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ITT: I suck at job hunting, do you?

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Christophe:
Dear Infinite Pony,

I have been out of school for about a month and a half with a BS in Management, and yet I have not made any meaningful inroads into finding a job. I have no working experience, which immediately makes it hard for me to find gainful employment.

There are a few things I could apply for above the retail/foodservice industry, but they very much seem like long shots. At this rate, I will be lucky to get a job at Starbucks or wherever (especially considering that I live in a city with 19.9% unemployment). Long story short, having never held down a job before the whole venture of looking for one is a little daunting to me (at no one's fault but my own), and that I suck at this.

I do have sort of a really, really stupid but nonetheless present apprehension about getting a job, considering that I've never had one, namely that I'm afraid that I'm going to fuck up royally on the first day or somewhere down the line some asshole customer will walk into wherever I work and I'll have a breakdown right then and there.

I do has a specific question other than asking for "how do I not suck at getting a job" --the follow-up call after submitting an application, online or whatever. The whole thing where I ask if they've looked at my application and are currently hiring. The one time I tried this at a supermarket the person who answered the phone told me I'd be better off asking the manager in person, as he didn't take kindly to being asked shit like that on the phone. Is that normal? How many times to try to ask them is in the realm of annoyance?

TL;DR: I suck at getting a job, help me not suck at getting a job?

KharBevNor:
Sorry mate, welcome to the biggest economic recession since the 30's. Kinda sucks don't it?

Lines:
The only advice I can give you is don't set your sighs too high. ANY job is better than no job and it will also give you something to put on your resume. It took me...4?...months to find a job after I graduated college, so don't give up! Apply anywhere and everywhere, whether you think you will get it or not.

tania:
the best thing that works for me when it comes to finding a job you like without much experience is unpaid work. employers love interns and volunteers because they don't have to pay them anything, and a LOT more people hire volunteers and interns than you might think. you, in return, can get all kinds of really cool experience working in the field that may even come easier than for a paid employee because, again, they don't have to pay you anything to train you. i started at the two shelters i volunteer at now as a sort of admin assistant type and now have most of the same training and responsibilities as the case workers there. i know it's not a real paid job, but here's the best part - when you this on your resume, you don't actually have to say that it was unpaid. just put it under "work experience". i got into a really competitive program in vancouver which is going to involve working in the youth justice system a lot based on the fact that i "worked" at two shelters for a year. it's not really lying because technically, you did do the work and it is practical experience, you just didn't get paid for it. i've never had an employer inquire about how much i was paid for the volunteer work that i have listed as a job on my cv and i honestly don't imagine it comes up very often, unless anyone has some stories that prove me wrong here.

StaedlerMars:
Apply to those jobs anyway. It can't hurt, and if you get an interview it's good practice. Even writing your CV / cover letter a couple of different ways is good practice.

You know what really helps when you want to get a job? Have experience in web programming, dealing with web technology, etc. Flaunt that shit, even if it's very little. The fact that you know how to post on web forums already makes you so much more knowledgeable than the average applicant.

Also, don't give up. A month and a half isn't that long to be searching for a job. My flatmate has been searching for a year, but the reason why he doesn't have a job (I'm almost certain) is because I think he's applied to at most seven jobs in total. Just continue applying.

Do as much talking in person as possible. I would first send an e-mail, and gage by how long they take to respond whether they're an Internet person or not.

Edit: also, it's summer, try applying to jobs at festivals. They usually don't require any work experience, sometimes they're paid, you get to see music for free, and its padding for a resume. They're also usually over the weekend, meaning you can do other stuff, and only last one weekend. (I'm working at T in the Park this year, which will end up paying me 150 pounds which isn't stellar, but I plan on writing it down as 'bar experience', and I also get to see a couple of good bands)

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