Still unemployed

[Jetta]

Got a letter in the mail and I wasn't one of the choosen ones for the financial advisor position. Oh well. I was really surprised I was called about that one anyway. Sure it was interesting, exciting, etc. But internally I knew if I were to get it would be a shock.

 

I had an interview today but that didn't go well. Oh I was there for an hour but I just know.

 

Being calm, feeling confident, none of it matters. I just suck at interviews.

[CarterJonas]

Keep trying, a job will eventually come your way.

 

glad your feeling better and goodluck with your job hunt.

[gersanos]

Interviewing is a skill, just as everything else out there in life. The very first date I ever had I just sat there - thinking that I can pull off just looking cute and the girl will adore me. Strangely enough, it worked many of times when I was in high school, but afterwards effort and work comes into play. I needed to develop a certain set of skills to be successful.

 

The same goes with interviewing. I graduated college a year ago, and went on countless interviews. Some led to a second round of interviewing, most didn't lead to anything. I began to evaluate what I did right and wrong in each interview. Confidence is important, but, there are certain traits and skills and words that employers are looking for in an interview.

 

I've went through 3 interviewing books (1 technical, 2 behavioral) as well as countless articles I've found on the Web. About 2 weeks ago, I got my dream job with pay beyond what I was expecting (I work in finance as well).

 

Today I can say I am very much happy with my career situation, excited about growing with the company, excited about returning back to school to get a CFA, and basicaly excited about my future.

 

3-6 months ago I was still miserable, sitting in a ridiculous corporate job that I didn't enjoy (no challenge, mere busy work, average pay, mediocre benefits, etc.), hearing most people give the excuse that they can't find a job because "it's a bad economy," falling victim to that logic and considering that more education must be the solution (which it isn't, yet MANY people I know think that it is), ad infinitum. It was a perpetuating negative cycle.

 

If you want any help I can send you links or what not. I have tons of research on resumes (spent about 10 hours on mine), cover letters, behavioral interviews, technical interviews, brain teaser questions, and all the etiquette that comes with it. Sound pretty dorky accoring to most of my friends? But the fact remains, all that yielded me is a tremendous job, one where I am challenged and grow with the company, where I am taken care of with so many benefits and perks, and where my salary is beyond what I even expected to be making a year out of college.

[Jetta]

Thanks for sending the info. I'll read through it, maybe it'll help in the future.

 

Need to release some feelings now.

I was just notified that they choose another candidate for the position. Truth is there was no other candidate they just really didn't like the impression I made. I'm tired of this whole job search already. Normally an interview means I got the job now I can't even expect that to be the case. Maybe that woman was right I should quit looking for a job and just go back to college. Incurring more debt just scares me, but I'm obviously not getting anywhere as it is. I don't know I need to figure something out because I can't stay in this limboland any longer. I'm in a pressure cooker that is about to blow.

[mgirl]

gersanos,

 

Congratulations... would you mind sending me some links in a PM? I will be looking for work at the end of the year.

 

Jetta,

 

Sorry to hijack the thread! Good luck with your interviews... I've once heard it is a game of statistics.

[Angelus]

Look love, you're educated enough start your own business and get rid of the corporate shackles. Too many of us depend on jobs when many of us have the capability to stand on our own. Find what you're good at and what makes you happy go for it and you cannot fail. Avoid people who are negative and afraid to take risks in life bc they will only end up broke after 65 anyway. If you were to step on a plane and they told you that there was a 2% chance the plane would land safely, would you stay on? The answer is certainly not, well a job is just like that so why sweat yourself to make someone else profits while you only get bread crumbs?

[HajiMaji]

Hey, everything will work out. Looking for a job when you dont have one is like looking for rommantic partner when you dont have a boyfriend/girlfriend. When your with someone its so easy to get other girls/guys interested in you. When you've got no one it seems as if love will never come.

 

I think the same thing can happen when looking for a job. But love seems to find us and jobs seem to come our way. It just takes time

 

Hang tough, and its perfectly healthy to release emotions here!

[Jetta]

How strange. The one place called me. I may have a job offer or at least a 2nd interview. I'll know for sure tomorrow.

[Borashi]

Opportunities can strike at any time. My current job I'm in, I've been really unhappy with, so a company I used to work for I knew was hiring, I applied there, and just like that I got an interview and a job offer with better pay. Sometimes the timing is just right and sometimes luck plays a part in landing a job. Keep trying its easy to get discouraged during a job search before my last job, I was unemployed for 6-8 months. What made it hard for me is I never kept a routine, thereforeeee I never really gave 110% each and every day towards the job hunt. Somedays I'd go out with friends, other days I'd stay on the grind looking for a job. I think its critical to keep a routine whether it applies towards applying at jobs or looking for new ones in the classifieds, keeping a routine will keep you motivated and hungry.

[girltrappedinside]

I've noticed the same thing, about the nuances of searching for a job when you have one, or don't have one. When you don't have one, it seems like there is really nothing in the local papers (by the way, I'm going to start using the yellow pages instead) that would interest you, and it seems like you're not qualified for any of the positions. Once you have a job, though, it's a lot easier to weed out the legitimate positions from the fake ones, and you seem to know what's your cup of tea, and what isn't. Two things I have learned:

 

- the odds are not good that answering an ad from a temporary staffing agency (as in spending an hour or more to register with them) will land you a job in the next couple of weeks. The truth is that most staffing agencies are only accepting applications for the jobs that they HOPE to hire for.

 

- the odds are even worse that sending in your resume to an email address or post office box (as dictated by a job ad) will land you a jobl. Most of the time, you're just blindly sending your resume to someone who will quickly glance over your email (or not bother downloading the attachment you sent), then delete it. Or, you will be sending your resume to someone who's just collecting resumes for his or her OWN job hunting prospects. Rotten, I know. But, that crap happens often nowadays.

[mgirl]

Once you have a job, though, it's a lot easier to weed out the legitimate positions from the fake ones

 

I don't understand what you mean here. Are there fake positions? And how do you tell?

 

- the odds are not good that answering an ad from a temporary staffing agency (as in spending an hour or more to register with them) will land you a job in the next couple of weeks. The truth is that most staffing agencies are only accepting applications for the jobs that they HOPE to hire for.

 

I don't understand what you mean here either. Do you mean that the agencies put put fake ads in the paper in order to get resumes so they can assess the talent out there?

 

Or, you will be sending your resume to someone who's just collecting resumes for his or her OWN job hunting prospects.

 

What do you mean here? Do you mean that other candidates put ads in the paper to get resumes so they can either a) copy the formatting, or b) assess the competition?

 

Rotten, I know. But, that crap happens often nowadays.

 

Hell yeah.

[chocolatedance]

Hello,

Your situation in your last corporate job really hit home for me (not challenged, busy work, only decent pay, etc). I was very unhappy and left. I'm currently working part-time and looking for a full-time "dream job." My problems have been "closing" the interviews. I can get 1st and 2nd interviews, but never get the offer. I wondered if you wouldn't mind sending me some website links that were helpful to you in developing interview skills?

 

Thanks and I'm so glad to hear you now have found a wonderful career path and job!

 

-chocolatedance

[chocolatedance]

Good Luck!!

[mgirl]

I'm currently working part-time and looking for a full-time "dream job."

 

This is interesting... Have you actually made a conscious choice to take time out by working part-time, to look for your 'dream job'?

 

And if so, how long are you prepared to work part-time till you find it?

[darkblue]

I'm wishing you the best of luck, Jetta.

God knows, you deserve it!!

[ShySoul]

Jetta, this thread was from a few months ago. Have you had much luck since then? Let us know how you are doing. I'm hoping everything has worked out, you do deserve it. I'm cheering for you.

[Caldus]

I've been unemployed for quite a while too (****ty job market these days) but now I have decided to employ myself until I find something more stable and permanent. Right now I am just doing some freelancing work online for small businesses and such. Not a bad thing to set your own schedule and do web design/programming work right at your house. But the bad thing is that you're allowed to be lazy as much as you want.

[ShySoul]

Caldus, you aren't lazy, are you? I don't see you as that kind of person. Unless you've been too busy constructing those poems you write to pay attention to your work.

 

Important thing is that you enjoy what you are doing and are making end meet. In time you should find something more permanent. And who knows, maybe you will end up liking what you are doing now so much, you want to make it permanent.

[Caldus]

Freelancing isn't reliable and stable to make a real living off of unless you do real well with it. I actually know someone who has done that but I'm not quite sure if I want to do that my whole life. It's fun but at some point you have to find something more stable, even if it means giving up the flexible schedule.