Help!

[bthomasiscool]

I had written a post a couple months ago with no help, but I figured I'd try again. I just graduated from Kentucky Christian University with a double major in Business Administration (Marketing) and Bible. I am getting married and moving to Lexington in two weeks and am still struggling to find a job. I have tried the Monster/Careerbuilder/Hotjobs/etc. etc. online with little success (except for straight commission sales jobs.) I have tried networking, as well as applying online to many places as possible. I have made two trips unsuccessfully to the Lexington area as well. It seems like nobody wants to hire a college grad straight out of college with little experience. Would appreciate any help at all. Any ideas, networking, openings etc. At this point I am willing to take any decent paying job in order to pay the bills and support my soon to be wife. Thanks for the HELP!

Brandon

[TeamBoone]

I know absolutely nothing about what's available in Lexington, but I do have a question. I suppose it can be considered personal... if so, please feel free to ignore me.

Just wondering why you're moving to Lexington with no job. Wouldn't you be better off to find a job and then move to that location?

Again, I'm sure you have a good reason but just thought I'd plant the seed.

[bthomasiscool]

Well, my fiance has a student teaching position lined up in the Lexington area; and soon after that a teaching position at a local school. Also for her to receive some tuition reimbursement we need to live in Kentucky and have her teach there for five years. It's such a big area, I'm sure to find a job soon enough, just haven't had any luck yet (at least I keep telling myself that).

[TeamBoone]

Ah, ok. Now it all makes sense.

Maybe you're going to have to wait until you actually get there and just start knocking on doors. I've seen it work!

I'm sure you'll find something and if it's something you don't particularly like, take it anyway and just keep looking.

Good luck to you.

[justincredible]

Have you tried craigslist?

[Ltlabner]

I had written a post a couple months ago with no help, but I figured I'd try again. I just graduated from Kentucky Christian University with a double major in Business Administration (Marketing) and Bible. I am getting married and moving to Lexington in two weeks and am still struggling to find a job. I have tried the Monster/Careerbuilder/Hotjobs/etc. etc. online with little success (except for straight commission sales jobs.) I have tried networking, as well as applying online to many places as possible. I have made two trips unsuccessfully to the Lexington area as well. It seems like nobody wants to hire a college grad straight out of college with little experience. Would appreciate any help at all. Any ideas, networking, openings etc. At this point I am willing to take any decent paying job in order to pay the bills and support my soon to be wife. Thanks for the HELP!

Brandon

Maybe I missed it, but do you have a specifc field you are wanting to get into?

If so, focus on that field. Go to every business in the area that is close to being in that field and ask for appointments with the human resource managers. Explain that you are a collage grad and you'd like 10-15 minutes of their time to learn more about what the industry requires to be successfull. You'll have to make it clear to the receptionist that you are not there to apply to get past them.

If you get appoinments (it will take a lot of no's to get a yes) don't go in asking "how can I get a job with you". Go in asking, "what does your company look for in a prospective employee?". Explain that you are just trying to get a feal for what is expected in the XYZ industry. Keep the conversation focused on what they are looking for and nothing to do with you. Make it clear that you are there to learn about their industry.

Several things will happen. (1) you learn what people are looking for and can tailor your resume/applications to address those specific areas (2) you get good at talking to people (3) you start to build a network (4) when you do turn in a resume/application they are likely to remember you (5) if they don't want to hire you for the job you want, they may have an opening in a different area that would at least pay the bills and get your foot in the door.

If you do submit a resume/application include a coverletter that mentions "I met with you on XYZ date and really appricated your advice. I believe I have some of the qualities you detailed and I am submitting my application for your consideration." Or words to that effect. This will remind them of your meeting.

As always, dress well, take notes, try not to be nervous and practice, practice, practice. Take all the job interviews you can get even if there is no way you'd ever take the job. Do it for the practice of talking to people and interviewing. The more confident and well spoken you are, the more you stand out against other people.

[Yachtzee]

If you really have problems finding a job and need one ASAP, I might recommend seeking a temp job for a little while. I spent a summer working in a mail room on a temp assignment while looking for "career" jobs. It paid the bills until I could get a full-time job in December.

I'm in the same boat again now, having just graduated from law school. I have to take the bar this summer and get a job ASAP. Say, anyone need a lawyer?

(Note: Yachtzee is not licensed to practice law in any state as of yet.)

[RedsMan3203]

Brandon i'm right with you.

I graduated in October with a BS in Computer Science... I've been on donzens of interviews... 2nd interviews, phone interviews, anything you can think of. They've all come back to me with we were looking for someone with more experience. :blah:

Tomorrow - I go in with a company for my 3rd interview...

[bthomasiscool]

Have you tried craigslist?

Yeah, a received two interviews through companies listed there. "Decided to go with somebody that has more experience".

[bthomasiscool]

Maybe I missed it, but do you have a specifc field you are wanting to get into?

If so, focus on that field. Go to every business in the area that is close to being in that field and ask for appointments with the human resource managers. Explain that you are a collage grad and you'd like 10-15 minutes of their time to learn more about what the industry requires to be successfull. You'll have to make it clear to the receptionist that you are not there to apply to get past them.

If you get appoinments (it will take a lot of no's to get a yes) don't go in asking "how can I get a job with you". Go in asking, "what does your company look for in a prospective employee?". Explain that you are just trying to get a feal for what is expected in the XYZ industry. Keep the conversation focused on what they are looking for and nothing to do with you. Make it clear that you are there to learn about their industry.

Several things will happen. (1) you learn what people are looking for and can tailor your resume/applications to address those specific areas (2) you get good at talking to people (3) you start to build a network (4) when you do turn in a resume/application they are likely to remember you (5) if they don't want to hire you for the job you want, they may have an opening in a different area that would at least pay the bills and get your foot in the door.

If you do submit a resume/application include a coverletter that mentions "I met with you on XYZ date and really appricated your advice. I believe I have some of the qualities you detailed and I am submitting my application for your consideration." Or words to that effect. This will remind them of your meeting.

As always, dress well, take notes, try not to be nervous and practice, practice, practice. Take all the job interviews you can get even if there is no way you'd ever take the job. Do it for the practice of talking to people and interviewing. The more confident and well spoken you are, the more you stand out against other people.

Thanks for the advice, I will surely try that soon if nothing comes up.

[vaticanplum]

I agree about temping. Temping itself is largely awful, but if you're a good worker (and it's often not hard to stand out in the temping world) it can lead to some good things.

Be smart about temping, though. Make it very clear what you're looking for. If you will be miserable in a job shredding paper for ten dollars an hour, tell them that; don't be afraid to turn assignments down and tell them why. Remember that they make money off of you so you have every right to make sure they're getting you the kind of work you want. There are actually good jobs in good places out there that are optioned out to temp agencies only because the firms are too busy to go through the hiring process themselves.

[Ltlabner]

Yeah, a received two interviews through companies listed there. "Decided to go with somebody that has more experience".

How much do you focus on experience (or in your case, lack of) when you are talking to people? Do you say things like, "I know I don't have experience but,.......". Or "I may not have worked in an office before, but........" ?

Focus on what positives you do have (new ideas, energy, trainable, willing to do unplesant work to get foot in door, not "programed" in another companys ways of doing things).

Even when they ask you directly about experience, come up with a way to turn it into a positive.

For example, "I have experience organizing dances and taking care of all the expedutures for supplies, etc from my days at Wassamatta U. That experience can translate to helping your mail room department by.............". Always make it about what you can do for them.

Come up with answers to deal with the "experience issue" and turn it into a positive. When you are asked about it, look the interviewer dead in the eye and calmly give him the answer you prepared.

[creek14]

Temp.

When I moved back to Ohio I temped. I was a receptionist. They said, hey wanna try something else, I did. Wanna try something else. I did. And so on and so on. Now I get to play secret agent woman and it all started from that temp receptionist job.

[Yachtzee]

I agree about temping. Temping itself is largely awful, but if you're a good worker (and it's often not hard to stand out in the temping world) it can lead to some good things.

Be smart about temping, though. Make it very clear what you're looking for. If you will be miserable in a job shredding paper for ten dollars an hour, tell them that; don't be afraid to turn assignments down and tell them why. Remember that they make money off of you so you have every right to make sure they're getting you the kind of work you want. There are actually good jobs in good places out there that are optioned out to temp agencies only because the firms are too busy to go through the hiring process themselves.

That's a good point too. If you're interested in marketing, starting out in the mailroom at a marketing firm or an ad agency, or just about any company with a marketing dept. isn't a bad job to get you by and may lead to something you're interested in. But temping on the line at the plastic mold factory probably isn't going to get you where you want to go.