How do you find a job?

[lonewolfgirl]

Hi,

I know most of us have problems forming relationships and friendships, me included. As a result, I had been working as an at-home freelancer. However, now the situation has changed and now I'm having issues with my at home gig and it's not earning me enough income to live on. I would love to find a job outside the home, any job, to pay the bills. What are your suggestions?

 

[Phoenixx]

Not sure of your whereabouts, or if it varies by country, but retail seems to be the easiest and quickest option here in the US. Retail including working in department stores, fast food, gas stations, etc. Those places are always looking for workers as turnover rates are quite high. They're definitely not the best jobs by far, and they're extremely challenging with SA, but dealing with people on a constant basis does give you a thicker skin in my opinion. Or at least it did for me when I worked at a deli for a little over a year a couple years back. I also recommend you try attending some workshops in interests you like or volunteer at places you like too in your free time. The more you put yourself out there, the more people you meet and talk to the more you can get your foot in the door elsewhere. Like I said, it's challenging, but if it wasn't for networking I wouldn't have the job I have now and I wouldn't be planning my next career step either.

Edit: Not sure if I answered your "how". Honestly when I first moved to the area I'm living in now, I took the old-school approach and went to the small local privately-owned food businesses in town and I just introduced myself and handed them my resume. People were genuinely nice about it and didn't scoff at me or anything. Bigger commercial businesses usually have online applications and such. Checking out online job databases doesn't hurt either but honestly I have never had luck with those. I've always had luck at networking.

 

[lonewolfgirl]

Hi, thanks for your practical advice. I have thought about walking in a store and ask if they need someone, but I guess I am feeling a bit too shy to do that. I have submitted many online applications but no luck either. Guess I need to be more active offline.

 

[vj288]

Hi, thanks for your practical advice. I have thought about walking in a store and ask if they need someone, but I guess I am feeling a bit too shy to do that. I have submitted many online applications but no luck either. Guess I need to be more active offline.

I would definitely recommend going into places and asking if they need help. The turnover in a lot of entry-level places is awful, so they are always looking and also are used to awkward teenagers wandering in to apply so a little shyness wouldn't stick out too much. I worked in a restaurant kitchen for 6 years, and most people hired were either referred or walked in at the right time (that was the case for me). I actually see it as less interaction in the long run, because by talking face to face once you can usually hammer out some details there and not need to make as many phone calls or interviews. I'm a soft-spoken mumbler, so any chance to avoid a phone call or two I take.

As I also said, being referred also helps. Anyone you know, relatives or friends, who is working somewhere with entry level positions I'd consider reaching out to. All other jobs I have worked I had a friend there who got me in. With the turnover in a lot of these places, if they have any reason to think you'll last more than a week and they almost hire you on the spot.