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I need to vent here and hopefully someone can give me some advice.
I'm currently trying to get into school, I already enrolled and waiting for the next semester to start so I can start attending because I could not attend for this semester because my broke ass didnt have money for more clothes and money for transportation so I can make it to school every day.
In the meantime I need to get a job, especially since I am living with my sister who suggested I get one as soon as possible (which seems impossible) because she is tired of seeing me sitting around her house. She wants to see me "doing something".
My sister keeps saying "you need a job. In order to get one you need to hunt for it". That's easy for her to say since she was born in a generation where the job market wasnt ****ty and she went to nurse training school or whatever it's called and had fallen into the fortunate fate of landing a nursing job where she makes 60,000 a year and she never even got her high school diploma. Meanwhile I am hunting for jobs and getting NOWHERE and it's getting on my last nerve. I keep explaining to her that 80% of employers want you to be referred to their company by an employee that works at their company, and that 5,000 Joe Schmoes will apply for one damn job opening and that's another reason why it takes so long to get any response IF AT ALL from the job you applied for. I also told her that the reason employers post job openings online is just their method of a back up plan just in case they don't get that perfect candidate referred to their company, that perfect candidate will happen to apply online.
And don't get me started on the stupid questions they ask you on the questionaires; like they'll ask you what percent of politicians lie. What does the percent of politicians lying have to do with me pushing carts out of the parking lot of flipping burgers? And it seems some of the questions they ask you are trick questions: are you tidy or organized? Can you work in a team or are you able to work as a strong independent individual?
The whole process of applying for a job online is unbelievably frustrating and stupid; it seems the process is the same scenario each and every time I try to apply for a job: Go to store/company for them to tell me all I have to do is go and apply online "for my convenience" (oh it's convenient alright). I'm like to myself: I'm HERE at the store so why can't I just apply, while I'm here, with some human contact? Because we all know subconciously once you send your application online it's going to go off and get lost in the cyber cesspool of other job applications, where 99% of them aren't even considered, and where most likely yours won't even get considered even if you do have some qualifications or experience.
I'm tired of "job hunting" (which seems more like a never ending cat and mouse game) and getting nowhere. I'm tired of people telling me "just get a job" when most of the people who tell me this are older people who got to where they are because they came from an easier generation and they don't understand that if it were that ****ing easy to "just get a job" I WOULD HAVE ONE BY NOW. I can't just walk outside and instantly become employed; some older folks seem to have this weird logic where they think going outside will get you employed. Yeah like the whole entire trying to get a job process doesnt constitute with sitting on my ass all day on the computer playing Russian Roulette with my resume with online job applications. I'm tired of being broke and not being able to provide for myself while I go to school. Tired of living with people. Tired of people not understanding what me and others are going through when trying to get a job. It's not as easy as people think!
Hopefully someone can share some solutions and some insights from a similar situation they are going through.
I understand your frustration. I'm in a similar situation. It does feel like online apps are a black hole.
My best advice is to keep trying and look up hr info online for the companies that you're applying to, then tailor your cover letter to that specific person.
Yes well there are other ways to get out of the house that can lead to a productive search. Get some type of routine going that can show her you are making effort. Leave the house every morning, go somewhere, a gym, a walk, find somewhere to meet recruiters. Do the online stuff after you have had some time doing something else. Volunteer? I'm going to a group Monday with a mini-job fair. Will it amount to much? Probably not but it is better than sitting here. And yes, you are correct the data says 5% of jobs are filled online. But with jobs you maybe willing to accept, it might be more important to meet people face to face. Overcoming the discouragement of all the numbers we see is part of the chore, don't let it get to you. Don't think you know it all, keep making the effort but try to find other ways to get "in".
Yes well there are other ways to get out of the house that can lead to a productive search. Get some type of routine going that can show her you are making effort. Leave the house every morning, go somewhere, a gym, a walk, find somewhere to meet recruiters. Do the online stuff after you have had some time doing something else. Volunteer? I'm going to a group Monday with a mini-job fair. Will it amount to much? Probably not but it is better than sitting here. And yes, you are correct the data says 5% of jobs are filled online. But with jobs you maybe willing to accept, it might be more important to meet people face to face. Overcoming the discouragement of all the numbers we see is part of the chore, don't let it get to you. Don't think you know it all, keep making the effort but try to find other ways to get "in".
I have volunteered and went to job fairs and it's the same thing. And I don't think I know it all that's why I'm coming here for advice. I think the only way I can get a job is if I was in school and get employed by the school's Federal Word Study. But the problem is I couldn't get to school is because I don't have any money because I don't have a job. There's got to be some other way besides applying online. I need someone to refer me. How can I find a person to refer me?
I understand your frustration. I'm in a similar situation. It does feel like online apps are a black hole.
My best advice is to keep trying and look up hr info online for the companies that you're applying to, then tailor your cover letter to that specific person.
Yes well there are other ways to get out of the house that can lead to a productive search. Get some type of routine going that can show her you are making effort. Leave the house every morning, go somewhere, a gym, a walk, find somewhere to meet recruiters. Do the online stuff after you have had some time doing something else. Volunteer? I'm going to a group Monday with a mini-job fair. Will it amount to much? Probably not but it is better than sitting here. And yes, you are correct the data says 5% of jobs are filled online. But with jobs you maybe willing to accept, it might be more important to meet people face to face. Overcoming the discouragement of all the numbers we see is part of the chore, don't let it get to you. Don't think you know it all, keep making the effort but try to find other ways to get "in".
Exactly. If I had an unemployed relative living with me waiting a whole semester for school to start, I'd insist they volunteer at least half the day. You could volunteer 4 hours a day and apply for jobs online 4 hours a day and still have more free time that most people.
Show your sister that you're not taking her assistance for granted by doing something structured all day, even if it's not paid. Try walking dogs at the Humane Society, helping out at the local food shelf, volunteering at the library, reading to old people at a nursing home, etc.
Exactly. If I had an unemployed relative living with me waiting a whole semester for school to start, I'd insist they volunteer at least half the day. You could volunteer 4 hours a day and apply for jobs online 4 hours a day and still have more free time that most people.
Show your sister that you're not taking her assistance for granted by doing something structured all day, even if it's not paid. Try walking dogs at the Humane Society, helping out at the local food shelf, volunteering at the library, reading to old people at a nursing home, etc.
I have done volunteer work, I have listed on my resume that I have volunteered with PETA and have also volunteered helping people at welfare offices to get into school. But it seems like it's NOT being considered.
Last edited by Yasmine21; 08-25-2013 at 12:42 PM..
I need to vent here and hopefully someone can give me some advice.
I'm currently trying to get into school, I already enrolled and waiting for the next semester to start so I can start attending because I could not attend for this semester because my broke ass didnt have money for more clothes and money for transportation so I can make it to school every day.
In the meantime I need to get a job, especially since I am living with my sister who suggested I get one as soon as possible (which seems impossible) because she is tired of seeing me sitting around her house. She wants to see me "doing something".
My sister keeps saying "you need a job. In order to get one you need to hunt for it". That's easy for her to say since she was born in a generation where the job market wasnt ****ty and she went to nurse training school or whatever it's called and had fallen into the fortunate fate of landing a nursing job where she makes 60,000 a year and she never even got her high school diploma. Meanwhile I am hunting for jobs and getting NOWHERE and it's getting on my last nerve. I keep explaining to her that 80% of employers want you to be referred to their company by an employee that works at their company, and that 5,000 Joe Schmoes will apply for one damn job opening and that's another reason why it takes so long to get any response IF AT ALL from the job you applied for. I also told her that the reason employers post job openings online is just their method of a back up plan just in case they don't get that perfect candidate referred to their company, that perfect candidate will happen to apply online.
And don't get me started on the stupid questions they ask you on the questionaires; like they'll ask you what percent of politicians lie. What does the percent of politicians lying have to do with me pushing carts out of the parking lot of flipping burgers? And it seems some of the questions they ask you are trick questions: are you tidy or organized? Can you work in a team or are you able to work as a strong independent individual?
The whole process of applying for a job online is unbelievably frustrating and stupid; it seems the process is the same scenario each and every time I try to apply for a job: Go to store/company for them to tell me all I have to do is go and apply online "for my convenience" (oh it's convenient alright). I'm like to myself: I'm HERE at the store so why can't I just apply, while I'm here, with some human contact? Because we all know subconciously once you send your application online it's going to go off and get lost in the cyber cesspool of other job applications, where 99% of them aren't even considered, and where most likely yours won't even get considered even if you do have some qualifications or experience.
I'm tired of "job hunting" (which seems more like a never ending cat and mouse game) and getting nowhere. I'm tired of people telling me "just get a job" when most of the people who tell me this are older people who got to where they are because they came from an easier generation and they don't understand that if it were that ****ing easy to "just get a job" I WOULD HAVE ONE BY NOW. I can't just walk outside and instantly become employed; some older folks seem to have this weird logic where they think going outside will get you employed. Yeah like the whole entire trying to get a job process doesnt constitute with sitting on my ass all day on the computer playing Russian Roulette with my resume with online job applications. I'm tired of being broke and not being able to provide for myself while I go to school. Tired of living with people. Tired of people not understanding what me and others are going through when trying to get a job. It's not as easy as people think!
Hopefully someone can share some solutions and some insights from a similar situation they are going through.
Thanks for reading my rant
Look for jobs that don't require you to apply online. Those places are
indeed.com
idealist.org
careerbuilder
local newspaper
OP, if you don't have some sort of experience or know someone already then getting that entry level "real" job, office job, IT job etc... will be next to impossible. Even the entry level, secretary, administrative assistant, customer service etc... are competitive.
A quick story: 1 friend graduated with Associates in Computer Information systems (at least I think that was the major, it was something in IT) job hunted for a bit, told the same old "You don't have experience so no thank you..." and is now working towards a management position at Burger King. I have a cousin who graduated with a degree in Health Sciences and is now working a decent (30-35k a year) entry level IT job. You want to know how my cousin got that job- a friend in college was already working there, so when the cousin needed a job, the friend was able to get him the IT position. Now don't you think the 2 year degree in Computers is a bit more relevant for an IT job than a health sciences degree? I mean if there was no inside connection, no friend already working at the IT company, would the person with the Health science degree get the IT position over the person with the Associates in CIS?
So to reiterate unless you have prior experience or know someone getting that entry level office type job will be very, very difficult. That prior experience will either come from unpaid internships or finding an entry level position that is actually entry level, willing to train etc...
If you are just looking for work, just something to kill time and make money, I would hit Target, Walmart, any fast food, shop rite , snag a job etc... The cousin who is currently doing the management thing at Burger King got the job because he went in person to the store and asked for an application- you may have some luck with that.
As for websites, I think linkdin is tops, I got more phone calls and in person interviews this summer with Linkdin than any monster, career builder or indeed. I am not saying don't look at monster, career builder etc... but look heavily at linkdin.
Okay, seriously? No one is going to hand you a job. Times are hard, but what skills do you have? Can you type and comfortable with Microsoft Word/Powerpoint/Excel? I would go to a temp agency and have them help find a short term assignment.
Let them know you are just taking a semester off. You will have to fill out an application and take some skills tests. No way around that....oh, and I understand where you are coming from. I just think you have to be proactive and follow up once you apply with a phone call. Good luck and get that "hustler" drive....you'll need it in college too!
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That's easy for her to say since she was born in a generation where the job market wasnt ****ty and she went to nurse training school or whatever it's called and had fallen into the fortunate fate of landing a nursing job where she makes 60,000 a year and she never even got her high school diploma. Meanwhile I am hunting for jobs and getting NOWHERE and it's getting on my last nerve. I keep explaining to her that 80% of employers want you to be referred to their company by an employee that works at their company, and that 5,000 Joe Schmoes will apply for one damn job opening and that's another reason why it takes so long to get any response IF AT ALL from the job you applied for. I also told her that the reason employers post job openings online is just their method of a back up plan just in case they don't get that perfect candidate referred to their company, that perfect candidate will happen to apply online.
And I don't think I know it all that's why I'm coming here for advice. I think the only way I can get a job is if I was in school and get employed by the school's Federal Word Study. But the problem is I couldn't get to school is because I don't have any money because I don't have a job. There's got to be some other way besides applying online. 
