Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with nyc and jobs

German-owned Creative agencies in New York City

harlan — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:29:18 -0800

I would really like to know which NYC-based German agency is advertising this position on Craigslist:
Senior Systems Analyst
Anyone care to speculate?

Help a wall streeter turn over a new leaf

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:40:56 -0800

Are there recruiters in NYC who specialize in non profit executives? I am leaving a pretty high powered financial services position and am too young to retire. I may do something else on wall street but I want to consider something else. Many people say "have you thought about a non profit?" and I say "sure, know of any that are looking for executives?"

I am a bit senior for monster.com and I don't really know the landscape or the players. I have a lot of skills - managing researchers and programmers, raising money, analyzing statistical analysis - which I think should be translatable. I dont have any direct experience or a degree in public policy or anything. I did not work for a scandal-ridden firm, have any lawsuits or anything like that and have a good reputation in my little corner of the world.

I have a throwaway account new.leaf.mefi@gmail.com

Help me recession-proof my future, post-college life.

Muffpub — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:49:22 -0800

I'm 21 years old, about to graduate college, and the recession is freaking me out. I know there's no right or wrong answer to which course my life should take, but I need help focusing on realistic skills and places to live that I should be considering. I'm about to graduate from a major Ivy-level university with a degree in English and Political Science. I have no idea what I want to do with my life and will be dealing with ~$35k in debt, so I want to try to spend the next few years living frugally and carefully contemplating what I want to study in grad school before I make the plunge.

The problem is that I feel like all of my ideas of what my post-college life would look like have been soured by the recession. I would love virtually nothing more than to live in Brooklyn and try my hand at policy, academia, or nonprofits/social justice - but as far as the research I've done is concerned, the NYC job/rental markets are so incredibly tight it might as well be a death wish.

Recently I've tried to expand my search to other places, like Chicago, Boston, and DC, but even in these areas I feel like the cost of living stacked up against jobs I would want that actually pay something is daunting.

I've been trying to think about ways to make my predicament easier by
1 - Trying to cast a wider net geographically - looking at cheaper, faster-growing economies such as Austin, TX and parts of North Carolina for more, better-paying jobs and cheaper rents;
2 - Casting a wider net in terms of what jobs I' could apply to - but here I'm a bit clueless;
3 - Looking for skills that I could attempt to teach myself that might give me a competitive advantage. (I have some basic Spanish and HTML/CSS under my belt that could, maybe, give me a head start.)

I know this question is almost impossibly broad, but are these worthwhile strategies?

Is the premise of my fears valid - that life in a major city like New York, which is what I want more than anything, is unfeasible in this economy?

Where can I find a decent, urban-style quality of life - liberal, gay friendly, nightlife, art/music scene, public transit - with a realistic rental and job market? Is it all too much to ask?

Am I being overly pessimistic considering that I *did* go to a good school and made decent grades - or is it prudent to be this cautious?

Other factors to consider: I do *not* want to live with my parents. I'd really like to not stray any farther from the East Coast than North Carolina to to the south, Chicago to the west, or Montreal to the north. Programs abroad such as the Peace Corps, teaching English in Asia, etc interest me, but I worry that the economic crisis will just make life even harder abroad than it is here. Also I have EU citizenship and could theoretically move and work anywhere there, but again, I worry that life will be even harder there.

I'm sorry to ask so many different questions in one, but any guidance from anyone who has graduated from college and felt completely overwhelmed/demoralized by grim economic conditions would be really helpful. Trying to figure out just how bad this recession is/will be is like staring into an abyss, and it makes planning and predicting my future, and how hard things may get, very difficult. Please, feel free to share your stories, perspectives, advice on what you would do in my situation, anything at all.

ESL jobs in NYC?

limon — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:20:36 -0800

I'm coming to New York in the fall for school. I want a part-time job teaching ESL. I have some credentials and experience, but I need pointers. I have a TESL certificate from International House Toronto that is recognized by TESL Canada. It's a CELTA / CertTESOL equivalent (120 hours, 5 practicums). I will also be acquiring a few additional certificates this summer in teaching business English and teaching TOEFL and TOEIC preparation courses.

I have just been hired by a reputable private ESL school in Toronto, so I'll have five months experience by September. I was also a volunteer teacher of philosophy to adults for a year.

I also have a Bachelor's degree and will be pursuing a doctorate in a well-regarded university in the city.

Do you have any pointers? Where should I look, except the usual places (Craigslist, etc.)? Any schools to avoid or look out for? Any American teaching credential I should / could pursue this summer?

Is there really no business like it? Is that a good thing?

doift — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:38:23 -0800

What can you tell me about working in theatrical costume in NYC? I majored in costume design in college, and worked in regional and college costume shops from age 14 through the end of college, when I decided that I didn't want to deal with unsteady work and theatre egos, so I went to grad school.
But it's unclear whether my Plan B is going to work out any better, so I'm taking inventory of my skills and options, just in case. I'm not necessarily passionate about theatre (which seems like it might be a requirement for putting up with it), but I did like a lot of elements of the work I did in college.

I'm curious about the real world of theatrical costume, beyond my limited experience. I'm particularly interested in finding out about the New York City job market, since that's where I'm located now and I've already got an idea of the regional theatre scene. Any MeFites working in the field, or know anyone who is, and have any tips?
(Possibly relevant: I have solid construction skills, and with a refresher course or two I could get up to snuff in patternmaking. I'm not particularly interested in design.)

-Where do people find out about job openings? Most of the theatre job boards I've seen have had minimal costume content. Where do costume houses advertise vacancies?
-I have one acquaintance who used to work in a costume house and absolutely hated it. Is that as epidemic as it sounds from talking to her?
-Obviously this isn't the kind of work people go into for the money, but is it possible to do it and survive in NYC?
-Any other thoughts? Resources for finding out more? It seems like all the "Theatre Jobs" websites I've ever seen are sketchy and outdated.

Hunting for a headhunter

missjamielynn — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:15:59 -0800

Do you know of any good headhunters in NYC? I've been trying to find a good headhunter in New York City and have had little luck. I've mostly worked in the entertainment industry in production, but I've also held positions working as an assistant to high profile executives.

I'm looking to move past the assistant level and find a position where I can learn new things and grow. Unfortunately, most of the environments I've worked in are very poorly managed and there's no upward path. I'm in my mid-20's and desperately want to get out of this rut. Any suggestions?

Jobs for a Tech-Savvy Historian/Teacher

ocherdraco — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:38:06 -0800

What are some good places to work in NYC for a tech-savvy medievalist who also has experience teaching history and politics to middle and high schoolers? My best friend from college would like to move to New York, and as I live here already, I (rather selfishly) want to do everything I can to help him make that happen. Right now, as his first post-college job, he's in the middle of a year long teaching fellowship at a British school (and doing quite well with it). He's teaching history to 13-year-olds (last term it was WWI; this term it's the Middle East from the fall of the Ottoman Empire), and American Politics to 17-year-olds. So, he's looking at teaching jobs (at private schools, as he hasn't yet got credentials) and programs like the New York City Teaching Fellows and Teach for America.

But he's into many things besides teaching: at school (we went to an Ivy League college) he majored in medieval history, did tech support for other undergraduates, studied the similarities between the shift from oral culture to print and the shift from print to digital, and created websites and content management systems. He's the kind of person who comes up with ideas about how things work and then makes them work better based upon his ideas. He draws connections between things that are seemingly unconnected in such a way that both things seem more illuminated by the explanation.

At various points he's thought about studying law (a la Lawrence Lessig's Center for Internet and Society) or information studies (the field that has blossomed out of library sciences), and he's also thought about writing about the connections between history and current revolutions in technology for magazines in the vein of Wired.

Where in New York City would be a good place for him to work, besides the teaching possibilities mentioned above? I'd greatly appreciate any answers, and particularly those that are creative and non-obvious.

Yes, that's me, your friendly temporary employee!

sondrialiac — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:29:28 -0800

Have you worked for a temp agency in New York City? Which one? If you had a decent experience with a temp agency, please tell me which agency. It doesn't have to be the best agency in the world, just decent.

I am looking for office work ASAP. I am qualified to work as an office manager and have a 4 year degree.

If you could give me an idea of what they offered you per hour, that would also be appreciated.

When will I be able to confidently ask for mayo?

doift — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:56:35 -0800

[Rambly-what-should-I-do-with-my-life-filter] Useless Master's degrees! Impending weddings! Mild-to-moderate homelessness! Help me figure out my next step before I resort to prostitution or, worse, telemarketing. This spring I finished a master's degree in museum studies and fashion history. This program in particular. I knew going in that there weren't a ton of jobs in that field specifically, and so have availed myself of a pretty diverse bunch of internships and part-time jobs (archives, museum registrar's office, etc.) to try to make myself more broadly employable. I live in New York, the museum capital of the country. I am willing to move pretty much anywhere for a job. However, after spending several months looking for work, it's become painfully clear that there really aren't that many jobs, period, in any branch of what I'm trained to do: museums/archives/conservation labs/etc. If I loved the work, I'd be more willing to put in the time to make it, but I don't know if I'm as crazy as about it as is necessary. I like the work, but the low pay, job shortages, museum bureaucracy, etc, all give me pause. Like many people, I went to grad school because I couldn't think of anything better to do. That was mistake #1.

Mistake #2 is the result of a familial culture in which it was always understood that as a student, school was my job. So I didn't do any of the customer service/retail/office/food service jobs that most people do during high school and college. I had scholarships, so I didn't ever need to. So now I have no experience in any of those things, and my few recent attempts to get any of those kinds of jobs have been met with mockery.

Mistake #3 was getting engaged. I'm very happy to be getting married, but due to annoying circumstances, my fiance is 2000 miles away and will not be able to move to the same time zone until I have a job, and therefore a reason to live in a particular place. This adds an extra level of time-based pressure, because we're really sick of having the Midwest between us.

Also, my lease ended in August, and I'm currently sleeping on my brother's couch. This is getting old. In New York, it's very difficult to get approved for an apartment or even a sublet without a job, and I'm hesitant to up and move elsewhere, when the few jobs I'm remotely qualified for are mostly here.

It doesn't help that all of this is making me something of an emotional wreck. No one wants to hire someone who starts sobbing when asked if she wants mayo on her sandwich, because she's come to wonder if she even deserves mayo.

So I turn to you, Internet. How do relatively smart, easygoing, pleasant-to-work-with kids get decent jobs these days? At this point I'm willing to do anything that pays the rent. Short of prostitution. I'd be a terrible prostitute.

Help me become employed in NYC - Preferably in Publishing

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:49:19 -0800

I'm in an unusual situation and it's proving extremely difficult to change things. Short version: I've been out of work for five years mostly due to severe depression, anxiety, and an abusive relationship, and have been trying to establish myself since recovering with no luck. I'm a bookworm with a degree who seeks an entry-level publishing position, but will take other (hopefully related, but not an absolute requirement right now) positions in the interest of establishing a recent job history for myself. (Extra long version inside...) I graduated magna cum laude several years ago, but initially, my attempts at finding a job in my industry of interest at the time (advertising) didn't work out. Part of the problem was my lack of formal experience, and the other was that I was trying to enter into a creative position, when few of those are advertised. Those that are advertised are difficult to get without a portfolio, and I didn't have one at the time. I've since learned how to use Photoshop, ImageReady, do webdesign, and other sorts of transferable skills. I did not spend the last few years idly.

I'd suffered from some form of depression and anxiety for some time by then, but it hadn't affected my success up until that point. After graduation though, I slipped further and further into it, became isolated, and to the point of being suicidal multiple times. I had intense social anxiety for some time then too. To the point that I was afraid to go out places or even to do simple, everyday things such as ordering from a food menu or making phone calls to just about anyone. What didn't help matters was entering into an ultimately abusive situation with someone I'd dated. He physically, verbally, and sexually assaulted me. That sort of thing wrecks the old self-esteem, and mine was already wrecked from the start.

I got out of that abusive situation about a year and a half ago, and have not only recovered since then, but totally changed. As of last fall or so, something clicked into place and I felt like a new person. I'm in a much better place now. I'm supported and loved, but more importantly, I've gained this love for myself, and real confidence for the first time in my life.

As for employment, most people won't give me the time of day, especially given the almost total gap in my resume between college and now. The only thing I've done since then has been minor freelance writing in the form of letters for a friend of the mother of my abuser.

I've called temp agencies, only to be given the run-around, being told "we'll call you", and of course, never being called and never even being asked to come interview.

I don't have any references. I've had a total of one formal paying job - just over a year of office work in college. Part of the reason for this was having to put in long hours commuting to school, not being able to take jobs without possibly affecting some government payments one of my parents was receiving, which would have led to being cut off and possibly not letting us afford to eat if it came to pass, and graduating early.

The depression, isolation, and social anxiety, plus lack of money made volunteering not really an option (I couldn't even make phone calls. I was so deathly afraid of phone calls that I'd leave mine occupied or off the hook for significant chunks of the day), so no references from that either.

I've got a degree in literature, a solid minor, a great work ethic, and lots and lots of desire to work in publishing. I did a whole lot of research and soul searching and I've decided that I want to be an editor of trade books. I've been applying to editorial assistant positions and rotational type gigs, but only one has responded. I interviewed for that position last year and did not get it.

At this point, I'm extremely poor, in debt, in need of a new wardrobe after losing a whole lot of weight (came off with the emotional baggage), and simply need a good job to get me started, even if it's not an editorial assistant position right away.

Most editorial hiring managers won't even look at me. I've attempted to get into some of the companies and present myself as a candidate, figuring if they met me and I could answer some questions, it might make things a bit easier and make me memorable enough for follow-up. I tried calling HarperCollins and they "don't do" informational interviews. How do I get to know anyone there? Or at other companies, many of which are similar?

I know that most editorial assistant ads are considered to be entry-level, and also that it's nigh impossible to land one without tons of internships. But it's not totally impossible. I've read of editors that took chances and of people whose first jobs in publishing were steps up from entry-level. I know that I can shine if someone would just not write me off into the black hole of HR immediately due to a gap in my resume.

I'm no longer a student, so many internships are off limits, and anything I do get has to be paid, or at least offer a stipend that I can combine with part time work.

As far as part time, retail work goes, I've tried going that route as well. The local video store, supermarket, Macy's, and other retail outlets have decided not to call me. Some people have told me that perhaps they saw my degree listed and felt I was overqualified, or that I'd leave soon if hired. I apply to office positions often as well.

I also never quite learned the art of networking. I was so cripplingly socially anxious and depressed during college that it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference if I had, and so I don't really have any professional contacts, and not many personal ones left either. My family doesn't know anyone in publishing either.

So mefites: Please offer me your best advice on becoming employed in NYC with such a history. I'll be commuting, but that's not really an issue. Extra tons of bonus points if anyone has advice for breaking into publishing as a non-student with only a clip or two (one from a journalism-related program ten years ago), a literature degree, lots of desire, drive, passion for books, a good (albeit outsider's) grasp of the industry, a lifetime spent as a grammar nazi, and acceptance that I'll have to work my way up.

Please understand that this is an extremely frustrating situation, especially now that I've recovered and am filled with such energy and drive to just get out there and establish myself already. I've had one too many virtual doors slammed in my face and I'm sort of at wit's end.

Apologies for my inability to be more succinct, but I thought it best to try and include as many details as possible due to this being an anon post.

Private responses at askmefifollowup@hotmail.com

Thank you for any advice that you guys might have.

Rock City is DOOM!

bastionofsanity — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 18:26:18 -0800

NYCFilter: Detroit totally sucks compared to NYC... Someone I know from Detroit recently graduated from college with a degree in Film and Video Production. Recently (Thursday) she visited NYC and now (Sunday) she has decided she'd like to stay and look for a job related to photography or her degree. Does the hive mind have any resources I could point her towards and facilitate this transition?

I LOVE UR CHILDREN WHEN U CANNOT: UR PERFECT NANNY IS HERE!!!

zoomorphic — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 06:52:32 -0800

How do people hire nannies in New York City? I'm looking for a part-time nannying job in New York to subsidize working for an unpaid internship and, um, living here. Craigslist is a nightmare of abused caps lock and broken English, and there seems to be tons of agencies, but I've heard conflicting evidence about nearly all of them. What agencies have you trusted or heard to be trusted, and which ones should I not bother applying to?

For the record, I need an agency that doesn't take much (if anything) from my own salary, doesn't require a year long contract, and doesn't demand full time hours.

Help me get paid to be a book nerd.

zoomorphic — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:24:58 -0800

PublishingJobsFilter: I am trying to land a job in the book publishing industry in New York, and it's been a fairly daunting process so far. Please hold my hand. I recently graduated with a degree in English/Modern Literature from a good university. My background is fairly typical of a type A Lit major: I graduated with honors, published a lot fiction and non-fiction, participated in student-run journals and magazines. I have solid internship experience at professional newspapers and magazines. No, I wasn't the editor-in-chief of the Crimson, and I haven't written any great American novels, but I've worked hard at producing and publishing literature.

My dream job would be to work in the book publishing industry. In terms of applying for jobs, I have visited every publishing-related website, going so far as to open all my novels and visit their publishers' websites to see if they were advertising for job openings. I then lovingly individualized all the cover letters to said publishing houses and lit agencies, tweaked my resume to perfection, and crossed my fingers. Nevertheless, nothing fantastically promising has surfaced.

People have been warning me that the publishing industry is incredibly competitive, and maybe I was naive in thinking my college and internship experience sufficiently prepared me for being some lit agent's xerox bitch, but l'm getting nervous. My move from DC to Brooklyn is slated for next Thursday, and I'd like to have my crappy entry-level job lined up before I crash on a friend's couch, if only to avoid feeling completely adrift.

To clarify: my resume says I already live in Brooklyn, since I'm willing to take the Chinatown bus to NYC should someone call me up at a moment's notice for an interview, so no one's passing me over because I don't live there. I know about mediabistro, publisherslunch, publishersmarketplace, journalismjobs, and of course, NYtimes and craigslist.

I am looking specifically for advice on how other people got themselves noticed in this industry. I realize social networking is everything in New York, but what else can I do to get an edge over the mob of English and journalism majors who all want the same job I do?

Were my ideas stolen? If so, could I have done anything to prevent it?

spec80 — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 15:57:16 -0800

I sent an e-mail of panel ideas after an interview to a woman hiring for a well regarded film festival. I did not get the job but when I was looking at the panels months later, I was surprised to find most of my ideas were being used. Was there any way to protect myself? I interviewed for this job years ago when I was a few months out of college, but it still bothers me today and I just wanted to ask the community their opinion so I can let it go.

A friend of a woman I was interning for was looking for a panel assistant. I was grateful for my resume being passed on and I went to the interview. It went well and at the end, the interviewer thanked me and requested that I e-mail her panel ideas along with a short write up so she could get an idea if I had a good feel of the film industry and what would make a good panel discussion.

I did so and I got an e-mail back that was positive. She said they were great ideas and that one of them was something they were thinking about developing already, so I was on the right track.

I never heard from her again. I was disappointed but I knew I couldn't dwell on it.

But months later, when the film festival was releasing their information about their schedule, I couldn't help but look at their panels. I was quite shocked to see that most of the ideas I e-mailed months earlier were being used. I felt angry but I didn't do anything because I thought I couldn't.

Was there anything I could have done? Preventatively or after the fact? Did they actually steal my ideas or was I so on the track that this was going to be done anyway?

Corporate Career Action Dress-Me-Up Barbie

Marnie — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:25:39 -0800

Ladies' suit shopping, online or NYC - gentle, painless, nurturing, or at least not overtly hostile. I need to do some serious job interviewing. Therefore I need a tasteful, corporate, to-be-taken-seriously suit for a late-20s size 8.

My closest approximation of what I'm looking for is Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew or Brooks Brothers, but I haven't worked in corporate America for a while, so there may be more appropriate sources. Yes, I have staked out the lunch-hour crowd in midtown, and that seems to be the look. Nordstrom's Forever 21-looking offerings horrify me, and I don't want something polyester or cheap-looking. Let's say I have $600 to spend, but would be grateful to pay much less than that. My only major body consideration is that I have hips, so "European-cut" pants like at H&M or Express are not an option.

Q. What stores should I look at? Which locations are the least likely to be swamped / snooty / have limited sizes or styles in NYC and the surrounding areas? Or is there a reasonable way to do this online? Where can I find other workday-appropriate clothing that will cost $80 or under per outfit? Are there other information sources such as websites or magazines that would be helpful to me for current corporate fashion? Should I worry about tailoring? What about shoes? Shirts? Seasonal concerns?

I'm a blank slate here, people. I hate shopping and the Mercury's pushing 100. Help.