Reload this Page Looking for College-Level Jobs in NYC: What to Do with little experience and no job after 6 months? (employees, 2013)

[mozillameister]

I'm 99% sure that I landed a job last week and will call me after New Years about a job offer.....

...however...

I'm a bit worried if I don't get it. I graduated college last year with several internships. Spent 6 months looking for a job after graduating. Landed my first Marketing job in CT, but it only lasted for 6 months. I've been looking for jobs the last 6 months here in the City...


Now, I am well aware of the 6 month rule: mostly, that after 6 months of unemployment, your resume will be discarded by a majority of companies. Basically, I will be discarded goods. Like the Marketing equivalent of Tim Tebow. I don't want to be Tebow (I have potential, dammit! Plus, I don't have a lucrative broadcasting career to fall back on...lucky bastard). I also know that the majority of hiring happens in January/ Februaray, so its very important to land a position ASAP.

But if I don't, what should I do? I know that if I decide to take on a sub College level position, there's no going back. I'll be stuck with sub-College positions for years...maybe longer. If I settle, I will be screwed. It becomes a cycle of mediocrity, and those are the worst.

Graduate of The University at Buffalo with a BS in Business Administration - concentrations in Marketing and Finance, and a BA in Economics (2 degrees- 150 cred)

Don't really know anyone in the city with connections. Family is filled with educators. My parents were low level employees at Columbia and NYPL. Would like to know people win connections I guess being Jewish isn't that advantageous after all, lol.

Last year I tried networking at UBAA (Alumni Association) events, but was heavily discouraged at the events themselves because I didn't have anything to contribute networking-wise...meaning, that I don't have any connections to contribute, so I really didn't have a reason for being there.

I've tried applying to positions throughout the country, but Why would a company hire some entry level-ish hire thousands of miles away when they got more local people? I went to college in Upstate, and even they balk at hiring me after the phone interview (usually because they thought I was local) because a live a few hundred miles away. I have never once been invited to an out-of-state interview, and I've applied all over the country.

Moving to some random city without any income stream or guarantee of job is riiiisky. Right now, I am fortunate enough to be living in the 3rd floor in my parent's house rent-free (though obviously not with job). I won't be so fortunate in moving to some random city like Atlanta or Chicago.
TBH, I want to do Management, but I tried last year at getting into the Target ETL program (paid $200+ expenses to travel for a 1 hr interview that reject me for too many "We" examples). Tried applying twice this year all over the country, and couldn't even get a phone call. Tried Enterprise, but rejected me twice.

So any suggestions or even a pat on the back to tell me I need a chill pill would be awesome! Thanks!

[charlygal]

Chill pill is needed. Why did your first job end in 6 months? Were you fired?

1. Have a respected professional review your resume and cover letter.Make sure your resume is highlighting the correct information. You will need to have multiple resumes.
2. Look for jobs outside of the marketing field. Look at all areas of business.
3. Apply for jobs nationwide. Start with regional jobs in NYC, Boston, Philadelphia. Put in your cover letter that you are doing a personal relocation (i.e. pay for your own relo).
4. Put together a target list of large companies and review their websites daily for new postings.
5. Do you have friends and family out of town? Tell them you're looking for a job in their city and ask if you can stay with them for a couple of months should you get a job in their city. If they agree, you can put their address on your resume since that will be your address in that city.
6. Make yourself apply for a specific number of jobs every day. Getting a job can be a numbers game.

[mozillameister]

Originally Posted by charlygal

Chill pill is needed. Why did your first job end in 6 months? Were you fired?

1. Have a respected professional review your resume and cover letter.Make sure your resume is highlighting the correct information. You will need to have multiple resumes.
2. Look for jobs outside of the marketing field. Look at all areas of business.
3. Apply for jobs nationwide. Start with regional jobs in NYC, Boston, Philadelphia. Put in your cover letter that you are doing a personal relocation (i.e. pay for your own relo).
4. Put together a target list of large companies and review their websites daily for new postings.
5. Do you have friends and family out of town? Tell them you're looking for a job in their city and ask if you can stay with them for a couple of months should you get a job in their city. If they agree, you can put their address on your resume since that will be your address in that city.
6. Make yourself apply for a specific number of jobs every day. Getting a job can be a numbers game.

Many reasons why I left.

1 - I was reduced to part-time because they lost 2 clients (nothing to do with me. They hired me on the assumption the 2 business partners would hold) and could not afford my salary.
2 - Because I was reduced to part-time, my rent and expenses (cable, utilities, internet) would be more than my salary. Moving home was cheaper than working.
3 - The Connecticut job market is the worst in the country.
4 - Working part-time in CT would make it impossible to reliably interview in NYC, since the hours still required me to work 5 times a day.

Reasons I do not tell employers:
5 - My work was being undervalued.
6 - I received verbal abuse from my boss on several occasions. He would apologize, but I still apprehensive to work for him on occasions.
7 - Experienced an impossible dilemma: I would get so much work that it would impossible to not work late. If I work late, I would get yelled at.
8 - In the end, I enjoyed my work...just not who/where I was working. It just did not feel worthwhile to work longer, even if the cut would theoretically be temporary. There was just no stability.


I already apply most of the suggestions. If I had more relatives, I would use the one about traveling! I don't, though. The few I have all live in NYC.

[randomlikeme]

It's funny -- I once took a position of "mediocrity" as a low-level no degree necessary filing clerk taking staples out of paper, marking black lines in confidential data, and scanning in files. I was "stuck" in a sub-college position at that company for less than six months until I was promoted to the accounting department because I was likeable, willing to do whatever was needed, and didn't see myself as being more valuable than anyone else despite holding a degree. This was in late 2008, early 2009 when things were pretty horrific. I guess I don't see how taking a job lower than you want is some sort of prophecy that you will be stuck there for years. You will only be stuck there for years if you allow it to happen.

If you worry about not being able to interview, look into jobs that are in the evening. I worked at an after school program for a couple of months while finding long-term employment.

That being said -- look into industries that aren't as "popular". Everyone I knew applied to manager trainee programs at Target or Enterprise.... but few applied for similar spots at 84 Lumber, Pela Windows, or Dick's Sporting Goods. With your background, have you looked into positions that are marketing/financial together, such as apartment leasing agents or assistant property manager positions?

I'd also be a little cautionary spouting off those general rules as absolute, cold-hard facts.

[mdovell]

I don't know what your background is but let me say this..

"Why would a company hire some entry level-ish hire thousands of miles away when they got more local people?"

Because some places are more remote, some have a higher or lower cost of living that can deter people, because some places have bad school systems etc.

You have to consider things people do in their lives can change the types of people that apply.

I know of places that have really bad school systems. Why does that matter? Well if you have children it does and the more that is requested the more that becomes a factor in living. If they have private schools that's fine but that can add to costs. While it is true that experience and further education helps find work no one can deny that it is hard for employers to expect that people can put off things like getting married and having children or buying a house forever.

Nuclea Biotechnologies in Pittsfield hopes to relocate manufacturing to old GE site from Cambridge | masslive.com

Read this article and think about it for a moment. Cambridge is easily a high tech hub but it comes with a cost. Pittsfield is 80% cheaper in terms of the building. But look at the population
Pittsfield, Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cambridge, Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Obviously both shrank but Pittsfield some more. Then look at the highway access, proximity to the water etc.

How many of these people decided NOT to move?

My point being is that you can have a good advantage over others by exploring opportunities that others cannot. The amount of people moving in the country is low. Yes there can be a risk but frankly if jobs can move but people cannot then who really has the advantage?
Americans Are Still Moving Way Less Than They Used To - Jed Kolko - The Atlantic Cities

Remote areas and seasonal areas (boom and bust with winter/summer seasonality) are more apt to look for people. Some industries have more of a contractual obligation if they cannot find people. For example I know of companies that assist those with disabilities that provide for free apartments for those that work there. At the same point there's no wiggle room in what time you work because the commutte time is nil. I know of jobs teaching English overseas that can often have a one or two year contract because replacing a native English language speaker is harder than it looks.

"I have never once been invited to an out-of-state interview, and I've applied all over the country."

Some might have skype first or telephone and then a physical one. You have to remember not all of them will compensate at first.

Trust me there's a very significant advantage in being able to move.