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Applying for jobs is exhausting and soul-crushing
- Thread starter Moofers
- Start date
Industry doesn't matter. Position does.
I'm not sure what you mean by "real job" exactly...but landing a well paying job is all about qualifications. In any industry, if you did mostly "grunt" work and are now applying for a supervisory position, chances are you'll be passed on. But you were a manager for K-Mart for two consecutive years? That bodes well.
I mean, you're asking two questions.
1. Any amount of retail experience has no bearing on whether you will get a job. In fact, I will look for someone who worked a retail/server/cook/hotel/etc. job when I'm hiring. There are caveats though. I like the idea of someone wanting to work when they're a kid and showing initiative to get a weekend job to earn some extra cash. Or paying for college while working nights at a restaurant, that kind of thing. This stuff is really, really valuable to employees.
2. Your specific example of being 26 and working retail tells me nothing. Why would someone in a profession outside of retail necessarily hire you? There are natural fits. Were you working in a customer service centric role? If so, you could be a good fit for a telephone CSR type role - maybe even tech support if you've got enough of a technical skill set.
If you were on the shop floor 'selling' stuff (maybe a Best Buy or something similar) then yeah, you might get a chance on a sales team somewhere as a lead development rep SDR.
E the Shaggy
Junior Member
I should hear back today on the job I interviewed for, with "should" being the definitive word here.
I called the place up after not hearing back for a week and a half, and they told me they'd let me know "which direction they went in". I'm positive I didn't get it now, even though the guy interviewing me said it was a shoe in.
Sigh.
I called the place up after not hearing back for a week and a half, and they told me they'd let me know "which direction they went in". I'm positive I didn't get it now, even though the guy interviewing me said it was a shoe in.
Sigh.
obijkenobi
Member
So, is there a best practice for what to put on resumes/cover letters while applying for jobs in a different part of the country? In both, I put that I'm relocating to the city soon. In the cover letter, I have a line in the first paragraph that basically says "I'm moving to this city soon to be closer to family, so the timing on this is ideal"
I sort of feel I have to mention it, because I'm moving cross country and my employer for the past 5 years has been with state government.
I sort of feel I have to mention it, because I'm moving cross country and my employer for the past 5 years has been with state government.
Personally, and I can only speak for myself, I wouldn't look at anyone who wasn't already in the local area.
There are too many ifs/buts/whens/whats/etc.
It would be my recommendation to not mention it. Wait until you get an interview offer and decide whether you want to mention it then. You might be in town by that point.
If you have family in the area, I'd use their address.
A lot of jobs simply don't offer relocation, and only look at local candidates.
obijkenobi
Member
Well it's already on my resume. My current job is with Michigan government. The department is literally Michigan Department of X. My work group supports the Governor's Office. So it's explicit in my work group's name and in the work that I do. So it's kind of impossible not to mention it.
What websites do you (US) guys use for jobsearching aside from LinkedIn, Monster, USAJOBS? I have been on an app binge at USAJOBS for a while with nothing to show for it, went back and rifled through my saved searches at the other two for a few different cities, and it seems to me there should be a way to filter out crap that has nothing to do with me like nurse jobs or "volunteer" jobs.
obijkenobi
Member
Indeed.com has been the best job aggregation site for me. There are still a few individual websites I check out for employment in the city I'm trying to move too, but Indeed has found most of the City, local university,and other companies jobs. Search criteria is pretty good too IMO
My first week at my new job...oh dear
First day was fantastic
Then I got really ill again. Now in hospital, and my dad is having to call in sick for me as I cant speak, fucking argh
Luckily my manager has said "just return whenever you are better" and at least statutory sick pay is better than jobseekers
...but still, goddamnit. I was looking foward to my nice £700 paycheck (fortnightly paid, each two weeks, 1.5k Monthly) but nooooo
First day was fantastic
Then I got really ill again. Now in hospital, and my dad is having to call in sick for me as I cant speak, fucking argh
Luckily my manager has said "just return whenever you are better" and at least statutory sick pay is better than jobseekers
...but still, goddamnit. I was looking foward to my nice £700 paycheck (fortnightly paid, each two weeks, 1.5k Monthly) but nooooo
bigwinnerx
Member
Seconded.
E the Shaggy
Junior Member
Didn't get it.
They decided to hire internally.
I feel like I've aged 50 years with all this shit.
They decided to hire internally.
I feel like I've aged 50 years with all this shit.
I got a job at the SPCA a while back. It was short of my dream job since I was a kid. I honestly thought being a veterinarian *is* the only way to work with animals. I've never really thought about the tier below them being just as important. Vet Techs are just as important and very well paid. While I worked at the SPCA, I've met my supervisor who is one and she was great. She really inspired me to go for this position instead.
However, to become a LVT, I need to go take a couple of years at a community college nearby and become licensed in this state. I'm really REALLY considering doing this, the community college already required an admissions process that required a referral letter from another LVT (my supervisor) and some experience in the animal care. I really think I got fucking jackpot when I got hired at my local SPCA. This job is going to open up every fucking thing in the world for me. Its a step in the right direction finally!
There's also Vet Assistants but they're a tier below Vet Techs. ACT (animal care tech) are paid 9 dollars here at the SPCA. According to google, Vet Assistants are paid 11 dollars a hour and Vet Techs are from 14 dollars a hour to 40k salary. Which is real fucking nice. I need a REAL full time job. Not some half assed part time jobs here and there.
*Disclaimer: I was just a kid then.
However, to become a LVT, I need to go take a couple of years at a community college nearby and become licensed in this state. I'm really REALLY considering doing this, the community college already required an admissions process that required a referral letter from another LVT (my supervisor) and some experience in the animal care. I really think I got fucking jackpot when I got hired at my local SPCA. This job is going to open up every fucking thing in the world for me. Its a step in the right direction finally!
There's also Vet Assistants but they're a tier below Vet Techs. ACT (animal care tech) are paid 9 dollars here at the SPCA. According to google, Vet Assistants are paid 11 dollars a hour and Vet Techs are from 14 dollars a hour to 40k salary. Which is real fucking nice. I need a REAL full time job. Not some half assed part time jobs here and there.
*Disclaimer: I was just a kid then.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Does anyone find it easy when companies ask to tell them what makes you unique? I want to say the generic hardworking and all that bullshit that I think they want to hear, but on that page, they say they don't want to hear that.
Does that little thing really matter that much? I find it a bit silly.
Does that little thing really matter that much? I find it a bit silly.
thechristoph
Sir!
Customer service will ALWAYS be important. Nearly every job, end user-facing or not, deals with customers on some level.
bigwinnerx
Member
Flip it on them, maybe. Put it out there as "Everyone else you'll hear from for this job is going to tell you they're hard working. They'll say they're unique. Their bad quality is perfectionism. In reality, I am the one who is honest, hard working, and focus on quality work. I do A. I do B. I do C."
Freakinchair
Member
1 year of "non-intern" experience isn't really all that much so I wouldn't balk at the idea of taking a temporary gig... minimum wage is kind of sucky though. All of the paid internships I had we we're paid a good amount above minimum but I guess it depends on the field.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Thank you.
What does make you unique? What skill, project, or background do you have that makes you special.
If you don't have anything then that's a problem and you should work on that.
CreepingFear
Member
I definitely preferred Indeed between Indeed, Monster, Careerbuilder, and craigslist, but the job I actually got was through Monster, I believe.
Syphon Filter
Member
Yea the spam is getting out of hand, makes me want to just get a new email.
AtomskEater
Member
Time for my annual "I hate the job I have so I'll submit applications to anything and everything" fever. I got a call back for an interview, the guy said to be early. Is 15 minutes fine? I usually show up that early anyway, I've heard it can be a pain if you show up much earlier.
Kinda wish he hadn't said that at all, now I'm second-guessing myself.
Kinda wish he hadn't said that at all, now I'm second-guessing myself.
That's annoying, only because if he wants you there at 445 after scheduling you for 5, then tell me the interview is at 445.
Anyhow, I'm sure 15 minutes is plenty early. I usually show up 20-30 minutes because I like to plan for worst-case scenarios concerning traffic, but I'm also crazy.
Anyhow, I'm sure 15 minutes is plenty early. I usually show up 20-30 minutes because I like to plan for worst-case scenarios concerning traffic, but I'm also crazy.
teruterubozu
Member
Sometimes they want you to come early to fill out some preliminary paperwork before the interview.
Syphon Filter
Member
Time for my annual "I hate the job I have so I'll submit applications to anything and everything" fever. I got a call back for an interview, the guy said to be early. Is 15 minutes fine? I usually show up that early anyway, I've heard it can be a pain if you show up much earlier.
Kinda wish he hadn't said that at all, now I'm second-guessing myself.
Yea it is good practice to be 10 min or more earlier. Sometimes they end up being late but you just need to do your part.
Worst shit ever is when you get that interview and by the end of it the hiring manager is talking to you about submitting your info to corporate to see what they want to pay you and talking about calling you back for a drug test but then hearing how they're doing interviews all day today(though not necessarily for your position) and then telling you the earlier time they'd call you in and them not calling you in.
It's overly eager on my part, but it definitely feels very 'I'm in' then the end of the day happens 'Or am I?' Probably overthinking it, but I hate it because it usually feels like they try to get you in as soon as possible from my experience. Yet I also had a job interview that had me sign no paperwork in the past and they didn't get back with me until a month later.
It's overly eager on my part, but it definitely feels very 'I'm in' then the end of the day happens 'Or am I?' Probably overthinking it, but I hate it because it usually feels like they try to get you in as soon as possible from my experience. Yet I also had a job interview that had me sign no paperwork in the past and they didn't get back with me until a month later.
Valkerionseven
Member
Ugh got my interview monday for teaching in Japan.
This will either go super well, or amazingly bad.
This will either go super well, or amazingly bad.
Dictator Damocles
Neo Member
Is this for the JET programme?
It's something I'm considering if I don't get a scholarship
Valkerionseven
Member
Dictator Damocles
Neo Member
Best of luck then!
Valkerionseven
Member
heh thanks! hopefully I am near as well spoken during the real thing during my run throughs to myself/mirror.
That site is slow, slow slow. I tried applying for around 110 jobs on USAJOBS back in August 2014 since you can trade education for experience. Half are still in "resume received" status. Many jobs had the same title and requirements but I was marked as qualified for some and not for others despite the requirements being the same. A bunch went to veterans which get preference. Ultimately I got three interviews out of the entire thing, all fell through.
Applying on that site is pretty brutal due to their giant application questionnaires. I had one that was 10 pages of questions, it is like taking a test to apply.
teruterubozu
Member
The problem with .gov job listings is half of them are bullshit. They are phantom "open" positions to keep funding for particular departments.
xKilltheMx
Member
This is heart breaking to hear jesus
Ragingbegal
Member
I'm a journalist seeking a new communications-related job in the Chicago area. Been working on an online portfolio of my work to show potential employers. I'd appreciate any input or criticism from GAF.
Here's the link: https://clippings.me/oconnortjv
Here's the link: https://clippings.me/oconnortjv
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
I'm bored and at home so I read some. Writing is not my profession, but I do a lot of contract/assessment/memo type writing and obviously read 90000 wsj articles a day. Your top pick stories feel like they were written by a college student for the school paper, which I'm not sure is the intent or not. Where one sentence could convey the facts, you seem to use shorter sentences that break up the flow of reading. "Soandso opened in 1990. They had dreams to make it big. They did not." They also all follow the same intro formula, which I known is a method, but when every article on your site begins the same it gets stale fast. Also you use descriptors like "really" that give the articles a more casual blog post feeling than a newspaper article. Your Bigston article is by far your best. It fixes all of the issues I just mentioned, at least until near the end, where it reverts back to a more casual/amateurish style.
These are just some comments from reading four articles. I purposely didn't check your linkedin so I have no idea if you're a student or a 30 year veteran. If you're a student, I think you're on a great start.
Applied for about 3-4 jobs almost two weeks ago and I was already given an offer for one of them. The rest aren't expected to stop accepting resumes until March. I had one of them ask me if I was interviewing anywhere else. Anyhow, spend time on your resume and take as many hands on classes in your given field as possible. The classes that I took at a community college opened up more doors for me than my bachelors degree ever did. It also helped that my classes were smaller and I was able to make connections through my teachers a lot easier than when I was at a four year school with hundreds of students fighting to interact with a teacher or over a job posted through the university. It was a financial gamble going back to school for another degree, but it was well worth it.
DiddysKongQuest
Member
Got a phone call today for an interview on monday! Really excited and surprised that they want me since I thought I wasn't qualified enough for the job.
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
I have a question about my LinkedIn profile. It just dawned on me that I never listed that I'm trying to get into the field of whatever. Where would I list that on my profile?
Sucks a lot. It's the truth. I've hit this experience barrier many times.
I'm going ahead with the temp. contract. Even if some of the circumstances with it aren't ideal, it's work, in my field. I need that again, badly. It'll be a life preserver while I continue to look, since it could still be months before I find something full-time.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Does anyone know of any decent paying jobs I could apply for while I'm waiting for the one from my major? It might take a while to get that one and I'd like to have some kind of money while I'm waiting, but I'm not trying to go back to places like UPS and Wal-Mart (from my friends experience those types of jobs are not hiring them because now they're overqualified). I want something a little better.
Sigh. I think I have gone as far as I can go. The last flicker of hope has gone out. I get paid on Thursday. Prob kill myself. Maybe I can find the peace in death I never could in life. Apparently I was just never good enough.
More rejection emails today. I just walked off from my retail job this morning, said I wasn't feeling well. Still haven't heard back on the Time magazine interview so I guess that fell through and there is no follow-up contact info.
2171 job applications and not one damn offer. How is that possible?! Professors and recruiters say my resume is great. Practice interviews went great. How is this possible??? Every night still stuck in this studio apartment with the neighbors running water and playing music. Banging cabinets endlessly.
Did I sit through all those fucking math classes and bullshit for six years for nothing?! How much more do I have to endure?! I did everything I was supposed to do!! I worked two full-time jobs while going to school full-time because I kept telling myself it would pay off in the end. And here I am still stuck in retail getting scheduled mornings and nights so I can never get any damn sleep, forced to be polite to rude scumbag customers. Couldn't even pay my damn car payment this month, let alone my student loans. All those months I spent applying to jobs and nothing to show for it. If I had done nothing, the result would be the same. How much rejection can a man take? I don't want to be some bitter old man dying of disease. God knows I tried.
More rejection emails today. I just walked off from my retail job this morning, said I wasn't feeling well. Still haven't heard back on the Time magazine interview so I guess that fell through and there is no follow-up contact info.
2171 job applications and not one damn offer. How is that possible?! Professors and recruiters say my resume is great. Practice interviews went great. How is this possible??? Every night still stuck in this studio apartment with the neighbors running water and playing music. Banging cabinets endlessly.
Did I sit through all those fucking math classes and bullshit for six years for nothing?! How much more do I have to endure?! I did everything I was supposed to do!! I worked two full-time jobs while going to school full-time because I kept telling myself it would pay off in the end. And here I am still stuck in retail getting scheduled mornings and nights so I can never get any damn sleep, forced to be polite to rude scumbag customers. Couldn't even pay my damn car payment this month, let alone my student loans. All those months I spent applying to jobs and nothing to show for it. If I had done nothing, the result would be the same. How much rejection can a man take? I don't want to be some bitter old man dying of disease. God knows I tried.
CreepingFear
Member
Some of the stress doesn't stop even after you're hired. I have to fill out a shit ton of papers, take a drug test, get ID forms handed in. It's harder because I'm under contract with one company to work for another company. A lot of the contact so far has been through emails and phone calls.
I hope you weren't being serious here, but man congrats. I've been lurking this thread for some time. Happy for you.
Everyone else keep your head up.