job-seeker contacts/advice

[jjkoestler]

I had a 30 minute phone interview today and I feel like I totally blew it. Should I follow up with the HR manager via email and explain why I would be great for the job, or should I just wait and see? I really want this job!

[nodakfan17]

You might be suffering from your long unemployment more than anything. Hard to believe a law degree would not be able to garner you a job, and that might be what employers are thinking. You might want to either get any job just to get rid of that or come up with an excuse (writing a novel, health, caring for a sick parent) and put that in your cover letter.

I've thought about that but I don't know what to say. I mean I obviously tried to get a job after my 2nd year of law school but didn't get any offers. And I've been trying since graduating. I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably rethink going to law school. A law degree isn't what it was 10 years ago. It's not even what it was 5 years ago.

Have you thought about entering the Financial Services Industry? The JD would give you instant credibility in an industry that is sorely lacking.

 

I worked as a "registered representative" for a major financial services firm my first year after out of college. The position was straight commission and I only earned about $18,000 after I paid my overhead business expenses (rent, utilities, marketing, etc). However, the training that I received was excellent and I was able to leverage the experience into a much better position with a competitor. It's relatively easy to become a "registered representative." In fact, I heard that the required training for a licensed massage therapist is far more extensive. Most firms will hire anyone who they feel can pass the FINRA Series 7 Exam, which is otherwise known as the General Securities Representative Exam or "stockbroker's license." While the firm often pays for your license and training, their risk is limited because the "registered representative" is paid based on their sales. If you are not effective, they do not have to pay you. However, if you are a self-motivated individual, your income potential is unlimited.

 

Working in this capacity for a few years may enable you to obtain a position in the legal department of a financial services firm.You may even like the type of work that you are doing.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me.

You could also put in some volunteer work with any kind of charity; that'd look very good on a resume, & you might wind up making some more contacts from it too.

Given your comments/situation, if there's anywhere you could work to help provide pro bono or significantly discounted legal services, maybe that'd be worth exploring. Sorry if I'm just saying things here you already know http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Raw Biz]

You might be suffering from your long unemployment more than anything. Hard to believe a law degree would not be able to garner you a job, and that might be what employers are thinking. You might want to either get any job just to get rid of that or come up with an excuse (writing a novel, health, caring for a sick parent) and put that in your cover letter.

I've thought about that but I don't know what to say. I mean I obviously tried to get a job after my 2nd year of law school but didn't get any offers. And I've been trying since graduating. I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably rethink going to law school. A law degree isn't what it was 10 years ago. It's not even what it was 5 years ago.

Have you thought about entering the Financial Services Industry? The JD would give you instant credibility in an industry that is sorely lacking.

 

I worked as a "registered representative" for a major financial services firm my first year after out of college. The position was straight commission and I only earned about $18,000 after I paid my overhead business expenses (rent, utilities, marketing, etc). However, the training that I received was excellent and I was able to leverage the experience into a much better position with a competitor. It's relatively easy to become a "registered representative." In fact, I heard that the required training for a licensed massage therapist is far more extensive. Most firms will hire anyone who they feel can pass the FINRA Series 7 Exam, which is otherwise known as the General Securities Representative Exam or "stockbroker's license." While the firm often pays for your license and training, their risk is limited because the "registered representative" is paid based on their sales. If you are not effective, they do not have to pay you. However, if you are a self-motivated individual, your income potential is unlimited.

 

Working in this capacity for a few years may enable you to obtain a position in the legal department of a financial services firm.You may even like the type of work that you are doing.

I've been looking into the banking/financial industry a little the past couple of months. I've applied to a bunch of financial analyst jobs but have been mostly told that they are going with someone who better fits their needs. I'll look into the registered representative stuff a little more.

[Raw Biz]

I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me.

You could also put in some volunteer work with any kind of charity; that'd look very good on a resume, & you might wind up making some more contacts from it too.

Given your comments/situation, if there's anywhere you could work to help provide pro bono or significantly discounted legal services, maybe that'd be worth exploring. Sorry if I'm just saying things here you already know http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I've contacted a few volunteer legal aid places in Milwaukee. Most of them even want you to actually have experience in the legal industry because you'd be working cases on your own. There is one that said they would provide training/advice but they don't have any "openings" now and they would keep me in mind. As far as volunteering with a law firm, that technically isn't legal so I haven't really gotten anywhere with that. I might look into asking if I can "job shadow" for a bit or something and see if I find any openings with that.

The lack of experience is the main thing holding me back, even with applying for jobs that "only" require a Bachelors degree. I can't really get a job without experience but I can't really get experience without the job. It's kind of a chicken and egg thing.

[nodakfan17]

I've thought about that but I don't know what to say. I mean I obviously tried to get a job after my 2nd year of law school but didn't get any offers. And I've been trying since graduating. I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably rethink going to law school. A law degree isn't what it was 10 years ago. It's not even what it was 5 years ago.

Have you thought about entering the Financial Services Industry? The JD would give you instant credibility in an industry that is sorely lacking.

 

I worked as a "registered representative" for a major financial services firm my first year after out of college. The position was straight commission and I only earned about $18,000 after I paid my overhead business expenses (rent, utilities, marketing, etc). However, the training that I received was excellent and I was able to leverage the experience into a much better position with a competitor. It's relatively easy to become a "registered representative." In fact, I heard that the required training for a licensed massage therapist is far more extensive. Most firms will hire anyone who they feel can pass the FINRA Series 7 Exam, which is otherwise known as the General Securities Representative Exam or "stockbroker's license." While the firm often pays for your license and training, their risk is limited because the "registered representative" is paid based on their sales. If you are not effective, they do not have to pay you. However, if you are a self-motivated individual, your income potential is unlimited.

 

Working in this capacity for a few years may enable you to obtain a position in the legal department of a financial services firm.You may even like the type of work that you are doing.

I've been looking into the banking/financial industry a little the past couple of months. I've applied to a bunch of financial analyst jobs but have been mostly told that they are going with someone who better fits their needs. I'll look into the registered representative stuff a little more.

Becoming a financial analyst is relatively difficult compared to other positions in the industry. Please don't be discouraged if you haven't had any luck there. In most cases, you would have to have the required pedigree (degree in finance + internship in a closely related field) to get in the door. Take a look at Thrivent Financial (Appleton) and Northwestern Mutual (Milwaukee). They are two respected financial services firms that have "registered representatives" all over Wisconsin and have their primary operations in the state. If you could tough out a "lean year" or two in sales, you may be able to leverage the experience into a much better opportunity with one of these two companies.

[TooLiveBrew]

I might look into asking if I can "job shadow" for a bit or something and see if I find any openings with that.

 

The lack of experience is the main thing holding me back, even with applying for jobs that "only" require a Bachelors degree. I can't really get a job without experience but I can't really get experience without the job. It's kind of a chicken and egg thing.

 

 

Volunteering is the best way (only way) I've been able to come up with to avoid having a huge gap on my resume, & get past the chicken & egg conundrum. But I also haven't had the problem of a place turning away my offer to help, that seems surprising to me. The job shadowing idea's a good one, it shows your interest is genuine.

[GAME05]

how do prospective employers view a termination on an employee's record, especially if it was the past job? so-so if you have a good reason, or akin to a felony?

 

i feel i'm on the borderline at my current job. this weekend i got a virus on the work computer, which is considered just about the worst crime that can be committed. there was nothing X-rated, but the boss is getting a LONG list of the sites i was on during Christmas weekend. it won't go well. to a veteran employee, it wouldn't be terrible, but i've been there 8 months and have already had two or three sit-down talks with the boss for what are serious offenses at the job:

1. forgot to empty the office trash can at night.

2. came in very sick on night shift but forgot to clean one restroom that happened to be very dirty.

3. voluntarily came into to work and apologized to the boss for doing a poor job one night.

 

apart from this, what it all really amounts to (and what i would tell a prospective employer) is that i just don't quite fit into the work culture, and that i was hired as a maintenance man despite having zero maintenance experience.

 

but i would then also have to check that "Have you ever been terminated" box on standard application forms. it's hard enough to land interviews as it is, and does checking that box mean the application pretty much goes right into the garbage? because of this, there's a small part of me that almost wants to quit before i get fired.

 

sorry if this is mostly venting, but it really worries me. plus, all i'm really trying to do is make it until about April because by then i should be able to land a part-time job back home in North Carolina.

[dadofandrew]

Hardly anyone calls previous employers, as they never say anything anyway. I've never worked anywhere that could do anything other than verify employment dates and say they no longer worked there. That's how nurses that steal drugs keep finding work. You usually find out far more if you ask the person what they would say if you called their former employer. Do not be fooled.

 

Check the termination box no and tell folks it was a poor match.

[RockCoCougars]

but i would then also have to check that "Have you ever been terminated" box on standard application forms. it's hard enough to land interviews as it is, and does checking that box mean the application pretty much goes right into the garbage? because of this, there's a small part of me that almost wants to quit before i get fired.

 

Most likely, you will be asked to 'resign' if worse comes to worse. Does anyone actually get fired anymore in our litigious society? If it comes down to it, firing may actually be beneficial to you if you want to collect unemployment....many more hoops to jump through with a forced resignation (another reason that employers tend to go this route). As stated above, you can always check 'No' on the termination box...getting fired isn't the end of the world. Even if a prospective employer does the due diligence to check your employment history, most previous employers will only confirm your dates of employment... again for legal reasons (they may disclose a termination if prodded, but it's far from a slam dunk).

[GoudaBrew]

I'll throw my 2 cents in because, while I'm lucky enough to be employed in my field, I've been trying to find a new position closer to home for over a year now, and it's pretty frustrating. This advice basically comes from my own regrets of wishing I had done more at my current position.

From what I've gathered about you from this thread is that you have the desire and education background to become a park ranger. But a lack of experience combined with a lousy job market hasn't netted you that dream job yet. But you have your foot in the door, albeit working in maintenance isn't ideal, you are working at a ranger stations of some sort.

I would try to be more pro-active at your current job. When you have your sit-down with your boss, be honest. Tell them your heart isn't in it right now, but you have an idea on how to change it. Tell him/her that you'd like to volunteer maybe 10 hours per week by job-shadowing a park ranger at your office. Tell him/her that doing more relevant work will make you happier and you'll take more pride in your job. Sounds like you work some nights, so maybe you can fit an extra 5-10 hours of work into your week while finding out more about the dream job your after. This will look great to potential employers - that you took a crappy maintenance job just to gain a little more experience in your field of interest. Plus, working side-by-side with another ranger might earn you a great reference letter!

[GAME05]

pretty close. i'm currently a Park Ranger, although realistically i'm a Park Janitor. lot of bathroom cleaning and trash dumping but also some small maintenance stuff here and there. i've actually been told not to be proactive about projects since i lack the experience. i also rotate back and forth between early morning shifts and all-night shifts with as little as two days' turnaround. there aren't other positions at the organization.

 

i'm in Texas and trying to move back to North Carolina. since full-time jobs are tough to find, i'm also looking for part-time jobs in the field. i'm hoping my graduate degree shouldn't make it too hard. so that's why i'm just holding out until roughly through April. by then i'll have either found the job or will make the decision to just go back to NC and cross my fingers (not positive on that yet).

 

this latest incident scared me quite a bit, but no, i'm not going to get fired. the boss has to go through upper channels for that, and forgetting a garbage can and being on the computer isn't a strong justification. the boss thinks i only ever just sit around, which isn't true, but that's the way it is. he's been asking the other Rangers how i've been doing on the job. i'm going to get written up and probably won't be endearing myself to the other Rangers who might not be able to surf the Internet any longer. but i can deal with it for four months.

 

regardless of my hatred for the job, it's one of those situations where i just don't really belong there despite my efforts to fit in (the other Rangers like me, though). it's very much a cultural thing, too. and that's what always has me nervous is that i clearly don't belong there. it's possible the boss ends up talking to me about enjoying the job and whatnot since i've messed up too often, but i can handle that, i guess.

 

thanks for the help, guys. it's been tough the past year between not liking the job, not liking the city i live in, not fitting in anywhere and not knowing anyone down here.

 

edit: i thought a person couldn't collect unemployment if they got fired, or at least there was a complicated appeal process. otherwise there would be nothing stopping someone purposely getting themselves fired just to collect unemployment. but strangely, unemployment would be awesome for me to help me afford possibly not finding a job in NC for a while.

Edited December 28, 2011 by GAME05

[RockCoCougars]

edit: i thought a person couldn't collect unemployment if they got fired, or at least there was a complicated appeal process. otherwise there would be nothing stopping someone purposely getting themselves fired just to collect unemployment. but strangely, unemployment would be awesome for me to help me afford possibly not finding a job in NC for a while.

 

Believe me, it happens all the time, at least here in Wisconsin. Things may be different in Texas, but here unless the DWD actually has the time to investigate your claim thoroughly (fairly long odds among the oodles of claims) AND your previous employer has the time/inclination to 'fight' your claim, you will most likely get it. Again, since unemployment is a state thing, things may be different in Texas.

[GAME05]

yep, one of those things i could have Googled and found out in thirteen seconds, sorry. "If we determine you were not fired for misconduct..."

 

since the boss has to go through upper channels, it's paranoid to think that he'd get the ok to fire me based on "he makes small mistakes" or even "he's not right for the job (doesn't know mechanical stuff)." and even if, unemployment would really give me an opportunity to do volunteer work and network and just help pay for my transition to NC. i have an address in Austin i could use to maintain my Texas residency. and really, i doubt telling an employer "I was hired for a mechanical job but I'm not a mechanic" isn't totally going to scare anyone away from hiring me. likely i suppose it'll end up meaning the boss isn't too thrilled with me and might think i'm lazy (which i'm really not). i ended up getting a coworker/friend in trouble because of this, too (he was on the Internet that night) who said that my/our internet usage is going to be monitored very closely now, and obviously i'm going to completely avoid going on there from now on.

 

thanks, all. i'm really feeling a lot better about the whole deal now. yeah, Monday will be rough, but i think overall, any scenario won't end up being as terrible as i'd perceived it yesterday.

[RockCoCougars]

You are probably just worrying too much. If they intended to fire you, they probably would have done so that day. Generally, employers want a good paper trail of 'disciplinary actions' to terminate an employee, so just mind your p's and q's until you find something more up your alley. I'd lay off the computer a bit, because that is a stone-cold, easily provable 'offense' if they wanted to go that route. Does your employer have an Internet usage policy?

[GAME05]

yeah, i'm starting to realize i'm worrying too much. the worst that could happen is i get written up (which really doesn't mean anything) and i'm not too popular for causing a tougher internet policy (but i'm leaving anyway). definitely will stay off the computer completely because they'll be monitoring me, and the next offense would be a direct violation of what the boss will be telling me not to do.

 

the offense is more downloading a virus/trojan, which the boss believes is going to wipe out the entire hard drive. i've even seen the boss violate the "no internet except work sites" policy, but i promise the irony will be lost on him. heck, technically, the computer's homepage is a violation of our internet policy. the fact that i was stuck in the office by myself for 12 hours per day over Christmas doesn't really matter, since the boss expects us to be sweeping the floor or something the entire time.

 

and if during the talk the boss wants to discuss me actually enjoying the job or not, i won't exactly open up about anything.

[Dollarbill13]

I don't wanna lie with an excuse but I also don't think it's a good idea to just come out and say nobody's wanted to hire me.

You could also put in some volunteer work with any kind of charity; that'd look very good on a resume, & you might wind up making some more contacts from it too.

Given your comments/situation, if there's anywhere you could work to help provide pro bono or significantly discounted legal services, maybe that'd be worth exploring. Sorry if I'm just saying things here you already know http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I've contacted a few volunteer legal aid places in Milwaukee. Most of them even want you to actually have experience in the legal industry because you'd be working cases on your own. There is one that said they would provide training/advice but they don't have any "openings" now and they would keep me in mind. As far as volunteering with a law firm, that technically isn't legal so I haven't really gotten anywhere with that. I might look into asking if I can "job shadow" for a bit or something and see if I find any openings with that.

The lack of experience is the main thing holding me back, even with applying for jobs that "only" require a Bachelors degree. I can't really get a job without experience but I can't really get experience without the job. It's kind of a chicken and egg thing.

I know that most of the larger law firms in the area have specific programs for new grads. Even though you aren't technically a new grad anymore, it might be worth your time to try and get in touch with their recruiting departments and at least find out about their hiring process. You might at least be able to get in touch with someone who is in tune with the local hiring environment. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably write a generic letter to send to employers. One or two paragraphs would probably be sufficient. Start by explaining your situation and maybe some of the things that you've learned about your job search (just don't be negative) and about what you would bring to the table (hard work, positive attitude, etc.). Then do some research to customize your letter to the firm. Make sure you show that you are interested in cases/issues they were involved in and make sure to ask questions. You might not land a job there but you might get in touch with someone that knows someone that knows someone that is looking for cheap help. You can also probably take that strategy and try to get in touch with legal/financial departments of local businesses. I personally work as a financial analyst but I deal with legal contracts/questions on a nearly daily basis. I'm sure there would be businesses that would be willing to bring someone in for a few months to read a ton of contracts and turn the legalese into English. It certainly isn't glamorous but it would be something to put on your resume.

 

If I could give one piece of advice for just about any job seeker would be DON'T rely on job boards. You really have to do most of your own work (or find a good recruiter, which is difficult when looking for an entry level job) and not be afraid to put yourself out there. It's a difficult process, but contacts that you think of as "dead-ends" now might turn out to be money down the road.

[GAME05]

Even though you aren't technically a new grad anymore, it might be worth your time to try and get in touch with their recruiting departments and at least find out about their hiring process.

i'd say that because you haven't had a job in your field since graduation, that definitely qualifies you as a new graduate, regardless of how long you've been out of school. i know you've checked, but i'm surprised the Department at school doesn't have more resources for finding graduates positions.

 

i know it's not the same, but my boss' daughter just graduated law school and only 5% of her class found work (five years earlier it was the complete opposite statistic), so they hired her and a few other people to work at the university.

[dadofandrew]

Almost everyone gets unemployment, unless your former employer says they will hire you.

[dadofandrew]

I am currently looking for a PT job. The places I am going to apply are hotels, convenience stores, and grocery stores...trying to avoid food service for the time being.

 

I just read through the whole thread, and none of these things came up.

 

1. Besides filling out their app, and paper clipping a resume/cover letter, and asking for manager on duty when I drop it off, any other bits of advice?

 

2. Any other high turnover jobs not involving food?

 

3. Is there any place to look I may not be thinking of? Classified ads are almost nonexistent, and I've seen no ads on Careerbuilder for basic entry level jobs.

[nate82]

2. Any other high turnover jobs not involving food?

Call center jobs usually have high turnover more so than jobs involving food. There is a lot of burnout from those jobs and most are usually part-time jobs.

3. Is there any place to look I may not be thinking of? Classified ads are almost nonexistent, and I've seen no ads on Careerbuilder for basic entry level jobs.

Even though the call center jobs normally state they want experience my general experience with those jobs is that they will hire anyone that is a warm body as long as you can speak clearly

[dadofandrew]

Thanks Nate. I know those jobs tend to have very high turnover in part due to high quotas.

[tristarscoop]

Craigslist has a whole Part Time Job category. I've yet to run into something that wasn't legit - as long as you use you're head, they're just folks looking for help that aren't wanting to spend money on advertising.

[dadofandrew]

Very little in my area, but I'll keep my eyes open, thanks.

[GAME05]

i've worked at D's Sporting Goods before, which has high turnover. i also really enjoyed my time at Wal-Mart--i worked in the deli, so i didn't have the same pressures of having to stock a shelf at a certain speed. and if you end up going into food service, i also enjoyed my time at Subway.

--------

 

it appears my job should have an unofficial opening coming up (not me). but you'd have to live in Texas otherwise the commute sucks. it's in the Parks field.