Looking for a job

[BOP]

I guess your a child online, and really don't have nothing else to do besides play on the community forum with people that are serious about life...O yea if you re read it before you starting adding things, it SHOWS at the top of the page that it is a SUMMARY.

To reiterate my previous post, it fails, even as a summary. You do understand that, don't you?

Nobody's trying to be mean to you (not even the guy to whom you're replying). We've all been there, done that. We're all hard workers, we're all willing to learn new skills, we just want a chance. Unfortunately, every company out there gets literally hundreds of solicitations from prospective employees...BEFORE they even advertise a position. They have to have a way to narrow down the massive numbers of applicants to a more manageable number of good prospects.

Here's some free advice which, if you take it to heart, will serve you well for the rest of your working life: companies are looking to hire people who fit in with their culture. Your ability to communicate clearly and concisely is the key. You have to be able to articulate who you are, what you want (out of life), and how you're going to get there. If, in so doing, you manage to convey the same values and standards that the company embraces, they'll be more than interested in you.

Remember: they're there to make money. The bottom line is the bottom line. You need to be able to demonstrate to them how it is that you're going to help them meet that bottom line.

It's not easy starting out in the work force. Trust me, I know. Most of us who are giving you a hard time know all too well what it's like. My first job out of the Navy wasn't even a job.

Like you, I was going to community college at the time. I started hanging around an automotive garage that an older friend of mine worked at. One day, he said, "can't talk now, got a lot of crap to do." At the time, he was rebuilding an engine, and had a bunch of parts to clean. I said to him "Hey Maury, I can clean parts. Show me how, and I'll do it." He said, "you clean these parts for me, and I'll buy you supper at Dennys." Shoot, back in those days, that was a helluva deal. I ended up working myself into a job, with a regular paycheck, and everything. I've never been without a job for more than a week, and that was 30 some years ago.

The toughest words I ever had to hear were: you don't have enough experience. I asked a guy whose company I really wanted to work for "how do I get experience if nobody will give me a chance to get experience?" He didn't have an answer, but that wasn't really the issue. The real issue was that I didn't fit in to their culture. I wasn't interested in the same things they were interested in, and so on.

 

[Otter]

I don't think that's very fair. I don't know if the male/female brain thing is true, but I can tell you that I work with a lot of very intelligent men who can't spell a lick. It has nothing to do with intelligence. I suppose if you want to be an English major...

Just saying...

If someone touts 'excellent communication skills', don't you think spelling/grammar go hand in hand? Says quite a bit that someone can't spellcheck something when they are trying to sell themselves.

Just my opinion...

 

[BOP]

Also consider it a sign of the times. I have my BS, have applied to the aforementioned companies, and also have not received any response.

Good luck!

Those companies are hiring, you just need to stay on them. It's not enough to just submit your resume or fill out an application. Have you gone to their offices? Have you schmoozed the secretary to find out who is the main decision maker regarding hiring?

 

[Baja28]

Dude....you really do need someone to re-due your resume

You need to learn to spell, too

 

[aps45819]

I don't think that's very fair. I don't know if the male/female brain thing is true, but I can tell you that I work with a lot of very intelligent men who can't spell a lick....

and they would run spell-check on a resume

 

[onebdzee]

What?? Are you the spelling Nazi now??....I don't have to spell correctly, I have a job and my resume is kick ass

 

[Baja28]

What?? Are you the spelling Nazi now??....I don't have to spell correctly, I have a job and my resume is kick ass

If you're going to razz someone's spelling, you should make sure yours is correct fool.

 

[onebdzee]

If you're going to razz someone's spelling, you should make sure yours is correct fool.

So you're saying that my choice to change my major to English teacher is not a good one?

 

[keekee]

and they would run spell-check on a resume

I didn't see any spelling mistakes in the resume summary, just the conversational posts. Not including "savvy" because I have no idea how to spell that.

Jeez, I'm double checking everything I type now in case I make a typo.

 

[Beta84]

I don't think that's very fair. I don't know if the male/female brain thing is true, but I can tell you that I work with a lot of very intelligent men who can't spell a lick. It has nothing to do with intelligence. I suppose if you want to be an English major...

Just saying...

Spell check is key. It doesn't matter if your spelling sucks -- when you're sending e-mail or writing reports, your spelling better be perfect. It helps if your grammar is too, or people are going to make fun of you. Even if your spelling sucks, all e-mail and word documents have spell check options that should always be used.

and they would run spell-check on a resume

yeah...every time I open a Word document all the misspelled words are underlined in a nice strong red. I don't even need to read them to see that there are misspelled words. If you don't care enough to make it right on your resume, you're not caring enough to make it right when you actually have the job.

 

[withrespect]

To reiterate my previous post, it fails, even as a summary. You do understand that, don't you?

Nobody's trying to be mean to you (not even the guy to whom you're replying). We've all been there, done that. We're all hard workers, we're all willing to learn new skills, we just want a chance. Unfortunately, every company out there gets literally hundreds of solicitations from prospective employees...BEFORE they even advertise a position. They have to have a way to narrow down the massive numbers of applicants to a more manageable number of good prospects.

Here's some free advice which, if you take it to heart, will serve you well for the rest of your working life: companies are looking to hire people who fit in with their culture. Your ability to communicate clearly and concisely is the key. You have to be able to articulate who you are, what you want (out of life), and how you're going to get there. If, in so doing, you manage to convey the same values and standards that the company embraces, they'll be more than interested in you.

Remember: they're there to make money. The bottom line is the bottom line. You need to be able to demonstrate to them how it is that you're going to help them meet that bottom line.

It's not easy starting out in the work force. Trust me, I know. Most of us who are giving you a hard time know all too well what it's like. My first job out of the Navy wasn't even a job.

Like you, I was going to community college at the time. I started hanging around an automotive garage that an older friend of mine worked at. One day, he said, "can't talk now, got a lot of crap to do." At the time, he was rebuilding an engine, and had a bunch of parts to clean. I said to him "Hey Maury, I can clean parts. Show me how, and I'll do it." He said, "you clean these parts for me, and I'll buy you supper at Dennys." Shoot, back in those days, that was a helluva deal. I ended up working myself into a job, with a regular paycheck, and everything. I've never been without a job for more than a week, and that was 30 some years ago.

The toughest words I ever had to hear were: you don't have enough experience. I asked a guy whose company I really wanted to work for "how do I get experience if nobody will give me a chance to get experience?" He didn't have an answer, but that wasn't really the issue. The real issue was that I didn't fit in to their culture. I wasn't interested in the same things they were interested in, and so on.

This was very well stated. I agree whole-heartedly that you need to make yourself look like an asset to the company... they want to know how you can make them more money than they are getting now. I agree that your summary is cookie-cutter and boring - Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can say how great they are and how motivated, responsible, and blah blah blah. As cliche as it may sound, you need to learn how to strive for excellence, not mediocrity. Without seeing your resume, I can't really tell how you are advertising yourself. I do a lot of editing at my job (Gov't Contractor), if you are open to criticism and would like to send me your resume, you can PM me.

 

[whome20603]

Spell check is key. It doesn't matter if your spelling sucks -- when you're sending e-mail or writing reports, your spelling better be perfect. It helps if your grammar is too, or people are going to make fun of you. Even if your spelling sucks, all e-mail and word documents have spell check options that should always be used.

yeah...every time I open a Word document all the misspelled words are underlined in a nice strong red. I don't even need to read them to see that there are misspelled words. If you don't care enough to make it right on your resume, you're not caring enough to make it right when you actually have the job.

I have a friend that can't spell for shiat! She uses spell check, sometimes...I think, because she'll say things like "All thanks girl...I defiantely can't wait to go....Heckt yeah girl you do...Any word on if they had there baby yet?"

Those were actual excerpts from emails she's sent me. Unfortunately, there's tons more

 

[Beta84]

I have a friend that can't spell for shiat! She uses spell check, sometimes...I think, because she'll say things like "All thanks girl...I defiantely can't wait to go....Heckt yeah girl you do...Any word on if they had there baby yet?"

Those were actual excerpts from emails she's sent me. Unfortunately, there's tons more

she sounds very defiant

 

[whome20603]

she sounds very defiant

Heckt yea, she defiantley is! She's my "homie girl" though...that's another one

 

[MsMove]

Those companies are hiring, you just need to stay on them. It's not enough to just submit your resume or fill out an application. Have you gone to their offices? Have you schmoozed the secretary to find out who is the main decision maker regarding hiring?

Actually, you bring up an interesting point.

When you are applying for retail/fast food jobs (and I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with those), you typically walk into a building and ask if they are hiring, if you can talk to a manager, if you can have an application... etc, etc.

If you're applying for .. say... a job as a strategic consultant, a logistics engineer, a program analyst or something along those lines... should you really just walk into the front door and ask to apply? Most of the companies have "no phone calls - email or fax only" posted in the description.

No confrontational tone here - just wondering how people feel about that.

 

[withrespect]

Actually, you bring up an interesting point.

When you are applying for retail/fast food jobs (and I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with those), you typically walk into a building and ask if they are hiring, if you can talk to a manager, if you can have an application... etc, etc.

If you're applying for .. say... a job as a strategic consultant, a logistics engineer, a program analyst or something along those lines... should you really just walk into the front door and ask to apply? Most of the companies have "no phone calls - email or fax only" posted in the description.

No confrontational tone here - just wondering how people feel about that.

You are absolutely correct. A lot of the companies that hire for those positions need to offer an interview without bias. They want to give you the interview based on skills portrayed in your resume. I know my company will only accept resumes via email

 

[chernmax]

And if you're totally clueless, there's always beauty pageants!!!

 

[lionell09]

thanks for all the info on my thread it was quite helpful. is there anyone who can edit my resume and cover letter for me?

 

[Otter]

bump

 

[Otter]

bump