I have never had a REAL job before. I've done plenty of volunteer work for non-profits such as churches, Susan G. Komen For the Cure, and a variety of other organizations, but I've never been able to get a long term paying gig. Every counselor and website I sought for advice told me to do volunteer work because you can put it on your resume, but while it is valuable advice, it doesn't pay the bills.
I worked with my church for about three years throughout high school and did some random volunteer work with various organizations during the last five years. I had never been able to get a job, though. Maybe it was because I was looking for a job in California, an overpopulated state with serious budget issues. Maybe I just wasn't as serious about the hunt as I thought I was. But eventually, I finally caught a break.
My friend is a notorious Facebook stalker and, for once, it turned out in my favor. She sent me a text late one night and told me that a linen store in the center of town was hiring. I went out immediately the next day, not expecting any luck, and applied in the store. I wore casual but conservative clothing (jeans and a loose fitting T-shirt that didn't show any cleavage). Not to anyone's shock, they interviewed me on the spot.
In this first meeting, I utilized some of the most important tips I ever gained from all the job hunting research I did. I wore clothing that didn't portray me in a negative fashion. Granted, it's the middle of July, I still went out in jeans that might be considered a little tight, but paired it with a classy summer shirt. I didn't show my shoulders and made sure the shirt was long enough before I left the house. There is no way I can stress this enough: no one wants who could hire you wants to see your midriff. Employers also want you to answer their questions with replies other than those you find on the internet. The idea that you should portray yourself as a workaholic who goes above and beyond everyday is a good idea, but they get these same answers from every interviewee and they're sick of it. By sitting down for an hour or so with a list of popular questions and coming up with original answers that portray you in a positive light but really show who you are, you will score your dream job!
So the interview went great with the manager on duty that day. He set up an appointment for the next day so that I could meet with the head honcho. This second interview was much more nerve racking for me. I wore a nice shirt with a casual blazer and some dark wash jeans. The interview was very short, about five minutes. He didn't talk much, only stared at my application for a few minutes and asked me to describe some of the volunteer work I did. I came in the next week to thank the managers for their time and they offered me a position.
Just to kick things up a notch, I was offered a position two weeks later by another company that sells bathroom items.
All I can say is that in your own job hunt, never give up. I scored both of these positions because of timing, not because I regularly came back to remind them I was still looking for a position. I tried doing that with several shops such as REI, YMCA, Target, Nordstrom, and several smaller shops, but I never had any luck. Getting an interview based off of your resume is a very difficult endeavor, and I would never recommend that route to a first time job hunter. If you have never had a job before, put the word out. It is so simple. Tell your friends that you're looking for a job and to tell you if they hear anything. Ask them every now and then if anything has come up (don't harass them, they're not your personal job finders), but if a little bird shares some news with them, they'll pass it your way.
Good luck on your job hunt!
