And the Job Hunt of 2009 Continues...

[fenderlove]

Put in a lot of resumes, made some calls, sent a crazy-ton of e-mails over the past few days and nothing. I'm still on the search. I have the fear that by the time I actually get a positive call-back I'll be so desperate that I'll accept a job that I cannot live off of. Looks like rent is going to be at least $550-650 a month by what my calling of all the local property people tell me. I need to make at least $9 an hour on a full-time schedule to be able to cover rent, amenities, and make my loan payments every month, and the jobs that are hiring aren't paying anywhere near that. O__o;;; I'm going to be buried underneath a mountain of credit card debt before I'm 25, I can see it now.

Comments

[comic-heroine.livejournal.com]

If worst comes to worst, could I suggest applying to the local hardware store? I'm stuck at lowes while I keep trying to get going in art, and I make 9.24 an hour currently at parttime.

Or there's secretary work if you get lucky.

[emac66.livejournal.com]

What's your skill set? Thought about going back to school? Do a 6 or maybe 12 month course in a specific area, home care, business...whatever, get a school loan and see about any grants. That way you're paying rent, bills etc as well as getting a marketable career. See about deferring credit card payments for a time, make minimum payments etc. Also....go to a financial advisor, see what they can do about helping you out, setting a paymetn schedule, stuff like that. They really are useful if you get a good one.
When you are job hunting, are there any govn't susidised agencies around? They have alot of useful areas also, and they have jobs advertised that you won't have in other places.

[evenstar-estel.livejournal.com]

I wish you the very best of luck. You've got mad skills and acumen, so somewhere's going to snap you up sooner or later.

With Christmas coming at least there's seasonal retail hell to keep your head above water.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

I have a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design from an accredited university in the field, can use both a Mac and PC, can type over 500 words a minute, can use any Microsoft word program, along with the entire Adobe Creative Suite CS-CS4 (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver), can write HTML/CSS/Javascript/PHPMYSQL for web design. I mean, I suppose I could go back to school, but I can't defer my loans (the lenders have already said a big no to that). I don't have any credit cards; I was just stating that at the rate I'm going I will likely be using them to make my loan payments. And I can't get government help in any way because they claim I wasn't employed long enough at my last job. The unemployment and temp agencies won't even put me on their calling list. I guess I don't have any other options besides continuing to pound the pavement, begging for applications.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank you. Macys, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless were all looking for seasonal sales associates, but they all told me the same thing- "We can't hire you. You have a college degree." WTF? I mean, it's just a temp job, so why would they be so weirded out to hire me? I'll keep looking as long as I can afford soda to keep me caffeinated. XD

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I put in an application at Lowe's, but I don't think they're hiring at the nearest location. *crosses fingers* I must be a member of every job-finding website in the world. XD

[comic-heroine.livejournal.com]

I wish you luck regardless! I think you'll have better luck trying in the bigger cities anyhow, but we both know how things are right now. *sigh*

But anyhow, yeah I figure I should at least share that bit of information, since I'm able to make ends meet and be parttime there, which is nice. And unemployment's been a true godsend since I could do it this time around (I got screwed out since i didn't make enough last time), so I can save up, too. But still. I feel your pain sweetie.

*support hugs*

[comic-heroine.livejournal.com]

And passing thought: Since you're in atlanta atm, have you thought of trying to poke around at Cartoon Network? I don't know how much luck you'd have but it'd be better to try than not. Location would be in your favor unlike mine. I had a classmate move to CA, get work and then moved to Georgia recently for CN.

And I admit, I'm very jealous of the support he's had to go and do it, too.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the support hugs! :D

To work for Cartoon Network, you have to apply through Turner Broadcasting, and I just took my resume there the other day. Yay! :D They are looking for a graphic designer at CNN, but maybe they'll think my stuff might be good for an unlisted job at the Cartoon Network. I'd rather work for them or Adult Swim or TruTV. I also took my resume to Channel 2 and Fox Channel 5. I might try to go over to SCAD Atlanta and see if they need an adjunct professor or a tech person. XD

[comic-heroine.livejournal.com]

Good luck with those! I know I'm not the teaching type plus they want masters degrees for that (wtf, I can't afford a masters asides I am not keen on this masters is the new bachelor's bullshit). Theres' a lot of potential for Georgia so it's a bit of a comfort.

I just hate being stuck in Lancaster and there's really no opportunity for much of anything. :/ I'm needing to get my pitch balanced with my wedding planning so i can mail it out and maybe get luck with that.

[emac66.livejournal.com]

Look up Head hunters, they are always looking for people with skills, advertising agencies, what about the local newspaper, and local magazines, ask the employment agencies or local college if they need your skills to teach others. Any place that has a web page, that is local is a good stomping ground for you. check to see when their last update was, if is being updated on a regular basis. Even if you offer contract work, that way you can do multiple jobs for various places and set your own fees.

[emac66.livejournal.com]

Places like won't hire you....you oare "over qualified" I've heard it before. I have a double major in Poli. Sci and economics....took a bit to get a job when I moved here. Pain in the ass really.

[emac66.livejournal.com]

Sorry....'nother thought. I'm assuming you have a portfolio? Put it together, along with a smacking good resume and make appointments with the design department. Don't wait for them to answer you....take the initiative, be assertive. Let them know that THEY need YOU...not the other way around, (althought that much is true, but they don't know that) Offer yourself under contract as I said before. For each place you are able to get a meeting for, have some ideas, simple ones, that can show them that you are thinking about them, improvement they can make etc....They want to boost business themselves, so if you can show them that you can improve that for them, they may show more interest.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Been there and done all that. Magazines, newspapers, etc. are the first places I went to since they have a higher likelihood of needing a designer. I've made myself available for freelance and still nothing. Believe me when I say that I have dried the well when it comes to anything listed in the area, which is why I'm now pounding the pavement, going from business to business in search of anything.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

My portfolio: savannadesignsitall.com . My resume lists all my skills and education and previous work experience. I can't "be assertive" unless they actually have me in for an interview. And you never tell people the ideas you have for their business during an interview because they'll just take them and not hire you.

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Congrats on the upcoming nuptials! I don't know if I've said it before, but I thought I'd say it again if I had. :D

[havesomecocoa.livejournal.com]

Have you tried hell/where I work? It sucks and the work is beneath you, BUT they'll pay $12 an hour!

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

I haven't yet. Could you send a link to their career opportunity website or something to my email: savannateague@gmail.com :D

[beastwith5hands.livejournal.com]

hey, i have someone who is looking for a website. she is a photographer. she hasn't gotten back to me about what she wants exactly, but are you interested in doing something like that? my web skills are awful so i wanted to pass it on to a friend. it wouldn't be a long project, but you could get some extra money!

[fenderlove.livejournal.com]

Oh definitely! :D Just give her my email savannateague@gmail.com . I'd love to help!