• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.
    Register

Interviews

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
All right, because of the recession and economic issues in present day (stupid banks), getting a job is very, very difficult, especially for someone with no experience and still getting their Secondary education.

I've gone to Job Search agencies; I've had professional help with a resume, job search, and getting a job interview "uniform" together. I still seem to fail at finding a job! The last thing I ever did was babysitting in 2005, and before that, a paper route in 2002. I have very little experience besides that, and no one seems to want to hire on a student without experience.

Spring is supposed to be the Job Searcher's Paradise month (along with late August). I put out >50 resumes, stating my bilingualism, the fact I have a WHMIS and Service Excellence Certificate for Customer Service, and a Health & Safety in the Food Industry Certificate. I'm not a full-time student, so I'm extremely flexible and want hours between 24 and 42 a week. I have no criminal record and I'm neat in appearance.

Yet no one wants to hire me!

I'm assuming because everyone who comes before me has experience or a degree of some sorts. I know Walmart had at least fifty resumes in a huge pile to consider at the Job Fair in early March.

I'm getting discouraged; I've searched seven months for a job so I can save up for university, and no one empathizes with the gifted secondary school student!

Can anyone give me tips? I passed two great interviews with a company two weeks ago and never heard back. I was one of eleven to be considered, and they haven't contacted me again, even though the store manager seemed highly pleased and interested.

I have great posture and I always speak directly, politely, and I'm very honest. I have certificates, no disabilities, and references for the babysitting and teachers who can vouch that I'm an incredibly punctual, polite, respectful, and organized student.

Unfortunately, I don't have any friends who work anywhere, so no one can even refer me.

What could I be doing wrong?
 

Xebelleon

1,544
Posts
15
Years
You may be over-qualifying yourself to your employers.

I've been looking for work since September and only today did I get a promising call from 'someone'.

Like my dad says, 'Looking for work is a full-time job'.

Try applying for part-time versus full and try tackling two jobs of differing pay. Cashier seems stable where I'm at.
 

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
I've applied for both full-time and part-time jobs in every place, even coffee shops and Burger King. I only ask for minimum wage, too. I write "minimum wage" right on the application forms o0 lol

I don't get it lol I'm flexible and live around 20min walk from downtown. I can take a bus and get rides to the other parts of town, too.

I've searched for:

Retail Sales Associate (includes stocking, cashier, etc.)
General Aide
Merchandise Agent (for factories where you ship things)

etc.

I'm in a hole atm :< I don't get why no one wants me. I'm so friendly, too, and that one company was shocked to hear I've writen two lengthy novels.
 

Xebelleon

1,544
Posts
15
Years
Yusshin said:
I've applied for both full-time and part-time jobs in every place, even coffee shops and Burger King. I only ask for minimum wage, too. I write "minimum wage" right on the application forms o0 lol

I don't get it lol I'm flexible and live around 20min walk from downtown. I can take a bus and get rides to the other parts of town, too.

I've searched for:

Retail Sales Associate (includes stocking, cashier, etc.)
General Aide
Merchandise Agent (for factories where you ship things)

etc.

I'm in a hole atm :< I don't get why no one wants me. I'm so friendly, too, and that one company was shocked to hear I've writen two lengthy novels.
Click to expand...

Apply at a grocery store? And keep the Whmis/novel/grade-scores to yourself. If they ask, tell. If they offer a course for ticket stuff, tell you have already.

Is there a smoothie shop in your area? Like an Orange Julius or Booster Juice?
Build-a-Bear?
 

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
I did. There's one 20min walk from my house and I said I can work any hour until any hour, and they rejected me, too.

*scratches head*
 

Throat

Oldschool pokemon
346
Posts
14
Years
You're very young and unexperienced, it's going to be hard to find a job without someone looking after you. In Brazil is very hard to be employed before being graduated. Well, keep trying, it might take long, but if you don't try it'll take forever.

*Try to get into some kind of technical school
 

Xebelleon

1,544
Posts
15
Years
Negotiable is an awesome word for availability & wage requested.
Or select two days of the week to leave blank.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday are key days most places could be looking at.
Time to apply? Between slow times (sterotyped) of 9.00am/11.00am OR 2.00pm/4.00pm. These are usually before/after slow times of sale and are a great time of day to...

"May I speak to the human resource officer or a manager please?"

Hostess at a Denny's or Red Lobster?
 

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
Yeah, I'm young, but it shouldn't count as a factor. It's actually illegal to not hire someone because of age in Canada. It's discriminatory and the company can be sued. It's also illegal to put your age on a resume, since it can lead to discrimination problems after.

As for experience, yes, it's unfortunate I have none. I just got my SIN Card seven months ago so I could never have had any experience before 17. The recession and the fact I'm currently stuck in a small city makes it worse.

Any tips? I need to save up; my parents aren't going to pay for my university fees, and I'm not keen on loans swt

An-san Rebelleon, I usually put 09:00-17:00 on applications, every day of the week. For places close by, I put "Anytime->Anytime". Recently, I've started to put 09:00-21:00.

For places I really want to get into, I always talk to a manager; for other places, I usually ask for them as well, but if they're not there, I just drop the resume off and come back later.

As for hostess, we don't have Denny's or Red Lobster here; Red Lobster just went bankrupt / moved lol The next best thing is East Side Mario's or Swiss Chalet, and they've both not contacted me back.
 

Idiot!

One shot, one kill.
1,683
Posts
18
Years
  • Seen Mar 17, 2011
If you happen to be interviewed, always remember to ask when you can expect to hear back. Take the initiative to call back if a few days passed after the intended date without any news of being accepted. Even if you are not, you can start looking for another job faster instead of waiting.

You can also offer to work on holidays.

Keep trying. I wish you luck.
 

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
Yeah, I asked when they were expecting to call back. It was supposed to be at the end of last week / the beginning of this week, since the position was supposed to start Monday :\ I guess that just shows I wasn't picked out of the eleven that were there lol

Someone probably threw in a "pity me" act, like "I need to pay my bills and feed me three kids. They haven't gotten new clothing in a while and everyday, they barely eat anything."

swt I can imagine that that's more important, but all in all, I'd prefer that I got the job and they go on welfare, since welfare's not going to pay my university but they'll pay to feed the kiddos :P but that's not a very nice way to look at it, although the most logical. Doing that, everyone gets a check of some sort and accomplishes what they set out for (uni & feeding kids).

I just hope I wasn't taken over one of the skinny girls who showed a crapload of cleavage :\ I don't mind the father with hungry kids being chosen; I just don't like when others are chosen not for their personality or accomplishments, but by their body form and seductiveness.

I'll keep trying, though. S'too bad my parents don't live closer to a bigger city @-@
 
Elite Overlord LeSabre™

Elite Overlord LeSabre™

On that 'Non stop road'
9,876
Posts
16
Years
I hate the job interview process. Especially since I have an allergic skin condition so I don't always look the best. And I've found out that even with a college degree most places want "5 years of experience" How am I supposed to get five years of experience if nobody will hire me in the first place?

And I think I'm over-qualified for most of the summer part-time jobs in the backwoods area my parents live in. I oughta stop putting my college education on the applications and only mention that I graduated high school...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top