Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with jobs and careers

Career wanted: Apply within

TrishaLynn — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:36:53 -0800

After the standard three-month probationary period, I realized that the first job in my new state wasn't right for me, so I resigned. Help me plot my next career move? When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer/editor/publisher but my parents didn't have the money—and I didn't have the gumption to apply for financial aid or scholarships—to send me to the schools where I could get a really good journalism degree. I got my BA in English, though, and in order to pay off some credit card debt, I worked at a travel agency call center.

After two years of not being paid to be a writer but doing some volunteer writing and editing for a monthly webzine, I decided to quit my job to try being a freelance writer. Four months after that, I got a job at a niche magazine and moved across the country to do that job, only to be terminated a year after that.

Bills called again, and for the next three years after that, I kicked ass at a data entry job while volunteering at the local-area geek convention as a senior staff member and publishing an annual print 'zine. Then some personal issues hit and I decided to change careers again to be an admin/executive assistant.

In the five years since I switched, I've held five jobs ranging in duration from three years to three months. I know there's a problem here in my being able to keep and hold a job (and I strongly suspect it's me), but how do I find this out for sure? I'm in my mid-thirties and I don't have the luxury of spending more time to "find myself."

More questions:

My husband thinks seeing a therapist again would help. Are there any psychologists in the greater Twin Cities area that not only deal with cognitive behavior stuff but career advice and coaching as well?
I did a search for career aptitude tests online but what's the meatspace equivalent of those? Is that the sort of thing you can do at an unemployment office or staffing agency?
One of the reasons I suspect I've not been able to be very happy since I switched to the admin/executive assistant track is that ever since I was terminated from the editing job, I've been trying to get back into it and feeling discouraged. I made it a priority to take "any" job in order to pay off my debts, and it's worked to the point of where I only have one credit card bill in my name, and I'm within a year or so of paying that one off completely; at the same time, I've barely written anything since then, even on the website I created/started myself. But the writing/editing industry isn't as robust out here in Minneapolis as it was in New York City, where I used to live. Am I completely foolish for even wanting to still write and edit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Which road to take?

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:10:27 -0800

I'm at the final round of interviews for two very different jobs, and if I'm offered both, I'm not sure what I should do. One's at a nonprofit, the other's at an advertising agency. I'm 25, and in the NYC area. I currently work at a 150-person nonprofit in a support capacity, and it is my first professional job. I have been here for a year and a half and am beginning to feel unchallenged. It was a good first job but I am ready to move on. It pays 40K/year (which for NYC is not as great as it might sound).

I am in the running for two jobs right now. So far I have had one phone and one in-person interview for each company. Both in-person interviews went very well, and I have been asked back for third and final interviews at both companies.

Of course there is a very good chance I will get only one offer, or neither! But if I get both...

I have been applying for jobs in my current field of nonprofit administration on and off, and I finally got a bite- an associate-level communications/fundraising/exec assistant jack-of-all trades job at a very small nonprofit. The main office only has 5 or 6 people, but there are overseas offices too. It's more responsibility, a wider variety of stuff to do, more writing, due to the small size it sounds like an environment with a lot of room for individual contribution and growth, and I believe in the cause. I have no idea what it pays, but I would guess anywhere from 40K to 50K.

So right after I applied for that job, my friend asked me to send her my resume because she'd heard of a cool job at her company I might qualify for. She works for an ad agency. The job is an entry-level position in innovation/strategy- basically, it involves a great deal of research and brainstorming and generating new ways of doing things, all of which I really love to do. It sounds challenging and fun. The company is gigantic, and I think I would have the opportunity to advance. It will also probably pay no more than I currently make (40K), will probably involve heinous hours (like 50-60 hour weeks as opposed to my current 40), and... I'm ambivalent about working in advertising. I don't think it's inherently bad, but I do think there are problems with it, and I've enjoyed working at a nonprofit where I felt I might actually be helping the world a bit.

I am leaning towards the ad job, but I really don't know much about the industry and I'm worried I will really hate it, quit, and then find myself having to look for YET ANOTHER entry-level job at almost 30. My resume is already an insane mishmash, and I don't want to find myself totally unemployable because I look like a dilettante. And I DO know that I really liked my current job at the start, before I learned everything and it became unchallenging.

So guys- what should I do? What would you do? What will I regret NOT doing more?

What's it like to be a bookkeeper, and how do I get there from here?

fullerenedream — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:30:07 -0800

I have a BSc in physics and an environmental diploma, neither of which are getting me any work. I've been doing office temp work for a couple of years now - mostly admin with a bit of reception. I enjoy admin work but I'd rather get away from the customer/client-facing stuff. I have pretty strong math and computer skills (via physics), I enjoy some things people often find boring (e.g. filing, messing around with Excel), and I'm comfortable sitting in front of a computer all day. Do you think I would like bookkeeping? What's it actually like to be a bookkeeper? What do you do in the run of a day? The internet seems to think it's possible to get bookkeeping work without going to school for it. Does that sound right? I'm thinking of taking a free online course. Maybe then I can get some temp admin work with a bit of bookkeeping involved, and then move more fully into bookkeeping as I gain experience.

Does this seem reasonable? Am I getting ahead of myself? Are there other pathways I should be exploring to get away from the front desk?

Everything from A-Z including a job for ME! (hopefully)

tylerfulltilt — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:19:59 -0800

Those of you who have been through the amazon corporate hiring process, what was it like? Did I commit a major boneheaded move in my application for a job? For those of you who have been through the process, either getting hired, getting an interview but not a job, or getting nothing at all, what was it like? What can I expect?

I'm concerned about the ICIMS recruiting thing. It keeps matching me to jobs in IT positions, even though my background, clearly stated on my resume, is in writing/shooting/editing video. Should I be concerned that my experience is being misunderstood?

Also, I applied for a what is, I guess, a "corporate" job as a video editor at the amazon fulfillment center near me. One of the requirements listed in the posting at the amazon website is a link to work samples. But there was no where to submit a hyperlink in the online submission.

So, since, the job I'm applying for is only 15 minutes from where I live, I drove over there and asked to drop off my resume with someone in the photo/video dept. and get the name of someone to submit my work samples to directly. When someone showed up to talk to me, he seemed very confused, albeit very polite. He insisted that I just paste the links to my demo reel in the body of my resume and that would be good enough. He did take my paper print out resume with him and I left with telling him that I had lots of relevant experience.

Did I commit a major Faux-pas by showing up there? I've always been told that employers like to see initiative in the hiring process, but I'm concerned that I may have screwed myself by seeming clueless on this one.

Anyone have any thoughts, word of encouragement or sobering advice for me in the nerve wracking job search?

Help me find happiness in my current job, or one that suits me better?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:27:19 -0800

I am unhappy with my professional life, but have no idea what I’d rather being doing. Does a person exist who can help me either figure out how to be happy with what I’m doing, or figure out what I really want instead? And if so, how do I find them? Long, and possibly skippable/skimable backstory:

--
My professional career started with an incredibly huge break. Two years out of college, I was hired as a project manager for the website of a pretty big bricks and mortar retailer. For the first three years, things went very well. I was doing a good job, was told so frequently, and was given the raises to back it up. Despite having very good sales, eCommerce wasn’t a big focus for the company (we were a branch of marketing, rather than our own department.) As things started to grow, and people were pulled in different directions, I assumed more and more responsibility, until I found myself being the main business lead for the website for the better part of a year. I didn’t always love the work, but on the whole, things were going very well.

Right around the three year mark, the company decided to put more of a focus on eCommerce, and there was a pretty big reorganization. This resulted in two significant changes:

1. My boss, who had been very hands-off, now needed to be looped in on pretty much everything.
2. The project management team was greatly expanded, and a new role was created to manage this team. This role went to a member of a different team.

#2 meant I had been effectively demoted (I would no longer be directly reporting to my boss) but I agreed with the decision, as I wasn’t ready to take on a role managing others.

For the first year under this new arrangement, I was still doing a good job in the eyes of the company, and still had successes I was personally proud of, but I was starting to become pretty unsatisfied with the job on the whole. The increased involvement of my boss was probably the single biggest issue I can point to, but in general, I found myself becoming increasingly unhappy with the whole notion of working in eCommerce for a retail company. Things started getting pretty bad in the second year under the new arrangement. It wasn’t until the end of the year that I actually received any real feedback that the company was unhappy with my performance, but I’m certain there was a growing dissatisfaction on their part throughout. Sunday evenings and nights became incredibly dark times for me, having to face the prospect of another week at work. I was having terrible anxiety and was often unable to sleep.

Towards the end of this period, there was a ray of hope: My wife and I needed to relocate to a new city for her career. I began applying for jobs in the new city, and very quickly began discussions with another bricks and mortar retailer who was interested in hiring me for a similar position. I flew out there, met the people I would be working with, and came away feeling like the organization would be a much better fit. I accepted the position and we completed the move to the new city. I definitely had some concerns that I’d be bringing some of my baggage with me to the new position (and even typed up, but never posted, and anonymous Ask about how to avoid this) but convinced myself that the new city and new job would be enough to break me of my old habits, and I’d be right back at being the great employee I was for the first few years of my old job. Unfortunately, a few months in at the new job, I’m probably about 80% of the way towards being right back in the same mindset as I was at the old job. I can attribute a lot of this to disappointments with the new company, but I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t acknowledge that at least some, if not the overwhelming majority, of the problem sits with me. Yes, there are things that I wish were different, but at the same time, I have no enthusiasm whatsoever for tackling new projects, and can only begrudgingly move current ones along.
--
So, backstory out of the way, here’s where I stand now: I’m fairly convinced that being a project manager for eCommerce Retail isn’t for me. But how can I decide how much of the baby to keep if I throw out the bathwater? Perhaps being a PM in another industry would suit me better? Or perhaps another role in retail? I know nobody can really answer these questions but me, but I have no idea how to begin exploring them with myself. And if I need to make a significant change, I don’t even know what it is I would want to be doing instead. Part of my concern about making any drastic changes is that I don’t feel like I have any marketable skills outside of being a PM. I’ve got a liberal arts degree in an unrelated field that doesn’t really present much in the way of professional opportunities. I know tons about the structure of eCommerce Websites, but can only dabble in coding.

And yet: I have tremendous guilt about not being happy with my current situation. The economy sucks and the pay is very, very good. I am so ashamed with myself for not being able to just suck it up and do what’s asked of me. There’s a huge, huge part of me that just wants to figure out how to make this job work for me and be on my merry way. I really don’t know if that’s possible though. But at times I feel legitimately embarrassed that so many people are out of work, and I have a job that gives me more money than I need, and I spend so much time thinking about how much I don’t like it.

With all of this said: Outside of my professional life, I am very happy. My wife and I have an incredible, loving relationship. I adore spending time with her, and our new city puts us much closer to old friends and family. Also potentially important details: We’re young (late 20s) and have no kids, nor any plans to have any. She’s got student loan debt, I do not.

I’ve done a few stints of talk therapy, and have generally found them to be very helpful. But I tend to fall into a pattern of waiting until things become problematic for me emotionally, starting therapy, getting better, and then stopping. Rinse, repeat. I think I’m wondering if such a therapist exists who can really help me clarify what I want, professionally. If such a person exists, I’m not sure they’re a “therapist”, per se. Maybe a life coach? I guess I’m not even sure what such a person does.

So, in short: Right now, I have zero idea what I want to do with my life. No passions that could ever make a career. I want to figure out how to fix this. I suspect it’s talking with someone, but I don’t know who, or how to find them. I am also open to any approaches I can take that don’t involve talking to someone about this. Books, exercises, whatever.

Throwaway email: unhappycareer@gmail.com

User interface design - what's it actually like?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:39:42 -0800

What I would like to know is for those of you actually in the field who work in UI/UX design what the day to day is actually like. I have finished attending a university and will be graduating with a degree with user interface design/usability as a concentration. I have a few different career paths directions to go in.

In doing some research and looking over resumes of those who do UX design, it seems like most people do not stay with a particular employer for long. For instance, maybe stay for a year or two max then move onto another employer. Is this due to the nature of the work, the field or since UI is nascent, due to better opportunities opening up?

In addition, I am a bit older of a student and will be 45 soon. I worry that age discrimination could rear it's ugly head and would like to know your thoughts on that as well.

Thanks!

Career Coaching recommendations please! (especially in LA)

zresearch — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:29:34 -0800

I'm looking for a professional careers coach in LA to give me advice about changing careers (especially ones who are good at talking with MBA grads who don't necessarily want a typical MBA-type job). The variety of coaches available out there is a bit confusing and some of them are expensive - can anyone personally recommend one? And what criteria should I be judging them on anyway? Dear MetaFilter Citizens: can you personally recommend a career coach, and explain from your experiences what makes them a good and well-priced one? This is particularly for the Los Angeles area ( or perhaps beyond - it's not ideal, but maybe this kind of thing can work over skype too?),

Or if you don't have any personal recommendations, tips on how to choose/use career change coaching would be great too.

Thanks very much for your suggestions and advice!!

Linkedin for the Differently-Organized?

Because — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:35:46 -0800

How does one use linkedin effectively if one hasn't exactly got a career? I mean, I would like one. I would. But instead I have a spotty employment history and few marketable skills. I have not been in a situation in which it was reasonable for me to expect to hold down a job for some years-- travelling too much for my husband's career-- so I generally just volunteered during those times and occupied myself otherwise. However, after this last move, the law has been laid down, and I am not moving trans- or intercontinentally for a while. Great! So, how in the name of all that is holy do I get started?

I have an idea of the direction I would like to move in. And it is related to the volunteer work I have done over the past few years. But it isn't related to a lot of other stuff I have done, and would be open to doing in the future as well. Am I supposed to selectively edit this? How do I keep a profile from looking like a total mess when, well, I kind of have been? How do I shape something coherent and desirable out of the amorphous blob which is my employment history?

Jeez, just, this linkedin thing, what is it for? How do I do anything useful with it?

Help me design a parachuting class (not that kind)

pupstocks — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:46:26 -0800

My husband and I (both in our 30s) will graduate in May and then move to a completely new-to-us part of the country for a fresh start. During our last semester, we want to work together on defining and figuring out what our new career paths will be in the next phase of our lives. Please help us design a program to help us ask the right questions and do the right work to help us figure out what we want! More about our specific situation within. We have been where we are going to school now for 3 years. Prior to this, we were at a big crossroads and both looking for a big change. School was a sort of gestation period for us where we have been regrouping and taking a break. My husband is completing his undergraduate degree (in art, which he's always wanted to study), and I am getting a master's degree in art education, which I chose because it allowed me the opportunity to take art classes while we were here. We both have work experience in various fields that we will probably not wish to re-enter. Neither of us is expecting/wanting to find employment necessarily directly related to what we've been studying, either. Right now we are not as concerned with finding actual jobs to apply for as figuring out exactly what we want to look for when the time comes.

We were thinking we would both read the latest What Color Is Your Parachute and possibly work through the workbook (unless that's a waste of time?) and I know I want to read some of Barbara Sher's books (Refuse to Choose, I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was -- any preferences here?). We also both have done Johnson O'Connor aptitude testing, so we'll review the results and notes we have from that.

What else should we be reading or doing to help us gain insight into the types of jobs we might want to pursue when we move in the spring? I really want to approach this like a class and have regular, structured (ish?) meetings. Any advice on how to go about this process would be awesome. There's also an online class based on What Color Is Your Parachute now, but I'm not sure that would work any better than just doing the exercises in the book. What do you guys think? Money is pretty tight, but we're definitely willing to get some books or other things that genuinely will help us (again, looking at it as a textbook or whatever). Thanks for your help!

Tell me what to do for a living. Thanks.

windbox — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:30:34 -0800

Please, tell me about magical jobs that focus on things like strategy, brainstorming, critical thinking, research, and trends/pop culture. I currently work as a media buyer in advertising, and have been doing so for the past few years. It does not suit me at all. It's almost entirely administrative, budget-oriented and follows a very strict process. It's probably more similar to accounting than anything else in marketing. I am not organized nor detail-oriented nor number-oriented enough to ever be successful at it let alone enjoy it as a career.

So it's definitely time for a change, but I have no clue what to do or how to make it happen. I wanted to know if anyone had any specific job title suggestions for me that I can start searching for and working toward based on my interests and strengths. It would probably be easiest to transition within the advertising/marketing industry, but I'd be willing to work in any field (PR? Communications? "Social Media"? Research?). And if you have any pointers on what kind of specific skills I'd need on my resume to make such a transition, that would be super-helpful. Things like "marketing strategist" or "communications planner" or whatever sound cool and all, but I'm definitely more curious as to what exactly that is, what the day to day is like, and what I would need to do to get there.

So please, tell me about these magical jobs that focus on the following things I am highly interested in:

- Ideation/Strategy
- Public image/messaging
- The internet and social media
- Pop culture/current events
- Current trends (sociological/cultural/demographic)
- Online research
- Critical thinking

Things I am totally sufficient at skills-wise but not necessarily passionate about:

- Writing
- Public speaking
- Analyzing data

Things that are definitely NOT my strong-suit:

- Hyper detail-oriented work
- Math-heavy numbers work (I can stand sifting through data, just not hardcore excel formulas etc)

...Okay, so these are basically a lot of people's strengths and maybe it sounds like I'm looking for some sort of fantasy job that everyone wants. But still - what's out there?

^{A side note: I'm ruling out copywriting. While I love the brainstorming/creative aspect, putting a portfolio together and writing long-form copy for websites and brochures doesn't sound very enticing to me.}

I want to get on my own two feet. I need a plan of attack.

matticulate — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:40:44 -0800

The Short: I'm a single young adult with a college degree and student loan debt. I live in a sterile small city with limited job prospects. I want to move out and get an entry-level or temporary job in a coastal U.S. city (NYC, LA, SF, Seattle). Please walk me through the logistics and help me devise a plan, as well as offer any advice you have on making it on your own in a new city (essentially, how to be an independent, self-sufficient adult). The Long: ("Special snowflake" details below)

I'm 24 years old. I graduated from a prestigious university in California (USC) two years ago with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Musical Studies (Piano Performance). I've had a string of temporary jobs in NYC since I finished school. I'm a few months unemployed (not collecting benefits; STILL required to pay a minimum of $400/month in private student loans). Due to financial duress, I moved in with my parents in a sterile planned suburb in Nevada where they just moved a year ago (a move that fortunately worked out for them and is the principal reason I'm not struggling to stay afloat).

However, job opportunities are exceptionally scarce here. The best way to visualize where I live now is to imagine a neighborhood in The Sims, a planned residential community where anything you could possibly need is within a few minutes' reach (big box stores, shopping malls, supermarkets, and outlets are all only a few miles away). It's incredibly peaceful here, but stultifying and devoid of culture. The few friends who have visited me here agree that this is not at all a place conducive to my personal or professional growth. I want to move on with my life, and I hate to sound defeatist, but being here longer than I have to be only makes me feel more and more stuck.

Registering with temp agencies here, going in person to apply for minimum wage positions at the local rec centers, libraries, supermarkets, going to malls and filling out paper applications for retail positions, applying online to positions at Costco, filling out questionnaires in job kiosks at Target and JC Penney, replying to posts and advertising my services on craigslist have all yielded jack squat. And the city government jobs that I have applied for are all hiring for the summer.

*Before anyone asks, I should add that I've gone to alumni networking events in my area, and investigated online income streams like TextBroker (I'm a level 4 writer) and Mechanical Turk, but as someone trying to develop a grounded career, I don't regard these as primary options for making a living.

I don't intend on staying here for another 6 months. At all. Hell, if I could move TOMORROW, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Seeing as how imprudent and impractical that is, I'm convinced that the best thing to do for my career and overall well-being is to apply for work in other cities (which I am still in the process of doing) where I have connections.

The four cities I'm targeting, in order of preference:

1. NYC -- most of my professional network is here. I have friends and family here. I grew up and lived here for most of my life and last had a temporary teaching gig this past summer. It was not too difficult for me to get acclimated again to the atmosphere. I was not able to afford an apartment of my own, and had a very complicated, stressful living situation (please do not inquire for further details). I admit if I had been more proactive while in the city, I might have secured a job that would have allowed me to stay. Soon after my teaching gig ended, I decided to move in with my parents in NV to save what little $ I had left, and to see if I could get some temporary work in my neighborhood while I pondered my next move. This has been going on for almost 3 months now. I've expended my savings on my monthly student loan payments (which I CANNOT defer because I have private student loans, gah).

2. Seattle -- one of my closest friends lives here and loves it. Some other old college friends live here. Pretty much everyone I know who has lived in or visited Seattle has positive things to say about it. My only concerns are the "Seattle Freeze" and the persistently drizzly, gloomy weather for 3/4 of the year. I would love to work in Seattle and give living there a shot.

3. San Francisco -- I have family here, and I made a handful of connections with people when I visited this past year. I loved the city when I visited; it reminded me of a smaller, more relaxed, less crowded version of New York City... only just as expensive.

4. Los Angeles -- most of my close friends live here (we frequently stay in touch), my alma mater is in the heart of LA, and I had many of the best moments of my life while living in Los Angeles. I've explored most of the city and had the privilege of doing some pretty awesome things that I know I'd only ever be able to experience in LA. I have memories and friendships that will last me a lifetime. I love the diversity of culture and activity in LA, and I wouldn't mind living there, but over the past couple of years, I've grown to appreciate being in a city where I can get around without depending so much on a car (I got around much of DTLA, Culver City, Venice Beach, Silver Lake, and even South Pasadena by bike when I was living in LA a year ago, but I also learned how difficult it is to get around without a car). I've taken public transportation in LA -- the buses, the Red Line, the Gold Line -- a number of times, and as a New Yorker, I was actually impressed by the speed (and enamored with the price) of the service, but I sense it'll still be some time before public transit in LA will be a reasonable way for me to commute to work. Since I don't own a car and can't afford one, moving to Los Angeles is at the bottom of my list, though it is the closest city to where I live (I can get there by Megabus, which was recently resurrected).

I have connections and friends in all four cities (obviously, I live closer to the last 3). I've informed the people I know in those cities that I'm looking for work and that I'm VERY WILLING to relocate. Relocating is just as big a priority for me as is locating a job. At this point, it doesn't matter what job I get, as long as it pays enough to allow me to live in the city and then expand my network, hence the reason some friends think I'm "lowballing" when I tell them I'm applying for administrative positions (which I think will at least help me get my foot in the door, and work my way up) and not analyst/managerial positions that I'm not sure I'm qualified for. I'm willing to temp for an indefinite length of time and hopefully transition into a more permanent job in a growth industry from there. And I'm serious about not minding the kind of work I do. I was a middle school/high school math/reading/writing instructor this past summer in NYC, which was a stressful but enjoyable experience, and the kind of experience I'd like to have more of in my 20s. I'm healthy, I'm ambitious, I work hard, I learn fast, I love to work with people, I've got credentials, I'm willing to work whatever hours are required of me... I just want an opportunity to prove myself and get a job!

When I was still soul-searching, I had a lot of different ideas for "dream jobs" (I still do, of course), but over time, I've realized that I needed to narrow down my career options so I can tell people at networking events or through email definitively what I'm looking to do. For what it's worth, I'd like to be a project manager or a business analyst in the tech industry (at least I think I do... seriously, how many people know exactly what the hell they want to do with their lives at my age?). I have a handful of project management and programming texts and eBooks, and I recently started reading Java and programming in Eclipse just to get a basic familiarity with the language. I chat pretty regularly with friends online who keep me in the loop on things I need to learn and what they do at work, etc. I've compiled a list of skills that I'll eventually need to learn to be competent in the field, filled up entire notebooks with thoughts, lists, and plans of extracurricular and community activities, hobbies (I'm fortunate and appreciative to have and carry out so many different interests), personal projects, etc. But these are all long-term plans... and while I'm sure they will all advance my career and life in immeasurable ways, they're still not as much a priority for me as actually GETTING a job. These are all things I feel I'll squeeze into my schedule when I have the backbone of a stable job to work around. Nonetheless, with all the time I have in the world now, I am devoting a good chunk of my day towards developing and honing those skills, which I hope will (but realize might not) help me down the line.

I get frustrated from time to time, but for the most part I stay optimistic and keep my head in a good place. I eat and sleep healthily, I exercise almost daily, and I try to keep my mind sharp. Escapism isn't for me. I keep track of my time pretty well, and I do the things I love (play piano, basketball, etc.) daily. I don't need meds, I don't get depressed, and I'm generally a pretty happy guy. I worry much less than I used to, and even when I get bored, I find ways to keep myself busy and use my time resourcefully. I deal with the occasional drama at home decently well. I have to say I'm very lucky, and very thankful. But I don't like to be complacent; it makes me restless, and it makes me feel like I'm wasting the energy building up inside of me. I'm excited and anxious every day about the prospects of moving, and I would be lying if I didn't say that was my main source of motivation. I just can't wait to get out. My only "network" here is the group of passing acquaintances I play basketball with each week, many of whom are still in school. My friends all live in the cities I listed above, and I keep in touch with them via phone, Skype, Facebook, GChat, AIM, etc. I feel like an extrovert under house arrest! I don't know how I've been able to keep my spirits up, but I sure as hell hope I can build on the emotional fortitude I've developed over the past few years, even when I get a job that takes a substantial chunk out of my day.

Anyway, while I'm sending out applications and emails and cover letters and resumes and reference requests, how do I put myself in the best position for getting a job in a different city? I'm talking entry-level jobs here, too, as someone who graduated from college two years ago and has a little work experience, with no real hard skills to put down, other than basic Microsoft Office skills and the ability to type at 120 WPM with 99% accuracy? What should I be looking for to start out? I'm happy to email my resume for review. My background was mostly in arts administration at nonprofits, where I did a lot of correspondence work, marketing, a fair amount of writing/editing, administrative tasks, etc. It's an industry I wouldn't mind working in again, but not the only industry I'm looking at.

Then... how do I find a place to stay when I get an offer, especially when I have to make a decision quickly? Besides asking a friend for a place to crash for a while, which seems to me the only real solution... do I have many other options? Subleasing, hostels, craigslist, Padmapper... I'm under the impression that I won't be able to sign a lease until I have proof of income or am able to put down a security deposit or rent for the first month; is that pretty standard?

Also, when I relocate, I will be flying with a couple of suitcases and a backpack with my computer, clothes, and other essentials... how exactly do I get settled in a new city? Borrow money to buy cheap furniture off craigslist while staying at a friend's or subleasing a furnished apartment? I don't have a whole lot of stuff, and I don't need much at all. I've lived out of suitcases several times, and in 50 sq foot windowless cellar rooms that were meant to be closets for months at a time. I'm pretty minimalist if I say so myself.

What documentation should I make sure to bring with me? General checklists of things to do before/after moving, and what to bring with me are most welcome.

What else do I need to account for? My budget indicates I can live reasonably comfortably making $15/hour at 40 hours a week. I could afford to live off of less. I live below my means. I'm prepared to and would prefer to live with roommates. I've lived on my own for long stretches of time every year for the past half decade. I don't have health insurance. I don't have dental insurance. I don't have ANY insurance. I haven't had a physical in 5 years. Bad, I know, and something I intend on rectifying immediately when I get my shit together.

Also, just throwing this out there--given my circumstances, should I direct my search more towards the West Coast, or try again in NYC?

Asking these questions feels silly to me, since these are things I've managed to deal with successfully living in off-campus housing for several years in Los Angeles (then again, my loans helped with the finances and my friends helped with the logistics), and I realize I'm likely overcomplicating things, but damn, someone knock some sense into me as I'm trying to wrap my head around things?

Assume I want to move by the beginning of March, at the latest. How can I make that happen? Please don't convince me to try and make things work where I live. I'm not against short-term, temporary work here (which I don't have luck getting right now), but I'm focused on GETTING OUT, ASAP, and I need advice on logistics. Anything you can advise me on as it pertains to my particular situation would be greatly appreciated. Assume I have enough money for a flight, food, miscellaneous expenses, basic stuff, etc.

Sorry this was so long! Thank you for your help!

TL; DR: I want to get a job and place in another city. Need advice doing this.

Remedial Resume Resources.

Because — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 05:24:31 -0800

Resume 101, now with Extra Snowflakes! Spotty work-history, useless degrees, and no idea whatsoever how to actually *write* one of the things. I'm a 33-year-old college graduate with a terrible work history consisting mainly of food service jobs and large interruptions. I left my last job, a low-level admin assistant thing at a university, at the end of 2007, when I moved to a new city for my husband's new job. He has a career, you see, and makes actual money. I had depressive breakdowns and poked halfheartedly at creative endeavors for a while, and did not get a job because we just kept moving. The most recent move was international, but we're going back at the end of this year. And I am done with it, and we are staying put for a while, and I want a damned job.

Thing is, I do not want a depressing customer service job. I am not cut out for customer service, and it's time for something better. But since that's all I've ever really had, I have never learned how to write a resume rather than just filling out an application. And the internet has way too much information for me to have any idea how to cut through it all to what is actually useful.

In the past three years I have amassed some decent volunteer experience which I think I can spin so it looks like it applies to a larger niche than it really does. In the little world in which I have been working, I have some good references. Unfortunately, it's a little world which runs almost entirely on volunteers, so it doesn't translate directly into jobs. But it's what I have, and all I have which points toward the sort of thing I would like to do at this point. However, I have no idea how to maximize the volunteer experience and minimize the regrettable early-twenties jobs (I am trying not to describe them with swear words, but it's difficult). And my educational history, while pretty good, is also both totally unrelated and a decade past. I can use it for I Are Smart, but not much more.

So... oh god, how do I DO this? I have found a couple of jobs to apply to, and am looking for more. But I have not found any online resources which are germane to my resume situation. I'm in England right now and will be working in Seattle, in case that makes a difference.

Can anyone help me out? Online resources would probably be the easiest thing, but I am genuinely incapable of sorting the good from the bad. I am looking for vast generalities as well as specific tips. This thing needs to be *good* to make me marketable, for decent jobs, with my history, In This Economy (TM). I have a couple of friends who have volunteered to read over it and give feedback when I am done, but I have to have something other than a blank page for their kind offer to work.

Thank you in advance...

Why should extroverts have all the fun?

silly me — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:21:59 -0800

Are there any good non-desk, non-computer-based jobs out there for introverts? I'm so tired of staring at a computer all day. I'd like to do something lightly active that has me moving around. I've seriously considered going back to school to be an occupational or physical therapist...except I'm very introverted and suspect the constant face time would kill me.

It seems like all of the frequently discussed non-cubicle jobs are ideal for extroverts (teacher, nanny, nurse, the aforementioned phys and occupational therapists). Are any good, reliable, decently paying careers left for introverts? What am I not thinking of?

Bonus points for jobs that don't require one to be a mechanical genius or require travel/relocating (I'm in the Midwest). My only current skill/strength is in writing long, boring research papers on arcane aspects of the English language.

Career Advice for the Semi-Arts-Inclined?

socky mcsockerson — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 12:53:05 -0800

Artsy/music-y/indecisive-y person seeking career advice. Help me help myself. So here's my story: graduated from a Tier 1 university in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in music, had some successes as a performer, but wasn't very committed to that path. Since I was pretty directionless (other personal factors played into this), it took until I was about 3/4ths done with a master's degree program in music performance to admit to myself that this wasn't the right path for me. I was pretty depressed and burned out, and ended up leaving the program prior to completion. At the time, I felt I needed serious work experience in order to get some clarity as to an appropriate career path. During college and graduate school, I worked a variety of jobs (mostly part- and 3/4-time positions) primarily at higher ed. institutions, so after dropping out of grad school, I figured that my best bet would be to look for administrative jobs at colleges and universities. Half a year later, I ended up working as an executive assistant at another university, but realized that the work environment was very toxic. I stayed a little more than a year before transferring jobs over to a library at the same university, where I've now been working part-time. I'm enjoying my new work environment much more than my last, but I still need more information as to where to go from here.

With some extra time on my hands, I'm beginning to investigate courses/other part-time job-portunities, but I thought I'd ask you all for some perspective.

Me:

*INFP (yeah, I'm not an ardent Myers-Briggs fan, but it makes sense in my case, Forer effect notwithstanding)

*creative (music, visual art, textiles, working with my hands generally)--but more of a bit project person who works in spurts, not as good with long-ranging creative projects (requiring intensive planning, etc.) though I really wish that I could improve this.

*values autonomy and independent work, but has experience working in teams and in managerial roles.

*Can be counted on, responsible, reliable--I want to do my best work and I hate feeling like I'm slacking off.

*enjoys writing, humor, absurdity, and whimsy (these are...some things. Not sure how they play into jobs, but eh whatev).

Not me:

*Not wired for a 24/7 creative career. Tried that with music but accepted that I need a different kind of balance.

*I'm not "left-brained": so, not so great with numbers, not so great with "systems". Generally not very technical. This is also something I wish wasn't true.

*dislike research

*bad at self-promotion (part of the reason I left music)

*very uncomfortable telling other people how to live their lives, but am content to provide advice when requested

*uncomfortable with emotionally draining roles (i.e. I considered becoming a therapist/counselor, but decided it wasn't right for me for that reason)

Potential endeavors I've considered in the past, for better or worse:
-therapist/counselor (career counselor)
-librarian (possibly too detail-oriented/technical/research-oriented)
-stylist/cosmetologist (ruled it out b/c schooling and all things considered not great fit)
-design (clothing) --cannot pour money into school for this, but am considering self-training; maybe this could be a good side gig someday?
-administrator (arts?)-truly, my most recent admin job was a little traumatic.

The options above considered, let's just say if I could do it all over again/had a different brain to begin with, I'd have gone into sound engineering, graphic/web design, or luthiering. Maybe there's hope for me yet?

What do you think?

Sorry if I sound confused. I am. I might be thinking about this the wrong way. I'm all for cognitive reframing.

I can provide additional details on some other personal stuff that's kept me from exploring the things I'd like, but would rather do so through memail.

Are job recruiters helpful?

boombot — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 05:59:55 -0800

Looking for a job and trying to figure the role and value of recruiters. Do i find one and talk with them about what sort of job I'm after? How do you find a good one?

Deciding whether to switch from temp to permanent employment?

glache — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:52:30 -0800

For those who made the switch from temp to permanent work, what factors did you consider, what helped you decide? I have been a contractor for just over a year now. The place I'm currently at, 2 extensions have been offered to me, both of which I accepted without hesitation. Now the permanent recruitment's taking place. Issues are:

1. I'm not sure whether I accepted the extensions because I liked the place, or because the job hunt was failing miserably. I think it's both.
2. I'm not sure whether *they* offered me the extensions because they liked me or because they were truly desperate (this place has had very high turnover due to a bad manager but now that she's been replaced by a really good one that's all about to change). If it's the latter, I'll have no advantage over any other candidates who apply (and I suspect it'll be very competitive)
3. I'm based entirely at one hospital at the moment. The permanent recruitment's recruiting for the district, which covers 3 hospitals. So I may not necessarily be based at the hospital I'm now in. If this is the case and I have to adapt to a new workplace all over again (though of course the differences won't be as great), I'd rather do that while being on the move and travelling.
4. With the market as it is, permanent's not permanent. Well, it never is but job cuts have just been made. At the moment our jobs as entry level people are safe but who knows. So why should I settle for permanent that is foreseeably temporary when I can just continue being temp?
5. I'm scared I will ascend to the top of the learning curve (it's a small, subacute hospital, i.e. no weird or wonderful cases) and also exhaust the sense of tourist novelty. Part of the reason I temp is because I think ok I have x amount of time to explore the area so I'm out every weekend. I'm worried the thought of being permanent, I'll take the area for granted and not explore. And I don't want that.

But then I'm worried that these doubts I'm having is simply my commitment phobia talking. I'm single so I have no-one to tie me down and make me stay at a particular place. Money's not an issue as I've earned more than enough (about 1.5x market rate) from this current place at the moment to be comfortable for a while. I guess I should go with the pros now:

1. It's far away enough from my parents that I can be independent (this is the major point). If I became permanent, it would be my first time renting and setting up a place, i.e. being a grown-up (as a temp work has always provided the accommodation and before that I was at uni living with the parents which means yes I've never had permanent employment before).
2. It's a nice area. Plenty of things to do (yes I do know what I wrote for point 5 above, and that's why I'm really scared).
3. Work colleagues are all really nice. We've all gone out for dinner multiple times.
4. It would be nice not to have to job hunt every 3 months.

What other factors should I be considering in whether I should make the switch? Is it something you should have no hesitation about? (like me accepting those extensions?) Or is normal to have thoughts like this?

Is the union screwing me in advance?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:49:54 -0800

I'm applying for a union (CUPE) job that I am almost 100% sure I am going to be offered. I think I am worth more than the union mandated payscale. What extras can I request/negotiate? The union specifies that new employees with my job title receive compensation within a very specific band. I intend to insist on the top of that band, but still think I am worth more.

My (mistaken?) understanding is that the employers can't offer me a salary above that range, so what else can I ask for to sweeten the deal?

I am thinking of asking for 4 weeks vacation instead of two and asking for the benefits to become available after two months instead of the usual six, but I don't know if these are things that are mandated by the union as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Physically active job ideas?

GleepGlop — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:50:44 -0800

What are some jobs that I could do in Toronto that would keep me physically active (more than just walking a lot) without requiring going to college? Here's what I've brainstormed so far and what I think about it:

- Construction: I have a back injury and I think this would be a little too hard labour (although otherwise I am in good shape) and also potential air quality issues
- Landscaping: I am allergic to cut grass otherwise I would like this
- Cleaning: air quality issues from constantly being around dust and cleaning products, which I am sensitive to
- Doggy Daycare / Dog Walking: I would love this and I have applied to a bunch of places
- Film industry production assistant type guy: ?
- Working with kids: I have no experience with this but it could be good theoretically
- Personal Trainer: probably not as much exercise for myself vs the client and I would find this very tedious
- Bike Courier: nope.

If anyone has any ideas for things that I missed, or construction type ideas that will steer me clear of being around a lot of dust and other nasty things to inhale yet still keep me using all four limbs, I'm all ears!

My two main issues are with air quality and my back injury: as long as I will have the option to grab a seat once in a while: being on my feet the whole day would not work. I need some sitting with my standing.

Special education jobs in Ohio

cestlavie — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:02:06 -0800

What are the job prospects for a special education teacher in the US (specifically Columbus OH)? I’m a teacher and am trying to get a feel for the job market in the US, specifically Columbus, OH. I am qualified both as a special education teacher and regular education teacher with a Masters of Education.

I used to live and work in Columbus, but have been living in Australia for the last 8 years. When I left Columbus, I had been working as a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) tutor for 4 years, a job I really enjoyed. Here in Australia, I worked fulltime as a special education teacher for 5 years in Australia. I’ve just taken two years off to care for a family friend, but would like to relocate to Columbus and get back to teaching. My concern is that it may be difficult to get a job as a teacher, given the economy. My age (around 60) also probably doesn’t work in my favor.

So I’d like to get a feel for how easy or difficult it would be to find a job as a special education teacher, especially SLD tutor, if possible. If it would be difficult, are there any other related fields/jobs I could consider? E.g. In my youth I used to work as a social worker with mentally handicapped people, and would be happy to do that again.

Many thanks.

What did you do with your molecular biology PhD?

jlibera — Sat, 26 May 2012 20:02:39 -0800

I'm doing a PhD in molecular biology, and I want to get a broader feel for my options when I graduate. I'm from Europe, but currently studying in Canada, and I'd prefer to work outside the U.S. I enjoy my work (which has a strong evolutionary focus), and have always wanted to go on a career in academia.

But I've also been watching my colleagues moving from postdoc to postdoc into their forties, or struggle miserably to find a more permanent position, and I've seen the funding situation for basic science everywhere go from bad to worse (work in our field is super fun, but has absolutely no short-term applications in the real world). And lately, I've been feeling disenchanted with the general culture of academia - the lack of a life outside the lab (really, academia can feel like a cult at times), the ridiculous little interpersonal dramas, and the fact that so much time at higher levels seems to involve grant-writing or teaching rather than doing science anyway. A final thing that's been bothering me is that I feel as though after the first postdoc at the latest, it becomes a lot harder to change job (i.e. research) directions or countries than it would be outside academia, and I enjoy experiencing life in different countries. What I do still love is learning about the world around me. I'm a huge introvert, but I do appreciate the chance to work with people from many different countries, who are interested in the world at large, and with whom I can share geeky jokes.

So while I'm still looking at postdocs, I'm also looking into jobs in industry; but more importantly, I'm trying to learn more about other, less traditional career paths (science policy, teaching or academic publishing being the obvious ones), particularly ones that would allow me to travel. I've been reading up on anything I can find online, but thought I'd ask MeFi for more personal experiences.

So I'd love to hear from anyone who left academia after getting a PhD in biology, preferably on the molecular side of things. How did you find your new job? What differences did you notice in the overall culture? What about the hours and benefits? Did you actually end up using your PhD for it? Do you regret your decision at all, and why/why not? Did you find that any of the things you disliked about academia turned out to be universal? Did you find it easy or hard to stay in touch with friends from grad school who stayed the academic route?

Hunting for a new job hunt

kettleoffish — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:15:20 -0800

What makes for career/life satisfaction? What jobs have it? Quarterlife investigation underway here...

I've pretty much scoured the internet looking for info for my impending career/direction change. And I've hit a dead end when it comes to the real stuff-- finding out about the actual day to day of work in different fields.

Are any jobs that are reasonably satisfying, require intellectual diligence and creativity, net positive relationships with other people (coworkers/clients) and allow one to stay, real, grounded and have a life?

To clarify, I'm looking for a professional job, one that affords some independence (65K)-- not picky about subject matter or period of training, but more about these intangibles.

My first choice was college professor (throughout college). That's not gonna work out. But I now want something meaty and big to plan for. I won't be happy until I have a plan.

Where can I get stats on actual career satisfaction before committing to a track?

Does shadowing help? Are internet discussion boards-- indeed.com, studentdoctor.net, gradcafe.com-- realistic when it comes to discussing the pros and cons of embarking on different career paths?

Or does career satisfaction even still exist? Should I just be striving for minimizing dissatisfaction, and keep writing my novel on the weekends?

Thanks!!!

Should you ever turn down a promotion?

forkisbetter — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:35:07 -0800

I think my boss is about to offer me a promotion. What should I say if I'm not sure I actually want it? I arrived at my current job when I was desperate for any job I could get after graduating from college. I'm lucky that I ended up working at a pretty decent gig, it's just not what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. A promotion would result in more responsibility, but not much of a change in what I already do. Any raise would be small.

After a two years of pretty dull corporate administrative work I promised myself I'd start applying for jobs that will help me get experience and skills for pursuing my dream job as a science writer.

I don't plan on leaving immediately, but I have been planning on applying to new jobs in earnest starting in the fall. Depending on my luck with applying, it could even take an additional six months or longer to even get a new gig.

My boss wants to have lunch to discuss this, should I be honest with her? Should I take the promotion, even if it's likely that I might leave in six months?

I need ad agency career advice

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:11:35 -0800

Ad agency/career filter: I'm 24. Sometimes I love my job, sometimes it stresses me out so much that I want to leave. An opportunity to move on has presented itself and now I'm panicking. I work in a non-creative role at a small agency in the burbs of a large major city. It is my first job out of college, I've been here for two years. A lot of people I work with are great; others, not so much.

It's a pretty poorly managed and disorganized shop - a lot of clients have dropped us in the last few months and a lot of people have been laid off. That said, I've gotten an amazing opportunity to learn a ton of things I probably wouldn't have learned at a major shop; conversely, there's also a lot of important things that I have NOT learned because we're so scrappy and unorganized (for instance, billing - pretty important, right? I understand none of it). On top of that, they pay me outstandingly well for someone with my low experience level - likely a result of poor management, and possibly as a way of trying to "trap" me here because they are so understaffed.

For the hell of it, I sent out my resume to some contacts that used to work with me and have gotten a response from another independently-owned agency in another suburb on the other side of town. They want to set up an interview. It's bigger and it looks like they do better work. Awesome!

...Except I'm not feeling awesome. I'm starting to feel trapped and anxious. Like leaving one small suburban agency to go work at another small suburban agency is being...really unambitious. Like if I leave this place, I need to leave for something big, like a big world-renowned agency in a big city like NY or SF.

My questions:

1) From what I understand, the career path of people in advertising tends to be to start at big national agencies when you're young and get it on your resume, THEN move on to bigger/senior positions at smaller shops as your career progresses. Is it ever the reverse?

2) Should I even move to this other agency if given the opportunity? They do good work and have great clients, but likely won't pay me as well as they are at my current job. I'm trying to figure out if moving on to somewhere else "for the hell of it" (as opposed to following my dream of being at a big agency in a big city) is a good idea.

3) If the other agency made an offer, how bad does it reflect on me to my friend/contact if I interview and turn the offer down? How would one go about doing that? What if I accepted the offer but then decided to start searching for another job in, say, NY after a few months/a year if I'm not feeling it? Does the short stint look bad on my resume? Will large shops be put off by my only experience being in podunk agencies?

I really would love to hear advice from people who have worked in advertising longer than I have. I set up an email at advertisingcareeradvice@gmail.com for anyone who would rather message me.

job search and networking etiquette

MsMartian — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:52:04 -0800

What is the etiquette for contacting a former (short-term) supervisor about new job leads? I'm on the hunt for some new opportunities, and I have a contact with whom I worked until about February of last year. We worked together for about 5-6 months, and didn't really keep in touch very well at all since then. We got along well and he approved of my work (he was kind of a supervisor), so I think he would be a good contact and possibly a reference.

I'm wondering if it would be kosher to reach out to him to see if he has any leads at his company or elsewhere. If so, how do I approach him? Do I ask him to coffee, or just drop all pretense and ask him about job leads? Do I ask him to be a reference and hope he'll offer some info about positions? I don't want to offend anybody or make a wrong move.

How do I start a new career and where should I go to do that?

fairlysober — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:19:04 -0800

About 18 months ago I dropped out of law school due to depression and amid a divorce. Since then I've been living with my parents in my tiny hometown and working for my dad. But this situation can't last forever for a lot reasons. So where should I go? What should I do to start a new career? And how do I get there? Some other details that might be relevant: I'm male and in my early 30s. Before school I had a decent work history as an admin asst in law offices. I don't have any kind of technical background. The only skill I have is a decent ability to write, but it suffers greatly whenever I'm not feeling my best. I'm still considering a return to school, but I question my ability to deal with the rigors of legal practice consistently.

I don't have any real friends who could provide a support network for me while getting on my feet anywhere. I'd prefer somewhere east of Mississippi, but I guess I'm willing to go anywhere and do anything as long as it will give me a realistic chance of starting a good career. Thanks for any advice!