I cant find a job for the longest time

[destroyed4sho]

I cant find a job and I have been searching and submitting thousands of resumes online with no call backs and no interviews for months. Is there another way that works?

I dont have many friends or networks that can help so that route is not a good one.

I have submitted resumes to headhunters and when I call they just say that there are no jobs at the moment that fit my resume.

I get no call backs.

Can someone give me some good advice?

I am currently trying to freelance and that is not even going well, hard to find clients.

[BklynGuy]

I've had the same experience for the past 2 years. You have to think about re-educating yourself into a field that's not suffering at the moment. I'm currently trying transportation. I already have a degree in computers & am 5 classes short of a B.A. in Psychology. Do you think I ever considered driving for a living?

I'm also applying to several civil service positions. Try and brainstorm & look for free adult education courses in your area.

[pink_sugar]

Do you have a degree and/or experience relating to the fields you are applying for? Are you in school or training that will help better your prospects? You may want to consider changing tactics...look into high in demand jobs that don't require extensive education. There are fields where you can easily get an Associates degree or certificate and make 60k a year...it has to be a field in demand though.

 

My husband is in the same situation as you. Stay motivated and explore alternative options.

[MuscleCarFan]

I cant find a job and I have been searching and submitting thousands of resumes online with no call backs and no interviews for months. Is there another way that works?

I dont have many friends or networks that can help so that route is not a good one.

I have submitted resumes to headhunters and when I call they just say that there are no jobs at the moment that fit my resume.

I get no call backs.

Can someone give me some good advice?

I am currently trying to freelance and that is not even going well, hard to find clients.

 

Man, I have that same problem! It's especially hard when all the employers out there want experience out there, but aren't willing to give you the experience. Go figure.

[destroyed4sho]

Do you have a degree and/or experience relating to the fields you are applying for? Are you in school or training that will help better your prospects? You may want to consider changing tactics...look into high in demand jobs that don't require extensive education. There are fields where you can easily get an Associates degree or certificate and make 60k a year...it has to be a field in demand though.

 

My husband is in the same situation as you. Stay motivated and explore alternative options.

 

I am a college graduate and hold a masters degree. I feel like it doesn't matter....

[stillbyMyself]

Has anyone tried volunteering for the networking and/or experience? If you don't have a job what do you have to lose? Just curious.

[aliceinthebox]

You need to call them. Hi my name Alice and I would just like to check on the status of my resume. Increases your chances immensely because you took more of an effort than go online and fill out information.

 

Good luck.

[2sure]

Are you changing your resume to suit specifically the position and company environment you are submitting it to? I hate seeing resumes/ form letters.

I'm sure you are customizing.

 

Are you applying outside of your field?

[carhill]

Can someone give me some good advice?

 

Yep, volunteer and get over whatever personal preferences or characteristics which preclude having many friends. In this economy, it's who you know. I'd have been living under a bridge if not for all the great business contacts I've cultivated over the decades. Over the last year, there were some months where a job never graced the shop, not because I'm lousy but simply because there was just nothing around, even looked for. So, I went off and worked for friends doing other things and invested in my own real estate ventures to guarantee myself and some other people work. It's paid off.

 

Go with your strengths and get out there and do something.

 

I've never had a resume in my entire life. Been working for myself since a young man. I wouldn't know how to apply for a job, other than to ask a friend if there's any work to do. It works. Good luck.

[FitChick]

I posted another thread about the need for air traffic controllers and MRI and radiology technicians. Excellent salaries. Check into the cost for training.

[Krytie TV]

I cant find a job and I have been searching and submitting thousands of resumes online with no call backs and no interviews for months. Is there another way that works?

I dont have many friends or networks that can help so that route is not a good one.

I have submitted resumes to headhunters and when I call they just say that there are no jobs at the moment that fit my resume.

I get no call backs.

Can someone give me some good advice?

I am currently trying to freelance and that is not even going well, hard to find clients.

 

My recommendation only works if you have reached the point where you firmly feel you have nothing to lose.

 

After two years of looking for work, I had enough. Hundreds of resumes and it seemed like I was sending them to an electronic trash can. No responses (unless it was some automated garbage)... nothing... crickets. Granted, this was 2009-2011, so things were a bit worse than now. So, feeling I had nothing to lose, I tried something different.

 

I wrote a cover letter that essentially explained that I was raised by Pixie's in some land name that I made up (Kwambug-Wee, I think) and explained that I grew up and became a lion-tamer. I explained some of the things that this life taught me and some other funny stuff. I believe, though, that you have to really be funny to be able to pull this off. But, at the end of the letter, I addressed anyone who might still be reading that of course this was all nonsaense, and then in ONLY a couple of well-thought out sentences, I addressed why I would be a great employee.

 

After two rounds of applications (30 or so), I got 3 responses saying that though I did not fit their expectations, they appreciated the letter, 2 responses for an interview, and 1 job offer. At each interview, the people in question made a point of mentioning how much they enjoyed my letter.

 

The point is that some time you just need to take a chance and let your inner self shine. Someone out there somewhere will appreciate it, maybe even more than would even notice a normal cover letter.

 

Just a thought. I am approaching my 2-year anniversary at the job that hired me from that letter. You just never know. I'm actually still kind of a legend about it... I am still having people mention it to me.

[PhillyDude]

Has anyone tried volunteering for the networking and/or experience? If you don't have a job what do you have to lose? Just curious.

 

 

Volunteering is not really a option because you have to factor in travel costs

[Almond_Joy]

Well the last time I was out of work, I got no hits on my resume - no call backs, no job board views, nothing. I ended up going to a staffing agency to get work. I felt fortunate to get a job paying a dollar above minimum wage and stuck with that for 10 months until something else came along.

 

I don't know what field you're in, but see about joining the equivalent of a staffing agency for your field. If they have a good reputation they will pull in a lot of good job leads. If the recruited refers you it somtimes cuts short the interview process. For instance, instead of 3 interviews you only have to do one or none if the employer's been working with that staffing agency a long time.

 

As for searching independently, I recommend taking at least a solid 4 hours to revamp your resume. Research best practices for resume writing, look up job descriptions for the job you're interested in, see what you can do to make the resume visually striking in addition to having your skills and experience stand out. In Microsoft Word they have a functional resume template sponsored by Monster. I tell you I've gotten SO many compliments using that template. The first thing recruiters, employers, and career advisors all tell me now is "Nice resume!" The way the content is organized just visually makes a document in that template format stand out. If nothing else, it will help you get resume reviewers to linger for a few seconds longer on your resume. Those few seconds are your opportunity to then "seal the deal" on presenting yourself to prospective employers with your skills and experiences. That's how I looked at writing the resume.

 

The job description search gave me a lot to work with in trying to renovate my resume - I found several common terms in the job descriptions that I had not mentioned once in my resume. I honestly think that's why I didn't get any hits on my resume the last time I was unemployed. Those key skills and duties are important! Most employers do an automated screening of resumes and if your resume doesn't have the key terms for that job description, your resumes never makes it to the eyes of an actual person.

 

For example, I'm in general business administration. I had to put in key words like "organized"," "collaborated" "coordinated, "facilitated", and "scheduled". If you're on CareerBuilder, you know how they have the view statistics for each resume you make public? That's how I gauged if my resume has what employers want to see. Keep tweaking your resume until you consistently get a double digit view count at least. And if you're interested in more than one type of job, build a resume to target each job type.

 

You mentioned you're looking for freelance work also, so I'm guessing you're in design or arts of some sort and already have a portfolio. I don't know what proper criterion are for an art portfolio so can't give suggestions there, but you can always research tips to enhance your portfolio too.

 

Something else I recommend is to get recommendation letters from former coworkers, supervisors, or classmates, so that you can present them on an interview. Having a positive character reference on hand at an interview may not guarantee you a job, but it certainly doesn't hurt in helping an employer decide if you are a good fit. In asking for recommendation letters you can also ask for job search tips from people working in the field you want to be in.

 

The last thing I want to share is this: please keep in mind that employers are just now (as in in the month of February) starting to get back into the swing of hiring new employees, if they are hiring at all. A lot of companies operate on a quarterly basis corresponding with the calendar year. September to say, mid-December, is the absolute worst time to find work. It's the last quarter of the year, companies are trying to get their budgets as close to the black (or green? is that the opposite of red?) as possible. This means most of them aren't spending or are even cutting costs by laying people off, cutting hours, things like that. The new quarter started at the start of the year, but most people were checked out mentally for two weeks prior to the start of the year because of the holiday season. It does take some companies a solid month to get budgets in order for the new year and get back into the swing of things with day-to-day work. So don't be terribly discouraged if you haven't gotten any responses for the last 4 months or so. It sucks having no income ,but that's the way of things with the cycle companies operate on.

 

I was laid off in September, have several great references, impressive work history and resume, am well qualified for the work I was applying for. Between then and now, outside of staffing agencies, I feel blessed to have gotten 3 interviews. The last one did result in a job offer, but really these last few months have not been good for anyone out of work.

 

Good luck.

[Krytie TV]

Another thing. I don't know if this has any real impact or not, but I have started printing my CV/Resume/cover letter to a PDF before sending it. Really easy to do if you have Acrobat... don't scan a PDF. It looks really crisp compared to Word.

[TheFinalWord]

Have you had your resume professionally critiqued? My first job out of college I did not notice until I sent out about 30 resumes there was a type-o! Seems silly, but it is something to consider. Also, if you are submitting to jobs with hundreds of competitors, chances are software is weeding out resumes; it's sort of like SEO in that certain key words can increase the chances your resume is reviewed by an actual person. Again, many variables without knowing your field.

 

Would you consider moving? If you are single, you might consider sending out resumes across the country. I do not know your field, but if the market is tight and/or if it is highly competitive, flexibility with location will increase your chances tremendously. My motto is if you are single, pack up and move. Nothing to lose.

[TheFinalWord]

My recommendation only works if you have reached the point where you firmly feel you have nothing to lose.

 

After two years of looking for work, I had enough. Hundreds of resumes and it seemed like I was sending them to an electronic trash can. No responses (unless it was some automated garbage)... nothing... crickets. Granted, this was 2009-2011, so things were a bit worse than now. So, feeling I had nothing to lose, I tried something different.

 

I wrote a cover letter that essentially explained that I was raised by Pixie's in some land name that I made up (Kwambug-Wee, I think) and explained that I grew up and became a lion-tamer. I explained some of the things that this life taught me and some other funny stuff. I believe, though, that you have to really be funny to be able to pull this off. But, at the end of the letter, I addressed anyone who might still be reading that of course this was all nonsaense, and then in ONLY a couple of well-thought out sentences, I addressed why I would be a great employee.

 

After two rounds of applications (30 or so), I got 3 responses saying that though I did not fit their expectations, they appreciated the letter, 2 responses for an interview, and 1 job offer. At each interview, the people in question made a point of mentioning how much they enjoyed my letter.

 

The point is that some time you just need to take a chance and let your inner self shine. Someone out there somewhere will appreciate it, maybe even more than would even notice a normal cover letter.

 

Just a thought. I am approaching my 2-year anniversary at the job that hired me from that letter. You just never know. I'm actually still kind of a legend about it... I am still having people mention it to me.

 

That's a really neat story. Reminds me of this...LOL

 

Undergrad Wows Wall Street With Painfully Honest Cover Letter: LAist

 

From: ******* Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 1:14PM

To: ******

Subject: Summer Internship

Dear ***

My name is **** ***** and I am an undergraduate finance student at ****** ********* I met you the summer before last at Smith & Wollensky’s in New York when I was touring the east coast with my uncle, ***** ****** I just wanted thank you for taking the time to talk to me that night.

I am writing you to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like ***** to intern at ******, but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.

I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crap about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I’ve interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at *** for whatever that is worth.

I am currently awaiting admission for *** Masters of Science in Accountability program, which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master’s program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your review. Feel free to call me at ****** or email at ******. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

**** ********

[Sugarkane]

So far my experice is it's always who you know, not what you know. At my workplace there's rarely someone who isn't friends/related to someone. Some people should've been fired (anti social, plain lazy) yet aren't because they're in with the right people.

[PhillyDude]

Has anyone tried volunteering for the networking and/or experience? If you don't have a job what do you have to lose? Just curious.

 

 

Volunteering may not be a good idea due to travel costs.

[PhillyDude]

Have you had your resume professionally critiqued? My first job out of college I did not notice until I sent out about 30 resumes there was a type-o! Seems silly, but it is something to consider. Also, if you are submitting to jobs with hundreds of competitors, chances are software is weeding out resumes; it's sort of like SEO in that certain key words can increase the chances your resume is reviewed by an actual person. Again, many variables without knowing your field.

 

Would you consider moving? If you are single, you might consider sending out resumes across the country. I do not know your field, but if the market is tight and/or if it is highly competitive, flexibility with location will increase your chances tremendously. My motto is if you are single, pack up and move. Nothing to lose.

 

 

Moving may not be a option because someone who is unemployed has little funds

[PhillyDude]

So far my experice is it's always who you know, not what you know. At my workplace there's rarely someone who isn't friends/related to someone. Some people should've been fired (anti social, plain lazy) yet aren't because they're in with the right people.

 

 

I wonder if that's why I was chosen because I knew a friend of the lady who interviewed me. I worked with the interviewer's friend for 2 years.

[pink_sugar]

Volunteering may not be a good idea due to travel costs.

 

If you can find one nearby, it is better than having large gaps in your resume.

 

Moving may not be a option because someone who is unemployed has little funds

 

This is a good point. It costs money to move and a lot of apartments or housing in general will not look your way without proof of income. If you consider moving, you need to have a savings set up to allow for moving costs and time it may take to look for a job elsewhere. Also a lot of employers will want you to start right away, which means you need to already be living local.

[PhillyDude]

If you can find one nearby, it is better than having large gaps in your resume.

 

 

 

This is a good point. It costs money to move and a lot of apartments or housing in general will not look your way without proof of income. If you consider moving, you need to have a savings set up to allow for moving costs and time it may take to look for a job elsewhere. Also a lot of employers will want you to start right away, which means you need to already be living local.

 

 

I think the employment gap thing is overhyped because I was going on interviews when I was unemployed 10 months and not one interviewer asked me...........:So what have you been doing the past 10 months.

 

If they had asked me i would have politely ended the interview and left lol

[pink_sugar]

I think the employment gap thing is overhyped because I was going on interviews when I was unemployed 10 months and not one interviewer asked me...........:So what have you been doing the past 10 months.

 

If they had asked me i would have politely ended the interview and left lol

 

You must have gotten lucky. My husband (who also has gaps) has been asked many times why he was unemployed for so long. However, it's a catch 22, because if you take a jobs here and there to get some income, then they think you are hopping around job to job when it wasn't by choice. It's dumb...one person even went as far as to ask him how we paid our bills, but it happens.

[PhillyDude]

You must have gotten lucky. My husband (who also has gaps) has been asked many times why he was unemployed for so long. However, it's a catch 22, because if you take a jobs here and there to get some income, then they think you are hopping around job to job when it wasn't by choice. It's dumb...one person even went as far as to ask him how we paid our bills, but it happens.

 

 

I hope your husband didn't allow himself to. be disrespected and let the interview go on without ending it and walking out

[MuscleCarFan]

I hope your husband didn't allow himself to. be disrespected and let the interview go on without ending it and walking out

 

Well, I felt rather irritated being asked that. I felt it was none of his business and had nothing to do with the job. Thankfully I was hired back at a job before which is nice, because the manager there is the only manager I have ever had, that I liked, lol.