Any Advice: Frustrating Job Search

[poptart]

Date: 4/10/2007 12:13:49 AM
Author: monarch64
Poptart, I just wanted to chime in here and say congrats on your upcoming graduation, and also wish you the best of luck in your job search! Also, have you thought about taking a job in sales, either inside or outside, to tide you over until you and DH are able to move someplace where jobs in your field are more plentiful? Especially in your case, I would think that if you had some of the flexibility as far as working hours a sales job usually entails you might havealso have more free time to do serious job-hunting and interviewing as well...just a thought.

Yes, I have entertained this thought as well. I just recently quit my restaurant job because I work five days a week at my internship and am taking 18 credits, so working at the restaurant on weekends for 7 hour shifts on my feet just wore me out, and I had no time to write or do my homework. I really hope I don''t have to go back to any of that, but I am keeping that in my mind as a possible necessity. I usually do pretty well in crunch time, and this is crunch time for jobs, so I hope that this works out as well. Thank you for your well wishes! I''m really excited to be graduating, especially since I finished college in three years, so in a way I kind of feel like I am at least a *little* special, haha.

*M*

 

[VRBeauty]

Poptart:

I'm a manager in a state environmental agency, currently trying to fill a vacancy, so a lot of things came to mind as I read your thread. I hope you'll excuse my stream-of-consciousness response; if I really try to organize my response I'll be working at if for much longer than I want!

1) I trust that you're actively applying for positions as well as posting your resume, and when you do, I hope you're including a cover letter tailored to the position you're applying for. I'm always amazed when I recieve an application without a cover letter from someone who otherwise looks like a strong candidate. People who 1) don't have a long work history, or 2) are applying for positions not directly related to their related to their degrees or work experience, especially, should use a cover letter to pique a hiring manager's interest. When you submit a resume without a cover letter, you're essentially asking the employer to do the work of figuring out how you might fit their needs.

2) I understand that you don't want to "do environmental science," but you might consider entry level environmental jobs as a way to build that aspect of your skill set. Or as an alternative, you might consider a PR/media position without an environmental component to build that aspect of your skill set. Either way, you'll have a leg up on the competition when your dream job does come along.

3) Remember that an employer is looking first and foremost for someone who provides the skills and background that they need. Your application should emphasize the skills and knowledge that you'll bring to the position.

4) Always research your prospective employer before you walk into an interview. I always ask at least one question designed to determine if a candidate bothered check out our website and programs before coming in for an interview. I don't expect an in-depth treatise, just an indication that they've done some preparation and/or are interested in this particular job (as opposed to any job that offers this salary).

Best wishes!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 4/9/2007 11:27:26 PM
Author: poptart
Gypsy: By published you just mean anything in general right? My poetry teacher has been wanting me to try and publish some of my poetry and seems to be very interested in helping me as she thinks, ''That I have a lot to say,'' hahaha. I feel extremely comfortable with poetry, and I''m at the point now where I can constructively edit my pieces a few times even before getting feedback, so it''s something that I feel confident that SOMEONE might be willing to publish. Well. Maybe. I hope? (notice the floundering confidence *here*

)

*M*

Well yes, publishing ANYTHING is an achievment and I encourage you to do it. Even poetry. However, if you also have the opportunity (and remember sometimes you have to *make* your own opportunities by approaching someone about publishing something you''ve written) to publish an analytical piece... even if it''s just analyzing poetry or prose, I would encourage you to do so. Also if there are any PR type writing jobs around campus... look into that. Anything that you can point to on your resume and say, "I DID THIS, and you should be interested because it gave me THIS skill set, or this ability" is a a good thing. And remember that the ''point'' of a cover letter is to interpret your resume for the employer and draw their eye toward the things you''ve done, and EXPLAIN to them how it is relevant to the position your applying to. A well written cover letter IS PR. It''s promoting you, and casting you in the best light... so for you especially the cover letter is a first part of the interview.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Poptart,
What about trying to get a post at the local paper reporting on eco-related stories. You'd get published, build upon your writing skills, and naturally make contacts in the enviro field. You'd be amazed at the people you meet reporting on seemingly inconsequential events like parties and award banquets.

Good luck!!

I don't mean that last sentence the way it sounds....yikes, I'm on a roll today with my foot in my mouth!

 

[poptart]

Minims: Thank you for your advice! Yes, I always include a coverletter with my resume, and I think that''s one of the things that really helped with my internship. I also expect to go into a company in an entry level position, and would just really like it to be for environmental work. I figure if I have to spend a third of my week at work, I need to enjoy what I''m doing, and feel like I am contributing to an organization that helps the world we live in. I also had my resume set up with some help for the career center, so it lists things in order of relevance to the work I want to do rather than just chronological. I guess I should also mention, as it says on my application, that I do have a background with environmental work. I volunteered and later worked at the Nature Center in my home town. I was affiliated with that organization for about ten years... and I''m only 20, haha. So I have done volunteering and later worked and taught kids there in high school, as well as did maintenance around the park. So I do know my way around organizations like that. And yes, research is very important before an interview... as well as finding a good way to plug in the information you learned about the company into the conversation, haha. Your post made me realize at least I have my stuff together, which is an important part of the job hunt. So um... do you want my resume

? Haha. Totally joking!!! Good luck finding a new employee though, and thank you again for your help!

Gyspsy: Well, I guess I will try and get the ball rolling on the poetry stuff. I guess I could also ask my teachers what type of magazine would want to publish collegiate papers on poetry or prose. And I already know how to do a lot of PR because I worked for a year in the communications department at my school and made press kits, posters, flyers, graduation announcements, and other things for the campus... not to mention I have an entire portfolio of the work I''ve done at this internship, too, that is also related with PR. I just worry I don''t have the time to sign up for any more jobs. I was doing the newspaper on campus for a little bit, and have an article I wrote for that, but the problem is I''m so busy I don''t have time to go back to campus and do all the interviews. Not enough time for everything that needs to be done! Thanks again for your advice. How are you feeling?

Hudson: Yes. Papers... I guess I kind of mentioned that above didn''t I? And contacts are so important like you said. I only have a few right now, but the ones I have are very good, but broadening that group of people would be ideal. Thank you for your help!

*M*

 

[Gypsy]

Sounds like you''ve got a great foundation already... and a good head on your shoulders honestly. I think you are going to be fine! It just might take a little time. My own job search was hellish, I worked as a temp for about a year between jobs, but the temp work gave me so much exposure, contacts, and experience that it was invaluable. Plus, as the other''s have said, when you have a job its easier to find a job.

As for how I"m feeling... I felt okay in the morning... but it''s 1pm and the energy is lagging badly. I''m tired. Plus I forgot my lunch this morning so I had to take a real lunch instead of napping. Other than that... I''m okay. It''s just going to tak time. Thanks for asking!

 

[poptart]

Thanks Gypsy for your kind words! I am glad you are feeling better!

I talked with my other adviser today and she was very interested to hear about my internship and my job search. She also gave me some ideas of people to talk to in the environmental department to talk with who might have good contacts. I was lucky to run into her because I hadn''t been able to get a hold of her. Luckily she was in yoga with me today because of meetings she had at school, and she missed the earlier class that she normally goes to. She also mentioned that it requires patience and time, and to find something that I feel comfortable with rather than rushing into anything, which I agreed was sound advice. My good friend and I are both graduating this May, so on Saturday we are going to do some serious job hunting together. We are both quite terrified of the rejection, that is quite inevitably going to come with this search, so hopefully the moral support and motivation will help us both get somewhere.

*M*

 

[poptart]

Eep! So I just applied for a job that I really wanted with a local environmental group! I sent the resume and cover letter electronically, and will also be sending a hardy copy in the mail tomorrow. I am nervous about it now, though. Sigh... I feel so underqualified, even though I graduate Saturday and I just finished 215 hours of internship work in communications.

*M*