How to find a job

[Speedin' Ian]

How did most of you find your job? I ask this because I am graduating college in a couple weeks and starting to stress out over the future. I have a nice resume and I have submitted it on-line to a few companies, but I'm not sure that's going to cut it. I was also thinking about going to some temp. agencies that I know feed some of the larger corporations in my area (like Amgen). What do you guys think?

[THOR]

What do you do? What do you want to do? What is your degree in?

[Speedin' Ian]

Well currently I work as a bartender and I am a volunteer for the Ventura County Fire Department in their community education department, but I have worked in fine wood working, special effects, and corporate settings. I am graduating with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, and plan on pursuing an MBA after I find a job.
I am interested in the entertainment industry, sales, and promotions, but willing to start just about anywhere. I don’t want to limit myself because I have had jobs in the past that I thought I would Like and ended up hating and I have had jobs I though I would hate and ended up loving.

[totenhosen]

Well you probably should have gotten a degree that is worth the paper it is written on. You kind of limited yourself. You could always teach.

[BrendellaJet]

is it too late to get a second degree? I know two people with that degree, one is a teacher, the other wanted to be a teacher but couldn't hang, so her dad had to give her a job.

[HavasuDreamin']

Originally posted by Speedin' Ian
How did most of you find your job?
Moved to Chicago and had a job within 1 month after looking and interviewing for almost a year in So. Cal. All I have to say is good luck..........its no picnic when your fresh out of school. :(
Oh yeah.......I have a B.S. degree (business school) from USC and it was still extremely difficult. I am convinced now that internships.....as many as you can get........are the only way to go.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Unfortunately with a degree in liberal arts you will have a tough time finding a job. Especially in a large corporate setting. Teaching is the typical career path for someone with that degree. You may need to try and find a small to medium size firm.

[THOR]

Ian,
part of getting a job is determination. Having a degree only gets you in the door. You must sell yourself and get after it and know how to answer questions. Trust me, I have been on both sides of the interview process. If you are serious about sales, get your resume in shape, contact headhunters and start applying your a$$ off. Once you have documented success in the field, you will then get recruited elsewhere.
Dont worry and dont quit. Just stay after it and be sharp.

[NoCal NoBoat]

Ian -
Congratulations on graduating !
Have you checked out the alumni angle ?
At my workplace, the Stanford alumni look out for Stanford grads, Berkeley for Berkeley. Maybe this extends to other schools as well ?

[Speedin' Ian]

Thanks for the advice. My school is brand new so I'm not sure the alumni angle will work. As for getting another degree, I plan to, my MBA. My current degree has little to do with teaching it was a concenmtrated degree which means I chose the courses with the guidance of an academic advisor. My course work consisted of business classes, ethics, english, math, along with a host of other classes. In fact I met with a V.P. from Warner Brothers whose degree was in Liberal Studies, so I don't imagine it will hinder me that much as long as I am determined. It seems that a lot of you had a tough time finding work and I hope the same doesn't happen to me, but I will keep you posted!

[lucky]

Find a place you want to work , bug the crap out of them - and work your ass off - and never forget who gave you a chance ... If all else fails --- bullshit your way into it ... its good for a three month streatch ...

[Debbolas]

Originally posted by HavasuDreamin'
Moved to Chicago and had a job within 1 month after looking and interviewing for almost a year in So. Cal. All I have to say is good luck..........its no picnic when your fresh out of school. :(
Oh yeah.......I have a B.S. degree (business school) from USC and it was still extremely difficult. I am convinced now that internships.....as many as you can get........are the only way to go.
Our daughter wants to go there and major in political science....;)

[Speedin' Ian]

Thank you for the advice lucky, I plan on doing anything I can to find a good job. I have quit a few good leads already and feel pretty confident, but always keep an open ear for other suggestions. I will be taking a few weeks off to go on some trips and will begin really searching around the middle of July.

[Boozer]

Originally posted by Speedin' Ian
Thank you for the advice lucky, I plan on doing anything I can to find a good job. I have quit a few good leads already and feel pretty confident, but always keep an open ear for other suggestions. I will be taking a few weeks off to go on some trips and will begin really searching around the middle of July.
There are a few key things to finding a job that is going to be the right job for you.
1. In order to find a good job you must want a good job. I am so sick of people I know saying "Man I can't find a job cuz all those damn mexicans are taking all the good ones." Well if you're planning a career cleaning the urinals in public restrooms you might want to rethink your career because someone using your dead grandfathers social security number already filled the position.
2. It takes hard work to find good work. Odds are you're going to have to take a shitty job with shitty hours and shitty pay to start off. Take that shitty job and work those shitty hours but start throwing up your resume because you now have the degree and your getting experience. Even shitty experience is better then no experience.
3. NEVER let anyone convince you you can start at the top. Those who are at the top have worked their asses off to get to the top and work their asses off to stay at the top. You start at the top and someone is going to knock your humpty dumpty ass right off the wall, and it's going to be a bitch putting those pieces (your life) back together again.
Stick to those 3 simple things and you'll be alright.

[mercpower]

I graduated 4 years ago with a B.S. in History and Ecoomics(makes me an economic historian)! The best advice I can give you is to not be upset about starting at the bottom, I looked and looked until I had to take job driving a truck hauling fuel, now after 8 months I'm the Safety Director. If you get in the door the degree will help take you the rest of the way. And if there is an industry your paticularly interested in, go to a place of business and ask to speak to the boss and tell them you want a job, they like ambition and that go-getter attitude.

[Boozer]

Originally posted by mercpower
go to a place of business and ask to speak to the boss and tell them you want a job, they like ambition and that go-getter attitude.
Someone with that attitude should be selling shit to business's not driving a fuel truck.

[welk2party]

Do what you love and the money will follow.:cool:

[HOSS]

Buy one elbow. Keep the prices about 5 bucks below the competetion. Don`t burn your product. Make sure everything weighs in at 8 with the bag. You`ll do fine. I made a hell of a lot of bread back in the day off of Mexican tumbleweed.

[Moneypitt]

HOSS, HOSS, HOSS........Whatever are we to do with you.. You're not suppose to be talking like that about your past activities....Statute of limitations expired yet???.....Moneypitt

[HOSS]

In court I`d just be kidding. What are the statue of limitations on dope offenses anyway now? Use to be a year then they moved it to three.I`m well good.

[HighRoller]

Ian, I'm going through kind of the same thing on a smaller scale. I was drifting aimlessly until I found out about a book called "48 days to the work you love". Yeah, it sounds like a "get rich quick" type of scheme, which is what I thought too. Boy was I wrong. This thing has tons of information, stats and advice on applying and interviewing for a job as well as a systematic approach to getting the job you want. I also got another book from the same site called "career ideas for creative and unconventional people". This book tells you how to identify your personality type, strengths and weaknesses and also gives you examples of what kind of jobs each type of person might do. Again, very systematic approach to finding out what you want to do. I highly recommend both books. Go to www.48days.com and check it out if this sounds like it might help. It has already helped me a bunch and I've just started. I have no doubt that when I follow this approach I'll have the job I want very soon.

[spectratoad]

I went to the recruiter and said, "I will" and here we are 15 years later. Pays the bills and they paid for alot of school. Downside is I am now being medically retired so I have to be "retrained.
Anyone want to hire a full time pasty checker/installer.:D