23, no job exp or edu: How to get a job?

Post Reply New Topic

I'm 23 years old. I have not yet had formal employment. I've done things like babysitting, housesitting, housekeeping, pet sitting, and (for one month) I was an Au Pair of sorts. But, all of this has been for family. I have been trying to get a job for about seven years now without success. Sometimes I just get hung up on the resume portion, which only seems harder as time goes by, other times it's that I turn in many resumes online without response. I've had one response, which included a group interview. Needless to say, I did not get the job.

At this point in my life, it is very important I have a job. My family and I were recently evicted. My husband is a veteran with PTSD and this had thus far disabled him from working since he left the military after eight years of service. My daughter just learned to walk, which makes living in my mothers small one bedroom trailer a bad idea. Not to mention, I don't want to be a burden to her. She's already been such a large help during this time of crisis.

I had previously gone to DSHS hoping they'd help me with a resume and gaining employment through the local WorkSource, but they were too vague for me to comprehend (I'm autistic, BTW) when it came to the steps I needed to take for that to happen and so instead said I needed to go through counseling. I'm too far away to do my counseling now, anyway, so I need to find a job... on my own. Is there anyone here that could help aid me in creating a resume and help me through the process of getting a job and deciding which jobs I should apply for?

Have you considered any online education? How about an apprenticeship of some sort?

In terms of the resume and getting a job. It depends on your location and whether or not there are a lot of jobs in your area. If you are having trouble with your resume, I recommend that you have a resume writing service look it over to see how it can be strengthened.

I'm assuming you finished high school? If so, I think that you could get a job as an entry level paralegal or admin assistant or something like that. But, you need to make sure you have a great cover letter and resume. You really need to invest a lot of time into strengthening those two things since they are the first thing that your employer sees and first impressions are important.

Hope this helps.

I suppose I could try an online education, I'll look into that. But, I still need to think about the more immediate future.

How would one get an apprenticeship?

Where would I find a resume writing service? Does it cost money?

I have my GED. Could I still get a job as an entry level paralegal or admin assistant? Wouldn't my lack of work experience be an issue.

I would really invest a lot of time into strengthening my cover letter and resume if I knew how.

Try to get with Voc Rehab in your state, I was in your situation and they've helped me. Just make sure to get a counselor you like if at all possible.

Have you ever considered serving your country as an enlisted military member?

Try an employment agency, they often have some entry level jobs so it wouldn't hurt if you signed up with them and let them know what you're looking for.

Sorry...I keep having problems posting. I hate captchas, lol.

Ok...Welcome to the Post-2008 World of Employment. Here is what you do:

1. Search google online for staffing agencies in your area. These are places that will hire anyone at any time. A lot of these are global staffing corporations. I've used Liberty Staffing Services, myself, but I don't know if they have one where you are. There are a million places like that. They are also called "temp agencies". If you're with them long enough, you get a permanent position and a wage increase.

No one hires directly anymore, unless it's through nepotism. It's all done through outside staffing agencies. All they need a basic resume. Make it clear easy to read, but don't worry about impressing some snob behind a desk with a spiked rod up ass.

2. You DO HAVE work experience. You've worked for family. That counts. Make sure they know that! You've probably done more than enough cleaning in a lifetime. There are (or were when I was looking) lots of general labour jobs that involve cleaning. I've done my fair share of them. They suck, they're brutal, and they only pay minimum wage, but you can literally start tomorrow

3. You need to be very physically and emotionally healthy, strong, and resilient, in order to be able to work one of these jobs (or any job, for that matter), for more than a month or two, without wanting to pull your hair out, and run screaming through a closed plate-glass window.

4. YOU NEED CONNECTIONS, if you want any job that will pay you fairly, give you the hours you need, or treat you like a human being.

5. Unless you already have a GP or a psychiatrist, make yourself appear more disabled than you actually are, and check into some kind of free mental health or emergency service if you can. Apply for disability.

6. College is over. Unless you're going to a 3-year STEM degree, or nursing (also STEM) don't go. Most colleges and college programs are scams, and do not have job placements upon graduation. Even if you do a STEM program, you are not guaranteed a job.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In conclusion, the modern workplace is a warzone. If you don't have marketable skills, or previous experience, than there is really no place to "jump in" and "enter" the workforce, so to speak. Unemployment is rampant, and there are many many many people like you, in the same boat, who are in a crisis situation, desperately need the money, are more than willing to work, but can't find employment. The ones that are lucky enough to find employment without prior connections, find themselves working jobs that are physically and emotionally exhausting, with extremely high turnover rates.

We live in a "turn and burn" economy. It is not sustainable for long term growth, and many people's lives have been reduced to living paycheck to paycheck (that is if they have a job), or handout to handout.

The economy uses people up, and discards them when they are physically and mentally broken. That is why so many people are sick, crippled, mentally ill, homeless, addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, need several medications just to get through the day, and barely scraping by - just preying they don't break a bone, catch or cold, lose their wallet, or have anything else happen to them that will cripple them further, or completely ruin their freedom.

It's a tough road out there, especially if you have a child. Neo-feudalism's a b***h.

Is there a nearby industrial park that you can get to and apply in person? Our company is old fashioned--I still see folks filling out paper applications in the lobby.

Well, I thought-of a few things.....

- You DO have work experience----the babysitting, housecleaning, etc., COUNTS----if your relatives have a different last name than you, I'd use them (just be sure to tell your relative you used them as an employer). If they paid you, that's better----but, if they DIDN'T, that's fine; just list them under "Volunteer Jobs". Now, try to construct a resume, using the online samples someone else suggested; also, Google "job descriptions for resumes" (that'll give you some good words / wording)----same with cover letters, you can Google examples for specific jobs, for which you're applying.

- Call / go to a Temp Agency (look for their phone number / address, online). They give you FREE resume help, FREE training in Microsoft products, like Word, Excel, etc. (some, won't actually train you; but, will let you come-in everyday, and teach yourself); PLUS, give you an entry level position, like receptionist, warehouse, assembly line, or factory work. You'll have to apply to more than one----I suggest THREE, or more----one, just won't give you enough opportunity; also, call them, OFTEN.

- Go to Craig's List, EVERY DAY!! They OFTEN have jobs that say "No experience required, will train" (just be careful, there's a TON of scams / scam-artists, on there, that will say that----rule-of-thumb, if the ad sounds urgent [like: "Apply today, positions going fast"], DON'T apply / respond; also, another rule-of-thumb, is if they are offering something that sounds too-good-to-be-true [like: "You can make 200 dollars a day, from your home computer"], it usually IS). They have several cleaning agencies that will train you (you have to have a car, though, usually, to carry-around your cleaning supplies----that THEY supply). Most cleaning agencies want EXPERIENCED workers; but, like I said, you DO have experience (just don't offer the information, that they're relatives).

- Go to usajobs.gov, and enter your town, state, and zipcode; check the box that says "Federal Employees" (or, something like that); then, go to the bottom, and check the box that says you are a Veteran's wife (you get MORE points for being a WIFE, than SOME veterans do, and may be able to get a position NON-competively----or, at least, LESS-competively). Again, you MUST do this every day----I know it'll be a pain----and, some days you'll just feel like giving-up----BUT, I promise you, the very first day you skip, will be the very first day TWENTY new opportunities, will be added.

******Another thing is, an application (resume) for the Feds is VERY different from a "regular" one. After you create an account (you DON'T have to make an account, to just check the job board), on the page where you upload your resume, there's a sample resume----make sure you follow that, to a T!!

- I agree with the Industrial Park thing, that someone else posted. Also, some places like Wal-Mart, have these machines where you go and enter your information----this is particularly good to know, as this-time-of-year, people are starting to hire, for the holidays.

I know all these things don't sound very pleasant; but, bottom line: looking for a job, IS a job (I've always said: "It's the toughest job, in-the-WORLD!!").

Call some temporary employment agencies from the phone book (if there are still phone books - or look online for listings). They have lots of jobs you can do with no skills or experience. My two sons both got great factory jobs this way with no experience at all in it. They have tons of stuff and sometimes you work for a few weeks at one place and then they send you to another etc but many times companies use those agencies to send people there and then hire the folks on afterwards. When my husband can't find work in his field he goes to them and gets hired on or works full time through temp agencies. They are big in construction, factory work and trades.

_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com