I can't even get an interview... NEW TWIST Post #107 !!!!

[MSDeb]

I recently had a client with a good resume that could not get in a single door for an interview. After some research it turns out that her references couldn't be checked. Her two last jobs were for companies that had gone out of business. She added that information and a contact person/phone number of a supervisor that remembered her. She is now getting interviews.

Another issue with resumes is references. It is more than a courtesy to ask people if you can use them as a reference. If you have talked to them about it they are less inclined to be startled when someone calls asking if they know you. Personal experience, my son used a family friend which is fine but, he had not reminded said friend we have different last names. So when the friend was called to see if he knew Ryan xxx, he said no. After he thought about it for a while he kinda remembered the different name thing and after calling me he called the company back. It's the details that trip you up.

I recently advertised a position and got over 80 applications. The one page resumes are best and don't use some weird font.

Good Luck

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
Do you have a high school or college education? Even for basic service industry they prefer you at least have a high school education. Also being older it is harder for you to find a job and the longer you are out of work the harder it is to find work. Have you tried apply for grants to go back to school to learn a new skill set?

A lot of people your age are retuning to school, especially trade schools. Unfortunately the service industry is flooded with people in your position, especially older workers ( most industries consider anyone older than their thirties as "older", and in this economy prefer hire younger people because they can get away with paying them less)

Unfortunately, knowing power point, typing skills, excel, and most computer programs is considered a basic skill set for the emerging workers coming from college and even high school since most of that generation were raised on computers and can type with one hand behind their back and their eyes closed.

You will have to find a way to sell yourself, show yourself as being friendly and curtious, a team player, which we all know you are

and try to avoid making comments like " it might be because your white" (paraphrasing) that you not getting a job, especially on open internet, you would be shocked at what gets back to potential employers.

And most of all keep trying! My best friend who graduated at the top of her class, excelled at everything she did, worked with impoverished inner city kids and took failing students and turned them into strait A students in a semester, left California and came to Alabama and has turned in over 200 applications and still doesn't have a teaching job but she hasn't given up. she does have a job working with women and children, and tutors with our area's version of Sylvan, while looking for a teaching job at least, but even then it was a fight to get that job. Even the best have to fight for a job.

We are rooting for you! keep at it! We all know you can get there! Good Luck, hun.

 

[rufus]

I am retired now, but in my past career, I participated in many interviews. We had to interview at least five applicants for each position. In every case, the person hired was already selected. I was told who to hire. The interview was just a formality. I saw many capable, well qualified people passed over. Needless to say, I don't have a lot of faith in the system.

I also saw many unqualified people promoted based upon something other than performance or qualifications.

In time, I found myself in a position to examine personnel records. Looking at resumes, a lot of it was how things were phrased.

An information distribution technologist sold newspapers.

Operated the Apsco milling machine meant she used the pencil sharpener.

Operated the Sloan liquid apportionment system meant he flushed the urinal.

If I had it to do over again, I would start my own business and keep my own books. Even selling things at park and swap would be better.

My advice is for you to try something yourself. If you work hard and are smart, the rewards are yours, not some flunky boss's.

Rufus

 

[lockedhearts]

Quote:
Do you have a high school or college education? Even for basic service industry they prefer you at least have a high school education. Also being older it is harder for you to find a job and the longer you are out of work the harder it is to find work. Have you tried apply for grants to go back to school to learn a new skill set?

A lot of people your age are retuning to school, especially trade schools. Unfortunately the service industry is flooded with people in your position, especially older workers ( most industries consider anyone older than their thirties as "older", and in this economy prefer hire younger people because they can get away with paying them less)



Unfortunately, knowing power point, typing skills, excel, and most computer programs is considered a basic skill set for the emerging workers coming from college and even high school since most of that generation were raised on computers and can type with one hand behind their back and their eyes closed.

You will have to find a way to sell yourself, show yourself as being friendly and curtious, a team player, which we all know you are

and try to avoid making comments like " it might be because your white" (paraphrasing) that you not getting a job, especially on open internet, you would be shocked at what gets back to potential employers.

And most of all keep trying! My best friend who graduated at the top of her class, excelled at everything she did, worked with impoverished inner city kids and took failing students and turned them into strait A students in a semester, left California and came to Alabama and has turned in over 200 applications and still doesn't have a teaching job but she hasn't given up. she does have a job working with women and children, and tutors with our area's version of Sylvan, while looking for a teaching job at least, but even then it was a fight to get that job. Even the best have to fight for a job.

We are rooting for you! keep at it! We all know you can get there! Good Luck, hun.

I have a High School Education, I was working Full Time when I graduated, making good money. I have checked in to going back to school, even with Grants, right now I can't afford it. I am Reliable, Stable (been in our Own Home for 9 years) I tried calling about the positions I applied for last week, no one could tell me anything and the responsible parties "were not available"

I really am multi-talented , so I should be having a bit of an easier time of it than this.

My one job that went out of business, I do have a contact that is available to give me a reference. Also, all of my business and personal references are aware that they are my references. I even called my former jobs and asked for letters of recommendation. I am getting one, the other has a policy to not give them out, but also, if they fire you they will not tell someone that calls that, just verify your employment (so guess they view that as a compromise) ( I was not let go from there though)

 

[welsummerchicks]

Agree, the computer skills you have are just basic requirements - they really need to be increased.

For example, you could learn how to make and update Excel spread sheets. There are very few business positions that don't require them today, and it's very easy to learn.

What I would suggest you do is make a study of ALL the positions available in your tgeographic area - and try to make your area a big one, I would recommend a 50 mile radius, more if you can handle it.

List the position and the requirements in each job add.

Get a VERY good idea of what positions are hiring. ALL of them. And what the requirements are.

You can then decide what skills make the most sense for the most positions hiring in your area.

What's hot? Have you got a lot of hospitals in your area that are hiring medical billing people? You can learn medical billing.

What about Six Sigma? Do a lot of companies in your area want Six Sigma? Get some training in it.

Be creative, branch out, learn something new.

If you are off for two years, you really need to be able to say, in an interview, 'I really made great use of this time to make myself more valuable to my new employer, I learned this, this and this'. You really need to do that.

The more you think about oh no, I am 48 and white and female, I'll never get a job, the more that attitude turns off employers and closes doors for you so you never even get to talk to them. Think, 'I'm going to find a company where I can really excel', and then go in there with that attitude. Cheerful, positive and you know you can contribute.

Remember, this is a horse race, and you want to win. You win by out-gunning the other candidates. You're more at ease and confident in the interview, you're better qualified, and you've got better people skills.

Per the question of calling back to check up, YES, without being a nuisance or doing it too frequently, yes.

'Hi, I'm Mary Smith, I applied for the XYZ position, do you have a status on that position?'

'Oh, it's been filled. Well I hope you will consider me for other opportunities in the future, thanks for the help!'

Always positive, never griping about a past employer, turn ALL experiences in to good ones. 'Yes, my last employer went out of business. But it turned out to be one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. I got new skills and updated old ones'.

And believe it - really believe it. NEVER - get discouraged, that's a luxury. Looking for a new job is a full time job. You should be spending eight hours a day on it.

Don't forget to read the local business newspapers and find out any time there is any change in your area - keep track of all mergers, acquisitions, sales and changes and new contracts in companies. When a company gets a big fat contract for a million new gears, they're going to be hiring - you call them and tell them you are are ready.

Think outside the box too. As an example, a lot of the employment contracting firms are hiring recruiters - and taking their training in new directions, such as the recruiter I talked to a few months ago who's getting a degree - in Public Health - so he can recruit for hospitals. Think outside the box. There are probably a lot of other jobs you could do.

The most important thing you need to do is not get discouraged - that is a luxury. Pure and simple. This is your full time job - eight hours a day, half hour lunch break. Take books out at the library that give hints in networking, and remember, aboug 75% of job offers are for jobs that were never advertised.

 

[chikky]

Lots of great suggestions in these posts. One more suggestion is to network as much as you possibly can and get the word out about your skills. Usually, if someone applies that knows someone at our company, I'm very likely to ask that person about the applicant and call them in for an interview. We've been hiring through placement/temp services too. It may help to do some volunteering, if you can swing it, just for additional contacts. "They" say it's not what you know, it's who you know.

Best of luck!

 

[lockedhearts]

Quote:
I was condensing some things, I do know how to make excel spread sheets, did it for many years in a former job. I will look to DOL for assistance in upgrading skills, not sure what they offer. With DH just going back to work next week, funds for any paid training is out of reach right now.

 

[GarlicEater]

I last had a "real" job in 1990.

Since then, I did silly things like train for the Olympics and run a small business I started, reselling anything interesting and techie on Ebay. That was good for just about exactly a year, 1997-2007.

Then the economy went flunch.

At least for a while there, it looked like there were some jobs that would be safe. They're never gonna lay off doctors and nurses and EMTs and dispatchers etc right?

Now they're laying off cops and doctors and EMTs and dispatchers, etc.

BTW I looked into what it actually takes to be a dispatcher. Firstly, it's probably been a long time since there was a crying need for them. Secondly, you have to know the dispatch software they use, yes, they use certain software on the computer you'll be typing on, and you have to know it. This means .... experience or dispatcher school. You also MUST speak another language and English, fluently. Around here it's English/Spanish, some areas the 2nd language may be Chinese, Viet, you get the idea. Thirdly, you have to pass just about the same background check as a cop. You won't be a "sworn" officer, no gun for you, but you'll wear the uniform and work in the cop shop, they can't let just anyone with a shady record do that. Getting back to experience, you could get it by working for a taxi company. Their dispatchers were underpaid, overworked etc. Surprize! Now the cab companies are dying, and there are tons of people scrabbling for that dispatcher's job, all of them with years behind them dispatching cabs.

I have personally opted to drop out. I made about $1500 last year, and I lived just fine. But most can't do this. You'll have to scrabble after money harder than I have, if you have a spouse, kids, want to live in something better than an ex-trailer on its way to being scrap metal, etc. BUT .... work the math. Any on the books job you take, you're going to give up 30-40% of it in deductions, if all you can find is $10 an hour or minimum wage, you're going to be working for $5 an hour. If you're in trouble and have garnishements, now you're down to $2-$3 an hour. Someone on here mentioned it being better to sell stuff at "park and swap" and this is the direction I think many will find best.

Become self-employed, and as much as possible ... well ... this is BYC I don't want to say off the books, no, I didn't say that. Babysit. Clean houses. Sell coops you build. Clean rain gutters. Be THE handyman/handywoman for everyone within a mile radius of your house. Sell eggs. Sell chickens. Anything. Find stuff that can't be outsourced. It's hard to send poop scooping services out overseas.

You need to also start keeping METICULOUS track of EPI, EPO. That's Every Penny In, Every Penny Out. The book Your Money Or Your Life is a good one, except disregard their advice on buying treasury bonds. Don't buy paper unless you need to wipe your butt. Buy silver. Buy tools. Buy stuff that will ALWAYS be worth something and that will help you or someone live, like tools, nails, screws, etc., or be accepted coin, like silver.

We've had The Greatest Generation, now we're the Generation that's entering the Greatest Depression. And we're just starting this ride.

No, you don't need to become a wild-eyed survivalist. What you need to become is your Grandma. Or Great-Grandma. Who knew how to run a household down to the penny. Who knew how to stock and keep a larder. Who knew how to cook and can and make gravy from the drippings rather than buy store-boughten stuff.

My last trip into town with recycling, I got about $40 for my 100+ lbs of stuff, and I simply couldn't think of anything I needed or wanted bad enough to part with money for it, so I just went on home. And I realized, I'm starting to develop the necessary attitude.

 

[sheaviance1]

I know the type of people who get hired at our company are the ones who dress appropriately for the type of work for which they are applying. I work at a machine shop. Anyone who is overdressed (heels, makeup, nice slacks, manicured, etc) is immediately ignored.

It sounds like you will do fine with the interview, when or if you get one. When you drop off your application, it would be very helpful if you ask for the manager/owner by name and give your application directly to him/her. Take a moment to sell yourself at this first meeting. You may only have a tiny window to do this in, but, the more you can impress him/her, the more likely it is that you will get a call back.

 

[desertdarlene]

Quote:
I remember being told to only wear a suit for an interview. Now, it's "dress one step up" from what the job requires. I still know people who insist that you always dress as nice as possible for an interview no matter what the job is. But, it makes sense what you said. I mean, if someone comes in looking like they're dressed to work in an office, they probably don't know what the job is about.