Too many entry level jobs require work experience

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So, since I've been having trouble landing a job, I thought it would be smart to work at the same time while finding a job. So I thought I'd apply to work part-time/full time at a grocery store or fast-food restaurant. Imagine my surprise when trying to apply to Popeyes as a cook, the employer requires at least one record of previous employment.

Well, Christ, I worked as a lab assistant, which has nothing to do with working as a cook in a fast-food restaurant. How in the world do people get job experience, if you need job experience to get job experience?

I always thought it was so weird, ENTRY-level positions often require experience. So to get in you need to have experience in the job? But you have no experience in the job, so you can't get in to get experience. What is up with that?

Now even a job at Popeyes is requiring previous experience? It also needs a reference. Also, PF Chang's requires a resume to be submitted? Did I step into an alternate reality or something, aren't fast food, minimum wage jobs supposed to be for teenagers/young adults with no work experience? Shouldn't it be as easy as showing up, asking for a job, passing a drug test, and undergoing training?

Is it just me or is it kind of ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops for even the most basic of jobs? I mean my Dad can barely write in English, I highly doubt he got any of his jobs by submitting a resume.

Sorry for the rant, been a little frustrated with the job search.

Edit: Upon further reflection, I understand that this state of affairs is likely a result of the 2008 recession, where many people lost their jobs and the economy contracted. Excess unemployment let employers have their pick of employees, so obviously they would only hire proven and experienced employees.

Yet it's been over a decade since the recession, I've heard a lot about how unemployment is down and that the economy is better than it has been for a long time. I realize that the situation is likely a lot more complicated than I could know, yet it is frustrating that I have difficulties getting unskilled jobs.

References are a particular pain, I don't want Popeyes calling my professor to ask about me, especially when I've been looking for an actual research position.

(Sigh) The whole experience has been rather jarring as I've seen many people who don't speak or write English get unskilled jobs. Maybe they also submitted resume's or gave references, but I'm doubtful of that.


Edit: Changing the title from Nearly All jobs require work experience to "Too Many entry-level jobs require work experience" as that is more accurate.

Getting any kind of job without a resume is definitely a thing of the past, at least here.

Companies aim for the best they can get, so if they find someone who's experienced or educated in the field, of course they'll hire that someone.

I understand that, although it is very frustrating to me that to get job experience you need job experience, which is unlikely when most jobs even at entry-level positions require previous experience.

I just find it very contradictory? A chicken and egg problem with few good solutions?

I mean the same problem is with references, “You want someone who you worked for, someone you worked with, or someone who worked for you,” says Stefanie Wichansky, CEO at Randolph, New Jersey-based management consulting and staffing firm Professional Resource Partners. (Quoted from a Monster Article)

Ok, so you've never worked before. I see, provide a reference of a person you've worked with, tell me about a time when you've had great customer service or a time where you saved your company either time or money?

A big problem is that many employers are using applicant tracking systems. These are software that supposedly help employers sift out the "perfect" candidate, but in reality, applicants are assessed by how many buzzwords appear in their application.

Many employers say it's about making the hiring process more convenient and efficient, but it's really about cutting costs (i.e. helping the rich get richer).

Volunteer at a similar location to the position you are applying to a few weeks prior to submitting your application. It creates documented work experience. They aren't looking for the time served, just trying to whittle out the competition.

First off, I commend your desire to get work experience. Far too many Aspies struggle though college and finally get a degree, jump into the marketplace thinking they now have an automatic pathway towards success but only to find there are no job offers or they land a job and don't like the career path they chose.

Why are these part-time/summer jobs important?
* I developed a rock solid work ethic and a positive attitude.
* I learned what is acceptable in the workplace and what will get you fired. (normally a career ender)
* I learned to be a productive employee. (The first few months of employment in a career field sets the tone for the rest of your career – therefore keying into this trait prior to establishing a career is a key attribute.)
* It opens up new skills and allows one to sharpen their skills. Work is another form of learning experience. It is essentially a different type of school.
* Managing money.
* Navigational skills in getting to work and finding my way home.
* Skills in marketing oneself.
* Mature your work style.
* The ability to exercise flexibility, adaptability and resourcefulness.
* Sharpens out-of-box thinking and problem solving.
* Overcoming shyness and practicing extrovert qualities.
* Work incorporates both educational skills but also real life skills.
* Evolve time management skills, executive function, theory of mind, organizational skills and common sense logic.
* These jobs also helped pay my way through college.

So let me give you my impressions. First off, our economy in the U.S. is in a boom cycle. There are almost more positions especially at the entry level than people to fill them. I have never seen so many help wanted adds plastered on the walls of the nearest fast food restaurants. They are begging for people.

So how do you land your first job. Well first off, you do have work experience. You worked as a lab assistant. That is a job - use that as experience on your resume - it counts.

There are two types of jobs. General jobs and career oriented jobs. Your end goal is to eventually focus on career oriented jobs.

I built my independence through part time jobs after school and summer jobs. In high school and all during college, I worked. In high school I worked as a clerk in a small “5 and dime” department store and then in construction during the summer assembling outdoor metal storage sheds.

I worked jobs (20 hours per week) whenever I was in school and (40 hours per week) during the summers, the entire time I was in college. During my four years of college, I worked:

* in the main branch of a bank balancing daily receipts.
* as a postman in the downtown mail sorting station.
* as a parking lot attendant.
* as a warehouseman in a large department store storage facility.
* as a night shift operator on a cyclotron. (work study program)
* with a supercomputer performing heat transport modeling. (co-op or summer intern position)

Many colleges have work-study programs. I would start there. It might provide a foot in the door on your career path. Also many companies offer co-op positions. This is career path type jobs during the summer. If they like you, they may even extend a job offer when you graduate. Volunteering is another approach. I heard that volunteering in the Peace Corp is a path for individuals wanting a career in the diplomatic corp.

I suggested to my boss that some of our part time work could be done efficiently by someone with autism.

"No" was the answer.

@jimmy m, I do want to get work experience, specifically to develop that "work ethic" I think I really need it. I had initially left off my previous experience as a lab assistant as the job has little to do with Customer Service. But I suppose it may be smarter to include it as it will probably increase my chances of landing a job. I just did not think I would need to, just to get an unskilled job.

My main problem is references, I don't have many people that I feel comfortable putting as a reference. Truthfully, I maintain no connections outside of my family and I do not feel comfortable with my former teachers being contacted by fast-food restaurant chains or a grocery store.

I have been working on that asking my family about a few family friends that might be willing to vouch for my personal character (though I am uncomfortable with that too as they hardly know me, I can't be that picky.)

Also, I have already graduated from college. I will take some of your advice though and try to get one of those general jobs.

Honestly, it's all a bit overwhelming, I wish college taught me how to look for a job and best practices. It'll probably be a week before I reorient myself from how I was previously conducting my job search to how I plan to now.

Anyways thank you for the advice, hopefully I have more success at finding a general job than I did a career one. I really thought getting a college degree would make it easier to get a job (just like those aspies you mention in the first paragraph) but as I have spent 5 months searching with limited success I now believe I need to get ANY job and just start working.

I might make one other suggestion. After graduating from college, I joined the Air National Guards. I drew lottery number one in the draft during the Vietnam war and this was one of the options available. I went through boot camp and tech school and then I served for 6 years part-time (basically one weekend per month and 2 weeks during the summer). It gave me good pocket changes while I pursued a career. And it didn't interfere when I eventually found my first career job. Sometimes military experience can help in landing your first job.

Some on this site have indicated that being an Aspie precludes them from exercising this option. I never had a problem. But I was in many years ago.

Also one other word of advise. When I went looking for work after graduation, I was in the middle of a vicious recession. I lived on the West Coast and there were no job openings in my career field at the time. I visited and applied at 200 companies in person and I sent out an additional 300 resumes. And that produced no offers. But my vision was too small. Because jobs did exist but they were on the East Coast at the time. Had I expanded the search region, I probably would have found an offer.

I don't understand this...

You had already gotten a job as a lab assistant and then quit that job...so you could work in 'fast food'?

Why?


Also though you can list any job you have had as job experience for a new job, it doesn't have to be the job you are applying for.

As a US citizen I looked for jobs all across the country, from California to Connecticut. Why limit my search?

Apprenticeship

Internship

Volunteer

Hi
I have just found this foundation while I was browsing a jobsite.
http://specialisterne.com/
Theoretically they are a non profit organization helping autists onto the job market. They operate in a few countries and as I understand they offer different type of help depending on the sub organization. Some offer help with the application process some courses, or consultation... Mostly they are operating in the IT sector but I think it worth a try maybe they can help with general advice too.

My voc rehab counselor referred me to an organization that was supposed to help me get a job. Anyways I had job experience but the organization told me I needed to call after I submit my apps. I was applying for entry level minimum wage type jobs like retail & custodial which I have experience working at. Whenever I called, I got told things like how they got hundreds of apps & don't have time to go through em all. I think the problem at least here in the US is high unemployment & even higher underemployment. Lots of people who have tons of experience are working minimum wage entry level jobs so companies can afford to be picky about experience & other hiring requirements. It is definitely an employers market instead of a job seekers market.

Volunteer work can open a lot of doors in the employment world and especially if it is something like cooking because it will look good on your resume. Also, have you thought of volunteering in other lab or research settings? Those could open doors for you too. Perhaps it could build up your portfolio as well so you can sell your work.

Also, I would also go ahead and have your professor be a reference on your application because they might get you in the door. You also don't have to start out as a cook, you could start at the bottom in doing something like pouring drinks for costumers.

@sweetleaf, I didn't quit. I was only working as an assistant for the summer. It wasn't a full-time` job, it was a part-time position just for the summer. I am now looking for a full-time job with so far, limited success.

@sfbum, Indeed Apprenticeship, Internship, and Volunteering are the ways to go. Although I had hoped to get paid, it's a real downer motivation wise to think all the time and effort I've put in these past few years is still worthless.

@newcomer, thanks, I might take a look if things get worse.

@nickk007, looks like it, I actually bought the crap the media was spewing about how the economy was doing better than ever.

@Summer_Twilight, I don't want to be a cook (I think you mean chef) like an actual cook, that's just the name of the position at Popeyes, you probably shouldn't compare a cook at Popeyes to an actual cook in an actual restaurant.

To elaborate my problem with putting my professor as a reference for a job at Popeyes is more about saving face. Anyways, I've already gotten other references I can use by asking family members for help. So that problem is already solved)

As for serving drinks, customer service isn't exactly my strong suit. In fact, it's my least desirable job of any job I can possibly think of. I would rather work for free interning or volunteering instead of working in customer service.