Also job hunting. And I hate job hunting. I have been keeping myself somewhat busy - I’ve got a list of things to do, and I’ve been getting about 50-60% of them done every day. But I’ve also spent a lot of time not getting the other 40-50% done every day.
I need to focus.
But I really, really hate job hunting.
On software: it’s my experience that 99% of companies use software different from what’s taught at 99% of schools. For anybody asking “but what about Word?” 99% of schools don’t teach it, although they may expect people to be able to use it. I’ve got coworkers who got a Master’s in SAP and who know the technical guts of it but have no idea how to use it the way our customers need to.
It’s also my experience that any company which isn’t willing to train people in the tools they need to use is a shitty place.
pepperlandgirl, you may want to prepare a list of skills you have. It can, and should, include things you didn’t necessarily have a course on. For example, I’m a good tutor, but I never had any kind of training on either teaching or tutoring; this extends to proofreading skills, and while I’ve never been a Proofreader I’ve had several jobs where other people’s documents would often take a detour around my desk before reaching the client’s. I also make a mean roast leg o’ lamb, but that has never made its way into my resume.
1.- Make the list. Just shoot verbs, don’t overthink it.
2.- Qualify it. Which things you can do but loathe, which ones do you like to do. Think of which of those things are transferrable.
3.- Speak with a counselor, with The List in hand. They should be able to point out fields where your strengths are in demand.
4.- Look at job ads. When you see one that sounds interesting, write down which skills do you have that are applicable and which of the skills they ask for aren’t. OK, so you can’t be a Rocket Scientist - you probably could be a Technical Writer for Rocket Scientists without extra training, though (assuming you enjoy writing and can do it in short sentences).
5.- Use the lists to come up with skills you’d like to reinforce. This helps you with things like “why would you like this job?”: being able to turn your “lacking skills” into “self-improvement opportunities” is good so long as you don’t overdo it.
6.- This part you already know 
7.- You were waiting for it, weren’t you? Profit!
I have to agree that hunting down the job is most likely the utmost tiring part of the entire ordeal. I can handle job interviews, provided that I am getting offers for them. I’ve probably applied for close to (possibly over) 100 jobs in the last month. Discouraged does not begin to describe how I feel right now. Either there is no interest, no position open by time the application/resume is received, or no answer. :smack:
Yeah, but … I hate to sound Eeyore-ish, but at this point, the whole campus interview thing is starting to feel like an endless series of first dates. After a while, you start to think “well, I hope this one will at least buy me a nice meal and provide some non-boring conversation” and give up hope of getting anything else out of the experience. And it’s all reminding me of why I don’t date much 
On the bright side, I guess this is the part of the season where the search committees are starting to become almost as desperate as the candidates, so I’m hoping that I can at least get another VAP or lecturer position for next year. I don’t think a tenure-track job is going to happen, but full-time with health insurance would be nice.
I had a similar problem during my job search. I’ve got the right degrees, but not the specific software skills. My advisor’s standard advice is to look into a program through the local community college to get those skills.
In the end, I found a job in a field where I can use the skills I’ve already got, just in a different way, kind of like what you’re thinking about.
Robin
Nava that’s really good advice, thank you. I’m going to do that this weekend.
I totally thought you were a guy in that other thread!
I got a pretty work-appropriate dress, a bunch of tops, and a three piece cotton suit, which I feel odd about (cotton suits in general), but I do live in the South and work in a fairly casual environment, plus I could use the jacket with a lot of stuff and have several more traditional wool suits. Anyway, some really, really pretty stuff. D’oh.
Yeah, the picture thing is pretty annoying. It entails visiting a professional photographer, who charges you an arm and a leg for the experience of sitting on an uncomfortable chair for 20 minutes while trying to contort your face into a friendly, yet highly competent expression. Plus, in my case I had just had my wisdom teeth extracted on one side, and had to try to stay in profile - it was overall not a very good experience.
Currently, my job changing plans are somewhat hindered by the fact that my potential new employer scheduled a meeting with a high HR honcho without consulting me, and it’s on the same day my current job scheduled me to go abroad for a project. Great.
Add me to the list of those searching for a job. I graduated with a degree in psychology last May and have had one nibble. I suppose it’s because of my very sparse resume and hardly any work experience, combined with the fact that a degree in psychology is useless without any grad school.
I hate job hunting. :o
I spent about four hours on my resume today. Would have been nice if I’d gotten more done, but I’m still figuring out how I want to present the info on this job. Looks like I’m going to go for a second page on it, despite my regular contributions in resume threads that you should be able to say it in one page.
Also filed for unemployment – productive enough for a miserably rainy Monday.
So I didn’t get a second interview afterall. How very odd. Not that I didn’t get the second interview, just the process.
Oh well, on to the next one.
I had an internal interview yesterday to move me out of the A/R area into someplace that might actually be considered a career-positive move. I won’t have their decidsion for a month, though.
StG
I feel for all of you; I’ve never felt positively about job hunting myself.
(Okay, I have: I feel that job hunting positively sucks.)
Keep your chin up, and go to your local Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop today for ice cream.
I just wanted to add something to this thread. Everyone - good luck with the job hunting, and wish me some luck as well. I’ve finished everything for my degree and will be done with finals in a week. I finally will be done with college, and although I have considered graduate school, I am slightly burnt out on everything (plus with a son who is almost 1, I feel I’ve missed enough while being gone for school already).
I have applied for countless jobs in the past few weeks. Of course, that sounds bad, but the truth is that I have no idea how many resume and cover letter packets I’ve sent out. The reason is that I am willing to relocate (in a way) so I have applied for various jobs in various cities. I am sick of applying for jobs, and my best bet may be one that I don’t want, but I need the money.
Good luck, dopers.
Brendon Small
I interview in 45 minutes. I am considering a) throwing up, or alternately b) peeing on myself. (It’s my mostest dream job.)
I have entirely forgotten how to wear pantyhose and I’ve had to relearn how to walk in them. I can’t feel my little toe. I am afraid to go to the bathroom because I might not be able to get them back up.
Woohoo! Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
Good luck, Zsofia!!
I am considering attempting to explode myself through the sheer bottling of frustration at this job thing. I graduate in eleven days with a BA in sociology – which is useless! The work I want to do (criminology research) requires at least a master’s in all but a very select few positions. Positions that don’t open up. Ever. I want a year or two of work experience and paycheck under my belt before I go on to graduate school. I need a break from academia to make sure it’s where I truly want to be. So to that end…
…I’ve been searching for some job that would allow me to have some contact with the criminal justice system without being a cop or a prison guard. I found a pretty great cool awesome job a few weeks ago and applied for it. Then I realized just yesterday that my application included a fatal flaw that would prevent it from even being considered – I forgot to append an electronic signature. I screamed in agony when I realized it.
I have, at my last estimate, somewhere between 250-300 applications and resumes floating around. And those have netted me…one interview. One. And that’s a preliminary phone screen interview on Monday for a job I really don’t even want (making sure forklifts don’t run into each other).
If anyone out there needs a sociologist who loves video games and super loves to write…drop me a line!
Well, it went. I mean, it went well, I think. I think I interview well - I’ve only had one interview I’ve ever walked out of thinking, “Well, blew that one.” The thing is - yeah, I think they liked what I had to say, but on the other hand, I just don’t have much management experience. And it’s a management job. One of them is a management job 25 miles away from anybody else. So there’s that.
They also said I was one of their early interviews, so that’s just a little bit longer for me to twiddle my thumbs. AARGH.
Here’s hoping the best for ya, Zsofia!!
I made rent by the skin of my teeth. I sold my longarms, then I sold my soul.
I took a second job as a telemarketer. Well, I interview/audition tomorrow, but I’ve no doubts, they seemed impressed with me, but it was ‘car salesman’ impressed, at least in part. The background noises indicated morale problem. (how odd in a sales call center), but this should help some money problems, like the anti-seizure meds that were three times as expensive as I was expecting, worse case scenario. Also on the brain news front, CA-DMV wants all kinds of paperwork and medical assurance I’m good enough upstairs to drive on their roads. Fortunately, my AZ neurologist isn’t going to charge me for this.
Subbing is a funny game. Feast or famine. Tuesday I held out for a job from the nearest district, not because they’re closer, but because any work before the end of the month I get paid on the tenth. The other district isn’t paying me until May 30th. I turned down one the evening before, feeling sure I’d get something in the morning, but nope, nothing. So That day, I take the first one to come along tuesday afternoon, a half day for a district that’s never used me yet. So of course I turn down three full day jobs wednesday. morning because I’m committed to the half day. On the bright side, that half day was all of 73 minutes, and because I get paid for either a full or half day, I made $37 bucks an hour today.
Also, Telemarketer job is willing to be creative and flexible with me on job hours, working around the sub schedule, and we both want sundays off, so that part is good.
Good luck Zsofia. I hate the waiting to hear back after the interview bit, which I’m currently doing myself. Had an interview last week that went well, they were planning on calling my references this week, and then I’ll hear back about a decision late this week (which probably means tomorrow at this point, given that while the job’s here in Vancouver, the company is based out of Toronto), or early next week. On the plus side, there are actually two positions that I’m in the running for – one in the prof’s academic lab, and one with his spinoff biotech company. If I get either of them, I’m not sure which one I’d prefer, as the actual work will be quite similar in both positions, so what it comes down to is the pay in the academic lab will suck, but there’s a fair amount of job security, while the biotech job is likely to be higher paying, but they told me right up front that they can’t guarantee anything beyond 18 months, though that’s about as much security as you’ll get in this industry.