The job search....

Well after waiting much longer than I should have to hear from Best Friends Animal Society, I realized I was going to need to apply for other jobs. So a couple weeks ago I applied for an Academic Advisor position at a local technical college. I sent a follow up e-mail & recieved a message back. It stated that they did recieve my information & that they would begin reviewing the 300+ applications next week. So I would hear from them in about 3 weeks. I know I got a similar message from Best Friends about the fact that they recieve a LARGE number of applications. It's been so long since I've been job hunting, I'm wondering if this is normal or is this a sign of the economy? Just curious. One would think that someone with a Master's degree would be applying for jobs that had less competition, but I guess not.

The way I see it, you're either going to be over-qualified or under-qualified.

For instance: When I apply for a job in a nursing home/Hospital/Home Care with my CNA, they tell me that I need at least 6 months experience! Now where am I going to get that if no one would hire me??

So if I apply for a piddly job at some retail store such as Wal Mart or something similar...They are going to tell me that I am over-qualified and to get a job in the CNA field. Because they know as soon as that CNA job opens up and I can be making 11-15 dollars an hour instead of minimum wage, that I'll leave there so fast they wont see hind or tail of me.

It's a sign of the times, so don't feel bad! You aren't alone in this relentless search for work.

I've given up even being a CNA so I've reduced myself to looking for all the minimum wage jobs. There could be a million reasons why a potential employer doesn't accept you. And with 300+ apps they don't even have the time required to screen all of them, so I wouldn't be surprised if 200 or more of them just got thrown out the window with a "Thanks but no thanks" letter sent to you.

Right now, I'm convinced that it's all about luck.

This a bad time to be out of work indeed. I've been out of work since May. I've been an Admin/Exec. Assist for about 20 years. Now when I look for a job doing this a majority of the ads I see say I need a Bachelor's degree are they kidding me or what? I send my resume anyway.
The way I look at it is if they don't hire me maybe they know someone who can you me at another company.

Good luck to you and hang in there.

I have been on the job market since February... I have a degree, 10+ year of experience at executive level, speak 3 languages, bla bla bla.... What happens is that there are so many people in the market, that they can get the candidate with the EXACT experience they are looking for... As for me, I am hitting the wall of either being over qualified, or not having the specific experice they are looking for - for example:
My Sales Management, Marketing and Business Development experience is in the Professional Beauty Industry, which is slow now. However, there are tons of indutries that could utilize my skills, like the medical/phamaceutical, food, and others, with positions that I would be more than capable of holding, and have held in the past.... but the "right" candidate "must" have experience on that industry.... and right there I don't make the cut. It is ridiculous!! They put 20 qualifiers, if you don't make 2-3, you are out.
It is crazy out there - really is.... I am trully getting to the conclusion that the only way out is to open a busines...
Good luck to you!!

to everyone!...

Originally Posted by carolinalima

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Good luck to you!!

Click to expand...

and good luck to you too!... .. ..

I find that even in a good job market, most of the resumes I sent off never produced any sort of response at all. A lot of the time, they're looking for a particular skill set and in others they already have a person in mind, so they post it, interview 1 or 2 other people, and then hire the guy they want. Being overqualified is definitely a hindrance. I would recommend you have a couple of different versions of your resume and use the one that's most appropriate for the job. For example, if you have a degree and you're applying for a job where it doesn't make any difference at all, you're probably better off leaving it out or at least burying it at the bottom where it will probably be missed by the casual skim most HR people will do. After all, the point of the resume is to tell your prospective employer why you're qualified for the job they're offering.

Good luck to all of you. I hope you have some job success soon.

I am lucky in that I have a job, but it is not what I want to be doing. Also, money is tight so now that I have my Master's I'd like to think I can find a job that pays more. I will say I'm constantly getting e-mails from insurance companies looking for sales/marketing people. I have no sale/marketing experience, so I wonder do they just send these out to everyone? Anyway I applied for something else last night. Since I'm working I am being a little picky about what I'm applying for. Good luck to everyone.

Looking for jobs sucks!!! Theres no nice way of putting it. I have nine years in server/waitressing experiance I have repeated talked to my boss and her boss about training for management to make more money but right now they "dont need" any managers and according to 2 other managers I make more money serving than I would I moved up. But it sucks. So instead Im going to be trying to find a second job to help out even more but most places in my area wont hire you if you have a second job because they are trying to hire the people who have no jobs because our unemployment is so high and so many businesses have closed down. It bites the big one and especially knowing that Christmas is a couple months away and I have no money saved up for it...My money is spent before I even make it!! Bills Bills Bills!!!! Anyone looking for a job...GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL

Definately it is because of the jobless rate. I think people from all over the country are increasing their range of where they are looking for work. Probably some are prepared to move also.

Keep doing follow up calls and emails. Making it known that you are interested and putting something more real to a name than a resume I think helps somewhat. They will look at the name and say "Yes, she has been calling/emailing. We should call her for an interview. She sounds interested and I like that she is following up and being proactive."

I agree that it's the poor economy and jobless rate. Years ago, I applied for a position in a physician's office and was shocked when he told me he had over 100 applicants (and was inteviewing his top 10 choices). But I can also remember working in a doctor's office and having resumes come in from people with advanced degrees in unrelated fields. At the time, I puzzled at why a graphic designer or whatever would apply for an entry level position in the medical office. Looking back, I see it was a sign of the beginning of what we have now. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck. I hope you get a job that not only provides financial reward, but one that makes you happy.

Well today it is official, the job I applied for at Best Friends has been removed from the internet which means it has been filled. This makes me so sad. I know I should be happy to have a job, but I would really like a job that made me happy.

Bummer.....

Don't give up on the job search though as your dream job is still out there!