The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Surviving the job hunt
ShinyRedKnight
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey guys, I've posted about more specific issues on this before, and I got great advice here. I figured I should come back with some broader issues that I'm facing.
In August of 2014 I finished a master's program at the University of Chicago in the social sciences, focusing on political science. My undergraduate studies focused on similar themes, and I have had internships that involved local politics such as dealing with constituents or organizing around specific issues. Beyond that I have volunteered throughout my college years at my church in a social media/outreach capacity and for short term events such as food collection. I realize that other than being involved in politics and social justice, my resume is all over the place.
However, I have had difficulty getting even an entry level position. I am now entering my 5th month since graduation, still unemployed, with my first student loan bill coming in towards the end of February. I know that others have had to search for jobs much longer than I, but I am panicking that I have heard back from only two organizations, both of which ended up going with other candidates.
Recently, I have started contacting recruiting agencies, and have interviewed with one focused on nonprofit work. I have been refining my LinkedIn and trying to connect to anyone I have worked with. While my main focus is on finding work in social science research, I am also open to organizing, outreach, and general nonprofit opportunities. Of course, I am also interested in any opportunity where I can use my skills.
However, I do not know what more I can do at this point. I basically spend my days on NPO.net, idealist, indeed, and LinkedIn, applying to anything I am remotely qualified for. As well, my mom may be able to get me a meeting with one of her former employers, who offered to look over my resume and cover letters.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. What alternatives should I have lined up if I don't find work in the next month? What else can I do to improve my chances at getting a job? Where else should I look for opportunities?
If anyone has been in my specific position, or is even in the Chicagoland area, please let me know if you know of anything I can do to better my chances! I wasn't sure if I should post my LinkedIn here, so you guys can get a better idea of where I am currently. If so, let me know and I'll link it here.
Just a side note: I am focusing on Chicago due to financial reasons. My mom is by herself and cannot manage the bills on her own. I would like to at least take care of some of her costs. Ideally, I would rent my own place, providing my mom with some help. I am worried that the costs of moving out of state would make our short term financial situation much too difficult for her.
Thank you for any advice.
In August of 2014 I finished a master's program at the University of Chicago in the social sciences, focusing on political science. My undergraduate studies focused on similar themes, and I have had internships that involved local politics such as dealing with constituents or organizing around specific issues. Beyond that I have volunteered throughout my college years at my church in a social media/outreach capacity and for short term events such as food collection. I realize that other than being involved in politics and social justice, my resume is all over the place.
However, I have had difficulty getting even an entry level position. I am now entering my 5th month since graduation, still unemployed, with my first student loan bill coming in towards the end of February. I know that others have had to search for jobs much longer than I, but I am panicking that I have heard back from only two organizations, both of which ended up going with other candidates.
Recently, I have started contacting recruiting agencies, and have interviewed with one focused on nonprofit work. I have been refining my LinkedIn and trying to connect to anyone I have worked with. While my main focus is on finding work in social science research, I am also open to organizing, outreach, and general nonprofit opportunities. Of course, I am also interested in any opportunity where I can use my skills.
However, I do not know what more I can do at this point. I basically spend my days on NPO.net, idealist, indeed, and LinkedIn, applying to anything I am remotely qualified for. As well, my mom may be able to get me a meeting with one of her former employers, who offered to look over my resume and cover letters.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. What alternatives should I have lined up if I don't find work in the next month? What else can I do to improve my chances at getting a job? Where else should I look for opportunities?
If anyone has been in my specific position, or is even in the Chicagoland area, please let me know if you know of anything I can do to better my chances! I wasn't sure if I should post my LinkedIn here, so you guys can get a better idea of where I am currently. If so, let me know and I'll link it here.
Just a side note: I am focusing on Chicago due to financial reasons. My mom is by herself and cannot manage the bills on her own. I would like to at least take care of some of her costs. Ideally, I would rent my own place, providing my mom with some help. I am worried that the costs of moving out of state would make our short term financial situation much too difficult for her.
Thank you for any advice.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
0
Posts
What I found that's helpful in not giving up: I assumed that every individual attempt would fail. That helped me to not become too invested in any one possible opportunity, which helped me keep my spirits up.
It sounds like you aren't working at all right now; If that's the case it might be a good idea to find any sort of job (basic retail) to bring in some income for you and your Mom. Keep in mind that this might affect your student loan payments.
When it comes to resumes I'm not an expert, but I could help look over yours to see if there's anything that jumps out at me.
Second, post your current resume here (contact/personal information removed). Like Great Scott, I'm no expert on resumes, but we've got posters who are really good at adding a layer of polish to the things to really make them shine.
Here is my resume:
Education:
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; October 2013 – August 2014
Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences, Political Science
Thesis: Understanding Child Soldier Reintegration: An Analysis of Transitional Justice Literature
-Examination of scholarly literature, including works by Erin K. Baines and Mark A. Drumbl
-Study of policy documents such as UN General Assembly Resolution 44/25, “Convention on the Rights of the Child”
DePaul University, Lincoln Park, Illinois; September 2009 – June 2013
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Cum Laude
Experience:
DePaul University TeleServices Center, Chicago, Illinois; September 2012 – August 2013
Communicator Specialist
Served as a point of contact between DePaul University and applicants. Provided information to prospective students on application procedures and school policies. I also collected key demographic information from applicants and updated internal databases utilizing the CAMPUSCALL software.
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago, Illinois; June 2012 – August 2012
Organizing Intern
Supported the Director of Organizing by managing logistics on a major annual training for people running for public office. This included researching and recruiting candidates, organizing a team of five staff members, keeping track of contacts for guest speakers, and managing team deadlines. Additionally, I assisted in tracking donation records for special events.
42nd Ward of Chicago, Alderman Brendan Reilly, Chicago, Illinois; June 2011 – August 2011
Intern
Drafted official correspondence with Chicago city officials. Investigated and prepared requests for city services including road repairs and additional police patrols throughout the downtown area of Chicago.
Lincoln Park Community Shelter, Chicago, Illinois; April 2010 – June 2010
Volunteer
Taught computer classes to homeless guests. Interviewed residents for studies on homelessness.
Skills:
-Extensive training in the use of MLA and Chicago writing styles
-Academic writing, research, and presentations
-Public speaking and interviews
-Proficiency with Microsoft Office
-Fluent in spoken and written Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian
I have changed it a bit over the past weeks. Namely, I've put my education at the top with some details about my focus. As well, the wording has been reworked several times after some friends looked it over.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
True, I didn't watch for this earlier but have been doing so more recently. I have also been trying to look for jobs via the actual website of an organization rather than various job boards as the boards are usually last to get the listing up.
At the same time, I have applied for entry level research positions with two organization after finding their listing on their own websites the day of, or a few days after the original posting. That was about two months ago, yet they have recently listed those same positions on job boards. One of them has specifically listed on my profile with them that I was "forwarded for consideration", and currently my status says that they have reviewed my application, but no indication if that means I'm still being considered.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
Mainly I am worried about the cost of moving farther distances. As well, by staying in the Chicagoland area we can share certain costs, such as fuel and food, and I can help with taking my grandmother to medical appointments. Although, you are right, it's getting to the point where having a job period outweighs those things in the long term. I've been looking at positions across the country less frequently than more local options, but I'll have to change that.
That's something I've thought about, my brother should have some guidance in regards to that since he has gone to them before.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
I hadn't realized that cost of leaving was lower there. I'll start there.
I have been, but it hasn't been too successful. Many of the opportunities they find or offer are focused on finance and accounting. Sadly, I do not have many direct contacts among faculty for research positions. I had finished my program in a year, and that did not leave much room to network. I'll be meeting with their career advisers soon, however.
That's been a big part of my search, and usually I find a good variety of postings to apply to.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
Make sure you target your resume to the knowledge/skills/abilities in the posting.
First up, you should tweak your resume for every job. Look over the job posting, actually pull out keywords into a Word document, and make sure you have those in your resume. For example, if the job you're applying for is more numbers based, then change up the Organizing Intern bit to read:
*Managed logistics on major annual training for candidates for political office.
*Collected, collated, and maintained donation records for special events.
*Lead a team of five to research and recruit potential candidates
If the job is more "people" based, then you'd want to switch it around to emphasize that. Something like:
*Managed logistics on major annual training for candidates for political office.
*Lead a team of five to support the Director of Organizing
*Established and enforced team deadlines
*Researched and recruited potential candidates for office
*Assisted in tracking donations
Look back at what you actually did there, what you actually generated for the organization, and just make a list of those things in a Word file. Pull bullet points as needed based on what the job is looking for.
On that topic, your resume is light on things you actually generated. Your thesis is an examination of existing literature, but no one is hiring your thesis. They are hiring you. Write down what you actually did, and talk about that. Also, unless you're looking at very small businesses, there's a good chance the people who do the hiring will have HR backgrounds, not sociology backgrounds. Even if they are sociologists, it's a big field. People won't have heard of everyone. Who ever is reading your resume is not going to look up two authors and a paper they've never heard of.
Thirdly, bulletpoints are your friend. The HR person should be able to just scan down the resume and pick up a feel for who you are, as a candidate. Once you have their attention, they will reread the resume in more depth, so you have to get their attention. This is a great place to start dropping those key words. If the job wants someone with a background in data collection and organization, then when you were working at DePaul, you:
*Collected various demographic data from incoming students
*Maintained internal databases daily
*Organized and presented key information to prospective students
and so on down the line. Use verbs. Love them. Never use "I".
Go in with questions specifically about how they got their job, and what, specifically, they do. And the last question you ask should be, "Do you know anyone else who could give me some more information?" Eventually you'll hit a conversation where someone knows about a job and can pass on a resume.
So that's what we did.
Once I looked outside the mid-Atlantic area there were a lot more positions available.
One of the reasons that I didn't emphasize moving in your case is that the greater Chicago metro area is huge and there are likely some jobs there. That said, if you know a specific area where jobs applicable to your major are, looking there is a good idea.
This is pretty good advice and how the money you spent on the degree can still help you out. You may consider asking what graduates in your program ended up doing after they graduated. It could be a multitude of things, but may at least be a great start into what you can do with your education today. Both De Paul and U of C may be able to help you here.
Also, consider finding a decent job somewhere (be it an office or faculty job), just because employed folks tend to have a greater success in successfully applying for jobs as compared to unemployed folks. So even if you end up with some job with a career path you don't care for, it could be a great way to get some money, but to list on your resume to help you gain a job in a field you do want.
Lastly, sometimes in your field it may be difficult to find a full time job (general advice), you may consider looking for places who are contract to hire or hire contractors/temps to at least get some experience. It can help you look more appealing to potential employers in the future.
Going on this, for federal jobs the very first thing is a word search. Use the posting and try and use words/terms they use. Also don't worry about being too wordy like you may need to on regular people jobs.
Find the GS Series and consistently search that. Using the advanced search function. You may see postings that are willing to relocate you, so don't rule out based on location if its one that seems attractive.
I've reached out to UChicago and they're in the midst of changing how they handle career advising, as graduate students and alumni are getting a separate department. After a little waiting I was able to set up a meeting for this Tuesday with an adviser who helps students from their Social Science division. As you guys have said, I will keep my options open and go beyond my field. Though it is nice to be talking to someone who may be more experienced in finding a fit for a social science student.
Wednesday I have a meeting with a former boss of my mom's, her family has been at the head of several companies for the last few generations, so she should be able to strengthen my resume and cover letter writing skills.
As well, I have gotten in touch with a former class mate of mine from my master's program. He's older than me and went back for the degree after being a CFO, and after finishing the program he returned to that same company as the director of policy research. We were in the same program and group, so we basically had classes together and reviewed each other's work throughout our studies. He's an incredibly nice guy, drove me home a few time without my asking, so I owe home at least coffee/lunch. I'm not expecting anything big, just hopefully some guidance.
I have been reviewing my past resumes and cover letters, and have applied to a few jobs utilizing the advice you guys have given me, focusing more on what I have done in more specific detail which would fit the position, and using key words and phrases.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
Expanding on this, check the state capitals for all the states around you. Look in Madison, Indianapolis, Des Moines (if you can stand Iowa, I can't), Lansing, and Jefferson City. Madison and Lansing are also locations of major universities (Wisconsin, and Michigan State respectively) so they'll have more people fighting for the types of jobs you're looking for. At this point you should be applying to everything and anything that you qualify for and in any location you could live at.
Larger cities like Chicago and St. Louis or Milwaukee will be good too, but you'll be looking more at non-profits instead of government work
- A lot of times the hiring process takes insanely long. I have routinely heard back from places 6 -8 months after I have submitted my application. That goes especially for large corporations. Be patient, and don't lose hope. You never know when you might get a call from some place you applied months ago, that you forgot about.
- Many times jobs are posted by companies simply to cover their asses. They have a person they want to hire, but are required to make the job available to everyone, so they post the position without intent of looking at any resumes. You not getting a job you were "perfect" for most of the time is not your fault. Its not you, its them.
- While most people say that job hunting is a full time job, I found that to be not exactly 100% true. You gotta bust your ass, but sometimes you will be left spinning your wheels with nothing to do. Try to enjoy this time. Play a little. Being unemployed can be stressful, and you might feel guilty about having leisure time. Don't. You need leisure time to stay sane.
- Apply for stuff that you seem under qualified for. In most places you have to learn your job while working there anyways, so do not be intimidated. Most places will take an honest and hard working go-getter over someone with few extra years of experience and bad attitude.
Good luck!
Holy shit this. I still struggle self eliminating from postings that I could do.
The career adviser was great, she spent extra time with me going over my cover letters and resume. She had quite a few adjustments, but also agreed with the changes I had made to recent iterations with the suggestions here. Thanks guys!
I have a better idea of how to craft both now. Honestly, it seems like I was putting in extra time and effort on things that I did not need, making my cover letters difficult to glance at and somewhat redundant with the resume.
To my surprise she suggested I narrow my job application choices to emphasize quality over quantity.
And good advice on mental health @muninn, thank you. To be honest, I have been dealing with depression before this, and the job search certainly hasn't helped. After the meeting I decided to take advantage of my free time in Hyde Park and went to the Oriental Museum. It is amazing, they don't charge anything (although donations help them a lot) and its one of the finest collections of artifacts from the Middle East and North Africa. Got to see a 40 ton lamassu from an Assyrian throne room. Definitely helped with breaking the constant cycle of being alone indoors with job applications.
Based on the advice you guys and the career adviser have given me, and I have rewritten my resume. A lot of the language was also reworked with the help of my mom's former boss, and it currently looks like this:
Education
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois August 2014
Master of Arts in the Social Sciences
DePaul University, Lincoln Park, Illinois June 2013
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Cum Laude
Experience
DePaul University TeleServices Center, Chicago, Illinois September 2012 – August 2013
Communicator Specialist
-Conducted phone interviews with prospective students and alumni, collecting and validating demographic data for application and fundraising databases
-Maintained internal databases daily; attention to detail and high degree of accuracy mandatory
-Presented key information to prospective students on school policies, standards, and funding opportunities
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago, Illinois June 2012 – August 2012
Organizing Intern
-Served as project manager for Director of Organizing in preparation for the launch of the 2012 “Candidate School” program
-Candidate School educates immigrant community leaders in launching political campaigns in upcoming election cycles
-Researched, recruited, screened, and managed application processes for candidates and associated scholarship requests in preparation for screening committee
-Placed approximately 35 immigrant community leaders in Candidate School for 2012 election cycle
-Facilitated communication between cross-functional team of legal, organizing, and policy department members to successfully complete project on time
42nd Ward of Chicago, Alderman Brendan Reilly, Chicago, Illinois June 2011 – August 2011
Intern
-Served as a point of contact between constituents and the Constituent Services Office
-Investigated and prepared written requests for city services
=Drafted official correspondence with Chicago city officials
Language and Technical Skills
-Proficiency with Microsoft Office
-Fluent in spoken and written Bosnian/Croatian
-Extensive training in the use of MLA and Chicago writing styles
Sorry if the formatting looks a little rough, it didn't paste properly, but the main changes are in the actual writing. Once I hear back from the adviser, I will submit this specific resume for a new job posting. As well, my mom's former boss said she would like a copy of my resume as she knows someone who is involved in Chicago politics and fundraising, and would like to pass it to him.
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
Of course, I'm not going to act like this a guaranteed position, so I am following up on other opportunities as well.
What should I do in terms of thanking my friend? Should I send him a card this week or something, or wait until things progress further?
PSN: ShinyRedKnight Xbox Live: ShinyRedKnight
At the very most a verbal thanks at this point, unless he is somehow risking his job by trying to help you. Once something comes of him shopping your resume around the office then think of more. Depending on how close of a friendship it is, I'd treat them to a dinner/movie, maybe a bottle of good whiskey/scotch if that's there thing, or something else that says "Thank You for helping me start my adult life" once that first paycheck comes in.
Yeah, Dinner or bottle of liquor is always safe. If it's under $50-100, it's not likely to run afoul of any policies they may have.