Where are all the jobs here??? Need advice and/or suggestions... (Minneapolis: real estate, headhunter)

[awsun1980]

That is too funny considering I've registered with Office Team weeks ago & have applied to several jobs at Wells Fargo. I think Office Team even told me about those mortgage assistant jobs & you do have to have experience. Temp agencies I have learned through my experience, are a joke!! Has anyone had success with one? I'm not even getting responses for jobs that are very similiar if not exactly my experience, let alone without.

I have a sister in HR so I don't think I'd ever pay for someone to look at my resume & have been told it's great, but thanks for the suggestion. Honestly, in this economy, I don't think it'd matter much now, anyway!

It's tough out there! Too hard IMO.

Originally Posted by moving123456

Send a resume to Office Team if you have not already done so. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage will be hiring a few more Mortgage Assistants through them soon. Your experience listed should be fine for the position, they have hired people with less.

[Camden Northsider]

Job search rule #1- never turn down or fail to follow up on an opportunity to network- you never know how many connections someone might have. It's clear that moving123456 works in one of the positions s/he is saying is hiring right now, maybe you could contact her directly, attach your resume, and ask her if she'd put in a good word for you at the company she is working at?

I don't mean to offend you, but in response to everyone trying to be helpful and suggest leads, you seem to be batting down every one of them with somewhat of a self-defeatist attitude. I can understand how it would be hard to fight that given the current state of things, but my advice would be to not get too hung up on this qualification or that one- yes you want to target the jobs you have the best shot of getting, but if you think you can do something, or you have relatable experience- go for it. When I worked as a job developer (worked with companies to hire unemployed Mpls residents), I witnessed employers that said they would never hire an ex-offender hire persons recently released from incarceration; I placed a person that spoke barely any English with an employer that said all company staff needed to have good English skills. If the employer sees something they really like in you, they might be willing to bend on previously stated qualifications- sometimes people with multiple years of experience and all the education in the world have really crappy attitudes and poor people skills, and/or poor references- if you can outshine them in interview setting (or on cover/ resume), you might just get the job over them. If you have a spotty work history filled with gaps and/or short stints, that's going to be tough to talk your way out of in this market, but not impossible (and you would want to address it in the interview). My suggestion would be to pick up a volunteer gig somewhere so that you are doing something, networking, gaining a local work reference, and showing a potential employer how motivated you are to be pouring your skills and work ethic into an unpaid position for the greater good (they then might just think "wow, think of how hard they would work for a paying gig"). Good luck!

Good luck-

[awsun1980]

Thanks everyone.

moving123456, do you know something I don't know? Do you work for them, can you say? Because they already told me you needed experience & didn't even present me for those types of jobs. I'm getting really fed up with the run around temp agencies give you. I need ANYthing at this point, it is getting quite ridiculous out there competing for jobs that in a normal economy, you would really never have to compete for. Even in places like retail.

Going back to my original question too, is anyone else in my position right now AND/OR does anyone know of companies that ARE hiring?

Thanks to everyone who can help and/or has given advice....

[golfgal]

My husband's company recently filled a clerical/receptionist position and the job applicants they got were very over qualified for the position. Many people pretty much were saying "I'll take anything". You are going up against people with a lot more experience and education then you have.

I am somewhat surprised that you didn't get something with Office Team. I temped with them a few years ago and had my pick of assignments, one of which was at Wells Fargo. That job is fairly easy but you do need good phone skills.

Most companies have wage and hiring freezes. The market isn't very good. I would say that right now your best bet is looking at title companies, mortgage companies and auto repair businesses. They are the ones that are doing the best right now.

[Avery B]

I am from Florida and it may be in your state aswell it is a Federal Funded program that will assist you in resume writing, interviewing skills as well as a host of things to assist you in finding that next right job. It is a free program. Google Workforce One and then within Workforce One there is a professional program to assist professionals it's called PPN Professional Placement Networking, if your state has this type of program (it may be called something else) but if you take this free class it will help you a great deal. It will teach you non-traditional was of finding that next right job.
One of the ways they teach is to go to networking events. Not sure how big networking is in your state but it is huge in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. You will be suprised how may people you can meet to give you leads. 80% of high level jobs are acquired through networking. Let everyone you know, know that you are in career transition...NO... you are not unemployed! You are in career transition! You don't want to hear, "OH I an so sorry" you want to hear about leads to that next right job. So tell everyone you meet about your skills because they might know somebody who's best friend work's with a neighbor who is a decision maker at the hospital down the street from your house, she know that someone in another department is moving away and the position is not yet posted and this would be a great position for you. It has great compansation and benifits.
Find out where your dream job employees hang out for "Happy Hour" them go there and rub some elbows with them. Get the scoop on positions available and get names of the key decision makers for the company. As if they have insentive recrutment programs for employees who being in prospective employees. The Marriott rewards their employees who bring in prospectives whom get the job $500. Ask your friends if their companies have programs similar to this you could be hundreds if hired and get to work with your best buddy. Have and keep a positive additude about finding that next right job...it's out there you just need to find effective ways of finding it.
Stop sending your resume out. Cater your resume to the job. Build your resume around the position that you are applying for...use the keywords that are posted on the job site or posting. Don't use blanket resumes. Companies scan resumes for keywords and you want your resume to make it past the scanner and on to the desk of the decision maker.
Also subscribe to a Business Journal Newspaper and cold call from the contacts that are in that newspaper do all calling before 8am start calling by 7am because that's when decision makers are in the office checking their email and voice messages and are most relaxed before their hectic day really begins.
Research companies you have a deep passion for... invision your self working for the company that you have dreamed about. That passion will be reflected during your networking, cold calling, interviewing and you will get hired because your passion can not only be heard but felt. Not make calls and befriend the gatekeepers and ask tons of questions to find out who the decision makers are and then contact them directly ask them about the positions available within the company because they know who's next to fire and hire... way before HR does so send your resume to them directly... not to the HR managers.
For more tips from what I have learned from the Workforce One PPN class email me directly at very.brite@yahoo.com I don't mind helping also email me your resume so that I can take a look at it and provide you with tips on ways of making your resume stand out from the rest..Remember your resume is scaned for keywords and if those words are not in your resume, your resume will never make it past the scanner and on to the desk of your next right job.

Here is the email address of the PPN Regional Program Director ask her if she can assist you in finding out if this program is available in your state.
sleventhal@wflbroward.com

Be Blessed.

[awsun1980]

Any other takers? I've applied to about 110 jobs--I can't believe it's this hard to get a job in Mpls or St. Paul even with the economy. I came from a smaller area & it wasn't this bad. Anyone think it's gonna get better here?

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by awsun1980

Any other takers? I've applied to about 110 jobs--I can't believe it's this hard to get a job in Mpls or St. Paul even with the economy. I came from a smaller area & it wasn't this bad. Anyone think it's gonna get better here?

It should get better in time, but exactly when that'll start is hard to say. The market is really bad in the Atlanta metro, also.

FWIW, I applied to well over 1,000 jobs five years ago before I moved across the country (MSP -> ATL) for permanent work, and I know folks down here who have done a similar number of applications during this recent downturn with no luck, so while it seems like you've applied to a lot of places, you really haven't compared to some. Keep in trucking, though ... something will show up eventually. And remember that custom-tailored resumes and cover letters are theoretically more effective than a form letter...

[nick is rulz]

Pizza delivery is not a bad gig to earn some dough. I do it part time, and most of the larger companies are always hiring. The inner ring working class suburbs seem to be decent tippers, so look in those areas. I usually average around $25-$40 for a three hour shift on top of the hourly wage. Its nothing amazing, but most restaurants have stayed busy with the economic slowdown, and there still is a decent demand for assistant manager and manager positions (I was offered one but turned it down).

[YaFace]

I did a search on USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site for MSP and there are several federal jobs that are open to entry level. Try working with the TSA as a TSO for starters and then move up from there. The federal government is where it is at!

[StPaulEastSider]

You didn't mention what neck of the wood you are stayin' in... if you post that info, someone here might be able to point you in the right direction.

You need to go to businesses and apply in person... be assertive.

You need to spend 4 hours of face-to-face time looking for a job for every 1 hour of screen time you spend looking for a job.

Put the word out... tell everyone you can imagine that you are looking for work. Get connected as much as possible in the community, for example - find a place of worship.

It's way harder when you are new to an area, I have to echo rcsteiner on that one... i think people are afraid you won't stick around. I had to work 4x as hard to find a job when I moved 'cross country.

Best Wishes.