Job Hunting Questions

[Twilight Pink]

Hey there everybody! I am gonna be job hunting really soon because my time at my current employers is up (I survived a whole entire year and this is my 2nd job!)... management is tyrannical, too much drama, and its making me have unpleasant thoughts :L the only reason I stay there is because of the pay, pay rate, my little $100 bill a month and the fact I'm paying something really expensive off .I wanna get out of retail. I've learned that i'm not entirely a people person, i'm a very shy person and I prefer either hiding in a stockroom and doing work or just flat out work with animals. Heck I wish there was a job where I can just sit and look pretty and get paid for it  (know any petite-plus size model agencies? I dream of being a pinup model!  )

So i'm wondering what jobs out there can be for a person with just a high school diploma (not planning on starting any kind of school anytime soon  ), I don't drive (my mom and boyfriend are my transportation, so traveling jobs are outta the question) and doesn't involve food (messy, messy, messy! )

I have no idea what a resume and cover letter and I know most jobs ask for that, so if anyone can answer this i'd be incredibly grateful 

And what's a mailroom runner? Anyone have any experience in this? What is it like? (I'm looking at a temp job in doing one :3 )


Thanks for all of your help and suggestions! I really appreciate it

[Pokeyonekenobie]

I don't know about a mail room runner, but I do know that generally you don't need a degree to be a Library Page.  That's the person that puts the books on the shelves.  For the most part there's minimal interaction with people.  There are a few people that will ask you where to find a book, but most will go to one of the desks to ask.  Management varies depending on the library.  I've worked for two different library systems and I hated one but I love the one I'm at now, all because of the management.  Plus most libraries are either city or county run so you tend to get holidays off and sometimes they'll even provide sick/vacation leave to part timers (again it depends on the library system, but you won't know until you look into it).  And the hours tend to be fairly steady so you can easily work other activities in (and if you do plan to go back to school most librarians are willing to work with your schedule).  Pages at the library I work at now work from 8-12.  I kind of miss that lovely part time schedule because I got so much done in the afternoons, but I work full time now and I'm always off by 5 unless I agree to change up my schedule for something (like movie night). 

Another suggestion: With the holidays coming up, check with your local post office or UPS store.  See if they need help in the back room instead of up front. 

[banditpony]

What about a cleaning job?

[Twilight Pink]

What about a cleaning job?

Heh, unfortunately I don't think  that's field would be for me ^_^;. My mom's a janitor for an elementary school and she tells me the horrors she deals with 

Post Merge: November 05, 2016, 07:57:54 AM

I don't know about a mail room runner, but I do know that generally you don't need a degree to be a Library Page.  That's the person that puts the books on the shelves.  For the most part there's minimal interaction with people.  There are a few people that will ask you where to find a book, but most will go to one of the desks to ask.  Management varies depending on the library.  I've worked for two different library systems and I hated one but I love the one I'm at now, all because of the management.  Plus most libraries are either city or county run so you tend to get holidays off and sometimes they'll even provide sick/vacation leave to part timers (again it depends on the library system, but you won't know until you look into it).  And the hours tend to be fairly steady so you can easily work other activities in (and if you do plan to go back to school most librarians are willing to work with your schedule).  Pages at the library I work at now work from 8-12.  I kind of miss that lovely part time schedule because I got so much done in the afternoons, but I work full time now and I'm always off by 5 unless I agree to change up my schedule for something (like movie night). 

Another suggestion: With the holidays coming up, check with your local post office or UPS store.  See if they need help in the back room instead of up front.

Working at a library is something that's always on my mind, but I was told you needed some kinda librarians degree to work there which is weird to me since all I want to do is put books back on the shelf...

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Well... if you want to work badly enough, you won't say that certain jobs are "beneath" you - remember, someone chose to work that job you're complaining you wouldn't do! 

[Twilight Pink]

Well... if you want to work badly enough, you won't say that certain jobs are "beneath" you - remember, someone chose to work that job you're complaining you wouldn't do!

Well I do have preferences

[Mkia]

You can find loads of information on resumes and cover letters if you do a quick Google search. There are even websites that will compile a basic one for you for free - you just enter your info (work history, etc).

As for what job, that's up to you. Most career-type jobs require degrees, which is why you find that most entry level jobs are retail or food service, but not all. Pokeyonekenobie gave you some good advice. But it'll be hard to find a non retail, non food, non customer service job. Maybe look into stores needing stocking associates? It's still retail but less customer service based. Though those hours are usually nights.

Good luck

[Pokeyonekenobie]

I don't know about a mail room runner, but I do know that generally you don't need a degree to be a Library Page.  That's the person that puts the books on the shelves.  For the most part there's minimal interaction with people.  There are a few people that will ask you where to find a book, but most will go to one of the desks to ask.  Management varies depending on the library.  I've worked for two different library systems and I hated one but I love the one I'm at now, all because of the management.  Plus most libraries are either city or county run so you tend to get holidays off and sometimes they'll even provide sick/vacation leave to part timers (again it depends on the library system, but you won't know until you look into it).  And the hours tend to be fairly steady so you can easily work other activities in (and if you do plan to go back to school most librarians are willing to work with your schedule).  Pages at the library I work at now work from 8-12.  I kind of miss that lovely part time schedule because I got so much done in the afternoons, but I work full time now and I'm always off by 5 unless I agree to change up my schedule for something (like movie night). 

Another suggestion: With the holidays coming up, check with your local post office or UPS store.  See if they need help in the back room instead of up front.

Working at a library is something that's always on my mind, but I was told you needed some kinda librarians degree to work there which is weird to me since all I want to do is put books back on the shelf...

Nope, not always necessary.  In fact, my degree is in Theatre.  To officially have the title of Librarian you do need a Masters of Library Science (MLS) degree from an accredited American Library Association (ALA) program but I'm a Library Technical Assistant (fancy name for "works check-out desk and other odd jobs") and I don't have one.  A good number of the people I work with are going after their MLS degrees but I haven't had the desire to do so and it isn't an issue.  I still get to create displays, help with Comic Con, supervise movie nights, face paint for different Children's department activities, and I'm the official Library photographer.  Being a Page is a great way to get your foot in the door especially if you're not sure whether or not you want to pursue an MLS degree.  And if you do decide to go to school for it later there's a chance the library you're working for will help with tuition.  As someone who has worked fast food and retail, I can tell you that I really enjoy working at the library.  (Though, to be fair, if I still lived in Florida I would probably still be working at Disney World-I think that was my favorite job ever.)

[scarletjul]

You've gotten some good advice so far. 

Resumes require the basics.  Name, contact info, education and work history.  Be sure to highlight anything that you've learned at you're job and that you are good at.  (e.g. - computers, registers, customer service) 

Cover letters are a way to showcase who you are.  Contact information again and then a brief introduction about who you are and why you'd be good fit at such and such company. 

There are websites that will help you write both but keep in mind that neither of these should be more than a page long. 

You can find loads of information on resumes and cover letters if you do a quick Google search. There are even websites that will compile a basic one for you for free - you just enter your info (work history, etc).

As for what job, that's up to you. Most career-type jobs require degrees, which is why you find that most entry level jobs are retail or food service, but not all. Pokeyonekenobie gave you some good advice. But it'll be hard to find a non retail, non food, non customer service job. Maybe look into stores needing stocking associates? It's still retail but less customer service based. Though those hours are usually nights.

Good luck

Not all retail jobs are busy.  I worked retail for almost ten years.  One job was always busy.  Another never had any customers (seriously, we used to play video games behind the registers and take super long lunches.)  Sometimes, it is just luck. 

Also some retail jobs (like the Gap) have stock people who work during the day.  Or work mostly the fitting rooms.  You can try making requests. 

You can also try banks, which do require some customer interaction but are generally quiet and close early.  I think the post office requires a test and training?  Some admin. jobs don't require experience (most do,) but a lot of them do require a car so read the ads carefully if you go that route.

Good luck! 

[ponyqueen]

Look into volunteer opportunities to gain skills and network. Volunteering shows passion and ambition, and often leads to paid positions and valuable contacts. It is especially strategic for a those with limited education or when changing fields. It just takes a few hours a week.

To get you started, here is a link to your city's volunteer recruitment page:

https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicEnterprise/861c9866-2d48-482e-b325-5cd4c22893f4

[ghouldilocks]

A resume and cover letter is essential, particularly as you're an adult looking for a job, not a high school student; I'm surprised you didn't learn to do these in school, actually - when I was in high school, we were required to take a BCIS course where we learned the ins and outs of MS Office (although most of us already knew, haha) as well as resume formatting. Of course, I'm told they don't even teach cursive in schools anymore, but resume formatting is still an important thing to know. But I digress, lol.

Most word processing programs will have built-in resume templates that you can use and build from - that's how I made mine. I just picked a template I mostly liked, and edited it from there to make it more how I like it. You want to keep it brief if you can (one sheet), but mine is longer (partly because I've had a fair few jobs in the past 10 years, and because I included a page with references). Here's a link to my resume (with some information redacted, of course, lol); hopefully it will give you some ideas as well: https://www.dropbox.com/s/glxfwu8b9ys3toc/Resume%20-%20sample.docx?dl=0.  And this is my cover letter (a cover letter isn't necessary for ALL jobs, but it's good to have one anyway): https://www.dropbox.com/s/2yavqn7gv4mkacr/Cover%20Letter%20-%20Sample.docx?dl=0

Also keep in mind that you may want to look for things very near where you live or where your mom/boyfriend work, because many places want to hire people who have reliable transportation, and if you're dependent upon someone else to get to work, that could potentially not fit within their definition of being wholly reliable.  Places that hire high school students don't always have as strict an idea of what sort of transport they consider to be reliable, since many high school students don't drive, but that's why many places only hire people starting at 16 years old - that's typically when people start driving, haha. If you live actually IN Ft Worth, though, you have the T and the TRE, so that could help you out some, too.

I get you on not being much of a people person; but no matter what job you end up getting, there will be interaction with other people, to varying extents.  You have to find a way to not let it be an issue for you - I like to mentally prepare myself for work usually by approaching it as if it were a role I'm playing in a play or something; me as a person has wicked social anxiety and generally prefers to work independently rather than with other people, and I hate talking on the phone. Me as a character is equally capable working independently or with a group (and often ends up in some type of leadership role, either officially or unofficially). That sort of thing. You can certainly try to look only for jobs that sound like they'd have more minimal human interaction, but don't hold your breath for one, or you'll be looking for a LONG time.

And remember as well that no matter where you work, there will always be at least one person you just absolutely do not like for whatever reason - that is just a fact of life. You just have to maintain professionalism; it's hard when it's an issue with management, though, which I also totally understand - that's why I left my last job.  I was just done with the way the department was run, and since I had no aspirations of moving up in the ranks there, I opted to leave instead.

Leading from that, think about and rehearse tactful ways of describing the issues you had with your current and previous jobs:  most job interviews I've been in, I've been asked to describe what I did AND didn't like about my last job, and many applications even ask you to explain your reasons for leaving your other jobs.  The trick is to be honest with them while at the same time not straight-up whining/complaining/trashing your other employers. They aren't going to want to hire someone who has a bad attitude about it! Make sure you do some research on the company and/or store location before any interviews as well; they want to know whether you'll be a good fit, which includes having an active interest in wanting to work there, beyond just needing the paycheck - after all, if you are only after a paycheck, there are number of other places you could potentially be working. Why do you want to work THERE, specifically?

Furthermore, do you have any idea as to what you're interested in doing as a career? That can be a big help when you're job hunting, as you can look for jobs that will give you related skills, or could be a foot in the door prior to getting higher education (some employers also offer tuition reimbursement if you decide to go back to school, or depending on the job, may even sponsor your education in part or completely). Volunteer work in addition to a new job could benefit you as well. It looks good on resumes, as it gives potential employers an idea of what you care about as a person, and tells them that you can be motivated to work hard for more than just a paycheck. If you volunteer in something unrelated to your job, it could be a nice outlet for you that is separate from a stressful job, and could also be a stepping stone to future employment that is related to the volunteer-work, as ponyqueen said.

I hope that was all helpful! I'm sure some of it you may have already known, but if you have any other questions, please feel free to keep asking! I have been on many, MANY a job interview, and am still in the process of hunting myself, so I'm right there in it, lol.

[northstar3184]

Do you have a career center near where you are? Those are great places for help with cover letters, resumes, etc.... It's also really important to have someone proofread those materials, as hiring personnel are often very strict about grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

Have you thought about working in a factory? They usually have abundant entry level jobs with nice pay.

I worked as a library page in high school. While it was an easy job, the pay was only minimum wage and the hours were very minimal (I think I worked 5 hours a week).

UPS and Fedex would be great places to apply this time of year. They usually need seasonal help so its the opportune time to try to get your foot in the door.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Don't forget non-profits!  They don't pay as much entry-level, but if you are doing something you are passionate about, you will build skills in other areas while having fun!

[SnorkMaiden]

What are your IT skills like? If you have decent Word and Excel skills, maybe an office job would be for you? In many areas, entry-level office jobs are easy to find. You'll still have to interact with people, but unlike in retail, they'll be people you know, rather than a lot of strangers. Plus, if you find that you enjoy office work, many employers offer all sorts of classes to further your skills. It could be the start of a career.

[Skeen]

Just keep in mind no matter where you work, there will *always* be people you don't like.  They may be your managers, they may be your co-workers.  You still have to be able to smile and be polite to them, even when you want to beat them to death with your stapler.  That's basically what having a job is.