Twenty-Something and Unemployed

Fellow 20-somethings who are experienced, ambitious go-getters, but currently lost in the workplace----you're not alone. Follow for advice, news & commentary on how to stay positive during your transition.

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

F*ck You, Internal Candidates and Old School Recruiters

Seriously. After interviewing at about 15 different companies over the span of the past year, I factually know that at least two of the positions that I interviewed for had internal candidates. They didn't specify in the job description (I avoid applying to those that say "Strong internal candidate"), and I passed the phone screens and the in-person interviews in flying colors. I made sure to show my expertise in my area--I even had to do an 8-page assignment for one of them. But no job offer from either. Why? Because of their backwards, nontransparent hiring practices.

One question that I ask no matter what now, and you should too when it's your turn to ask them questions, is, "Is this a new position? If not, who is currently managing these responsibilities?" And if they tell you that a temp person is currently there, then you're sh*t out of luck. Usually that means that the job description was made into a full-time position because they recognize the importance of what the temp is doing, which means that the temp is doing a good job. Plus, they already know this person, their work ethic, their potential, etc. You may be lucky enough to come across one of these situations where the temp person actually wants to leave or the company isn't exactly happy with him or her--but that's highly unlikely. They invested their time and resources training this temp to acclimate to the company's culture. It doesn't make sense for them to do it all over again for a new person. And it may not always be a temp. The same can be said for other internal candidates who want to move into another department.

And what's worse than that gut feeling that you get when you find out you are possibly wasting your time is them actually asking you for feedback and advice on how they can improve their company. As a marketing professional, I go into interviews prepared with ideas on how they can better their brand message, marketing campaigns, social media posts, etc. There's nothing more awful than feeling like you're giving a free consultation to a company and you can't do anything about it.

Also, don't quote me on this, but I believe that these "new" job positions are added to the government's statistics of new jobs being created. But, they're not really new jobs, are they? They're the same old existing jobs, repurposed.

Old HR practices do align with a company having to interview outside candidates even if there is an internal person already. But, those old school recruiters can go f*ck themselves and their "new" hires. 

[mapsontheweb]

Youth unemployment in Europe

Source

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

This is sad. We in America aren't the only young people suffering from unemployment. Seems to be a universal thing...

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

This is by far the BEST article that I've read on gaining employment in the company/field that you want. If you don't read it, it's your loss!

~K

[anunemploymentstory]

Thank you for applying. We appreciate your interest and look forward to reviewing your application. We will be in touch in the next 3-4 weeks if we feel there is a strong match. We wish you the best of luck with your employment search! Regards, Recruiting Department

[anunemploymentstory]

Wondering how your University of Pennsylvania classmates are doing?

No, I’m not, LinkedIn, but thanks for pouring salt in the wound. (via anunemploymentstory)

[arobinfishason]

Rejection.

I got rejected for a job that I interviewed for recently… Needless to say I feel like shit. I will cry and be sad about this rejection today, but tomorrow is a new day. I really hope I get a job soon.

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

Stay inspired, motivated, and strong!

[bookishlolita-deactivated202207]

been unemployed for 7 months…yeh

-cries-

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

Try a year and a month!

-dies-

Hang in there! :)

[loregasmic-deactivated20140814]

'MERICUH

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

True that!

[fierzz]

Spongebob is getting too real for me.

[balbontino]

[quotestuff]

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."

Christopher Reeve (via quotestuff)

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

Unemployment Tip of the Day: Enjoy the Little Things

No, I wasn't watching Zombieland when I thought of this (although the job hunting process can sometimes feel like the post-apocalyptic hell to your unemployment notice). But, jokes aside, this transition period is probably very hard on you. You have your bills to pay. Possibly kids to raise. And, the stress of looking for jobs, applying to suitable ones, writing cover letters, and playing the waiting game just makes you want to ram your head in the wall a little more. 

The key to staying sane (besides partaking in some of the activities I mentioned in my previous blog post Don't Go Crazy, Take Up a Hobby), is to simply enjoy the little things that life has to offer. It may be hard at first to give yourself a second to decompress, but you must force yourself to. Happiness is just a state of mind, and it's certainly possible to reroute your thought process to appreciate things during this time. You had no control over your unemployment status. Your company let you go, and it is what it is. But, you DO have control over how you react to the situation. 

A way to enjoy the little things is to assess every sense and feeling you have during a given moment. Reevaluate what makes you happy and you'll be reenergized to take on another day.

[thesundancekidatx]

Round two of unemployment this year, sigh. The last time I was unemployed it was for two months this Summer and it nearly ate my soul; I became depressed, lethargic, and gained weight. During those two months I met a friend who had recently gone through a tough breakup and on a large white board in his living room he had written a sort of daily reminder (top picture) to himself which inspired me to create my own.

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

Great visual reminder of what needs to be done! I encourage everyone to jot down their goals, not just job hunting-related, but self-improvement ones. This will help keep you grounded during this transitional period.

~K

[fauxroux]

This whole finding-a-job thing is too similar to the single-and-ready-to-mingle life. Have a nice phone chat? Internally debate when the best time is to hit them up so as to not appear desperate and clingy. Catch them checking you(r portfolio) out a few times? Make sure you’re flawless and nonchalant. “Oh, yeah, I just blogged about something digital and you guys happen to work with online platforms. What a coincidence!”

God help you if you don’t hear from them after a week.

[forbes]

14 Things To Look For When You Go In For A Job Interview

When you visit a company for a job interview, you should be keenly observant from the time you arrive until you say your goodbyes. Here are 14 things to look out for while you’re on an interview.

[20something-and-unemployed-blog]

5 Ways to Maximize Your Time Job Hunting

1. Don't waste your time applying to everything. If you're throwing your resume out there and applying to jobs left and right regardless of whether you're qualified or not, STOP. You are seriously wasting your time. The average online job post receives at least 100 applications--with some going up to 1,000. So, you're competing with all those other applicants. Some are underqualified or overqualified as well, but there is still a large number of people who fit the job description perfectly. Who are you to compete with them? You can't.

The average recruiter takes less than a minute to look at your resume. They skim through to look for keywords and numbers that relate to the job description and move on. If you are overqualified, your chances are a little better. You may have the opportunity to explain why you want this job, but more often than not, companies don't want to hire overqualified people because they generally have had higher past salaries that this role can't compete with and they're cautious of whether you may jump ship when a better offer arises.

TIP: Concentrate on the jobs you are qualified for or just slightly overqualified for. Disregard the jobs that are out of your league. Use your time wisely.

2. Write tailored cover letters and resumes. This should be a no-brainer, but many recruiters still complain that applicants aren't personalizing their application documents enough. If they need to go through at least 100 applications, why would they take the time to read a boring cover letter that looks like you just copy and pasted a template and changed a few words? My sister's friend who is a recruiter at a top banking company said that she was taught by her seniors to throw out and dismiss applications if the first line of the cover letter wasn't interesting to her. So that's all you get. One line. Just one line to impress the recruiter enough to want to read the rest of your cover letter. And even then, you usually first get screened to see if you may be a potential fit before bringing you in for a real interview. 

Resumes are the same deal. If you had marketing, PR, and communications experience in your past but you're applying to a PR job, you should rewrite parts of your resume to conform to PR jargon. And more importantly, you should add words that align to the language and tasks in the job description.

TIP: Write an interesting cover letter that captivates the reader and makes him/her want to continue reading and hopefully bring you in for an interview. Cater your resume to different types of jobs and industries.

3. Set up a schedule. When you've exhausted your video game options and your favorite TV shows are becoming reruns, it's no longer a funemployment. Days seem to drag forever on. You begin to creepily stare out of the window longing for your significant other, roommates, or family members to return home from their jobs. At that point, you should draft and follow a job hunting schedule that works for you. The earlier you wake up, the better. There is a surge of energy that you can only get in the morning. Make yourself a cup of coffee. Cook some bacon and eggs--and get to work.

Although new jobs are posted throughout the day, most jobs are posted in the morning. The early bird still gets the worm, so it makes sense for you to start looking and applying in the morning. My schedule looks something like this:

8:30-9:30am : Look up shareable content. Tweet, write blog posts, share industry news with others, etc.  9:30-10:30am : Search for jobs on job boards (indeed.com, idealist.org). 10:30-11:30am : Apply to relevant/qualified jobs. 11:30-12:00pm : Take a lunch break. 12:00-1:00pm : Search for jobs on company sites (They don't always aggregate to job boards, nor do recruiters always share them). Also, search for jobs on social media sites (LinkedIn, Twitter). 1:00-2:00pm : Apply to relevant/qualified jobs. 2:00pm-2:30pm : Take a break. 2:30pm-4:00pm : Do some self-improvement activities (read books, take online courses, write, etc.).

Of course, no day ever looks exactly like that. I aspire to this schedule to keep me on track. Also, it's been proven that list making jump starts your motivation to finish through to the end. 

TIP: Create a schedule that fits in with your working habits and just start. You'll be surprised how much more you're getting done, because you're utilizing your time more efficiently. Also, it helps to have a varied schedule so that you're not tied down to staring at the same job board 24/7. 

4. Take up a volunteer leadership position or donate your skills through skill sharing platforms.

Find a cause that you're passionate about and offer to help. Many small, local nonprofits actually look for volunteer leaders. They don't have the budget to hire paid staff, so they hope they find passionate people to join their team. If you have marketing skills, try to see if they are open to having a volunteer Marketing Coordinator or Marketing Director. Data entry or legal background? Plenty of opportunities there as well. 

The best part is that you get what you put in. The volunteer position can be added to your resume. The Executive Director or other leadership volunteers can become a wonderful source for references. And if you're lucky enough, you might even learn a thing or two to add to your skill set. 

If you're afraid of long-term commitment to an organization, that's okay too. Platforms and networks like Catchafire are an awesome alternative. All you do is create a profile and they link you up with volunteer projects that you're qualified and suitable for. Like volunteer leadership positions, you can add these projects to your resume, portfolio, and bank of experiences. The difference is that, the commitment level is lower (because they're for set durations with projects being on average just a few months) and there is a wider range of one-time opportunities that you can choose from.

TIP: Employers like to know that you're utilizing your time off. No one wants to hear during an interview that all you've been doing is moping around and snacking all day during your unemployment period. Volunteer roles and opportunities are perfect for you to get out there and show people what you're capable of, while getting a whole lot in return.

5. Improve yourself. You may think that you're great and wonder why employers aren't hiring you, but truth is that there is a lot of competition out there. That's why no matter how skilled you are, you can always improve or sharpen your skill set. One way is through volunteer roles and projects like I mentioned above. There are many other ways and a lot of them are industry specific. But, every 20-something can benefit from creating an industry specific blog or vlog. Want to break into the beauty industry? Start posting makeup tutorials or begin a fashion blog. Even if your readership is low, you are sharpening your writing, editing, and production skills, showing that you're passionate about the industry, and staying on top of industry news/trends.

And this may sound boring, but it shouldn't be if you're really interested in pursuing the industry/job/career that you are seeking: read industry relevant books and take free online courses. Do a bit of research on books that are popular reads for the career you want--and actually read them. You're bound to learn something in this early stage of your career. Check out Coursera.org. They offer free online courses and some are even certificate-bearing for a small fee. They have a wide-range of courses given by top notch professors from top tier schools. 

TIP: Expand your repertoire. You're at the early stage of your career and you should always be looking for ways to improve yourself.  

As always, good luck on your job search! ~K

[jennles-deactivated20140119]

A bad answer to "Why should we hire you?"