Job Hunt (Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville: job market, school, college)

[MGP123]

Hello all,

I have been in Austin for a couple of months. Can anyone share more info than what has already been posted on the job market? I have submitted resumes to all things, both above and below my current career level, and received no responses.
For those of you that were in a similar situation, what was the time table of your landing a job? Thankfully my wife has a job, but we are still running out of cash quickly. If anyone knows of openings anywhere please let me know.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by MGP123

Hello all,

I have been in Austin for a couple of months. Can anyone share more info than what has already been posted on the job market? I have submitted resumes to all things, both above and below my current career level, and received no responses.
For those of you that were in a similar situation, what was the time table of your landing a job? Thankfully my wife has a job, but we are still running out of cash quickly. If anyone knows of openings anywhere please let me know.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

MGP, I can't give you any job-specific advice, but, if you are running out of cash, take anything you can land for now, if only to stem some of the cash loss. That is, if you are waiting to land a more skilled, rare position. Heck, even a minimum-wage job will at least keep you from losing 1K or so a month. Have you considered getting a real-estate license? Some here may scoff in replies here, but, if you can work a job enough to save about 1,200 in start-up fees/licensing fees, maybe you can make a buck doing THAT for a spell. Surely our RE market is a hell of a lot better than most in the nation.

Also, 85% of all jobs in Austin are gotten through networking/word-of-mouth, regardless of which or where or IF they post anywhere....networking is where its at. You have somewhat of the right idea by getting on CD, and maybe someone has some specific advice or companies they can IM you on here, if you can put the category of job you are looking for on here. Infinitely better is to get out in the public eye and mix face to face...ask around....be friendlier than you have ever been in your life, and see if anyone anywhere knows about a job, or someone that KNOWS of a job....coming out here to a strange city not knowing a soul can be hard per networking, but you have to get out and talk/mix somehow....you prob won't find anything more on the web than what has been passed on and warmed over on many posts multiple times....

Get off the web, get into the public eye, and mix...could not give you better advice....walk into any establishment you can, especially in your hopeful line of work, and ask around..if they kick you out, get back up and try someplace else..

Best of luck to you....!

[staubach]

Find a recruiter if you are new to the area. They will help shape up the resume and lead you to a job that matches your experience.

[cmaxmor]

Go to a temp agency. They will get you employed and you can see what there is on offer here.

[HappyTexan]

Start applying to city government jobs, not only Austin but other cities as well.
Apply to HEB.

Some retail positions are probably available with college kids back in school..many who had summer jobs left.

I know the HEB in Pflugerville was very short on cashiers/packers last weekend because so many had left.

[mickey65]

The Sears call center in Round Rock is ALWAYS hiring.

I got a job there last year when I had spent 4 months looking for a job - and I'm still there.

It's better than nothing...and starving.

[sweetvelocity]

Hey Mickey65, thanks for the lead

[AGA]

I had been looking for the better part of 1.5 yrs...I did work about 6 months in there, but lost that after the Christmas holidays. Being on unemployment, I HAD to make 5 contacts a week and often did much more. I would estimate that of the 300+/- contacts I made I got responses from about 15 and that includes the "cookie cutter" we are not hiring type. FINALLY about 3 weeks ago I got a call from someone I contacted 2 months prior and set up an interview. Oddly enough that same week I was contacted by 2 other places. I did end up being offered a job and thakfully I am now EMPLOYED albeit only part time, but that was the best fit for me and my family!
Patience is hard. It is not like the good old days when someone replied to your email as a matter of courtesy. I was told that for an average job (one position) like I was looking for, an employer could get upward of 200 inquiries and simply cannot respond to them all.
Keep the faith. And if you have not tried already look into texas workforce/work in texas stuff. the site is a bit hard to negotiate, but they have TONS of jobs posted.