^ Have you looked at some of the more seasonal places that should be hiring soon? Cedar Point or a local waterslide park? Garden Centers? Lawn Care companies?

 

Yeah, summer always bring some new opportunities. I'm applying for stuff on the islands.

 

I was trying to decide what I'd do if I were you and if really looks like there is no way you'll get a real job in the near future, I would just punt and live the dream this summer.  Hilton Head, Jersey shore, PIB...get a job at a bar, rent a place with 4 other kids, party it up for one last summer and then try again for a full-time job in the fall. 

I may very well be stocking at Kmart in 6 months.  But if I were in video and I were going to take a summer off, I would go to LA or NYC and network like the wind.  If not, I would apply to every Kmart in Toledo and none of them in Dayton.  Fire up the ol' resume machine gun.

I was trying to decide what I'd do if I were you and if really looks like there is no way you'll get a real job in the near future, I would just punt and live the dream this summer.  Hilton Head, Jersey shore, PIB...get a job at a bar, rent a place with 4 other kids, party it up for one last summer and then try again for a full-time job in the fall.

 

That may very well be the plan for now. It'd also provide enough money to get to New York or LA. The long-term goal is LA, New York, San Francisco, or Toronto.

 

Not at all really, just trying to help. Still doesn't change the fact that Kmart is hiring at several locations in/around Toledo. You could get a PT job there and still look for jobs (in your field) in bigger markets.

 

First off, I've applied to plenty of retail jobs and get the same old crap about being overqualified. It is a legitimate issue once you have a degree. That doesn't mean I won't do it again if I have to (but near home to save money). I'm just saying you guys who don't work in retail need to understand that many of these cashier jobs are very adverse to hiring college grads.

 

Case in point, three years ago, I worked in retail as a cashier and stocker. I loved it. In fact, it was a great job, and it was cake to get a job like that back then. Cashier and stocking jobs were raining down from the sky. Today, now that I have a degree, things have been much different.

 

Retail is not beneath me by any means (I've done it before and enjoyed it). Kirby Vacuum cleaners is beneath me.

 

 

Then stop putting you're degreed on the apps.  You need to edit the resume for the position.

 

Based on what you've presented here, you're cramming "Hey I've got my papers" down every employers throat.

 

I also, question your appearance and interviewing approach/skills.

The problem with those Kirby and Cutco things is that there is often an up front fee (they sell a lot of product to their poor salesmen), followed by $12-$14 not per hour, but per person you know who is willing to sit through a demonstration.

 

I get upset when I hear this line of attack ("you kids should do what I did, else you're lazy") because it's self-serving and hurtful.  We'd love to do what you did.  It doesn't work like that anymore, and we're not sure who to thank for it.  But we definitely didn't do it to ourselves.  It is counterproductive to act as if we could just "buck up" and things would go swimmingly.  We're as diligent as you are, and were.  But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of. 

 

I also, question your appearance and interviewing approach/skills.

 

Get a haircut, you damn hippy!

"But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of."

 

Riiiiight.

I'm also one of those people who looks much better with longer hair than shorter hair, though I keep it trimmed.

 

Me too.  But I had to cut mine when I graduated college, because my job offer was contingent on doing so.  Then I grew it out again, then I had to cut it off again for a series of government jobs.  So get over it.  You'll probably never like having short hair (I hate it) but you just about have no choice.

But I have kids your same age, and things are the same!  They aren't different!  You just have to be willing to work.  I can just see you at an interview saying why you are too good for this job, but it will do until something better comes up!

 

I have a good friend who got his OU degree journalism/broadcasting degree.  He just celebrated his 30th year of happily driving a truck!  I guess its only a great school for those who end up with jobs.  For the rest of you guys it just a small college in the middle of nowhere.  I take it you are no Thom Brennaman!

 

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND LOOK FOR A JOB!!!!!!

"But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of."

 

Riiiiight.

 

Unless one went through a previous recession at the worst possible time in one's career, I'd reckon there isn't much familiarity.  And this is no ordinary recession.  This one is hitting at a time when education costs have never been higher and wages/CoL has never been lower... not since the 30s, anyway.  Also, never in US history has the entry level market been so soft.  Advances in transportation, communication and automation have made humans obsolete to an unprecedented extent.  These are issues we must face, preferably as an entire nation, and step one is admitting they exist.

"But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of."

 

Riiiiight.

 

Unless one went through a previous recession at the worst possible time in one's career, I'd reckon there isn't much familiarity. And this is no ordinary recession. This one is hitting at a time when education costs have never been higher and wages/CoL has never been lower... not since the 30s, anyway. Also, never in US history has the entry level market been so soft. Advances in transportation, communication and automation have made humans obsolete to an unprecedented extent. These are issues we must face, preferably as an entire nation, and step one is admitting they exist.

 

You do know who you are replying to, right? By that I mean, he has first hand experience with the current recession.

Why do you keep talking about education costs?  If you have student loans, you can get a forebearance or hardship, and it doesn't hurt you.  And for most people, college is not that expensive.  Usually less than a car payment, I know, I've put 3 kids through and starting a 4th.

 

And yes, I started my career in the Jimmy Carter era.  Bought my 1st house at 14% interest in 1981 thanks to Jimmy, wife quit work to raise our 1st child at the same time.  So you really don't know what you are talking about.

 

Maybe you shouldn't be trying to get into a field that is saturated.

You do know who you are replying to, right? By that I mean, he has first hand experience with the current recession.

 

Someone who's in the same boat and who probably does understand.  But that's not who I'm speaking to, if that makes any sense.  I'm speaking to those who would blame the victims.

^Then you shouldn't have quoted him, but since you did, it seemed as if your argument was directed at him.

"But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of."

 

Riiiiight.

 

Unless one went through a previous recession at the worst possible time in one's career, I'd reckon there isn't much familiarity.  And this is no ordinary recession.  This one is hitting at a time when education costs have never been higher and wages/CoL has never been lower... not since the 30s, anyway.  Also, never in US history has the entry level market been so soft.  Advances in transportation, communication and automation have made humans obsolete to an unprecedented extent.  These are issues we must face, preferably as an entire nation, and step one is admitting they exist.

 

You do know who you are replying to, right?

 

No.  They don't "get it".  Employment shifts and challenges happen yearly. 

They've got to adapt, but sounds like they don't want to.

 

It's as I said with my summer interns, they want to enter the work place as the CEO but don't know ½ as much as the assistants.

Why do you keep talking about education costs? If you have student loans, you can get a forebearance or hardship, and it doesn't hurt you. And for most people, college is not that expensive. Usually less than a car payment, I know, I've put 3 kids through and starting a 4th.

 

I'd like to know who you surveyed to compile that data.  Forbearances are limited, even if you're completely insolvent.  And they do hurt you, quite a bit.  The status of the loan shows up on your credit.  My student loan payment, prior to law school, equaled out to one seriously badass new car if that's our yardstick-- and I went to a state school.  The costs of college, incl living there, have skyrocketed since the era you describe.  Skyrocketed.  Please check your numbers and dial again. 

Would you agree that average state school tuition in Ohio is less than $10,000 per year?

 

You don't have to start paying on it until you've graduated.  $40,000 car is a nice car, but its still a car payment.

 

 

^Then you shouldn't have quoted him, but since you did, it seemed as if your argument was directed at him.

 

Unintentional.  I'll look out for that in the future.  I even went out of my way to use the pronoun "one," which is cumbersome as heck.  I'm still harping on those who jumped on C-Dawg.  That's how I combat the recession-- I get people to admit there is an actual unique problem here, instead of a generation that deserves to be screwed.

If you keep hearing people complain about the cost of college, and you don't get it, consider for a moment that maybe you indeed do not get it.  Google some graphs.  Blame it on the unions... you'd have a point.  But don't tell people the biggest problem they face in life is made up.  It isn't. 

 

40k is a great car.  I've never had one worth more than 5k.  And don't forget the rate on student loans is several times that of car loans.  And that comes out before you can pay for any actual car, or home, or anything else.  Also, consider what that does to your debt-service-to-income ratio with an entry level job.  Welcome to derogatory credit even if you've never missed a bill.  You're lucky if you can even get your own apartment in many cases.

All I can say is wow.  I feel sorry for you.  Sounds like you've made some poor choices.  What part of my paying for 3 college educations don't you get?

I was referring to the fact that although I wasn't of an age to be looking for a job back in 1980-1983, I most certainly felt the effects of that recession. 

"But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of."

 

Riiiiight.

 

Unless one went through a previous recession at the worst possible time in one's career, I'd reckon there isn't much familiarity.  And this is no ordinary recession.  This one is hitting at a time when education costs have never been higher and wages/CoL has never been lower... not since the 30s, anyway.  Also, never in US history has the entry level market been so soft.  Advances in transportation, communication and automation have made humans obsolete to an unprecedented extent.  These are issues we must face, preferably as an entire nation, and step one is admitting they exist.

 

You do know who you are replying to, right? By that I mean, he has first hand experience with the current recession.

 

And with the early 80s recession - sure, I was too young to be looking for a job but I sure as sh!t helped my dad on various odd jobs. Roofing the neighbors' houses, picking apples at an orchard, you name it. That still didn't change the fact that the only cheese in our house came in 5-lb. bricks marked U.S. Government. Whatever the case, we managed - in an area that was probably one of the hardest hit back then.

That was good cheese!!!

All I can say is wow.  I feel sorry for you.  Sounds like you've made some poor choices.  What part of my paying for 3 college educations don't you get?

 

Dan, what choices have we discussed?  We haven't.  So upon what facts are you judging these choices?  Do you make every judgment this way, about people you're talking to?  Goodness gracious me.

 

What part of I can't pay for 1 more education, so I can forget having my own kids, don't you get?  It's that serious for millions like me.  You didn't have the same burden UP FRONT, so that it would restrain your entire adult life.  I'd love to have a house at 14%.  I don't think you realize how awesome that is, compared to realizing at 25 that you'll probably never own land.  There's a front page story on MSNBC right now about this. 

 

Again, my whole point is that we shouldn't assume people chose to be screwed.  To do so is to impugn their character.  I'm sure some actually did choose to be screwed, but that has no bearing on the millions who didn't but are anyway.  It is exceedingly disrespectful to insist that everything bad that happens to someone reflects upon them as a person.

Dan, what choices have we discussed?  We haven't.  So upon what facts are you judging these choices?  Do you make every judgment this way, about people you're talking to?  Goodness gracious me.

 

What part of I can't pay for 1 more education, so I can forget having my own kids, don't you get?  It's that serious for millions like me.  You didn't have the same burden UP FRONT, so that it would restrain your entire adult life.  I'd love to have a house at 14%.  I don't think you realize how awesome that is, compared to realizing at 25 that you'll probably never own land.  There's a front page story on MSNBC right now about this. 

 

Again, my whole point is that we shouldn't assume people chose to be screwed.  To do so is to impugn their character.  I'm sure some actually did choose to be screwed, but that has no bearing on the millions who didn't but are anyway.  It is exceedingly disrespectful to insist  everything bad that happens to someone reflects upon them as a person.

 

You can own a house, there are plenty in Cleveland available RIGHT NOW to purchase.

^I'm fine with cutting it if the job requires, always have been.

 

Just caught this - "If the job requires"? You have to *get* that job first and if the long hair (or whatever anyone might be sporting (not just you C-Dawg) - facial hair, eyebrow/nose ring, etc.) is going to make any potential employer hesitant to hire you in the first place, get rid of it. I was wearing a soul patch for a few months but its gone now. Not saying this supercedes the effects of seeking work in a bad economy, but you have to think of it this way - potential employers will see long hair, and then they'll see dozens of equally qualified people who are more of a match for their corporate culture from the get-go, and they won't even have to have the "cut your hair, son" discussion.

^I'm fine with cutting it if the job requires, always have been.

 

Just caught this - "If the job requires"? You have to *get* that job first and if the long hair (or whatever anyone might be sporting (not just you C-Dawg) - facial hair, eyebrow/nose ring, etc.) is going to make any potential employer hesitant to hire you in the first place, get rid of it. I was wearing a soul patch for a few months but its gone now. Not saying this supercedes the effects of seeking work in a bad economy, but you have to think of it this way - potential employers will see long hair, and then they'll see dozens of equally qualified people who are more of a match for their corporate culture from the get-go, and they won't even have to have the "cut your hair, son" discussion.

 

AMEN!  I can't tell you how many people I've told hiring managers I market "questionable" or "downgraded" in the employment process approve of, based on that first impression.  If they don't know how to dress or appropriately groom themselves for an interview, I can't trust they'll dress appropriately for work.  We're adults, I shouldn't have to tell you what is and is not appropriate for the office.

I wasn't going to say so but yeeeeaaaah... I have to agree about the hair.  It's not a seller's job market right now.  You must conform, and you must do it preemptively.  I didn't conform preemptively but that was late in Clinton's term.  Different days.  You'd have more leeway if you were only looking for jobs in video, which is inadvisable.  Hypothetically if you were to do that you'd probably need to do it full time.  On top of having the skills, it's almost entirely about carousing with enough people to get sponsored into the LA unions (so I'm told).  For that you'd need savings.  For that you need a haircut. 

 

But come on, how petty is combating the recession one haircut at a time?  There's a difference between coping with the recession and combating it.  That requires new ideas, ideas other than you need to try harder.  Every policy at every level of government and business needs to be reviewed.  It's time to reconsider the economy, in general.  What's happening now is total madness.

Honestly I think it comes down to a "can do" or a "can't do" mentality. My sister just graduated from DePaul last year with a marketing degree, and when she couldn't get hired by a big firm right away, she got a job working at Neiman Marcus and a full time internship at an ad agency that said if they can't hire her, they will do anything they can to make sure one of the companies they work with will.  It's not a perfect situation, and my parents are still helping financially, but it's something, and it's resume building. 

 

C-Dawg, I'm sorry, but all of your responses are why you can't do something. You can't move, can't work a military job, can't work a job beneath you, etc. Maybe you should stop making excuses for why you can't do something.

 

And I am saying this not as "an out of touch old person", but as a 20 year old college student.  My mom always said "God helps those who help themself..."

Honestly I think it comes down to a "can do" or a "can't do" mentality. My sister just graduated from DePaul last year with a marketing degree, and when she couldn't get hired by a big firm right away, she got a job working at Neiman Marcus and a full time internship at an ad agency that said if they can't hire her, they will do anything they can to make sure one of the companies they work with will.  It's not a perfect situation, and my parents are still helping financially, but it's something, and it's resume building. 

 

C-Dawg, I'm sorry, but all of your responses are why you can't do something. You can't move, can't work a military job, can't work a job beneath you, etc. Maybe you should stop making excuses for why you can't do something.

 

And I am saying this not as "an out of touch old person", but as a 20 year old college student.  My mom always said "God helps those who help themself..."

 

Preach on!  :clap:

What am I doing?  Working 60-80 hours a week, every week, and living in a super-cheap $250/mo apartment.  Aside from my day job during the week, which is my "real" job and what I love to do, I'm working 4pm-3:30am this Friday, 8:30-am until 3:30am Sat (19 hour day), and 8:30am-1:30am Sunday.  Yeah, so a 17 hour day right after a 19 hour day with about 31/2 hours of sleep.  Then back to the day job at 8am on Monday.  But that's what's necessary for me to consistently make over $1,000/wk and get out of student loan debt, credit card debt, and pay off my car as fast as possible.  I'm so used to it I don't even think about it, I just do it. 

 

What has my roommate done since getting laid off in December?  He's played Guitar Hero for roughly 10 hours a day, every day, had his similarly unemployed and hopeless girlfriend over for a week straight, and still owes me $25 from January, despite getting hundreds in unemployment every week.           

 

I mentioned it elsewhere on this site is that the real danger of student loan debt is that it can force us to go into credit card debt.  I was really stupid when I first got out of school and kept overpaying on my student loan debt instead of saving up $8-10K in case I got laid off.  Then I got laid off without warning and had little cash, which meant I started going into credit card debt paying for car repairs, dental bills, etc. 

Some of these responses by our members make me wonder if THEY'VE ever been in this situation before. It's Not as cut and dry as you may think it is.

 

How do I know? Cause I've been there.

 

When I graduated from Akron in August 2006, I pounded the pavement too- applying at all the major firms and businesses. And...nothing. Keep in mind...this is when things were "good".

 

I can't and won't apply for military service due to my religious convictions.

It doesn't leave a lot in this town, so I stayed at the hotel I worked at PT, picking up the overnight audit shift, and later adding PT work at Sears Rolling Acres in sales. During the down time at the hotel and my personal time, I applied for jobs out of the area. It was a very, very depressing time. But what kept me going was knowing that one day I would get that job that would let me live on my own.

 

Even when I took the job at Pitt, it wasn't in my field, and it wasn't paying as much as i would have hoped. Regardless, I did realize that I needed to get in somewhere, so I took the job, because i knew any experience was GOOD experience. All the while, keeping in mind my goal. I even (and still to this day) worked PT at a Sears store in the eastern suburbs because it gave me more much needed cash.

 

Now- I work at a community College, but, as a student Life Specialist (focusing on student orgs/development). It pays more, and is in my field. In the event things go sour, I have more experience than I know what to do with and can tailor my resume to those settings.

 

The important thing is to be a "chameleon" when it comes down to resumes- being ready for whatever may come and adapting to the market. Be flexible and willing to work, But NEVER, NEVER, Give up on your dreams and goals.

 

And yes, leave off your degree for retail/hospitality jobs. Even if you lack the experience, they may see you as a fresh face to train rather than hiring a 20-year vet who knows the rules but may not be as willing to follow their rules.

 

To answer the original question? Getting a roommate.

C-Dawg, one thing I think might be the problem is Toledo, as you have stated.  I don't think people realize how horrible Michigan is right now, way worse than anything else....and Toledo is just an extension of Detroit's economy really.  I have a friend in Detroit that has been out of work for a year, and I told her recently to change her resume to my Chicago address when she sends ANYTHING to an employer in Chicago.  She has gotten a few more responses by looking as if she is local.  No luck yet, but as a former accountant at E&Y she couldn't even get a job at a hotel, which was one of the rare callbacks she has even had in the mess that is Detroit.

 

Clean up that Facebook page too, an employee at one hospital that she sent a resume to in Chicago wanted to be her friend and she allowed it.  The next day he cancelled the friendship.  They are checking that stuff for sure.  Cut the hair and wear a suit to any interview, even if it is the most casual office.

C-Dawg, one thing I think might be the problem is Toledo, as you have stated.  I don't think people realize how horrible Michigan is right now, way worse than anything else....and Toledo is just an extension of Detroit's economy really.  I have a friend in Detroit that has been out of work for a year, and I told her recently to change her resume to my Chicago address when she sends ANYTHING to an employer in Chicago.  She has gotten a few more responses by looking as if she is local.  No luck yet, but as a former accountant at E&Y she couldn't even get a job at a hotel, which was one of the rare callbacks she has even had in the mess that is Detroit.

 

Clean up that Facebook page too, an employee at one hospital that she sent a resume to in Chicago wanted to be her friend and she allowed it. The next day he cancelled the friendship.  They are checking that stuff for sure.  Cut the hair and wear a suit to any interview, even if it is the most casual office.

 

Oh yeah.  Facebook.  You all know how I've used that against potential candidates & interns.  FB is your own worst enemy.

The problem with those Kirby and Cutco things is that there is often an up front fee (they sell a lot of product to their poor salesmen), followed by $12-$14 not per hour, but per person you know who is willing to sit through a demonstration.

 

I get upset when I hear this line of attack ("you kids should do what I did, else you're lazy") because it's self-serving and hurtful.  We'd love to do what you did.  It doesn't work like that anymore, and we're not sure who to thank for it.  But we definitely didn't do it to ourselves.  It is counterproductive to act as if we could just "buck up" and things would go swimmingly.  We're as diligent as you are, and were.  But we're facing challenges you should be thankful you have no first hand knowledge of. 

 

This is horsesh*t. I graduated in 93 during a similar recession. I had a degree in accounting and finance and a minor in economics. There were no jobs then either. I said the same thing to my parents that you're saying now, and I got the same eye roll that I'm giving you.

 

Now, I ended up going back to school, but you know what I did to pay the bills? I sold Kirby's. You know what else? I made a sh*tload of money doing it. Wasn't anywhere near my dream job, but I was living in a small town in upstate NY at the time, and there wasn't a lot of options. So I made the decision to just do what I had to for as long as I had to.

 

I also took on landscaping jobs, and helped out with a small accounting firm during tax season. I've worked landfills, I've worked assembly lines putting together electronic components, I've taught LSAT prep for Kaplan. Basically, I find the work where I can. 

 

A job's only beneath you if you let pride make it so. You do what you have to do to make ends meet. If that means you clean sloppy toilets at Motel 6, then you do it.

 

Now, if you have the means to avoid that (you've got your folks helping you out, or maybe you've got some money saved, whatever) and you can focus exclusively on looking for work in your field, then go for it. But that doesn't sound like the case. Nothing is beneath you if you don't have any money. (well....I mean, don't sell yourself on the street corner. Nothing LEGAL).

 

I haven't sold Kirby, but I've sold watches on the street and I've sold worthless coupons door to door.  I also sold Cutco knives.  And I've cleaned toilets.  I graduated HS in 94, and the job market for people with zero skills was dramatically better then.  Are we saying it wasn't?  Seriously?  And it was easier to sell things door to door then as well, since people had a lot more disposable income than they currently do.  Once again, the fact that someone succeeded at something many years ago proves nothing about the market today.

 

I agree that no job is beneath anyone.  But not pursuing a minumum wage job that would add enough living costs to put you underwater has nothing to do with whether a job is beneath you.

Oh yeah.  Facebook.  You all know how I've used that against potential candidates & interns.  FB is your own worst enemy.

 

I have yet to figure out why people post some of the things they post on their profiles. Seriously.

 

A job's only beneath you if you let pride make it so. You do what you have to do to make ends meet. If that means you clean sloppy toilets at Motel 6, then you do it. 

 

This is true. This is true. But in his defense, it seems that he'll only move if he can get a job that will pay for living expenses- not min wage. Which makes sense to me.

.

 

A job's only beneath you if you let pride make it so. You do what you have to do to make ends meet. If that means you clean sloppy toilets at Motel 6, then you do it.

 

This is true. This is true. But in his defense, it seems that he'll only move if he can get a job that will pay for living expenses- not min wage. Which makes sense to me.

 

I agree. Don't move just to put yourself in a worse situation. I don't know C-Dawg or anyone else's personal situation. But crying 'poverty' elicits no sympathy if 1) you're not actually impoverished and 2) you haven't exhausted EVERY opportunity to make money, regardless of if it's in your field or not.

 

It's a rough time to be a recent grad. I've been there. You have to make hard choices, and even worse, in a few months time they'll be up against this year's crop of grads. All the more reason, though, to make those hard choices now, rather than waiting until someone else scoops up whatever meager opportunities exist.

I did want to drop my thoughts on C-Dawg's question re: tailoring the resume.

 

After I got out of grad school I worked for Nestle for a few years. That got tired (travel), so I wanted to get into banking, but for what I wanted, I wasn't getting return calls. I figured out that my grad degree, which wasn't directly appropriate for the banking position I wanted, was the problem. So I took it off. Almost immediately I started getting return calls and landed the job I wanted a couple months later. I wasn't dishonest about it. If someone asked about what I did during that time I told them, and then I explained why I was looking for a job that didn't directly utilize that graduate degree. But you can't explain your situation unless you get the interview, and my original resume wasn't getting me the interview.

 

Now, I had a slightly different situation in that I had worked a few years and wasn't directly relying on my degree to get me the job. I also could structure the resume in a way that the time gap wasn't something that immediately came up. You've got to immediately account for 4 years of your time, so I'm not sure how you go about doing that.

 

But in a general sense, I say structure the resume / application for the job you're looking for. Even if you don't remove it, maybe put your degree at the bottom of the resume and play up your work experience first. Or if you think no one will be that concerned about it, just leave it off entirely. You don't want to come across as dishonest, but by the same token you have to sell the assets that are most appropriate to the position you're looking for.

 

Last, to re-affirm what others have said, you've got to cut the hair. Sorry. Your first impression is when you walk in that door, and if they see the hair I've seen in some pics on UO, the decision is made about you before you even open your mouth. It's not fair, but it's the way it is.

 

My cousin is one of the smartest people I've ever met, and when he was originally looking for a job, he had long hair (actually, since he's 10 yrs older than me, he had a full blown mullet...don't get me started), and an earring. He would get interviews based on his resume / transcript, but then would never hear back from companies. Finally, some guy at some smaller firm basically said to him, "go home, cut your hair, take out the earring, and come back". It was the best advice he got. He didn't like it either, but he did it and got the job.

 

Now he's got his own business and does whatever he wants (which apparently includes growing back that mullet....Hey, you can't pick your family!)

Now, I had a slightly different situation in that I had worked a few years and wasn't directly relying on my degree to get me the job. I also could structure the resume in a way that the time gap wasn't something that immediately came up. You've got to immediately account for 4 years of your time, so I'm not sure how you go about doing that.

 

A chronological resume is not the only way to go.  You can structure your resume around accomplishments and is often a good way to tailor your resume for a job that is outside of your past work experience.  So let's say you were a financial analyst but wanted to go into marketing.  Instead of listing you job and what you did there, organize it by topics and state what you did.  Like "Customer Service" and list items you had to do as a financial analyst that pertain to that.  Or "Project Management" and discuss that.

 

This way, you're not describing a specific role, but rather accomplishments/skill sets that pertain to the role you're applying for.  You can list your work experience at the end and it shows no time lapses and reflects the skills you developed in those jobs that apply for the the position you want, rather than box you into the specific role you have been doing.

AJ93 hit it on the head.  I wear earings but wouldn't wear them to a job interview.  I don't even wear them to work and I'm at the top of the food chain.

 

shs96 also has a point I raised earlier, tailor your resume for the jobs your interview for.

The U.S. as a society does need to recognize that our attitude toward work is rather sad and desperate as compared to the rest of the world and is why employers can get away with terrifying us into working way too hard. It's slowly killing us all and is why our international friends say Americans lack dignity.

 

Advice along the lines of "You need to be banging on as many doors as possible!" and "How many resumes/applications did you send out this week? If it's not 50, I don't want to hear any complaining!" is accusatory, insulting and just misguided overall. Ask anybody who works in the career advice/development field, and one of the first things they will say is, "Resume/application 'blasting' is a complete waste of time and effort and is incredibly draining." Not only is it horribly ineffective, but how can you possibly be ready for a callback and interview (possibly the next day) from one of the 100 companies that you contacted? You can't; and they will sense that you aren't committed/interested in the job.

 

In any economy, you pretty much have to network with people that you know very well, not just someone you talked up at a cocktail party, to get anything decent (except sales, where the main skill is building relationships and trust out of nowhere). Random applicants that are hired often take forever to earn trust within a company, if they ever fully earn it at all.

 

Never forget about starting your own business.

The U.S. as a society does need to recognize that our attitude toward work is rather sad and desperate as compared to the rest of the world and is why employers can get away with terrifying us into working way too hard. It's slowly killing us all and is why our international friends say Americans lack dignity.

 

Advice along the lines of "You need to be banging on as many doors as possible!" and "How many resumes/applications did you send out this week? If it's not 50, I don't want to hear any complaining!" is accusatory, insulting and just misguided overall. Ask anybody who works in the career advice/development field, and one of the first things they will say is, "Resume/application 'blasting' is a complete waste of time and effort and is incredibly draining." Not only is it horribly ineffective, but how can you possibly be ready for a callback and interview (possibly the next day) from one of the 100 companies that you contacted? You can't; and they will sense that you aren't committed/interested in the job.

 

In any economy, you pretty much have to network with people that you know very well, not just someone you talked up at a cocktail party, to get anything decent (except sales, where the main skill is building relationships and trust out of nowhere). Random applicants that are hired often take forever to earn trust within a company, if they ever fully earn it at all.

 

Never forget about starting your own business.

 

My experience with agencies has been not so good.  They have found me work when I needed it, but they typically seize almost half of what you make.  Prime example: one employer was paying $12 to have me, but I was getting $7.  That led to us having very different takes on the scope of the position.  As per usual, the employer was not allowed to hire me directly without paying an exorbitant and prohibitive contract fee.  In another case, the fee that kept me from getting a full-time job I needed very badly was $12,000.  In each case, the arrangement had been misrepresented to the employer/client, who ended up very angry at the agency when they found out they'd been sent an employee they were forbidden to hire.

 

Bottom line, many of these desparation suggestions are just that, and they aren't considered serious paths to success.  True success selling door to door or through temp work is rare enough that they shouldn't be viewed as anything other than band-aids.  It is also unwise to ignore the adverse consequences of pursuing them.

 

In several cases, I would have been better off NOT taking agency job offers because they precluded my being able to locate serious work.  And yet I did take those offers, because I was absolutely desparate for cash.  Sometimes those facing immediate poverty are forced to harm their long-term careers just to get a couple meals.  That should not be, at least it should not be for some while not for others.  Maybe the practices of temp agencies should be reviewed, or maybe we should try to develop a better system for doing what they do. 

I can't say I've heard too many good things about general temp agencies, however I can't speak highly enough of the agency I'm listed with - Aquent. Most agencies have no idea what to do with someone with my skillset; Aquent specializes in placing designers and other creative types, run their talent pool through tests, etc. They came through for me back in 2001 when I was laid off, and hopefully they'll be able to do so again.

In any economy, you pretty much have to network with people that you know very well, not just someone you talked up at a cocktail party, to get anything decent (except sales, where the main skill is building relationships and trust out of nowhere). Random applicants that are hired often take forever to earn trust within a company, if they ever fully earn it at all.

 

Amen.  Every advancement I've made in my admittedly young career is due directly to networking.  You need to earn the trust of those you work with, and those you report to, and not be afraid to ask them to keep an eye out for you.  Good things happen when you let others help you out. A successful recommendation not only helps you out, but it makes the person who recommended you look good as well.  The key is live up to their expectations!

 

To that end, a website like LinkedIn.com is an amazing tool that helps you organize and then leverage your network when you need it.

How do you people have time to read all of this stuff, let alone write it???

How do you people have time to read all of this stuff, let alone write it???

 

Skills.  In my case both are job skills.

How do you people have time to read all of this stuff, let alone write it???

 

Skills.  In my case both are job skills.

 

Ditto!  I multitask.  I'm in a meeting right now!  LOL

>Maybe the practices of temp agencies should be reviewed, or maybe we should try to develop a better system for doing what they do.

 

I've worked through temp agencies I think 4-5 times now.  I had that exact experience of them grossly misrepresenting a job when I responded to an ad for someone with photoshop and "scanning" experience.  I get there and photoshop wasn't involved at all -- I was literally scanning the mail with those big industrial scanners.  It was night hours so I stayed there for a few months until I was laid off without warning.  At least it was a person who called to lay me off -- another time I had a robot voice leave a message telling me my assignment was over.   

 

 

 

I've worked through temp agencies I think 4-5 times now.  I had that exact experience of them grossly misrepresenting a job when I responded to an ad for someone with photoshop and "scanning" experience.  I get there and photoshop wasn't involved at all -- I was literally scanning the mail with those big industrial scanners.  It was night hours so I stayed there for a few months until I was laid off without warning.  At least it was a person who called to lay me off -- another time I had a robot voice leave a message telling me my assignment was over.   

 

I meant that they had misrepresented the arrangement to the employer, not to me the worker.  They made it seem like a placement/headhunter service when they actually intended (and contracted) to continue the middleman relationship for several years before any placement could happen.  For the client, it's like hiring two people to do the work of one.  Nobody would knowingly agree to that. They thought they were paying for an employee search with a trial period.

 

I never had experiences like yours.  That robot layoff sounds nasty.  The worst they did me is I once told them "downtown or west side," so they sent me to E69th and Quincy, which is neither.  Actually it's a place many people simply won't go, not even in broad daylight.  People did not walk by this place unless they had a stolen shopping cart full of stolen scrap metal.  Of course, part of my job was to chase those people out of the dumpster.

^ You should cast your net in Cincinnati.