Free Career and Job Search Advice

cukababy · Newbie Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

Since I graduated a year ago, I've had two jobs. The first one i left because working the required 58-60 hours a week was more than I was willing to work. At my last job, I got dismissed due to the fact that they felt I wasn't professional enough.

For the last 3 months, I've put in tons of applications with companies and even staffing agencies. I've even been to several interviews. However, none have resulted in a job offer. The last job I applied for I was told I was turned down because I'd only stayed at my last two jobs for a few months (5-6 months) and because I'd gotten a bad reference from the job I was terminated from.

I do currently have a job but it is extremely below my qualifications, pays poorly, and prevents me from being able to spend almost any time with my family due to the hours. In addition, it is a dead end job with no real prospects for promotions.

Please help me!! I'm so depressed and dejected after all these let downs. I feel like at 23, my career is dead.

lexa10881 · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:48 am Post subject:

Keep persisting in your job search. You are not happy at your current job but the only way to remedy that is by finding another one. n the meantime, I hope you survive!

The following has to do with being fired and how to address that issue during a job interview. I hope it is helpful to you. Keep looking; I hope it works out for you!

http://www.cvtips.com/justification_for_being_fired_interview.html

david90 · New User Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Career Advice: +0/-0

I think i'm in the same boat as you. I worked at my last job only for 6 months and I think it is hurting my job search. I feel that my resume is pretty good but i'm not getting a lot of calls.

What field r u in?

cukababy · Newbie Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

I've been working in clerical/administrative positions.

Sephirothevil · Newbie Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

You know I could be wrong but I have been told now a days sometimes people that are looking for new workers sometimes are just "head hunting".

I read in a few websites that they just collecting resumes and thats it. They aren't looking for anyone really just collecting resumes.

You never know.

Keep trying because I'm in the same boat as you so don't give up.

Debstwocats · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:59 am Post subject: Bad reference

I didn't think anyone was allowed to give a bad reference.

If the employee was stealing or making a nuisance of themselves in the workplace I could see it being a problem but seems to me like they are doing this deliberately.
Nobody should stop anyone from getting work.
Even ex offenders are given a second chance.
Some Employers need to take a step back and look at the whole picture before sending out bad references - that's just appauling.

Hope you get a decent job soon

ank06 · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 247 Career Advice: +1/-0

I like the post above me...I like it a lot. I'm telling my boss I'm leaving tomorrow...after only 2 months of work....bad choice of job for sure...what am I supposed to do? Hang myself? I don't think so. But I'm not leaving with a bad reference, no way.
In my country there is one thing called amiable separation, meaning both parts agree to the ending of the working contract. This I hope will be my way out without any sort of future probrems.
God help!

Debstwocats · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:02 pm Post subject: Bad reference

Ank06

You sound like you have a lot of guts and detemination - any company should be proud to have someone like that work for them

It is their loss I feel you will go onto bigger and better things.

Keep smiling the goal is within your grasp.

Is there some place in your country that you can speak to about references? We have the citizens advice bureau and they help with all sorts of problems.

I do hope you manage to get this sorted out.

Fingers crossed for you x

Randy

quote="cukababy"

The first one i left because working the required 58-60 hours a week was more than I was willing to work.

Good for you!

At my last job, I got dismissed due to the fact that they felt I wasn't professional enough.

And IF you could ever find out the truth, chances are better than even that you were let go so someone could bring in a cousin or some such. Happens all the time.

The last job I applied for I was told I was turned down because I'd only stayed at my last two jobs for a few months (5-6 months)

And that's just crap! If you had been at one place for ten years they're just as likely to then say you're "overqualified."

and because I'd gotten a bad reference from the job I was terminated from.

And I don't know about the rest of the world, but this country desparately needs to require (!) employers to give the leaving employee a written, notarized, and signed in blood evaluation that becomes THE official "recommendation," good or bad.

All this behind-your-back "hearsay" is BS!

spend almost any time with my family due to the hours.

Oh, you're so great! Got all your priorities in order at such an early age!

I'm so depressed and dejected after all these let downs. I feel like at 23, my career is dead.

Ah, but clearly your soul is still intact! Don't let the bastards wear you down.

I'm almost 55, just got laid-off from job #50! Employers in this country are two-faced, back-stabbing weasels and don't deserve the air they breathe.

Try this:

When asked about the reason you left the first job, use truck-driver speak (that's the kind of hours you were working). Tell them it was due to "time at home." That immediately establishes for any future employer your priorities in life. Then if the person interviewing you is so stupid they still don't get it (and trust me, most of the interviews I have are with trolls), THEN you can explain the 60-hour weeks and so forth.

About that second one?

Very simple. When you fill out the application and the "reason for leaving"? Lie! Yes, LIE LIE LIE!

Look, employers lie to us all the time. They lie to us to sell us their products, they lie to us to tell us what a great company they are. They lie, it's all they know.

So state the reason for leaving as "personal"!

Why do this? Because now the person doing the interview must ask you what happened, right? You can tell them anything you want at this point--that reptilian overlords from another galaxy were keeping you awake at night--it doesn't matter. Because no matter what you tell him, you REASSURE him that you REGRET YOUR FORMER EMPLOYER WAS ANGRY AT YOU FOR LEAVING and then you express concern and worry that he, the former employer, might give you a bad recommendation.

I.E., you've given the potential employer valid reason to have "reasonable doubt" about anything bad your former employer might say while giving yourself the "benefit of the doubt."

And I WILL tell you this because you're so young and I WILL argue it with a anyone, any time, any where:

When all is said and done, you have to know this:

The interview is nothing more than time spent in the presence of one or more persons who will base their decision to hire, or not hire, on whether or not they LIKE you!

I think I even read somewhere on this site about the studies, the facts, the statistics that most all decisions to hire are made within the first five or ten minutes of the interview. What does that tell you?

Face it: They have your resume and application, i.e., all the stated "facts" about your work history, your qualifications, your experience. If you weren't QUALIFIED to actually DO the work, you'd have never been invited to the interview in the first place, right? All they're looking for is someone they "like," someone they "connect" with.

And what they really want is someone they "sense" will be no trouble, or as one vice-president told me one time, they want "warm bodies."

But, you ARE going to be fine. I'm sitting here angry as hell, as depressed and worried as you are, and look how many times I've been throught it! It's never, ever "fun."

Put this way and I'll shut-up: Make sure your confidence and trust is in yourself! NEVER place your hope and trust for your future in the hands of the sociopath we call an "employer."

Debstwocats · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:13 am Post subject: Bad reference

Randy

What a great post! You are so right about Employers. They hire and fire at will and give you false hope, and really it should not be allowed.

I have already written to my MP about internal recruitment - why recruit externally when you already have a candidate for the job - downright ridiculous!

My heart goes out to each and every one of you looking for work. It isn't as easy as some may think, but today I am going for an interview to Teach people how to do CV's and Application Forms etc and I so want the chance to get back into helping people. It is such a rewarding career.

I will keep you posted.

Well done Randy once again that was a great post!

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