How do you find a job here? (San Diego: mover, promotional)

[Goombat]

I am trying to help someone who is in their mid 40-s find a job here. This person does not have a college degree, only work experience from various locations. We have been applying here and there at many different companies and it seems there are so few jobs available when you fall into this category. Any suggestions about where to apply or a legitimate site to check out? We would consider moving out of state if necessary, which is actually the goal, but for right now we at least want to help this person obtain a decent job. Also, seems like minimum wage going up is decreasing the amount of jobs available. I have many acquaintances who were laid off recently when the wage started going up. What ever can we do? We are San Diego natives and it is becoming so much more and more difficult to live comfortably here. Thanks for any help in advance. Also if you are going to be a smart ass with your response, don't bother replying.

[jnojr]

The same way you find a job anywhere... by looking. LinkedIn, Monster, Dice, Indeed, craigslist, temp firms, newspapers, Google for companies that are likely to do the sort of thing the job-seeker does. There is no "Well, in San Diego, you have to do X, and that's how it gets done!"

As for no college education and referencing minimum wage, maybe they should be looking more at community college, continuing education, ROP, etc?

You already know San Diego is expensive and that it's in California, a very anti-business, anti-jobs state. Someone with no real marketable skills is simply not going to have a happy ending here.

[RosieSD]

The County and State have a program called America's Job Centers that provide free employment advising. They also offer workshops on topics like writing resumes, interview prep, etc.

I'd point your friend towards the center that is closest to him, and suggest he take advantage of their services.

Job Centers | San Diego Workforce Partnership

The suggestion above about looking into additional job training at community colleges is a good one. Your friend doesn't have to get a degree; many of the community colleges offer short term certificates in specific jobs skills. The community colleges all also have career counseling centers for their students as well. I know a few of the job centers above are actually located at community colleges, so perhaps some of the CCs also offer other services to job seekers who aren't enrolled. It's worth looking into.

Some local school districts also have adult education programs that offer similar programs. For example, I had a friend in her 40s who wanted to return to the workforce after raising kids, but couldn't find a job. She did the medical transcription program through Grossmont Adult Ed and has been steadily employed ever since.

But, start by pointing your firned to the Job Centers on the link above.

There are also professional career counselors who work one to one with job seekers, helping them clarify their goals and target employers. Their services aren't free, but if your friend needs more personalized help, it might be a nice gift to buy a few sessions with a career counselor. Stick with members of the National Career Development Association, as they have passed professional evaluation. http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/consumer_find

There are several NCDA members in San Diego. I know people who have worked with a specific NCDA member here, so if you'd like a referral, send me a direct message and I'll give you her name.

However, I wonder a bit when I hear you say that "we" are applying for jobs. That suggests that perhaps your friend isn't all that engaged in the process. While I certainly understand and applaud your desire to help your friend, in the end, a second party can't find someone else a job. The job seeker is the person who has to do the heavy lifting and find the job himself.

Good luck to your friend.

[bmd69]

Pray

[moved]

America's Job Centers (Career Centers) are a total waste of time, and the caseworkers get paid for doing nothing. I wouldn't recommend that anyone use them. The best way to find a job is just to keep looking for one.

[Goombat]

thank you for all your tips so far, I will definitely look into this for her. I am even considering telling her to volunteer and learn some hands on/on the job training that way we can put it on her resume when she applies for jobs.

[Spartanacus]

I got an entry level job with the County 6 months after moving here (my wife was able to transfer to SD with her job) and then applied for a nice promotional job with them and got it 9 months after starting.

Sometimes you have to take one step back to eventually take two steps forward.

Of course all of us risky 'mover types' who choose to follow our dreams and live where we want to live, not live where we were born and where we currently work, all will be behind the 8 ball for many many years.

I could have been living in a mansion in the Midwest, vacationing to San Diego for a week every year, and to Europe for a couple of weeks every year if I got a job right out of college and never left that company, but that wasn't for me. Now I'm on permanent vacation in a tropical and fun-filled (though expensive) environment.

Life's too short and you can't take your money with you. Though it would be nice to pass something down to the kids so they didn't have the same housing struggles I've always had (but managed). But that being said, I love San Diego and 'the sunshine tax' is worth it.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Goombat

thank you for all your tips so far, I will definitely look into this for her. I am even considering telling her to volunteer and learn some hands on/on the job training that way we can put it on her resume when she applies for jobs.

About her resume --- does it merely list her previous jobs or does it describe her specific skills that are relevant to the job she's applying for? Is she sending the same resume to every job she applies for or is she tailoring it to each job she applies for picking up keywords from the ad?

If she's applying for jobs online, a lot of employers use automated systems that hunt for specific skills-based keywords in resumes. So, if possible, it helps to closely match what the ad is looking for using some of the keywords from the ad (without lying of course) and stress skills and accomplishments, rather than just job titles.

Here are a couple of articles that might be helpful:

https://uptowork.com/blog/tailor-your-resume

4 elements of a tailored resume

If she's not getting any responses when she applies for jobs, it might be that she needs to tailor her resume (and cover letter, if one is required) more specifically to the job(s) she's applying for.

Good luck to your friend. She's lucky to have you in her corner.

[moved]

Since your friend is in her mid-40's it's going to be very hard for her to find something, especially without a college degree, but that wouldn't make much of a difference. Employers these days want young, bilingual college graduates, and are paying minimum wage or just above. And they get them without a problem.

[hkbruin]

Can I ask what her background is? Does she speak spanish?