I am so frustrated!

[ztawinthropgirl]

Ya'll know I graduated about a year and a half ago from Winthrop University. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a minor in Political Science. It would seem to make some sense I would have a decent entry-level job by now. I don't! I work at Target . . . as a PART-TIME sales associate . . . at $6.85 an hour . . . averaging 14 hours a week. With the piddly check I receive every 2 weeks, I can barely pay my credit card bill ($167 for a pair of glasses I needed), gas and maintenance for my car (which needs its brakes checked, tires rotated, gas/transmission systems flushed which all need to be done at the dealership), car insurance ($90 a month), and cell phone. Granted, I have a savings account, but my belief about a savings account is that it's exactly what it says it is . . . a savings account, not an expense account. I try to put 10% of my check into my savings account because I read in the business section of the newspaper that is what you're "supposed" to do and it sounded like a reasonable idea so I try to follow it. Granted it's about $50 a month but that's all I can do and it adds up eventually.

I have sent out about 50 resumes in the past year and a half with some resulting in interviews. I have experience 4 responses: (1) no response after the interview (2) no response at all about my resume (3) I am overqualified (4) I don't have 100 years of experience to my name. How can I rectify this trend? I can't get experience without someone hiring me. I can't afford to go to "interview counseling" and I live too far away from Winthrop to go back there to get interview help. The local colleges don't offer interview help. Most of the places I sent resumes to just offered the address and not the phone number and there's no way to get the phone number. What do I do?

[Aphigal]

What sort of position are you looking for?

First of all looking for a full time job *is* a full time job. Since you are only working 14 hours a week you should be pounding the pavement another 40 hours a week to find a job. I don't want to sound tough but I hire people onto my team and college grads with zero experience who expect to make 40K a year are a dime a dozen. And if you have been out of school 1.5 years with no full time work it raises a serious motivation flag in my head.

Some suggestions -
indentify 5 companies you would like to work at and set up informational interviews - note these are informational only you should not ask for employment at the conclusion of these. Read more about how to do information interviews on Monster.com

volunteer to work for free in your desired area of employment. you can propably work 20 hours a week in your choosen field.


Don't give up but do get going!!!

[Xylochick216]

I have the same problem. I sent out over 50 applications and got one response last summer. I'm now working at a TV station in production... definitely not glamourous. I was part-time from September through last week, and now I'm finally full-time. The pay is absolutely horrible, though. I'd make more at Subway than my job, and the hours are awful (3:30 am-1pm). I've also had a hard time getting people to respond (even when I follow up) and I have been caught in the "over-qualified for some but not enough experience for others" situation. Luckily I had an intervew last week for my dream job, but I'm still waiting to hear. The job market isn't that fabulous right now, and I know a ton of people in the same boat.

The advice people have given me is to be thankful I have anything right now and to use it as life experience. I know it sounds crappy, but one day I'm sure you'll have a job in your field that you like and you can look back at your first job out of college and laugh and think of how much more you like your new job.

[damasa]

Relocation.

It's a hard concept to grasp but you have to go to the jobs because the jobs won't come to you.

Certain industries are stronger in certain parts of the country. This usually means that there is more competition in seeking out new employees which usually means more benefits and highter pay for you.

But that's just my suggestion.

[adpiucf]

It is crucial that you decide what you want to do and where you want to live. You must tailor and target your resumes specifically to those open positions that intetest you, and you must reside within a reasonable commuting distance from that job.

For example, no employer will take seriously an entry level job applicant for a position in New York when you reside in Utah. There is plenty of local talent to draw from and the employer doesn't have to deal with relocation costs or the long distance person backing out.

Secondly, you must expand your network of professional contacts by becoming involved with a professional society related to your desired field of work, and then take it upon yourself to update your resume and call total strangers to request informational meetings in which you interview them about the field and their careers. They will connect you with other people in the same field of work. This is how you build a network. Always give them your resume and ask for job search feedback. Eventually one of these contacts will result in a job, based on their passing around your good name to their colleagues.

Remember that when you see a job listing, it is the employers' last resort. He has already exhausted his professional contacts and personal connections to find an appropriate applicant. Get into that network.

And if you are 1.5 years out of school and are not living in an area with a strong demand for your field or the appropriate contacts to get ahead, you need to pack up and move. You have credit cards to live off of until you can get a job, and when you go to that bigger place you can reigster with an agency for temp work until you get your real job.

I recommend reading Suze Orman's new book-- Young Broke and Fabulous. It is about managing your finances and going for the career you want. Ron Fry's 101 Best Interview Questions is another good one.

Avoid monster.com and other large job banks. Focus on the professional network and professional association job banks to get your contacts.

You work at Target, barely making ends meet and you are unhappy. What do you have to lose by moving? You can always move back.

Good luck from someone who has been in your shoes!

[nauadpi]

I agree with all the other feedback people have given you. You really have to work at it to get a job in today's market. One thing though to keep in mind is that if the company exists it is possible to find a phone number for them. No matter what start calling. I know that is how I ended up getting a job out of college. I followed up multiple times since they were not getting back to me. In the long run I the position I was applying for was filled but they ended up liking me and I was offered a different position. It was 3 months between me sending my resume in to them and actually being offered the job and I was on the phone with them at least once a week.

[ztawinthropgirl]

Thank ya'll so much for your advice! ADPIUCF, I was thinking about getting that Suze Orman book "Young, Broke, and Fabulous" . . . which is the category I fit in. LOL! I am young. I am broke. I most certainly think I am fabulous!

The bad thing is, I did move/relocate to a stronger job market . . . or at least I thought so. In comparison to where I was living (about 30 minutes away from Charlotte, NC), Greenville, SC does have a stronger job market than the Charlotte, NC area. Shocking I know. All Charlotte, NC is a bunch of banks (well, it is the second banking city of the USA) and insurance companies . . . neither of which I was even remotely interested in. I would be more miserable in banking and insurance than at Target.

As of right now, I am going back to school at Greenville Technical College and taking some night classes and internet classes. I am getting my Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies and second Bachelor's in Pre-Law. I want to be a lawyer and screwed around the first time through undergraduate studies. In turn, I didn't make the stellar grades I should have so I am trying to rectify that situation. Greenville Tech has the best Paralegal Studies degree/certificate in SC. So, I am kind of tied to where I am living. I don't mind relocating when I finish my degrees. That's NOT a problem. I want to be an entertainment lawyer so I know I have to move to NYC, Nashville, or LA.

I know the Upstate area has an organization called SCUPA (South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association). They meet the second Thursday of the month at 12:30 pm in The Poinsett Club. It's time to get my hiney into going to those meetings. The next meeting is June 9, 2005.

Thanks again for all of your help so far! Keep the advice and encouragement coming! I feel like I have a new start with the job search because I was getting all bogged down in the resume writing and mailing and interviewing process and letdowns.

[FloridaTish]

I know that many people do not like the idea of going through a temp agency, but almost every job I have ever gotten has originated through a temp service or recruiter. When I first left college (without a degree, no less) I walked into a temp agency in Atlanta and I was immediately offered an 8 month assignment with Pepsi. When an opening occurred, who was the first person the HR staff at Pepsi looked at to fill the the full time job? Yes, it was me. I wound up working there for 3 more years as a full time employee.

I then packed up my things and moved to Florida, since I hated living in Atlanta. First thing I did was contact a temp agency here in Brevard county and my first job was a 5 month assignment with Boeing, working at Kennedy Space Center on the International Space Station project. Great Pay and gave me experience working in the Areospace industry which is a big employer here on the Space Coast. After that assignment was over,I immediately found a new job working for another company which at the time was a stock market darling (JDS Uniphase) where I gained additional experience in the HR field. After 8 months, I found my current job working at a local university where I get free tution to finish my degree, in addition to 16 days paid holidays, 2 weeks sick, 2 weeks vacation a year.

All the time as a temp paid off...Plus, even if you are only there for a few weeks to a few months, you are making valuable contacts for future positions.

Avoid monster.com and other large job banks. Focus on the professional network and professional association job banks to get your contacts.

Remember that when you see a job listing, it is the employers' last resort

I highly disagree with the above statements. Many corporations including all that I worked for and that my husband worked for over the years are REQUIRED by HR policy to post the positions on an outside network before interviewing any candidate. It is company policy, not a place of last resort...

Please remember that we all don't start out in our desired field of interest or degree specialty. Please keep an open mind and think outside of the box and be willing to gain experience in the business world in general before you aim directly for getting a job as an entertainemnt lawyer (which is a hard field to break into, even with contacts!)

[ZTAngel]

Originally posted by FloridaTish

I highly disagree with the above statements. Many corporations including all that I worked for and that my husband worked for over the years are REQUIRED by HR policy to post the positions on an outside network before interviewing any candidate. It is

Very true. In order to follow the EEO standards, many of the larger companies are required to publicly post all open positions.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by ZTAngel
Very true. In order to follow the EEO standards, many of the larger companies are required to publicly post all open positions.

I guess this depends on your definition of "required."

Some federally regulated industries or those that do business with governments may "have" to post jobs -- but, for the most part posting jobs is an internal decision of the HR Department.

Experience has also taught me that, especially for upper level jobs, that requirement can be waived pretty much on a whim.

I will say that the idea that posting is the last resort isn't generally true. Most large firms find it very helpful. And there are still those who must meet EEO standards -- but not all.

One other comment, and this speaks to getting your foot in the door using temp agencies. I've never done that, but almost every job I've ever gotten was because of contacts, so it seems to me that temp agencies should be a good thing.

[aephi alum]

I've been in your shoes (dang dot-com bust ). Looking for work is not easy, and can be very frustrating.

You've gotten some great advice... forgive me if I repeat some of it.

Network, network, network. Join professional orgs in your field of interest. You never know whom you'll meet. Don't overlook the internet job boards, but don't rely on them exclusively. A good network will serve you much better.

Do some volunteer work, in your field if possible. You never know whom you'll meet in that context. You can also list it on your resume. You don't want gaps in your employment history, and while you can list Target, your job as a sales associate probably isn't going to impress someone who's looking to hire a lawyer/paralegal. BUT, if you can list some law-related volunteer work alongside it, that will be more impressive.

Your state's Department of Labor may have some resources. My state's DoL runs job fairs, resume workshops, etc., most of which are free for job seekers. Of course, their goal is to help unemployed people find jobs so they can stop paying them unemployment insurance... but these programs should still be open to you as an underemployed person, even though you're not collecting UI.

No matter what, don't give up. It's easy to give up hope when you've sent out a bunch of resumes and the phone still doesn't ring. Keep plugging away.

Good luck!

[ztawinthropgirl]

I have tried the two major temp agencies in Greenville, SC. Those two are Godshall Staffing (which had the most job openings I thought I was qualified for) and Adecco (which only had physical labor jobs and trucking jobs). Godshall Staffing really stunk! They did NOT do their jobs when it came to finding me a job. I called EVERY week for 6 or 7 months, even though they only required you to call every 2 weeks. When I went in there to fill out the forms for everything, the only people I saw coming in for anything were men. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against men at all. Apparantly, I got the impression all they wanted to place WERE men in executive jobs where the temp employees were earning a lot of $$ so in turn Godshall Staffing earned a lot of money. I am going in tomorrow to Godshall Staffing with a list of jobs on their website and brochure that I am qualified for. I mean serious business right now about finding a job.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to volunteer a whole lot and didn't in college except for the mandatory, unsupervised service hours for ZTA and Breast Cancer Awareness. I had a serious health problem in college I was nursing.

I am going to the next SCUPA meeting in June so I can get acquainted with everyone in that organization. Cross your fingers something will come of that.

[winneythepooh7]

I agree that looking for a job should be a F/T job. I know someone who has a degree in communications, has only worked temp jobs, and now has been unemployed for close to a year. I feel really bad for her. A suggestion I have is to get a job doing anything because gaps in employment do look bad. Also places may be willing to "test you out" by offering a P/T or "on call" position to you. My agency was actually willing to do that with my friend at an entry level position but she just really didn't want to work in my field which is fine. I also think that unfortunately in this day and age, more specialized education is needed to get a "good job" if you know what I am saying. And even then, unfortunately, you are damned if you do, damned if you don't. I know my own field is very grim because it is so flooded with Social Workers that people can't find jobs. Most people my age who have found good jobs has been through the networking thing though.

[LPIDelta]

Hope I am not repeating anything--lots of people have talked about networking etc., but another suggestion is to get a mentor. Find some fabulous woman in your field/area who has connections and ask her for an hour of her time to do an informational interview. If you find the information she provides helpful, tell her you've been looking for someone to serve as a mentor and that you're wondering if she might have the time to take you on. You might look to some of your more "mature/experienced" sorority sisters living in your area as a resource.

Two years ago, I was preparing for a move half way across the country where I knew no one. I did some research on organizations in the area I was moving to, and found a woman working in my field who used to work where I was moving from. I met her for an informational interview and then had an opportunity almost a year later to interview with her for a position at her organization. I was not selected for that position, but used the opportunity to ask her to mentor me. She arranged for a part-time position for me in her department--although not what I was ideally looking for, it has turned out great because I am able to pursue other interests while maintain employment in my field. My mentor and I meet once a month to discuss prospects and my future plans. I am now applying for graduate school after she provided me with the encouragement to do so.

The job market is tough right now. Take heart in the fact that many of us have been where you are--my first job after college was as a nanny making $200 a week.

[Rudey]

This is a great reminder for people to go to good schools, major in subjects that are relevant to their careers, and to do well in their classes.

-Rudey