What does it really take to get hired?

[sg84]

I am SO SO frustrated. Gonna try to make this as short and simple as I possibly can. I am 29, I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Arts with 6 years of professional experience working in marketing and graphic design. I was employed from the age of 14-27 at 4 different fairly good companies to work for. I graduated university in 2007 and started a job in my career field immediately. Pay was low, but did increase throughout the years and I thought if anything it was good I was getting experience and could pay the bills. I was at the job for a year before I started looking for more work, hoping to move into something bigger and better paying. Fast forward 4 years, I was still at this same job, and maybe had put 100 application in and gone on several interviews but was never hired anywhere else.

So I had to quit the job because I got married and my husband had a job offer that was 9 hours away from my job. So I quit the job and in my new city went on a job application frenzy trying to find work, this was 2011, I put in over 200 applications in a 6 month time before I finally received 2 decent job offers in 1 week. I chose a job and was there for 2 months before my husband's job was once again transferred out of state, so I had to quit my new job.

 

Now we're in the new state and I've started the process over again. I've basically been looking for work since 2008 and I am so burnt out on the entire process. It has been extremely depressing but I've just started my application frenzy once more in October this year, so I've put in 70 applications in our new city so far. I had 3 interviews this past week, only for part time work, and the pay was low. This week I got rejected from 2 of those interviews. I am just beside myself and so depressed. Wondering what I am doing wrong, or if this is just what things are like for everyone nowadays. These jobs were not even up to my standards so it be rejected for part time jobs with such low pay is mind boggling to me.

 

When I go on these interviews I am trying so hard, spend forever trying to make sure I have the perfect outfit, hair and makeup, and that I practice what I'm going to say beforehand, I research the company before I go. I no longer get as nervous as I used to. I truly feel I go in there and do my best, and I feel good when I leave the interview. It's just...I don't know why all this rejection and why it takes sooo much time.

 

I am able to make ends meet right now by working from home but it's part time and not good enough, I want a career so I can buy a house and start a family. I don't know what more I can do to try to jump start my career. Anyhow I just got the rejection email from an interview I went to a couple days ago for a data entry job that only paid $13 hrly. I feel like it's a slap in the face and so embarrassing to be rejected by that job when I've been employed in such better positions with higher pay before.

 

So depressed!

[mhowe]

What does your husband do that he is constantly getting transferred?

You say you want a career so you can buy a house and start a family --- if he doesn't change work, that isn't going to happen. Buying a house and having

to sell it in 2 years usually results in a loss.

 

Media is one of the areas most affected by a bad economy, so it all depends on where you relocate to. As you saw before, you got 2 decent offers in a week.

It is all about timing, the economy and attitude.

 

Nothing is a slap on the face if it is putting food on the table and helping you find financial security.

[metrogirl]

While the job market is picking up slowly from what I have heard, it's still hard out there. I know people that are cranking out as many applications as you and still aren't seeing results.

 

Is your husbands job now stable enough where you will be there permanently or is there a chance that he could be relocated yet again?

[sg84]

Unfortunately his job is contracted as far as we know, it will last till next fall for sure before the job will either go away for be renewed another year. So that's why I feel like I need to put peddle to the metal and get myself in a good job so we can start roots somewhere. I can't keep moving all over the place for his job that has no stability, so I'm trying to be more of a leader. If he is offered a ton of money to go somewhere then it's gonna be a no brainer, we will have to leave again. But for now I feel like I gotta try something, it's just not happening quickly enough and I beat myself up because I can't figure out if I'm doing something wrong, or if this is just how things are now.

[mhowe]

Is he in agreement that he will give up contract work if you land the job of a lifetime?

If so, then you should not limit your search to where you happen to be at this moment.

Because you can always live separately while you establish somewhere.

 

You plan right now...isn't a plan. It is a reaction. If the best place for you to live is Chicago, and you are living in Missouri --- it isn't a plan.

If he can only be guaranteed a year out -- and maybe not a renewal --- again, it isn't a plan. You are letting his employer dictate your life goals.

 

You guys need to talk this through.

[lavenderdove]

Well, your fundamental problem is your husband seems to keep accepting contracting jobs rather than getting a full time job himself. So if you've already decided his career if more important than yours and he's willing to keep taking contracting jobs rather than accepting a full time one somewhere, this is not going to get better. So if his career comes first and his career involves moving every couple years, then you basically will need to give up on the idea that you are really going to have a career, more like a series of temp jobs while you follow him around.

 

So the first task is if you want stability is to get a commitment from your husband to stay in one location and take a full time rather than contracting job, or to only take contracting jobs in that one town. Once you do that, then you can settle in and start looking for a stable job yourself. Or you decide he is just going to look for a job where you are, rather than vice versa.

[DancingFool]

First of all, STOP applying to tons of random jobs that have nothing to do with your career. That's your first mistake. Nobody looks at unqualified applicants, so you are wasting time and effort and getting burned out. Read job descriptions carefully and be honest with yourself whether you truly meet the requirements or not in terms of your work history. While employers will flex some, it's not a lot.

 

Little known fact - overqualified people don't get hired. Why not? Because the employer figures they are wasting time and money on someone who will quit in a few months for a better position. There is no way for you to overcome that presumption. It also hurts your resume and career chances to work below your qualifications or out of your field.

 

Also, it sounds like you desperately need resume help in general. From what you describe, I'm going to guess you have issues with formatting, wording, key words, and the way your work history and credentials are presented.

 

Not clear from your post, but it sounds like you've been out of your field for quite some time. That makes your skills outdated in any employer's eyes. That goes back to above in terms of needing help with how your resume is written and how your employment history is presented. Just from your post, I'm seeing potential red flags all over the place. So invest in a professional resume writer - don't do some cheap stuff online. Meet with one face to face. Go over your work history, what you are seeking, etc. Let them work it all out and coach you on how to present yourself better. It will be worth every dime you spend on that. Your resume wasn't working even when you didn't have red flags flying back in 2008.

 

Finally, you are very hung up on pay. Given the break in time you've had from 2011 to now with sketchy employment history, you are barely qualified as entry level and you need to prove you can cut it on the job. Be very very careful that you are not letting your "I need more money" demeanor come accross, because whoever is interviewing you already feels like they are just taking a long shot at you.

 

Finally, finally don't tell the employer about their company and position. Let them tell you and listen carefully to what they need. Then highlight for them how you can step in and make it all better immediately. Give solid examples from your past work, what you've done, etc. Do you have a portfolio of designs and work you've done? Something you can hand over and show during your interview? It's not about your makeup and your hair and how perfect that is - it's about what you can do as a graphic designer. They'll hire a guy with greasy hair and a rumpled suit that looks like he just pulled it out of a dumpster if what he presents are examples of brilliant work and creativity.

[KarenC]

You might want to try the Temp-To-Hire/Contract process because that route is sometimes a lot easier.

 

Also, you might want to change your professing and look for employed relevant to your minor.

 

I really hope that you feel better.

 

Hugs!

[sonicfan287]

You might want to try the Temp-To-Hire/Contract process because that route is sometimes a lot easier.

 

Also, you might want to change your professing and look for employed relevant to your minor.

 

I really hope that you feel better.

 

Hugs!

 

I was about to make the same suggestion. I'm a Graphic Designer myself (recently graduated) so a lot of what you said resonated with me. Unlike yourself though I have not yet found my niche or even a remotely close job offer. I've only been out of college for 6 months, with a degree in Visual Arts, and concentration in digital art and design. I cast a wide net right out of college, sending my resumes everywhere. It was nearly useless except a couple of recruiters got a hold of my resume and liked what they saw, in this case, I met with the employment agencies and while it hasn't been lucrative either (I've only had a handful of interviews since this experience a couple months ago), I'm at least getting my foot in the door at places and going from there.

 

Again, it varies by the geographics. From where I am, I'd have to commute over 2 hours if I wanted a surefire opportunity because I live in CT, right between Boston and New York. CT is sparse for work, and RHode Island is a little better, but not much. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'd imagine there's a great variance between graphics jobs in the northeast, southeast and central parts of the country. Just keep at it, because it is tough, especially in this field and your past experience will give you some additional qualifications that "newbies" like myself couldn't compete with, so you should find yourself with an advantage with a recruiter, or even just on your own. Good luck

[shelty24]

My advice is to apply for more. Ive been out of work 5 weeks and have applied to almost 600 companies. 3 interviews, 3 offers but pay was too little and travel expenses too high. Financially didn't make sense to take them unfortunately. I have gotten 3 other interviews but after researching-2 were commission only sales, another in a call centre so i said no.

 

Your doing well but i recommend you apply direct to multi national companies also. Sometimes they only advertise jobs on their own website. You could also write a list of companies you would like to work and post your application. Even if they are not hiring right now-they may soon.

[shelty24]

Is your husbands location secure now? Or Is he going to be moved again? If you keep quiting after a few months it will make your application look unreliable so be careful with that.

 

It might even be better to take some time off instead of chopping and changing or even look into some online distributer sales that you can do from home for now because you dont want to make your resume look bad

[reader]

I agree with you about applying to random jobs because accepting anything just sets you up for a long period of going to work miserable. I believe you have to like something about a job before applying so that you won't make it obvious you are just there for a check

[blueidealist24]

I agree with you about applying to random jobs because accepting anything just sets you up for a long period of going to work miserable. I believe you have to like something about a job before applying so that you won't make it obvious you are just there for a check

 

Yeah, if they think you're just going to be there for a check they'll probably pick up on that and not hire you anyway. I had a period of time when I went to tons of interviews for boring jobs, just to get hired for the check, and none of them hired me. Some even commented that I didn't look that enthusiastic, and asked what drew me to apply to the job anyway. I'm not that great an actor so I was like, "errr...".