side. You even have a mentor that you know in this sort of situation.

Also, all of these 'in person' suggestions are nice and can help but don't forget the internet. Many business let you complete your profile and will actually email you when a position that fits your interest opens. Then you can start the more personal aspects of the job search.
 
Jason said:
I am 21, jobless and only strength is in IT which is nowhere easy to get in for me, and I have hearing and vision disability so I have no idea what other job options should I take on.... Keep in mind....consider my disabilities first as in I cant drive, or handle a hgh level of communication n stuff...
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I know things may be different in your area but in this part of the US many, many areas have special programs to aid the disabled with finding and transportation to jobs. I have a very good friend who is a visually impaired IT professional. The local bus service actually has special shuttles that pick him up at his home and drive him to the office. So check with your local government and make sure that you are utilizing all of the assistance that is available to you.
 
bullados said:
Now, if somebody can give out some tips on how to do a successful interview for a person that, no matter what, can't get comfortable in an interview room until 5 minutes before the interview is over, I'd most appreciate it...
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In most interviews, you have an opportunity to speak before the actual interview starts. Take that opportunity to be forthright and explain to them your nerves and to insure them that you are very serious and very much want to work for them. This way the interviewer won't misread your non-verbals. :thumb:
 
I have a few suggestions (having been a business consultant for almost 20 years now! Yikes.):

1) Don't rely on the internet. Big companies get hundreds, maybe thousands of resumes for a position via the internet. It's not impossible to land a job this way but studies have shown it's not the most effective way.

2) Use people you know as resources. Tell EVERYONE you know that you're looking for a job. Tell the mailman, your local barista, the librarian, family members... you get the picture. I've landed some contracts through the most bizarre channels and it all started from a discussion with someone I wouldn't have normally spoken to about my career.

3) Always be polite. This may sound simple. But the guy you flip off for cutting you off in the road may be your next potential boss.

4) Don't be afraid to pop into a place of business and inquire about jobs. It can't hurt.

5) Volunteer! Not only does it look GREAT on a resume, the contacts you can meet at a volunteer job are numerous and may just be your stepping stone to a job.

Hope this helps!

Back to back posts merged. The following information has been added:

TOYBOX said:
It's dog eat dog right now. Persistence is key, never ever give up, keep calling, keep bugging them until they either submit or get a restraining order.
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Be VERY careful when doing this. "Bugging" a potential employer can be a death sentence for landing that job. Persistence can be a good trait, pestering is simply annoying. Most employers are busy and know you are waiting for an answer. Patience, as they say, can also be a virtue.

Good luck.
 
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I think that the single biggest factor to being hired and staying that was is willingness to work. Many people are simply lazy. If you just show up on time and work hard then you are already a step ahead of all to many people. This is especially true in smaller companies where slackers are generally out before they realize that the door has hit them in the tail. Small companies simply can’t afford to keep underperforming folks on board.

In terms of bigger corporations & entry level positions, typically they want some sort of background (IT certifications, College Degree, or some such) but you really don’t have to worry TOO much about knowing every single thing that’s involved in the job. If you are hired and work hard then it’s customary for them to teach you what you need to know.

Contract to hire and non-entry level is a bit different. There they are typically hiring folks who know what the heck they are doing and want to see more about how you fit in work ethic and personality wise into their existing group.

The other option, for the really self motivated is creating your own business. Now THIS is something that takes a TON of work and time. Long hard hours are a given. There are endless hassles from the legal end of things to the day to day operations. The plus side is that there is no substitute to working for yourself. Doing what you want is super rewarding.

That’s the general. In this specific kind of economic environment, with many companies hurting, hiring is rare. The BEST way to have a shot is via networking. If you know someone who already works there or know someone who knows someone then you have a far better shot at actually getting an interview than some random Joe who emails his resume in or tries Monster.com.

Calling employers to check on application status is fine … provided you don’t overdo it. Calling every day is generally bad form for instance. There is a fine line between being persistent and being annoying.
 
vanderbilt_grad said:
I think that the single biggest factor to being hired and staying that was is willingness to work. Many people are simply lazy. If you just show up on time and work hard then you are already a step ahead of all to many people. This is especially true in smaller companies where slackers are generally out before they realize that the door has hit them in the tail. Small companies simply can’t afford to keep underperforming folks on board.

In terms of bigger corporations & entry level positions, typically they want some sort of background (IT certifications, College Degree, or some such) but you really don’t have to worry TOO much about knowing every single thing that’s involved in the job. If you are hired and work hard then it’s customary for them to teach you what you need to know.

Contract to hire and non-entry level is a bit different. There they are typically hiring folks who know what the heck they are doing and want to see more about how you fit in work ethic and personality wise into their existing group.

The other option, for the really self motivated is creating your own business. Now THIS is something that takes a TON of work and time. Long hard hours are a given. There are endless hassles from the legal end of things to the day to day operations. The plus side is that there is no substitute to working for yourself. Doing what you want is super rewarding.

That’s the general. In this specific kind of economic environment, with many companies hurting, hiring is rare. The BEST way to have a shot is via networking. If you know someone who already works there or know someone who knows someone then you have a far better shot at actually getting an interview than some random Joe who emails his resume in or tries Monster.com.

Calling employers to check on application status is fine … provided you don’t overdo it. Calling every day is generally bad form for instance. There is a fine line between being persistent and being annoying.
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I know the last part from personal experience. My last boss refused to hire anyone who annoyed her over the status of their applications and when I had to pick up the phones, she told me to tell them that she wasn't there. Another tip, when you're doing those personality questionnaire things that they have you do or the 'What if' questions, try to answer a few honestly, but you mostly want to answer what they want to hear.

I'm having the hardest time finding a job right now because I didn't work in high school, and I was told that it would hurt me. If you're in high school you really need to find a part time job or it will hurt your chances of being hired when out of school. If you don't have experience, a lot of companies won't even look at your applications and will just toss them.

The other reason I'm having such a hard time finding a job in this economy is due to the fact that I can't drive anywhere and no one is willing to drive me to a job. I'm deathly afraid of driving due to the fact that I have no depth perception so I'm limited to walking to work until I learn to drive and get my license as well as a car (my dad seems to like to give me excuses on teaching me to drive and never does, which is why I had to renew my permit, I live in Vegas and there is a reason I'm afraid of driving...people here can't drive, and I'm afraid of riding the bus alone). The places that are within walking distance either are hiring and won't hire me or aren't hiring, I know because I've applied at them all.

If you really can't find a job where you are at, try babysitting. My cousin makes at least over $1000 a month babysitting. I almost quit my other job when I was offered this babysitting job because it was $10 an hour for 12 hours because it was a graveyard shift. I would have earned at least $600 a week. Don't doubt the power of babysitting!
 
How about when you are asked what you want to do for a job?
Such as: Full Time or Part time. Should you go for 6 hours per day? Or 8 hours like school?
 
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