I applied for a shitty place that accepts damn near anyone. I got accepted, to no ones surprise.

Prepare yourself for the job, the interview, and sell yourself as someone capable, able and more than willing to work. Sound knowledgeable, dependable and likable.

Apply everywhere, not just specific places, beggars can't be choosers. Be willing to take things you're even overqualified for.

I've personally always had more of a problem holding a job. After a few months I hit a point where I can never return to work again and lock myself inside my house. Anxiety problems definitely make this sort of thing harder.

But you know, there are usually a lot of factors involved in not being able to find work. It might be your area, your experience, your personality, your education, the types of jobs you're looking for, mental/emotional factors causing problems with the process, etcetc. What exactly are you having a problem with in specific? Do you manage to at least get to the interview stage?

I interned there for my last 9 months of college then applied for a paid position when I graduated. Because of my history and connections there I didn't even have to go through the normal interview process, just a very short and easy one.

I was lucky enough to learn of an urgent vacancy that was not advertised. I was hired at the interview.

I have spent a lot of time unemployed, its rough. Try volunteering.

what is this "job" you speak of?

I'm in the military. All I did before going to a recruitment center was work out a bit to make up for all the years of NEETdom. Military work is really tiring, but damn if it hasn't been changing me into a better person.

Stand in crowded area while shouting "NEED JOB! NEED JOB!"

I've been working garbage cooking jobs since I was 15 so I've always been at least a bit qualified for most shitty jobs.

If you have no job experience what so ever, shitty jobs are your best bet. I honestly recommend McDonald if you can. Its a great start for a lot of people for a varying of reasons. I understand if you really don't want to depending on where you live. Mainly because it forces you to work with people to get over the first hurdle of just being around people.

Fast food in general is pretty good, since your responsibilities are easy to accomplish and everything you do is regulated to a point you don't even have to think about it after you finish training.

Apply in person too if possible, and do it often as possible.


Interviews -can- be hard if your shy.. But really its something you're going to have to get over, one way or another. I've always been lucky since I can talk all day as long as it doesn't go to my hobbies or any of that irreverent foolishness. I can't really give much advice pass that, but either way it isn't to bad.

>I've personally always had more of a problem holding a job. After a few months I hit a point where I can never return to work again and lock myself inside my house. Anxiety problems definitely make this sort of thing harder.

This is something I've always had a problem with, I seem pretty good with my current job because I had almost a year break of doing anything to collect myself,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI4tp9ZMERI

I put in applications once every month to several places. two weeks of filling out apps, a week of nothing, then a week of calling places back

I did that until i got a job.

Each job I've had has been acquired by my mother dragging me out of the house and taking me to get interviews, fill stuff out, ect.
I've got like no motivation to work, or get a job on my own, everything seems like a pain in the ass.. and the people, good lord the people..
I can't stand the idea of getting up before noon to face the sunlight and be around people all day every day.

I had a job in a bar for a few weeks. Then something bad (non work related) happened to me and I didn't go back.

I should probably call them today and see if I can work again....

>>3718
Getting a shitty fast food job is hard if you're older because by law they're forced to pay you a higher minimum pay, so theyd rather hire 15 year old than a 22 year old.

My mom keeps telling me I need to have my sister help me put together a resume so I can go apply for a job at a Google branch opening up near my town. The problem with this, of course, is that I have zero job experience and my education stops at high school. I also don't really know much about computers, but since I know more than my mom she thinks I'm some sort of genius and there's no way they wouldn't hire me.

I've been driving around town trying to find a job, but everywhere I go, I'm being told that I should apply online. I'm pretty sure applying online kills your chances of being considered, doesn't it?

>>3739

>>3731
not anymore they're hiring college graduates now over teenagers given how shit the economy has went.

>>3741
it varies and depends. appparently it isnt as 'straight' as it was.

>>3760
If you don't mind me asking, how does the economy becoming shit make 22 year olds, who have to be paid more, more attractive to employ over 15 year olds?

>>3775
They are more reliable, and can work all day. A young teen cannot do that.

Having a job in high school is becoming a thing of the past. Entry level jobs don't want them.

You really can only do it with family or friend connections.

I wonder what the cool kids will do to distinguish themselves in the new economy. Having a car will be dependent on parents, aka not cool, and there will be no money to party.

I've been self employed for a while, if you can believe that. Financial market stuff on the internet so I don't really need to go outside to do any of it. It took months of studying fundamentals of economics, trading, etc. but I've got it down by now. It's not exactly an overwhelming amount of money, but it is suitable for my needs. I managed to move out so I don't have my parents hassling me but I'm continuing on pretty much the same as always being a shut-in. If I absolutely had to get a "real" job I believe I could do it and do it well, without any sort of social anxiety coming into play. It's just not something I even accept as a possibility though, I loathe the very idea of it. Even if I wasn't a hiki I couldn't do the 9 to 5 shit, I don't want absolutely anything constraining how I choose to live my life.

I sat at home flooding resumes to everybody on careerbuilder and like 8 other job sites and luckily one got in the hands of someone who was in a rush to hire. Lucky me. Though the job's not that bad really, it can be a bit frustrating at times but overall it's not bad.

>>3775
>22 year olds, who have to be paid more
In all two of the states I've lived in minimum wage has been the same no matter how old you are. In fact there are laws against age discrimination.

>>3776
I thought it was typical for cool kids to get cars and money from their parents. That's how it was when I was in school.

Post edited on 9th May 2011, 8:34am

Possibly going for a job interview today wish me luck

I've been looking around for places to apply, but I can't even figure out how I should approach them. I mean, do I just go up to the counter and ask if they're hiring? It just feels so embarrassing to do that.

>>3812
Good luck, I'm in the middle of looking for a new job myself. I quit my old one last week because I finally got fed up with how terrible it was. Hopefully I'll be able to find something by the end of the month, or else I'll be fucked.

>>3816
It wouldn't hurt too much to ask, but going from my experience with going around town and asking in various places if they were hiring they'll just tell you to apply online.

>>3812
Good luck!
>>3816
Try finding their phone number or send them an email

>>3816
Most places do online applications, but some smaller places would do paper applications. It wouldn't hurt to walk in though, if they do it online they'd probably just tell you what site to go on to apply.

>>3816
If you are going to do it in person try and give your resume directly to the manager or boss, and not the cashier/front desk person. Ask first if the manager is in and if he/she isn't, ask when they'll be available and then come by again on that day.

>>3812
Well that was uneventful. They have all the staff they need right now, and unless someone randomly quits or get fired, they won't start hiring until just before I go back to school. The manager said my resume looks good, but it doesn't matter if they don't need any help.

What am I supposed to do when I have no experience to put on my resume?

>>3843
Kill yourself, you can't get experience past age 15

>>3843
Get a volunteer job (or 2) and use that. If you don't have anything you could put on your resume that's a great alternative if you need to build your resume. Plus you can make valuable contacts + positive references from it. Also you can pretty much set your own hours/days you want to work at with a volunteer job so there's no pressure.
I worked like 3 years with a non-for-profit and it was a great experience, so I'd really recommend that you look at that path if you want to improve your resume/contacts. Just find something you would enjoy donating your time & effort to.

>>3844
uh, no. you get internships for experiences or voluntters as the other guy said. of course im tempted to say 'lie your ass off and make it look legit' or creatively manipulate your "experiences"= e.g. modding on a forum is "working and coordinating a group of writers"

"lie your ass off" isnt too bad an option if you have holes on your resume. just make sure you have some more recent stuff on there that is legit, in case you get asked for references.

Don't outright lie, but at least talk yourself up a small degree. The lies will entrap you.

>>3862

It's either lie or get passed over. My resume is pretty much nonexistant.

well I sent like 50 applications out through monster
and one person responded and they want an interview
sort of having a panic attack here

>>4106
Don't worry! Once you get to the actual interview and get in the process of talking and all that it'll be easier.

Post edited on 18th May 2011, 3:00pm

>>4107
well the thing is though since i applied at so many places i don't know what this company does, I'm also scared that they may have an overestimation of my skills
I put c++ as one of my skills on my resume, cause i needed to put something down right?
but really I'm not proficient in, never been formerly taught the in depth principles of it and I've only used it to run simply scripts and algorithms.

>>4108
Google the company name and read up on their website about what they do, their "values statement" or "mission" or whatever they have, try to keep it in mind when you're answering questions. It'll make you sound more enthused to work for the company and make you more employable.

>>4113
don't know what the company is called

>>4115
Where are you supposed to go to interview, if it's not a phone interview? Maybe google the address and see what comes up?

>>4116
ok I managed to find out what company they were through a confirmation email.
looked them up
they have a very bad reputation
possibly a scam.
and i thought i found work too...
well sorry for wasting your time.

>>4118
Was it one of those pyrmaid scheme "multi-level marketing" companies? I got approached by one of those once, but I decided not to show up for the interview after doing some research. A good rule to follow: if a company has accusations against it from former employees all over the internet, and they can't describe what they do in less than three sentences, don't work there.

>>4118
Was it Vector Marketing?

>>4131
I just got a letter from them saying they're hiring. Interesting it didn't say what they actually do anywhere in the letter.

>>4133
They'll make you sell kitchen knife sets door-to-door.

>>4133
I heard they were a scam. I just got a letter from them the other day, and I ignored it right when I saw the "VECTOR" through the envelope.

I try and use family and friends as contacts for most jobs I apply for now. I ask around saying if they've heard any positions opening up and usually a couple of them will give me a name and number to call. After that I just drop my relative or friends name saying they referred me to the position. More often than not I at least get an interview. Sometimes I'd get pretty much hired on the spot after the interview (which more often seem like a in-depth job description and a "here's what you'll do"). Especially if it was a seasonal position (probably some of the easiest jobs to get).

Alternatively I just look for temp work at the local temp hiring agency. The work may be hard or tedious and the pay isn't great, but you can get a lot of hours in an one or two week projects and the overtime makes up for it. It's also nice to work really hard for a little while then get a break until you find more work.

>>4144
>Sometimes I'd get pretty much hired on the spot after the interview (which more often seem like a in-depth job description and a "here's what you'll do"). Especially if it was a seasonal position (probably some of the easiest jobs to get).

This just happened to me, actually. It felt pretty awkward because I was expected to be asked more questions and stuff. Can't really complain though.

Within a week of getting SSI I got my first job offer in two years, funny how that works.

Okay, results are in and I failed Universtiy miserably, don't even want to bother with the resits.

I am extremely afraid of working, not to work in itself but just making the first step, talking to people, afraid of doing something wrong etc. I've had this CV template opened up in Word for days now and I just can't write anything. I have absolutely no experience. So fucking afraid of I don't know what. I just know I need to find some kind of job asap to pay the bills, as my parents are really pressuring me right now. This is hell for me.

>>5947
Hey I just failed three subjects, thats $1500 and a year down the drain so don't feel so bad.

>>5948
Well, it's $4500 and two years down the drain here. I'm fucked because I have to pay back that amount + interests as soon as I leave Uni and I just don't know how I'm going to do this as I have no money for anything and my social anxiety is really bugging me.

Still, sorry you didn't make it. Life is just a huge pile of shit.

I'm a speculator. Work mostly from home. Reasonably successful by conventional standards - I have a big house, fast car, and lap pool. Studied many economics/trading things before realising that it's mostly pseudoscientific bullshit ( surprisingly, this includes a lot of economics - to an actual scientist this stuff is absurd). Buy low, sell higher, don't be an ass hat and you might get lucky and get to work from home.

>>5950
That sounds nice, but I'm not a big risk taker

>>5951
Heh, neither am I by nature, I guess. I used to have a research job, and I set aside a fixed amount of money for speculating. It took a few windfalls, and I could only quit thecreal job when the market crashed. It's quite amusing, as I despise conceptually the system that gives me money, and it rewards me richly.

The most sure way to a secure and high paying job is motivation and brand name recognition, though I'm sure you all know that. I have a friend who used to split an apartment with me, who'd been mostly in his room while I completed a degree. His parents stopped payments, so he decided to study (the Internet and libraries means textbooks are free now), got a scholarship to a prestigious university (hard, but ultimately doable with effort and capitalising on your background and situation), and now works as a senior software engineer. Good for him, but it seems quite taxing.

On the other hand, I know all sorts who have gained jobs without the whole university thing. It's all really down to the person. I can't handle structure and my job works well. Others love it, join the military, and do highly paid contract work. To find a job worth keeping, you have to figure out what you dislike about a job.