job-seeker contacts/advice

[Dmiles23]

Billyhallfan- Working in HR, I have just a couple thoughts for you. First, like someone else said, don't leave your job and move up there without a position that you're happy with. Don't settle. Secondly, if an employer is truly interested, an in person interview may not be absolutely mandatory. We do 2 rounds of phone screens and then do an in person interview as the 3rd step. We have hired a number of people moving to the area, and we have used programs such as Skype to conduct the interview. Just ask, and most employers will be accommodating to you. Third, I wouldn't worry about a potential employer calling your current employer for an employment verification/reference check. This is usually the last step in the process. We do check references, but it's just before we are ready to offer the person the position. And lastly, just be honest with your current employer and potential future ones as well. People look for new jobs all the time... it happens. Employers understand that.

[logan82]

Is it lawn care or selling lawn care services? My neighbor was doing that in Madison a year or so ago and he thought the job sucked. I will ask him for more details if you wish.

[GAME05]

thanks. it's lawn care, but checking shouldn't be necessary. i'll only be doing it for a summer.

[GAME05]

well, happily moving forward in the career. after only a phone interview, i was just offered a job working at a State Park not in Wisconsin. minimum wage and seasonal stinks, but it's great experience and a recommendation from the boss after the season would go a very long way to landing full-time work.

 

after the season i'll sign up for the Police Academy. fortunately no age maximum that i've found yet. an LE plus all the education/certifications i have, provided i do a good job this summer, and i'm a top candidate for a full-time Ranger position even in this economy.

[adamb100]

Are there any advertising pros here? I graduated in may in ad/pr and can't land an internship, much less a job if my life depended on it.

[jerichoholicninja]

Are there any advertising pros here? I graduated in may in ad/pr and can't land an internship, much less a job if my life depended on it.

 

Welcome to the "real world." The way you get a job these days is to have 5-10 years experience and not be over the ago of 50 or be buddy-buddy with someone who makes those decisions.

[GAME05]

definitely no such thing as "overqualified" anymore. i hope you find something adamb100. could you spin your experience into magazine ad sales? i used to work at Cygnus in Fort Atkinson and they hire a lot of people for that. Inside Sales would be the best way to get started, and they offer a lot of upward movement from there.

[Invader3K]

Game05 makes a good suggestion with contacting Cygnus. I used to know a couple people that work there, but unfortunately not anymore.

 

I would just advise you to work any and all contacts you have. Lean on your teachers from school, classmates, etc. These days it's less what you know, and more who you know. Yeah, it's cliche, but it's the absolute truth these days.

[adamb100]

Unfortunately it would have to be some place in the Milwaukee area because I dont have a drivers license, nor can I afford to drive even if I had one. I've thought about going to grad school for an MBA or even getting a second bachelor's but I fear that won't help me with the whole job thing. Edited February 17, 2014 by adamb100

[GAME05]

from someone who's done it, grad school isn't the employment door-opener that it once was. in my experience, a grad degree lands you a lot of interviews but lack of experience keeps you from getting the job. also the number of people with MBAs has skyrocketed since this Great Recession hit.

 

i might recommend the same path that i've been taking. i worked a lawn care job last summer which paid three times more than typical summer jobs. even paying for a taxi to and from would be worth it. you'd make enough for a used car with a good amount of savings left over to do an interstate job search. the way i see it, a car and some savings is first priority over landing a full-time job.

[Invader3K]

I wonder if you could also look into doing some type of free lance work on the side? If you get real desperate, you could contact local firms and tell them you're willing to work for free just to get experience in their work environment (basically an informal internship). I've heard of that working.

 

I agree with Game05 that simply retreating back into school isn't a good solution.

[jjkoestler]

Getting an MBA is great as long as someone else is paying for it. I don't think my MBA has done me much good in terms of landing a high paying job.

 

It's definitely who you know in this economy. I've been sending out approximately 25 resumes a week since September, and I finally have something solid in the works because of a friend who is a big wig in HR. Utilize all of your connections and network. Applying for a job without some sort of "in" is tough and frustrating.

[adamb100]

After researching financial aid, I think an MBA is out of the question. I assumed I could get grants and get it paid for under income circumstances like my undergrad. Guess graduate school is a different ballgame.

 

My friend (who is in a similar boat as me) is blaming the economy for unemployment. I was able to buy that argument 3-4 years ago but not anymore. I've been applying to roughly 2 jobs a week. I'm thinking about playing the desperation card in cover letters and saying something like "I know I can succeed if given a chance. Can you give me that chance?" The lack of experience is killing me. I have 1 internship under my belt. Even internships at companies want more experience than I have.

 

I'm on LinkedIn but I don't really network. I attended two networking events in my life. I'm not even sure how to network at this point.

[nate82]

What kind of Advertising are you trying to get into? Have you tried volunteering for a non profit? Have you tried the career services at UWM?

 

You should really go to any and all career fairs. This will get your name out there and you will be able to meet the recruiters which should help.

 

Do not play the desperation card in your cover letter! Are you doing graphic design for advertisement? You might want to have a portfolio of your work over a resume if you are creating advertisements.

[adamb100]

I've been trying to get into public relations or account services (the people that do the research and talk to clients) at an agency. I lack graphic design experience. I can create basic things in photoshop but that's about it. I do have a portfolio of my work though.

[nate82]

I would suggest a non profit company for PR or a political campaign. This should get you the experience you are trying to get and get you networking.

[Jimbo]

My friend (who is in a similar boat as me) is blaming the economy for unemployment. I was able to buy that argument 3-4 years ago but not anymore. I've been applying to roughly 2 jobs a week. I'm thinking about playing the desperation card in cover letters and saying something like "I know I can succeed if given a chance. Can you give me that chance?" The lack of experience is killing me. I have 1 internship under my belt. Even internships at companies want more experience than I have.

 

I'm on LinkedIn but I don't really network. I attended two networking events in my life. I'm not even sure how to network at this point.

 

The job market in 2014 compared to 2009 is day and night, at least in my field. Don't play the desperation card. LinkedIn is a good way to go. Search LinkedIn or google to locate meet-and-greets and support groups.

[jerichoholicninja]

Here's the thing about doing "free work" for a company: if you're doing it for free, unless you're doing one hell of a job, why are they going to start paying you for it? It sounds all well and good and it was something I did right out of college but it never got anywhere because as soon as I was done with something I would never hear from them again until they wanted more free work.

 

When it comes to graphic design, there really isn't such a thing anymore. That's what I went to school for and tried to get into until I just gave up. Aside from big time ad agencies, companies aren't looking for designers anymore, they're looking for web developers or marketing people who can also make pretty pictures (or in most cases all three).

[jjkoestler]

After researching financial aid, I think an MBA is out of the question. I assumed I could get grants and get it paid for under income circumstances like my undergrad. Guess graduate school is a different ballgame.

 

My friend (who is in a similar boat as me) is blaming the economy for unemployment. I was able to buy that argument 3-4 years ago but not anymore. I've been applying to roughly 2 jobs a week. I'm thinking about playing the desperation card in cover letters and saying something like "I know I can succeed if given a chance. Can you give me that chance?" The lack of experience is killing me. I have 1 internship under my belt. Even internships at companies want more experience than I have.

 

I'm on LinkedIn but I don't really network. I attended two networking events in my life. I'm not even sure how to network at this point.

 

You should be applying to a lot more than 2 jobs per week. Yes it sucks, but you have to do it.

 

You already have a huge network. Friends, family, UWM, and any organizations you've been involved with in the past. Reach out to them.

 

You can meet a lot of people volunteering. It's also a good way to feel good about yourself when things aren't great on the job front. Look at organizations that do a lot in the Milwaukee area. Do any of the firms you're interested in working at support non-profits? You can never go wrong with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, or Boys and Girls Club.

 

Have you considered Americorps? You get paid (a monthly stipend & a lump sum that can be used to pay student loans or grad school) and its a great resume builder. I took a year off during undergrad to volunteer with Americorps. It was a great experience (I turned 21 in Nevada ), and I had a leg up on the competition once I graduated because I already had a year of work experience under my belt.

 

Do you have someone who works in HR who can offer feedback on your resume and cover letter? I thought my resume was great and so did all of my friends and colleagues. I showed my resume to someone who works in HR and she absolutely tore it apart. The difference between a good resume and a poor one could mean thousands of dollars in salary. Make sure you have a great one.

[adamb100]

Never heard of Americorps. I'll look into it.

 

I don't know anyone that works in HR. I did meet a former professor who also works at an ad agency and he said my resume should be able to land a job and was shocked I only had 2-3 interviews.

[GAME05]

there's also Microsoft classes where you can become certified in things like Office and PhotoShop.

 

if you're not landing as many interviews as your professor thought, it's a possible signal that your resume/cover letter needs some tweaking.

 

i haven't been to one yet, but i know most cities have a monthly young professionals meet at some bar. 30 people asking each other what you do for a living. maybe that's an idea for more networking.

[Invader3K]

In my experience, college professors don't really know anything about if resume and cover letter are really marketable are not, so I wouldn't take them at their word. None of my college professors were any real help with finding a job, frankly. Still, if they have any connections to any actual people in industry, it couldn't hurt to contact them.

 

The cold truth is, companies aren't sitting around waiting for you to call them or send in your application. You basically have to go get yourself a job if you really want one. It's a lot of work and it can be tough, but you need to keep at. Applying for 2-3 jobs a week isn't anywhere near enough. You need to be working any contacts you have, attending any meet ups as others have suggested...really anything to get your face and name out there.

[jerichoholicninja]

Unless you are able to stay on your parent's insurance AmeriCorps is not a good idea. I was actually offered an AmeriCorps position last summer and had to decline it because I was actually going to lose money working for them. They also flat out told me to apply for food stamps because I wouldn't be making enough money to feed myself. When factoring insurance and travel (which they won't reimburse you for even though you may very well do a lot of it) you are probably going to lose money. And most AmeriCorps positions do not allow you to have another job because you are a "24/7" employee.

[adamb100]

There's not enough jobs in my field with my experience to where I can apply to say 6-10 jobs a week. I look mainly in the Milwaukee area, Madison, and Chicago. I've done the odd applying to two companies located in the San Francisco area but only because they are two companies that I have a deep passion for.

 

There's one thing that I'm not happy about my resume and that is it still has an objective. I'd love to nuke it but I don't have anything to replace it with.

[GAME05]

you said you couldn't look into Fort Atkinson. i take it your search is limited to cities along a bus route?