<p>I need some advice on the best way to do this. I absolutely need something soon. I’ve been applying to various jobs through Pennlink and Monster.com, etc, but only a small fraction get back to me – out of the ones that do, a majority require me to be in person for an interview and don’t do things over the phone (I can’t afford to fly around everywhere), and the rest take forever to correspond with. I’m currently staying in Texas with a relative on a very temporary basis, but I’ve got 30 days from now to find work. </p>
<p>Despite the fact that I am spending all my time applying for work, my relative thinks I am simply being lazy (“If you’re not getting work, it must mean you’re not responding to inquiries”) which is totally untrue. Either way, time is short and I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything and for some reason I just can’t land anything I need. </p>
<p>I am just genuinely confused because I am an extremely strong problemsolver. I had stellar stats in high school and was accepted by multiple Ivies with top grades/scores. My grades took a dive in college, though, due to <em>extreme</em> financial issues, family death, parental struggles, and other personal issues within college itself. My GPA is barely above the 3.0 mark, which isn’t great, but it isn’t the end of the world, either. Regardless, I suspect it’s making work hard to get. It’s not like I can give a laundry list of all the other issues I’ve had to deal with in college on my resume. Every time I’ve had a clear shot to work at something in school, I’ve always been a top contributor/fast learner/quality student – it’s just that so many things got in the way. I’ve been a top performer in some of the harder Wharton courses such as Financial Derivatives/Fnce206 when the external obstacles were mild, but otherwise things went downhill with all that was going on.</p>
<p>Either way, finding work right now is so incredibly difficult and I need a miracle. Any advice you guys can give me would me more than appreciated. I’m trying to relocate and find work, but I just don’t know the best way to make this happen.</p>
<p>This may seem lame, but set up a google alert for every single company that you can think of that you might want to work for. I did this so that I wouldn’t overlook any news stories about my clients, but for one of my clients I get an alert every time they have a job posting. (It’s pretty much daily.)</p>
<p>I currently do that, actually (not Google alert) but I do check up on a massive list of companies and send resumes frequently when there are new openings.</p>
<p>What kind of work are you looking for? Craigs list also has a lot pf postings. Can you try for seasonal work or a temp agency to tide you over? </p>
<p>Check the web pages of all local businesses. Many will not post jobs on open boards but will do so on their own web pages. Around here banks are hiring tellers, businesses are hiring admin asisstants and clerks. They may not be glamorous but they are a way to get in the door. </p>
<p>Then apply in person. Even if they specify on line application only, make the first contact in person or follow up in person. Nothing beats being there in person. When you talk to anyone you must be upbeat and customer focused. No excuses or whining allowed. Let them know what you would be able to do for them. Not what you want them to do for you. </p>
<p>Good luck. It is tough but people are still being hired. Keep working on it and let everyone you know and ask them to tell anyone they know about your search. Most jobs leads will come your way from someone who is known by someone you know.</p>
<p>Just noticed you are trying to re-locate. That is particularly difficult but d-in-law just managed it by phone interview with a very small company and making sure they knew they did not have to pay relocation costs.</p>
<p>The problem is that I currently don’t have a car or means of transportation, and I don’t have the money to fly around to interview/pay for relocation costs. I’m trying to find finance work in a city so I can 1. Use public transport to get to work, 2. Possibly have relocation costs covered, and if not, deducted from salary if it is the difference between getting the job or not. Finding work in another city by a firm willing to cover relocation costs = solves all my current problems.</p>
<p>I’ve looked into craigslist, but a lot of the positions posted seem to be for people with a lot more experience (such as 5 years analyst experience, etc).</p>
<p>Have you checked USAJOBS? They offer entry level jobs. </p>
<p>Companies usually pay for the airline when you are far away, so don’t worry about that. Apply to as many places as possible. A friend of mine has applied to about 120 positions.</p>
<p>legendofmax, it is time to be brutally honest with you. In this economy it would be very unusual for a company to pay for travel or relocation for an entry level person without specialized high demand skills. I have been a hiring manager. It did not happen when the economy was good. It certainly is not happening now. You can continue wishful thinking or you can try for a realistic plan. Look where you are or find someone else to stay with and re-locate to look elsewhere. Why can’t you look for work where you are now? At least temporary work?</p>
<p>BTW - the Federal Government can be notoriously slow in hiring. Do not expect them to solve the problem in 30 days. Have you tried working with your college’s career center?</p>
<p>I don’t have a car, and I do not have any money left (I’ve had to fend for so many costs and fend off school bills during my undergrad years). I’m literally living on one meal every 1-2 days or so in order to stretch out what I’ve got left. A lot of the jobs around where I live are either not hiring or are too far for me to get to (there’s no public transport – you absolutely need a car around here to get around). I also have a crapton of student loans to pay back here shortly.</p>
<p>I’m well aware of the “reality” of the situation, but this is why I made this thread – because I need advice. I don’t have a means of transport and I cannot borrow money from my family or anything like that. It cost me quite a bit just to pay for the flight here to Austin and have my dorm contents shipped. I’m simply trying to get work in a location that will be able to relocate me – if necessary I’m willing to deduct the cost out of salary as a one-time expense.</p>
<p>It’s not like I don’t have high-demand skills, either. I’m very good with quantitative analysis/finance/statistics/technology/etc. Whether it’s tackling derivatives/fixed income securities, making models, learning foreign languages (I’m a white guy who can speak Mandarin, Japanese, etc), picking up computer skills (Excel/VBA, C#, SQL/Access, Flash, Python, etc), analyzing data, etc, I’m a quick learner with a lot to offer. I was accepted into many great colleges back in the day, but the problems kick in when financial support comes into play. It’s extremely, extremely hard to both get into an Ivy (I personally got into like 4 or 5 of them in addition to like 10 other schools), do well, and also find work with no financial/family support. Much of my experience has been a sort of “tossing into a shark pool and figuring it out from there” type of existence. This forum was my primary source of information back during college admissions, and so I figure I have to do it again for jobs.</p>
<p>Your best bet is probably to concentrate your job search in Austin. Not that you shouldn’t look elsewhere, too, but you’re in Austin now and can show up for interviews.</p>
<p>The problem is that I cannot – I’m not allowed to use the car here, and I don’t have any public transport, nor do I know anyone here. I have applied for work here in Austin, but few get back to me either way.</p>
<p>I know the job market it tough, and it is going to take you longer than usual to get your foot in the door. It seems to me the thing you really need is just some money coming in while you look. You may have to cobble together a few part time jobs. Of course these will not pay you what you want or probably deserve, but they will allow you to eat.</p>
<p>Maybe this sounds stupid, but here goes - One suggestion, which I did, was to look into joiinng a big time tutoring outfit part time. Maybe an SAT tutoring outfit. I’m an engineer, and currently make a very good living. But I was out of work on disability for a few years, and as I recovered I wanted to try my foot in the job market to see if I was capable and I signed up with an SAT tutoring outfit. They paid around $30 and hour, found the work for me, and let me schedule my own hours. I personally only took a few clients, but there were kids there, graduates of Ivy League schools, who were doing it while they pursued other careers (in most cases acting or other entertainment industry stuff since I live in LA). I think they supported themselves.</p>
<p>It doesn’t have to be this, but this could at least bring in some money while you look. Wish I had a silver bullet for you.</p>
<p>I agree with Singersmom. My company does not pay to fly out or relocate entry level workers. I may have missed this (skimming) but did you graduate from college? If so tap into their them for help. Your best bet, for now, is to try and find a job close to where you currently live. Get some experience under your belt and then look into jobs further from home base. Do not limit yourself or get your self pigeon-holed. </p>
<p>If you did graduate from college and can afford the additional dept, maybe this is a good time to go to grad school. </p>
<p>I’ve taught SAT Preparation courses before during my undergrad years via travel to Conshohocken – I had applied for a teaching gig over in Japan to teach English a week ago, but it fell through because I couldn’t make it to the Chicago office to interview in person. Transportation is a huge problem right now because I have no means of getting around. It’s why I am trying to find a firm that will be willing to phone interview/relocate (I am even willing to reimburse… all I want is to be able to start working in a big city).</p>
<p>mamom: My entire undergrad experience is currently a debt of mine… I’m not sure if I can afford grad school, especially with a GPA as low as mine. I would still need to relocate to grad school either way.</p>
<p>And yes, I graduated from Wharton with majors in Finance and OPIM.</p>
<p>I would call the job/career people at Penn (you paid a lot of money to that place) and tell them your situation and beg for help getting some interviews. I know my son talked to an Austin financial consulting company on campus. Since you are IN Austin, they might be willing to interview you. What happened to the Chicago job- is it definitely a no-go?</p>
<p>They have been very slow in getting back to me regarding its status. I had spoken with the HR director last week after having received no response for a week and a half, who told me the CEO (the one who would ultimately be making the decision) was out sick, and told me he’d get back to me shortly. A week later, nothing. I left a voicemail yesterday, and still no response. Called today, no pickup.</p>
<p>I left emails with three separate career services members from Wharton this morning explaining the situation, so I’ve got that in the pipes too.</p>
<p>OK, so contact them and seek out their help. A low GPA is a problem. Not only is starting salary usually based on GPA but just getting an interview can be tough. </p>
<p>You said you have worked as an SAT tutor, put an ad in the local paper, it may be one way to make fairly good money. What about as a substitute teacher? Or teaching at a community college. </p>
<p>I would not hire an unexperienced worker without being able to look them in the eye. An interview over the phone does not cut it. I do know there are teaching jobs overseas (if that is something you may be interested in) for college grads. McD’s, Walmart, all those big firms are usually looking for management trainees. Maybe not what you had in mind, but something to start with.</p>
<p>Just keep an open mind, I almost think having a deadline is a good thing, keeps you moving forward. Good luck, I am rooting for you.</p>
<p>This is a bad time of the year, even in good years to be looking for work. Hiring slacks off considerably during the holidays. You have done due diligence, wait a little while to contact again. I know my boss is ridiculously slow in making decisions, and takes months to make up his mind. Afraid to make a bad decision, or afraid someone better is just around the corner. Not everyone is like that though. From my experience there are many companies out there who just never contact the folks they aren’t interested in. How hard is it to send a form letter?</p>
<p>I don’t want to leave you on a bad note. I will hire someone with a low GPA over someone with a higher GPA if they are a “worker”. I want someone who is motivated and willing to “take it all on” type of guy/gal. Make sure that stands out in your resume, cover letter and references.</p>
<p>Max, I hope you take this the right way. You must find some work, so that you can earn some money to live, and then to figure out how to find a better job. If you are smart enough to graduate from Wharton, saying that you can’t go to a job interview because you have no transportation sound extremely, as you kids say “lame.” I have been an impoverished student. I have traveled by bus for long distances. I have worked at less than stellar jobs, and so, may I add, have many other graduates of prestigious and non prestigious colleges. </p>
<p>I know people who came to this country with nothing, speaking no english, with little education and they managed to find work and a place to live. Since you sound like a person that people would trust, how about looking to be someone’s personal assistant, or house sitter with use of car etc. You would get to use the car, earn money, have a place to live, and you can plan your next move. Now is not a great time to expect that a great job at Morgan Stanley will just materialize. Banks and finance and real estate are as you know, in the tank. If you can’t get to an interview, how can anyone hire you? Take a cab locally to something that you are fairly sure of getting, and start living.</p>
<p>I am sorry if this seems harsh. I would give this same advice to a close friend or relative. Wishing you all the best.</p>