job-seeker contacts/advice

[GAME05]

i wanna go ahead and as a seemingly-dumb question: how does one go about finding a McJob?

 

i just moved back to Madison and really just need 20 or so hours per week at whatever job. that's enough to give me the time and money to build my professional resume more.

 

20 years ago you'd walk down the street and look for Help Wanted signs. 10 years ago you'd look in the newspaper. but now? is it a matter of scouring job boards? is it still best to walk in just in case they don't actually send you to their website? do you go to a company's website first and apply there?

 

i'm nervous that i might end up still sitting in front of the computer in two weeks saying "but i haven't found much yet" when i'm not necessarily looking for something fantastic. maybe not McDonalds quite yet, but not a $50K/year job, either.

 

also, how much do you recommend changing up the resume for menial-type work? i currently have a McResume where i don't add my Graduate degree and in place of most professional jobs, i list the smaller jobs i had in between, all to make me look more appropriate for minimum-wage stuff. last year, Wal-Mart almost didn't hire me because i used my professional resume. but since i'm in my mid-30s, i'm obviously not intending to make grocery stocking into a career. so keep the McResume or keep the one that doesn't omit everything?

[jerichoholicninja]

It seems the way to get part time minimum wage jobs these days is to personally know someone who owns a business or does the hiring. I applied for lots of those jobs and never even got an interview until I asked some people I know that own a store if I could have a job and they gave me one. And that's basically how all hiring was done there.

[Invader3K]

I would "dumb down" the resume if I were you. Also, do you know anyone in the Madison area you can network through? I know it's cliche, but more than ever "it's not what you know but who you know."

[endaround]

If you are in Madison, check out the wisc.jobs site. Often the state has a bunch of temporary LTE positions or less than full time positions they have trouble filling. Right now I know the Dept of Revenue is gearing up for tax returns by hiring temp workers:

 

http://wisc.jobs/public/job_view.asp?annoid=62641&jobid=62156&index=true

 

Check back in Jan for jobs since hiring tends to slow right now until after the holidays.

 

The other thing about looking for state work is that many jobs require an objective exam, which is good since you can get interviews based on your score instead of dealing with people dismissing your resume.

[GAME05]

thanks. i feared "it's who you know" would be the answer. it's frustrating i've been here almost three weeks with nothing and all i'm looking for is something part-time. and being here with the father i think that makes him frustrated by me and probably thinking i'm being lazy about it, too.

 

nothing at Plastics Ingenuity, checking a contact at Land's End, applied for an editorial job at American Girl (am a former editor), Gander Mountain and D's Sporting Goods (i'm experienced in retail and the outdoors), and a few others.

 

did the online Gander Mountain thing, maybe today i'll still walk in and try to talk to a manager.

 

edit: i'll add that i used to work at Subway in Middleton and the owner is the current Mayor, Curt Sonnentag. he liked me, but i didn't see him every day and it's been maybe 10 years since i worked there.

[Invader3K]

Subway is usually pretty good about rehiring former employees.

[GAME05]

ethical question...

 

i'm having a lot of trouble finding even simple part-time work, though keep my open for full-time openings. i used to be a magazine editor, worked at one place for 2+ years before i quit to hike the AT. enjoyed the job and was good at it, but don't like the industry because jobs are terrible to find and i've seen too many editors with 10+ years of experience working for $35K per year.

 

my plan right now is to work whatever PT job to pay for my Parks and Rec certifications to make me more marketable for a job. well, i noticed that my old editorial company is hiring for what appears to be my old job.

 

we'll just assume they'd actually hire someone back who'd quit the job previously. i don't hold that an employee owes a company too much loyalty just for being hired by them, but is it maybe unethical of me to accept the offer (should they even make it) when my intention would be to quit a second time? it seems like that's really a jerk move. sure, maybe i decide to stay, but one promotion above me only pays about $34K/year, and Parks and Rec still pays better, plus sweet sweet government benefits and more job security. it just seems like maybe lying to the editorial company saying "oh, i just miss editorial work" and quitting the same place twice just isn't right.

[RightFieldCoder]

It depends on how long you plan on staying. If you are planning on quitting this summer, is different than staying there for another 2+ years.

 

Try being honest with them on how long you planning on staying. They may let you have the job back temporarily while they look for a more "permanent" employee. It will get someone to do the job while they are searching and they wouldn't have to train you.

[nate82]

ethical question...

 

i'm having a lot of trouble finding even simple part-time work, though keep my open for full-time openings. i used to be a magazine editor, worked at one place for 2+ years before i quit to hike the AT. enjoyed the job and was good at it, but don't like the industry because jobs are terrible to find and i've seen too many editors with 10+ years of experience working for $35K per year.

 

my plan right now is to work whatever PT job to pay for my Parks and Rec certifications to make me more marketable for a job. well, i noticed that my old editorial company is hiring for what appears to be my old job.

 

we'll just assume they'd actually hire someone back who'd quit the job previously. i don't hold that an employee owes a company too much loyalty just for being hired by them, but is it maybe unethical of me to accept the offer (should they even make it) when my intention would be to quit a second time? it seems like that's really a jerk move. sure, maybe i decide to stay, but one promotion above me only pays about $34K/year, and Parks and Rec still pays better, plus sweet sweet government benefits and more job security. it just seems like maybe lying to the editorial company saying "oh, i just miss editorial work" and quitting the same place twice just isn't right.

 

What kind of magazine would it be for? Is it possible to do something that is more along the lines of your career goal. For example if you could be an editor for a fish and game or an outdoors type of a magazine that would help you out and also help the company out sort of. If you do get into parks and recreation you can then possibly work both jobs as a freelance editor for the company while you are working your parks and recreation job.

 

I would be honest with the company that you used to work for tell them where you want to be in 2-4 years and mention something like I stated above that you are interested in doing something more along the lines of an outdoors type of a magazine.

[ewitkows]

I've done it. Hire at a place got passed over for a promotion twice. Left, went back to school ,got hire back 6 months later with a 2x promotion and then quit after 3 years because I was bored with the job.

[GAME05]

thanks for the advice. i talked to another friend of mine about it. he reminded me that what they're looking for is the best person for the job NOW, which is probably me. and no matter when i leave, i'll be doing so for more money or to better my career, and who can argue with that? everyone else at that company is doing the same thing.

 

the life of an Assistant there is already fairly short since the company is in Fort Atkinson and no single, young person they hire really wants to stay in small-town Wisconsin for very long. so i applied and i'll let HR decide.

 

on another note, just letting out some frustration, but wow it's tough even finding part-time work right now. i've had one single interview since i've been back here and didn't get the job because it didn't appear i would stay at the position for 2-3 years--the $8.25/hr part-time position. just amazing the state of the economy that people can actually expect this and keep a straight face.

[jerichoholicninja]

thanks for the advice. i talked to another friend of mine about it. he reminded me that what they're looking for is the best person for the job NOW, which is probably me. and no matter when i leave, i'll be doing so for more money or to better my career, and who can argue with that? everyone else at that company is doing the same thing.

 

the life of an Assistant there is already fairly short since the company is in Fort Atkinson and no single, young person they hire really wants to stay in small-town Wisconsin for very long. so i applied and i'll let HR decide.

 

on another note, just letting out some frustration, but wow it's tough even finding part-time work right now. i've had one single interview since i've been back here and didn't get the job because it didn't appear i would stay at the position for 2-3 years--the $8.25/hr part-time position. just amazing the state of the economy that people can actually expect this and keep a straight face.

 

Agree with all of this except the no single, young person staying in small town Wisconsin part. People doing hiring have no clue what it's like in the job market.

[Invader3K]

the life of an Assistant there is already fairly short since the company is in Fort Atkinson and no single, young person they hire really wants to stay in small-town Wisconsin for very long. so i applied and i'll let HR decide.

 

*cough* Fort Atkinson is a great town. *cough*

[billyhallfan]

agreed, Fort Atkinson is a great town...

 

I have a question, I graduated from UW-Madison in August and I have been working a sales job with a small finance company in Middleton. I have to be honest I like my job, but it has been incredibly difficult because my girlfriend is currently attending law school at William Mitchell in St. Paul, MN.

 

Apart from all of the logistics of me moving up there and everything involved with that, we have pretty much both decided that we do not want to do this long distance thing any longer. It has only been 5 months, and it just isn't worth it.

 

My concerns with leaving my current job are this, first off it scares me to leave without having a job lined up in Minnesota first. However, it seems like it will be very difficult for me to hide going on interviews if I am able to land any in the Twin Cities. In addition, what happens if a prospective employer contacts my current employer as a reference? If my current employer were to find out that I was looking for jobs I would probably be terminated, which obviously is not something that I am after. My other concern is that it is a sales job, and obviously I have only been working the job for not even 5 months, my first quota is this month and it looks like I am going to meet it, but is less than a year experience at a sales job attractive to a prospective employer knowing that my production will not have been that great due to the fact that it takes time to build business?

 

I have a million ideas running through my head as to how I should approach the entire thing. I think that us trying to do long distance has been a good thing, it has shown us what we want, but I just do not think it is worth it to keep doing this to both of us, my hope is that I will be able to find at least a similar position in the Twin Cities area...of course that is all in a perfect world...

[GAME05]

when i was last there, Fort Atkinson was at least an easy-enough drive to Madison. and there's probably more to do in Whitewater that i never discovered.

 

last year i was living in Victoria, Texas. i'd ask locals the best part of living there and they'd all say how close it was to so many big cities (2+ hours). i didn't say it out loud, but thought "oh, so the best part about living in Victoria was that it's easy to leave Victoria."

[Invader3K]

when i was last there, Fort Atkinson was at least an easy-enough drive to Madison. and there's probably more to do in Whitewater that i never discovered.

 

The nice thing about Fort is that it's roughly halfway between Madison and Milwaukee. I would say Fort has a lot more to do than Whitewater (though they do have a small but decent movie theater there). Janesville is also a short drive away.

[RobDeer 45]

Billyhallfan- I would start trying to get interest from jobs up there and when they contact you, just be honest. Tell them you are moving up there and you were curious if you could do phone interviews or skype (something like that). I think by telling them everything up front, you can make things happen. I think you can find sales by showing them that you have a proven track record, even though it's short. It can't hurt to start tossing your resume out there!

[ewitkows]

I've had a weird situation. I applied for a job at Generac in Dec. Got a call back last week from HR and wanted to set up a phone interview. Set it for Friday at 4pm. They never called . I called Monday and left a VM asked to reschedule. No response. Not sure what to do next .

[Patrick425]

just amazing the state of the economy that people can actually expect this and keep a straight face.

 

 

Not sure I understand. With the economy and current unemployment levels, yes, the employers call the shots and can be very particular about what they are looking for.

[Invader3K]

I've had a weird situation. I applied for a job at Generac in Dec. Got a call back last week from HR and wanted to set up a phone interview. Set it for Friday at 4pm. They never called . I called Monday and left a VM asked to reschedule. No response. Not sure what to do next .

 

Years ago I had an interview with Generac, which I thought went great. Was kind of excited about it at the time...then got a form email the next night saying they went with someone else. I know that's not directly related to your question, but that's been my experience with them. I would just keep calling each day if you're really interested in it.

[ewitkows]

What's funny is like an hour after posting this I get an email from her. Going to try again on Monday.

[Baldkin]

agreed, Fort Atkinson is a great town...

 

I have a question, I graduated from UW-Madison in August and I have been working a sales job with a small finance company in Middleton. I have to be honest I like my job, but it has been incredibly difficult because my girlfriend is currently attending law school at William Mitchell in St. Paul, MN.

 

Apart from all of the logistics of me moving up there and everything involved with that, we have pretty much both decided that we do not want to do this long distance thing any longer. It has only been 5 months, and it just isn't worth it.

 

Do not just go up there without having a job first. It's amazing how many friends I've known who have done things like that and never found a decent job after moving for a significant other. If things don't work out between the two of you (these things happen, to many, many, many couples) you don't want to be stuck both girlfriendless and unhappy in your job.

[Jimbo]

Ugh. My contract was coming up and hoping the company would hire me permenant. Turns out while they were stalling on getting back to me, they were interviewing my replacement. I'm out Friday, she's in Monday.

[GAME05]

that stinks, Jimbo. i know just what that feels like to be working at a job, know your stuff and do a good job, and then they replace you with someone else. rough.

....................

 

well, it took me about two months, but i finally found some work in Madison. wasn't easy. i've been offered a minimum-wage job at a movie theater (i'll be a popcorn jockey!) starting Monday. and i also have a second interview tomorrow for a lawn care job, which i have a very good chance at landing. the lawn care job doesn't start for two months, but it pays twice as much with a few more hours per week.

 

money is secondary to me because my real purpose is getting the various certifications to strengthen my Parks&Rec resume (not all are available the next two months). still, the lawn job represents another $6,000 or so on my pocket vs. the movie job over the course of the summer. so i've decided to go to the second interview and basically agree to work there on the condition that they give me the days off when the certification classes come along. if they don't, then bye-bye. if they do, then work the movie job for two months with a lot of volunteering. and since volunteering is very important for me, taking the lawn care job will mean working six days/week and then volunteering somewhere on that one day off. and if i have a job interview, i'll tell them it's another certification class. i'm really doubting they'd agree to the time off (roughly 10 total days off during the summer), but i can always ask and see what they say.

[GAME05]

so the lawn care job is commission-based, primarily. but i don't do any active selling and the hiring manager said there wouldn't be a situation where i was ever out of work to do. but there are work goals (hit X# of houses per week) and i didn't get clarity in the second interview to what happens if i don't happen to meet that. will go back to ask. still, it will pay more than minimum wage and give me my time for certifications. there's a fear of "what if i don't meet my goals and don't have the time to meet them because of classes?" fear of mine that's possibly unwarranted.