Eight More Excuses for Why You Haven’t Found a Job Yet.
There seems to be a pattern emerging among many of my friends. Although they are all well-qualified, driven and actively seeking jobs, a majority of them are coming up empty handed. So, in honor of my flailing friends, here’s an article with some reasons why your job search may be taking longer than you (or your parents) would like.
Eight Reasons Why Your Job Search May Be Taking Longer Than It Should by Andrew Jensen from Associated Content outlines the top reasons you may be missing the employment mark.
One. Expectations are Unreasonable: If you feel like your job search has been taking too long, try adjusting your expectations for how you define “too long.” It could take you between six months and a year to land your dream job. So, be patient.
Two. Shooting Too High: You could be applying for jobs that your experience doesn’t yet fit. Be honest with yourself. Get others’ opinions on what jobs you should be applying for.
Three. Not Focused Enough: Focusing your job search on a single industry or a handful of companies works much better than blanketing your resume to a hundred companies across the internet.
Four. No Clarified Goals: Before you start looking for a job, you need to define what you’re looking for. If you know where you want to go, you’ll know where to start.
Five. Ineffective Search Methods: Are you only applying for jobs online? Are you mass distributing your resume without direct contacts in the companies? There are more effective methods. Use them.
Six. Resume Problems: Have a professional look over your resume to look for basic editing errors, gaps in experience or formatting issues. You’re resume is your first impression. Make it a good one.
Seven. Interviewing Problems: If you’re getting interviews but no offers, your interviewing skills are probably not up to par. Do some research or meet with a professional for one-on-one interview training. It’ll pay off.
Eight. Poor Use of Time: The more time you spend maintaining relationships, networking and job searching, the more effective your search will be, and the faster you’ll get that job.
Nine. Impending National Recession? Well, maybe.
Image from newsbusters.com
Moving Out of Your Parent’s Pad (AGAIN!)
In case you haven’t been following the news, more than 60 percent of recent college graduates are moving home after graduation. There are so many of us moving back in with our parents that our generation has been unofficially renamed “The Boomerang Generation.”
You probably know how I feel about this rebranding. But regardless of what they’re calling us behind our backs and to our faces, the ultimate issue remains: the majority of us are living at home, and we need to get out of there!
Are You Ready to Move Out of Your Parent’s House? by Jody Morse asks the hard questions you should ponder before you move out (again).
1. Do you have a stable job? “Stable” job should also be interpreted as “real” job. You can’t expect to live off the online sale of your beanie babies or baseball cards, or by working 10 hours a week at your local coffee shop (unless they pay you $100 an hour to steam milk).
2. Can you pay your rent? If you’re entire pay check is going to rent, your living situation is unrealistic – either downsize (whatever you may think, you don’t need that second bedroom for your collection of commemorative shot glasses) or go back home to mom and dad.
3. Will you be able to afford other expenses? There’s much more to worry about than rent (like food, utilities, internet, cable, cell phone, credit card bills, furniture etc. etc. etc.)
4. Are you willing to make sacrifices? The bottom line is if you are living with your parents, you current job probably isn’t paying much anyway. Living on your own will only make that worse. So, think twice before that Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale shopping spree, the big screen TV purchase or the new car loan.
5. Should you consider a roommate? Clearly having someone with whom you can split expenses is a good idea, especially if you’re on a tight budget. So, the roommate that you found on Craigslist disappeared in the middle of the night? I’m sure he’ll be back in no time with all of your missing electronics.
6. Are you emotionally ready to leave home? It seems like a dumb question, but maybe moving back home wasn’t truly about your lack of funds. Perhaps your move home was a reaction to you not wanting to enter the real world, make necessary sacrifices and transition to adulthood. Think about it.
Whether you’re ready to move out or not, go right now and hug your parents. Ten bucks says they are as bummed as you that you’re living at home again. So, tell mom and dad thanks.
photo from peoplejam.com
We’re the Boomerang Generation? You Must Be Mistaken.
There have been tons of articles reporting lately that about 60 percent of recent college graduates are moving back home with their parents. So, what? Right? Well, that’s a way higher percentage than any other generation before us. There are so many of us living high school-style with the rents that our generation has been renamed “The Boomerang Generation.” There’s even a Wikipedia page describing our failure and thus our rebranding.
I get the boomerang joke, i.e., we’re returning back like a boomerang. But I would prefer to be renamed for an object more age appropriate for us 20-somethings. We could, for example, be the Skip It generation. It’s the same concept, duh.
Or we could be the Stick-Ums generation. You know, that amazing Velcro toss game that you could play for hours, or until your dog got a hold of the tennis ball and either wouldn’t give it back or slobbered on it so thoroughly that it would no longer stick to the disk. Who doesn’t remember the trademark Velcro
CCCRRRRUUUUCCCHHHHH sound that probably drove our parents crazy. Now that’s an appropriate name for our generation! After college, back at home, driving our parents crazy again, but this time with the ever-so cheerful sounds of Twiiter updates on the minute and an incessant stream of 30 second song clips from iTunes.
I am disappointed with the renaming attempt. But regardless of the new title, our generations’ situation is dire. Don’t fret if you’re living at home, though. You are not alone, and help is on the way. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts about successfully moving back in with Mom and Dad, and how to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.
Oh, and do me a favor? Anytime you hear someone refer to us as the boomerang generation, kindly and confidently remark that they must be mistaken. We’re the Stretch Armstrong generation. Clearly, we always return to our original…uh…home address.
Graduation Inspiration from a Magnificent Muggle
In case the commencement speech at your graduation was less than impressive, here’s a taste of the speech that a six-figure education at an Ivy League school would have earned you.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, spoke at the 2008 Harvard graduation ceremony. If you have an extra 20 minutes for a little inspiration, watch on.
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It’s Graduation Day. Try Not to Throw Up.
Hello world! Again. You know that feeling when you get to the airport before a big trip? You’re really excited, but you can’t help but think you forgot something? That’s how I’ve been feeling the last couple of weeks months. In the hustle and bustle of PReparing for my life, I forgot one little thing: blogging. Oops.
In the interest of moving forward (and trying to forget the fact that this is my first post in nearly a decade), let’s talk about graduation. Pat yourself on the back. You made it, or at the very least, you tricked the registrar’s office into believing you already finished those online classes so you can graduate with your friends in June – nobody wants to walk alone in September.
I hope you’ve sent out your announcements. Unfortunately, if you don’t already know, our country is currently in what the people in charge call a “slow down” (aka devastating economic recession). What does that mean for us? A crap job market, a gallon of gas costing more than a pint of good beer, a pint of good beer costing so much you might actually just have one and the majority of graduation cards containing ONLY words of congratulations and wisdom. Hey, everybody’s hurting.
So, in lieu of cash from your Uncle Randy and Aunt Vi, I’ve found some practical ideas for how to make a little money, let’s just say, the old fashioned way. Here are some moneyinstructer.com tips.
1. Reconsider babysitting. I’m sure not all kids hate you.
2. Become a parent’s helper. Get paid to do all the lame tasks real adults don’t want to do.
3. House cleaning. You still have that Swiffer from freshman year, right?
4. Lemonade stand. On the rocks with a shot of vodka, perhaps?
The article goes on to list car washing, house and pet sitting and landscaping. Ok, joke’s over. If you didn’t already realize, those are tips for how kids can make extra money. In times like these, though, you never know what you’ll do for a little cash in hand. See you on the sidewalk! Fresh squeezed lemonade only $5 a glass. Liquor not included.
Image from art.com.
Advice We Probably Don’t Want to Hear
Things have been crazy over the past couple of weeks. Now that my life has calmed, let’s get back on track. Advice for graduates is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t listen to it. 23 Pieces of Advice that College Graduates Don’t Want to Hear by Valerie S. Johnson gives some good advice that we might need to listen to. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Show up at work. It’s not like class. You just can’t skip.
2. Deal with your debt before it gets worse. Step one: Stop charging.
3. Don’t rush to buy all the expensive toys and trappings of adult life. Just be patient.
4. Spend less than you earn. There’s a difference between a “want” and a “need”.
5. Start an emergency fund. Bad things happen, so be ready.
6. Put time and energy into worthwhile friendships. It may be hard to make time, but your good friends are worth it.
“Graduates, go forth and conquer the world. Follow your dreams. Take risks. Have fun. But please follow some of this advice. Otherwise, in the not-so-distant future, in a not-so-distant galaxy, you’ll wish you had.”
We will try.
