Well… I quit my job yesterday. I’d been working for Best Buy for almost a year, and had asked my boss for a raise three times in the last few weeks, and he kept putting me off. So I went straight to his boss. He said that he’d like to, but HR wouldn’t allow one of that size (I was asking for $2/hr).
So I quit.
What should I do now? I don’t want to work retail, or fast food, and my availability is Mon-Wed, 4pm-whenever, Fri 4pm-whenever, and Sunday, 12noon-6pm…
Tim, I did several things while I was in college, but the one I considered the perfect student job was driving a cab. I could schedule myself to work anytime I needed to and payday is today! I did it for a couple of months and realized it could work as a long term college job, so I bought my own. That then meant I couuld let other guys lease it when I wasn’t driving and still be generating revenue.
Oh yeah, it helped develop people skills and was sometimes quite entertaining. I drove the dusk to dawn patrol.
Try delivering pizza. My experience w/ Domino’s was very positive. Every day you go home with cash (tips), plus you get a base wage (about $5/hr) and vehicle compensation of some type (ours was 6% of deliveries).
A few years back, I worked security for Wackenhut Corp. I got paid $8.25 an hour, and it wasn’t a bad job. Perfect for a college student-- night shift gives you plenty of time to read, and if you get an out-of-the-way post (I worked security for a power plant) nobody bugs you.
Take the typing test, if you know how.
They will let you practice there until you get an adequate speed.
Then take the Excel test. Even if you don’t know Excel, you will at the end of the test. You can practice there, and take the test once a week until you pass.
Then you can get a good office job.
I get $13/ hour logging incoming orders from sales reps, no selling. And the hours are all good, so my evenings are free.
But don’t buy the part that you can switch to being a regular employee.
They have high “conversion” fees that end up blocking that. I’ve had a couple places just asked me not to tell Kelly they hired me, to escape the fee, and I got taken on that way.
Sangria – How high was the conversion fee at Kelly? Most temp agencies charge a placement fee, you know. After all, the employer gets to “test out” a person (kind of like a three-month-long test drive), AND the temp agency ends up losing one of its most important forms of income – you! To try to get around that is kind of cheating, IMHO.
The person who replaced mr. obfusciatrist in his last job, was hired from a temp agency as a “permanent” hire and for that, obfus’s company paid a $7,000 convesion/placement fee to the temp agency.
My brother joined the Army this month. They gave him $16,000 sign on bonus and he gets to come live near me and our parents when he gets out of Basic and AIT. The military is not for everybody, but it’s not nearly as bad as everyone says, either. They’ll pay for 75% of your tuition while you are in and you’ll most likely be eligible for the GI bill when you get out. That’s not to mention the other training you can get, my husband is going to Microsoft Boot Camp totally paid for by the gov’t this fall.
Plus, if you tell the recruiter that my brother sent you he gets to go in as an E-3.
You could apply to be a SDMB moderator. The pay is great and you will get nothing but unmitigated adulation and adoration from the members of the board.
How old are you and what is your current education level? I started out in electronics retail just like you in 1981 at Radio Shack as a commission paid Trainee (I was the trainee god-king of District sales for over a year - made more than some small store managers) then Manager. I got out in 1986 and after a year or so of futzing around in car sales (interesting job if nothing else) I got into commercial real estate sales which has worked out quite well all things considered.
There are a thousand and one ways to make money (big money if you are so inclined) but as with most things there is generally a very real price to be paid in time, grunt work and disciplined commitment to achieve these ends, which many people are not willing to do once the “gosh this is interesting” part of a job wears off.
What do you want to achieve in 10-20-30 years? Where do you want to be money and sitation wise. What’s more important to you … leisure time or a high end lifestyle? Regardless of your innate intellect are you smart enough inter-personally to keep your mouth shut when professionally appropriate or so you have to spout off when the mood takes you? All these and more will determine where and how you can be successful in finding a good job.
I re-read your post and your profile (ie college student/pimp) with limited hours.
1: Make up cards. Use a good inkjet (please).
2: Go to the top local residential real estate offices and ask the top producers (not the manger) if they (or their assistants) need any technical (ie PC purchase setup etc) software or web design assistance. Hand out cards.
3: Be professional with a “can-do” attitude. Do a good job and word will spread and you make PLENTY of money on your own hours. Set up an hourly fee structure that makes sense - don’t be greedy or you’ll be replaced but don’t sell yourself too cheap either.
A written reference from a respected professional (doesn’t have to be real estate related) of some kind would be good if you can snag one. The web work (if you can get some) is nice because you can do this from your parents house.
I’m 19. I’m a college student. I have 3 years experience as a line cook, and 1 year experience retail. I want about $10/hr. I was the top salesman in my department most of the months I worked at Best Buy. I school 10am - 4pm Mon-Fri. I am not available Thursday nights, Saturdays, or Sundays.
Fast Food is not an option, neither is retail. Pizza delivery is. I would prefer a desk job (who wouldn’t) but anything really will do. I’m just not sure what could fit my schedule and pay what I need.
I’m highly intelligent (some would argue this) can type about 80 wpm, wonderful speller, know most Office applications acceptably well, have an intuitive knowledge of Software (I don’t need to read the manual, I can figure it out on my own after about an hour), am quite charming and charismatic (when I want to be) and get along great with others. Hell, I have to work my ass off for people to NOT like me. IRL, that is. Here, it may be another story.
Oh, and I’d like to join either the Army Rangers, the Marines, or the Navy Seals when I get out of college.
Homer, if you are planning on joining the services anyway have you looked into getting an ROTC scholarship? I’m not sure, but I’m thinking that they provide you with some sort of living stipend in addition to the college money. Couldn’t hurt to check it out. I also believe that they offer student loan repayment if you join. Just be sure to get everything in writing when/if you talk to the recruiter. They’ve been known to promise more than they can deliver.
