What Methods Do You Use.. To Apply For Jobs?

[Hemmen]

My advice, FWIW: It will happen if you keep pushing for it and are willing to try different things, even jobs you think might not be "right" for you. That's what I did after an extended period of unemployment (I won't say how long it was; let's just say it was somewhere over six months), and I now have two jobs where I thought I'd have none. Why? Because I was willing to apply for any opening even if I wasn't sure I'd succeed at it, and aggressively pursued those I was qualified for. And I'm doing well in both of them. In fact, I was recently named a top performer at a job I never thought I'd hack.

Is having two jobs ideal? Certainly not, but it beats holding out for one and not finding any. And, by the way, age shouldn't be an excuse either; I landed those two jobs at 50. If I can get work at that age and after lengthy unemployment, there's no reason you can't do the same.

 

[primetime]

Ok Mitch, you keep thinking it was an attack. But your own words and actions speak otherwise....Good luck in your endeavors. But like Angel said, let stuff go.

As for the interview stuff, yeah, that is frustrating, but focus on the positive. At least you're getting calls. Something I bound to happen.

 

[Mitchell]

Hemmen, thanks. I appreciate the advice, and I know it's sincere.

I know what you mean about extended unemployment.

Not to.. but today is my six month anniversary of my resignation from Aflac.

I would take two part time jobs if I had to. I;ve applied for both full and part time jobs,.

Thats good about you being named a top performer at a job you didnt think you would do well at.

I think in my case.. my unemployment is a combination of three things.

1. My nerves, and simply not performing well at job interviews.

2. A lot of the jobs I'm applying for, are entry level, and I'm in competition with a lot of people who are 20 plus years younger then me.

3. Some of it has been bad luck too. I've mentioned about the job I interviewed for, where I would have represented labor union members in handling their insurance. and I was the only insurance agent there, and didnt get it. There was another job I had called about, and when they asked my employment history verbally, and I started telling them, the person told me I would have been a good fit, but then put me on hold and said "Sorry, the job has already been filled".

I know I just have to keep working at it.

Thanks again.

 

[Mitchell]

prime, thank you for your good wishes.

As I told Angel, I'm going to let things go. It doesnt change how I feel though.

 

[rdhd]

As far as a company telling you they "may contact you for a potential interview".....what a bunch of BS. Either tell you out-right, no way Jose, or just don't respond (the more likely route these days). At one time (many many moons ago), they would give you an answer, usually by letter, but of course now that takes someone's time and money. And for what it's worth, I'm working at a part-time job, that I figured would be 2-3 months max.....now, 12 years later...........

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks, rdhd. You understand the frustration I'm dealing with.

There's... the frustration of losing Aflac, something I';m still not over...

The frustration of the job search itself, and the thousands of resumes I've sent out that dont even get replies.

And, the issue of the whole "potential interview".

If I had to take two part time jobs, fine.

Another issue is.. how much it costs to live in NY, which is why I was so excited about working at Aflac in the first place.

When I first was signed on, we were told. "In two to three years max, you'll be making a six figure income".

It didnt sound like BS, I knew what my former supervisors were making.

I just didnt know about the restrictions they had.. or the hell I'd go through with the deal with the law firm.

I know I just have to keep pushing, as frustrating as it is.

 

[Mitchell]

When I get the emails advertising jobs, two things crack me up, although one of them is annoying.

I click a job, and it says "This job has expired". Its like, if the job has expired, why are you advertising it in the first place. I mentioned on here before about calling in reference to a job that had expired.

Then.

"Avon Sales Representative".

That would be a kick lol.

 

[JJB]

They know what requirements they've mandated for whatever job they're looking to fill. They see my resume and the cover letters I send.

Either they like my resume and want to talk to me, or they dont.

I'm curious what your resume actually looks like. Do you know how to put one together? If you're willing, you should black out or remove all of your personal information (name, address, previous employers, etc.) on your resume and consider uploading it on here to get constructive criticism on it. If you're willing to make a thread about methods used to get jobs, consider putting your resume on here so those of us "in the know" can give you some helpful tips to make it stand out. You could send it to me via PM if you wanted. I know all about resumes and all the "tricks and trends" being on the other side of the coin now.

How many resumes do you have? Depending on the job, you should have at least two, if not more. If you're going into insurance or a similar position, you have your main resume, but if you want to get a part-time job or two (perhaps in customer service), you're going to have to have a separate resume so you don't seem overqualified. "Dumb it down" a little bit. Nobody's going to hire you if they feel you're overqualified since they figure you'll jump to a higher-paying job once it becomes available. Nobody likes a job jumper.

So... like I said, consider putting your resume on here just so we can look over the formatting, word usage, etc.

I think in my case.. my unemployment is a combination of three things.

1. My nerves, and simply not performing well at job interviews.

2. A lot of the jobs I'm applying for, are entry level, and I'm in competition with a lot of people who are 20 plus years younger then me.

3. Some of it has been bad luck too. I've mentioned about the job I interviewed for, where I would have represented labor union members in handling their insurance. and I was the only insurance agent there, and didnt get it. There was another job I had called about, and when they asked my employment history verbally, and I started telling them, the person told me I would have been a good fit, but then put me on hold and said "Sorry, the job has already been filled".

Similar to how you have your therapist to help you with your stuttering disability, find an employment consultant you feel comfortable with and practice job interviews. One of my friends had the same problem you had (not performing well at job interviews, being nervous, etc.), so... she practiced non-stop. If you want a job bad enough, are you willing to do more than everybody else to get it? Are you taking a course on performing better in interviews? Are you on LinkedIn? I mentioned that to you months back; have you made a profile? If not, well... your competition is. Basically, you need to be willing to do more than the hundreds of other applicants to get back to being employed. "Walk the walk" as they say.

Have a consultant give you practice interviews, or read up on it. There is a lot of literature out there to help you perform better at job interviews. Once you know the questions they'll ask you, you'll have great answers ready, instead of being stumped like you were that one time about your weaknesses.

As for the competition and people who are "20 plus years younger" than you, while you're not quite there yet, have you considered looking for opportunities for seniors? You would probably have an advantage over the people older than you. Since you're slowly approaching 50, consider looking into jobs for older people. You may be surprised and find yourself at the head of the pack on that one.

The frustration of the job search itself, and the thousands of resumes I've sent out that dont even get replies.

And, the issue of the whole "potential interview".

If I had to take two part time jobs, fine.

Another issue is.. how much it costs to live in NY

This is an advantage and disadvantage for you. You have countless more opportunities in New York than people do in other parts of the country, depending how low you're willing to go for a job. Would you work in fast food? Would you be a janitor? While some would consider those "menial" jobs, it's better than being unemployed. The longer you go without a job, prospective interviewers are going to start wondering about the long(er) gap between employment. It's kind of scary for the long-term unemployed today -- people who have been unemployed for six months or a year (or more)! They're at a huge disadvantage, so you really should consider taking any job you can since your current strategies aren't working so well.

At the same time, you have more competition than anybody else probably does living in New York. The better (and higher-paying) the position you're looking at, the more competition you will have. What separates you from other candidates? How would you answer that question? If I'm interviewing you, why would you be the best at the position over anybody else? Just in general. What would you say to me if I was the interviewer? Pretend it's any recent job you applied for if that helps you answer that question.

I once got a position over 325 other applicants -- four rounds of interviews. At first, I didn't believe the GM when he told me, but he showed me the stack of them. Think of the job search like playoff baseball (since you're a baseball fan). Every round finds two teams going home while the better teams move onto the next round. The same applies to the hiring process. You have to be even better than last time if you go in for a second, third or fourth interview.

When I get the emails advertising jobs, two things crack me up, although one of them is annoying.

I click a job, and it says "This job has expired". Its like, if the job has expired, why are you advertising it in the first place. I mentioned on here before about calling in reference to a job that had expired.

How fast are you at applying for jobs? Most of them will have a date when they stop accepting applications. However, they may have already started interviewing the very first candidates who applied, and one of those candidates may have stood out so much that they hired him/her on the spot. It's just like running a race. You don't want to be left behind, so focus on those deadlines.

Then.

"Avon Sales Representative".

That would be a kick lol.

Did you apply? Like I said about being a janitor or something similar, being an Avon sales representative would still be 50 times better than being unemployed. At least when you apply for another (better) job in the future, they'd see employment stability at least.

Good luck.

 

[Mitchell]

I have two different resumes,JJB. Three in fact. The one I used that got me the job at Aflac. One I put together myself after leaving Aflac, and one that my father helped me with. I've taken copies of the two different resumes with the Aflac position on them, to different interviews at different times.,

Thanks for the offer, but I would prefer not to put my resume on here, especially in the main forum considering some of the things that happen here.

I would only do " a janitor, or fast food", as a very, very last resort. Two things would cross my mind. Where do I go from there? I;m 45, not 22, so it isnt like one could say "Start at the bottom for a year, and then work up. " I would still have problems in a year from now, with people asking me "Why were you a fast food worker". Then there's the whole psyche of it. "I went to college and killed myself, and worked my head off night and day to pass the insurance exam, and ended up behind the counter at a fast food joint". My cousin who is in his 20s, has only a high school education, and a speciality in only one field, is doing better than that.

I apply for jobs right away when I see them, even in the middle of the night. I get jobs emailed to me several times a day, so believe me I havent dragged my feet with applying for any job.

As to what would seperate me from anyone else, it would really depend on the job. I have a lot of experience in sales.

Avon isnt a salaried job anyway, so it wouldnt make sense to apply for that. If I was going to do a job by commission, I'd go back to Aflac, and could probably get back in there since I left on good terms. I've had offers for interviews from Aflac again, and havent taken them because I need a salaried job.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[JJB]

I would only do " a janitor, or fast food", as a very, very last resort. Two things would cross my mind. Where do I go from there? I;m 45, not 22, so it isnt like one could say "Start at the bottom for a year, and then work up. " I would still have problems in a year from now, with people asking me "Why were you a fast food worker". Then there's the whole psyche of it. "I went to college and killed myself, and worked my head off night and day to pass the insurance exam, and ended up behind the counter at a fast food joint". My cousin who is in his 20s, has only a high school education, and a speciality in only one field, is doing better than that.

No shame in that if that's what it would take for you to get back on your feet. I've read articles online about former lawyers who, after being unemployed for a year or two, end up having to work an entry-level, temp job.

Like I said, the longer you remain unemployed, the harder it's going to get for you to get another job. It's a fact, so you really should consider something simple (and temporary) just so you're employed. All that matters is that you're on the employed side, rather than the unemployed side.

It'll look better than staying unemployed... unless you're taking new college courses or learning a new computer program or something that could benefit you in the long run.

Sure people might ask you why you were a fast food worker, but it would still be better than them asking why you didn't have a job for a year.

I'm not saying that it will come down to that for you, but everybody has to start (or start over) somewhere. Making some money is better than making no money, especially when you're making it based on your own hard work.

Anyway, there's always another day and another opportunity and it sounds like you're seizing them as they come.

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Sodahead]

Mitch, does selling insurance make you happy? From the posts I've seen you don't seem to enjoy it. The upside is you've been afforded a great opportunity where you don't have to worry about rent. That's a huge plus! Use that to your advantage.

Is there some way you can take a hobby or interest and turn it into some kind of part-time job or otherwise lucrative endeavor? That's just my take, as always I'm hoping for the best for ya

 

[Mitchell]

Soda, I did very much enjoy working in insurance. There were two problems. The restrictions I had at Aflac where I couldnt talk to/sign certain clients, and that I cant cold call due to my stutter.

As for not having to worry about rent.. I;m best off not commenting about that.. so as not to turn this thread into a discussion about my father, to make things worse. Let's just say that I have to make as much money, as quickly as possible... with rent being a consideration as well.


I wish I could take a hobby or interest and turn it into a job or endeavor. As I mentioned before, I have an idea for a business, but would need to get together the sources/money for it.

Thanks for your good wishes, Soda. I appreciate it, my friend.