No one will hire me....

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I've applied to every single business in my county, and everywhere within my ability to get to. No one wants to hire me. I have gottenr ejection after rejection and I think I must be blacklisted because I rarely last two weeks at any job. I'm close to completely giving up. Any ideas why I am an unemployable, unworkable person?

I need more information before I can give an educated guess.

What is your skill set?

What is your highest level of education?

How many jobs have you had, how long did you have them, and why do you no longer have them?

Generally speaking, most people lose their jobs because of 'attitude' problems that don't show up until they've interacted with coworkers. Others misrepresent or exagerrate their abilities to get hired, and then their true capabilities are revealed on the job. The rest quit or get laid off.

Most likely reason--poor fit for the job. Sort of like that Quarterback who just got canned by the Cleveland Browns.

You have not given us any information for us to be able to find out the real reason why this happens. But your experience is familiar and I am sure many other here can relate to your problem

What's a skill set?

As for jobs, real jobs, two. Chipotle and Safeway. Fired from both after two weeks for reasons I don't understand.

I never make it past application or first interview otherwise.

A skill set is a list of things you can do.

For instance, most employers expect you to be able to understand and answer questions posed in English.

An advanced skill would be able to create a document in Microsoft Word containing tables and columns, all nicely formatted for the company's letterhead.

It's the set of skills you have, and that you can bring to an interview. They don't have to be degree-based, but they do have to be relevant to the job.

For instance, my basic skill set includes forklift driving, bookkeeping, and report-writing. This qualifies me to work in most warehouses.

My basic skill set also includes cooking, so this bumps me up to food service.

My advanced skill set includes electrical engineering, videography, and telecommunications. This qualifies me to work in the transportation industry.

Exactly same as me. I can't get passed the interview stage either. I suspect there is discrimination involved but I can't prove it.

"What's a skill set?"

That's an interesting question. Actually that's a very interesting question.

To learn a "skill set" you MUST know what a "skill set" actually is. Will you always wait for people to tell you what things are...and then believe everything they say (like the explanation from Fnord for example) or are you REALLY interested enough to find out for yourself???

If you were interested in what a "skill set" actually meant you might just pull up "Google" and enter "skill set" (in quotes as shown) and you will soon be able to learn all about the subject. Why did you not do this when first seeing the term in this thread? Was it easier for Fnord to supply the definition for you??? Practice using Google to look up meanings as soon as a question of proper understanding comes up in your mind.

I was in large industrial machinery sales at one point and somewhere along the line I read customers (everyone actually) respond to people who are interested in them. Using this thought before I met a customer (in our facility or their's) I would spend an hour or two reading about their company and when it was started I'd also research the city and state history of the area they were from and the particular industry they represented. This worked out to be a great conversation starter.

This approach (modified slightly) is also the approach I used when applying for a new job. It showed the prospective employer I was deeply interested in working for their company and showed I had initiative.

INITIATIVE:

1.
the ability to assess and initiate things independently.
"use your initiative, imagination, and common sense"
synonyms: self-motivation, resourcefulness, inventiveness, imagination, ingenuity, originality, creativity, enterprise; More
(I Googled the above)

Initiative is what the employer feels you need after the "at your elbow" training. If you don't exhibit this ability to your prospective employer you will have a difficult time excelling over other applicants. You must use your "questioning mind" to improve your knowledge of your job requirements and use this new knowledge to make your new job as successful and profitable to your new employer as possible. If you do not make your new employer feel you will be an ongoing asset to their company you will most likely get passed over.

Have you tried vocational rehab? They'll test you for strengths/weaknesses, provide job coaching, etc.

I tried that and they don't work I been in one for 6 years and they have yet to help me yet

Having spotty work history or having a lot of jobs in a short period of time is a BIG red flag, working in management side before I can tell you that was of the disqualifiers for job applicants.
Was there anything specific that you can remember about the jobs that might have landed you in hot water. Safeway is a union job and that affords you some protection, did the union give you any information? The reason may be that these jobs did not suit your skills, they are customer service related and can be very fast paced and stressful. Can you deal that kind of stress? Can you deal with the general public and people treating you poorly simply because you are a representative of that company? If the answer is no then these kinds of jobs are not for you.
you live in a big local and I doubt that you even stratched the surface of job that you could get, although it might feel bad simply because you are applying for only the jobs you think you can get.
Some suggestions: try the local EDD office, they actual can be a big help and if you qualify for social services, regitional center for instance, can also support your job effort.
Also look at your long term goals. What are you interested in? Certifications and job training can greatly help your chances to landing a job.
Good luck.

You have to have marketable skills.

You have to present yourself as a reasonably cheerful and reasonably sociable person.

You have to show up to the interview on time and ready to work.

You have to stay out of trouble and show respect for supervisors.

This doesn't really apply anymore.

Companies do heavy screening online and if your resume doesn't exactly match the key words they are using, you won't get picked.
They want perfect matches.

The biggest issue right now is the global and national economies of most of the world including the developed world has been stuck in a JOBLESS recovery.

No one wants to hire new hires because they don't want to train anyone anymore.

HR departments do all the screening, interviewing and hiring.
You rarely interact with the team and department until after HR hires you.

In my case HR knows jack about the job they are hiring for, for the departments.
Try explaining software and other technology stuff to an HR person who has no basic understanding of technology or marketing for that matter.

Those interviews were the worst, HR just didn't get what I was saying because they lacked the background in the field.
I've interviewed for jobs that I was perfect for, but I didn't know "their" software existed.
They didn't want to give me time to adjust to their software (most cases a few days).
They told me they liked me, but decided to wait for the "perfect" person.

It doesn't help that here in the Great Lakes States, getting an entry level position in most companies requires a minimum of 3+ years of industry experience (General Work Experience doesn't count), some ask for as much as 5-7+ years for entry level.

Many also ask for industry certifications (Which you have to be employed to get) to get these entry level positions.

Internships are few and far between, most requiring at least 1-2+ industry experience (General Work Experience doesn't count) with many asking for completed Bachelors and Masters degrees.
Most are unpaid.

My NT sister, who's only health issue is needing glasses and is second year medical school can't find a medical based internship, not even her professors know of any.

The job market is completely screwed up still.
If you know the right person, you can get hired right away without needing any work experience or have any knowledge of job.

So yeah all that stuff you listed isn't worth much these days.

Actually, it still applies - at least, when I am involved in the hiring process.

I agree with fnord, but that is the minimum.
The process for the industry I work in goes like this: HR recieved your resume/application, then reviews it for the min criteria, the right credentials, experience, etc. then forwards the resumes that meet said criteria on to the hiring manager, usually a department head. Department then tells HR to set up an interview with the candidate. The candidate is usually interviewed by a panel for four or more people, one time I was interviewed with about ten people in the room (that is not panel, that is an audience). They give the questions they will ask in advance, either while you are waiting or when you walk in, this is done to discourage people from asking questions that could be considered bias. Each interviewed will floated the candidates answers on a rubric to ensure "objectivity", then those answers and scores are saved in a file for up to a year. All meant to ensure EEOC compliance, which really the only reason HR is part of the hiring process to begin with.
There is a lot more to just having the right credentials and showing up on time. The interview is really a popularity contest in which the candidate who is the most likeable will get hired. One way I gauge likabikity for me is hunor, if they laughter at my jokes then I am a good candidate for three job if they are stoic then I did not get the job.