Applying to jobs with no openings?
July 17, 2016 5:22 PM Subscribe
A career services counselor at my college called me to ask how my job search is going – I told him it's not. A bit of advice he gave me was to send out my cover letter and resume to companies that don't have any open positions. Coming from a man that once encouraged me to bribe employers by buying them gifts I'm hesitant to take seriously his advice.
I'll admit that at this stage of my job search I am disinclined to bribe or otherwise woo hiring managers. Due to the debt I incurred to attend college, the majority of which cannot be eliminated through bankruptcy, and not having any stable employment, creditors could seize any money of mine in my bank accounts, which are already in the negative, a car of mine was repossessed and services, such as my cell phone, are being cut off.
Networking – that Holy Grail of 21st century employment – is how 70-80% of jobs are found. My writing abilities notwithstanding, I don't have much capacity for networking. I don't have family connections – the majority of my family lives in a constant state of civil war, with attempted murders and suicides commonplace, and with the exception of the last 3 years, I've spent the majority of my adult life on social assistance, or what Americans call "welfare". The reason for this is that I suffer from a developmental disability – autism. Communication, other than through writing, is difficult for me. Therapy is effective in helping me with this but can only go so far in reducing this limitation of mine. Although after many years of speech therapy I can talk now, I still have great difficulty processing verbal instructions and responding appropriately in conversations, none more so than that loathsome "small talk" people like to engage in. Excess stimuli – too many conversations, too much artificial light, or simply not having sufficient time to process what is being said, etc. – further exacerbates this for me.
Nevertheless I have attempted to "network" without success. Former graduates of the same program at the same college have all either ignored requests I've sent or kindly informed me there was nothing they can do. Those that are employed in the field I am interested have mostly ignored me or, to the best of my knowledge, appeared annoyed when I have inquired about employment at their company.
What I have concluded is that those who are employed don't care, and those that do the hiring, unless they are actually hiring, don't care either, and even then are rarely interested in someone without the minimum 3-5 years experience.
This, then, makes me think that cold applying to companies is a futile endeavour. Why would a company I apply to that might not even have an open position be interested in me when companies I have worked for in some capacity aren't? For two months I worked for free at a major national company to acquire experience as part of my college program. In the end, they refused to consider me for a position, telling me I should "return to school and study a more desirable subject" if I am serious about working there, and refused to provide me with a reference stating that they have a no reference policy. Yet I am to believe that a company with no advertised openings will hire someone like me that has no real experience? The truth is I can't even find work at places that pay minimum wage because I lack "2 years customer service experience," having worked only in as a truck driver until an accident made me unable to continue in that line of work.
What are your thoughts?
I'll admit that at this stage of my job search I am disinclined to bribe or otherwise woo hiring managers. Due to the debt I incurred to attend college, the majority of which cannot be eliminated through bankruptcy, and not having any stable employment, creditors could seize any money of mine in my bank accounts, which are already in the negative, a car of mine was repossessed and services, such as my cell phone, are being cut off.
Networking – that Holy Grail of 21st century employment – is how 70-80% of jobs are found. My writing abilities notwithstanding, I don't have much capacity for networking. I don't have family connections – the majority of my family lives in a constant state of civil war, with attempted murders and suicides commonplace, and with the exception of the last 3 years, I've spent the majority of my adult life on social assistance, or what Americans call "welfare". The reason for this is that I suffer from a developmental disability – autism. Communication, other than through writing, is difficult for me. Therapy is effective in helping me with this but can only go so far in reducing this limitation of mine. Although after many years of speech therapy I can talk now, I still have great difficulty processing verbal instructions and responding appropriately in conversations, none more so than that loathsome "small talk" people like to engage in. Excess stimuli – too many conversations, too much artificial light, or simply not having sufficient time to process what is being said, etc. – further exacerbates this for me.
Nevertheless I have attempted to "network" without success. Former graduates of the same program at the same college have all either ignored requests I've sent or kindly informed me there was nothing they can do. Those that are employed in the field I am interested have mostly ignored me or, to the best of my knowledge, appeared annoyed when I have inquired about employment at their company.
What I have concluded is that those who are employed don't care, and those that do the hiring, unless they are actually hiring, don't care either, and even then are rarely interested in someone without the minimum 3-5 years experience.
This, then, makes me think that cold applying to companies is a futile endeavour. Why would a company I apply to that might not even have an open position be interested in me when companies I have worked for in some capacity aren't? For two months I worked for free at a major national company to acquire experience as part of my college program. In the end, they refused to consider me for a position, telling me I should "return to school and study a more desirable subject" if I am serious about working there, and refused to provide me with a reference stating that they have a no reference policy. Yet I am to believe that a company with no advertised openings will hire someone like me that has no real experience? The truth is I can't even find work at places that pay minimum wage because I lack "2 years customer service experience," having worked only in as a truck driver until an accident made me unable to continue in that line of work.
What are your thoughts?
I don't see how you have anything to lose by sending your info to places who aren't publishing any openings. (Except your time, which you probably have some of.) When I've been part of the machinery of hiring, announcing a job opening was the very last resort, so if you're applying for a publicly available job opening, you're already at a disadvantage. The process for filling a position usually looks like this: 1) Find someone already at the company, 2) Personal contacts (actual friends, family, previous coworkers), 3) acquaintances ("Have you heard of anybody...?"), 4) People on file (either resumes from the last time we put up the job opening, or ones we found worth noting since then), 5) Posted job listings.
By cold calling you'll move from the very bottom rung of that ladder up to number 4, which isn't the top, but it's much better.
That said, some places simply won't save resumes if they don't have an opening. It's not like anyone will take the time to blacklist you if you send a single unsolicited resume.
Networking and job searches suck. Stay with it.
However, you may want to disregard my advice since, as a contractor, I make a habit of bringing treats to my clients. I guess you could call it a bribe, but my clients are better clients when they're happy.
posted by Ookseer at 5:57 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
By cold calling you'll move from the very bottom rung of that ladder up to number 4, which isn't the top, but it's much better.
That said, some places simply won't save resumes if they don't have an opening. It's not like anyone will take the time to blacklist you if you send a single unsolicited resume.
Networking and job searches suck. Stay with it.
However, you may want to disregard my advice since, as a contractor, I make a habit of bringing treats to my clients. I guess you could call it a bribe, but my clients are better clients when they're happy.
posted by Ookseer at 5:57 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
After nearly a full year of searching, I got my first job in my field from a company I'd sent my resume to when they didn't have openings. The next time they had a position that fit my qualifications, they interviewed me and I was hired. My field is mental health/social work.
posted by epj at 6:08 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by epj at 6:08 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I start a new job tomorrow, they were not hiring when I sent an email to the CEO. I think this approach works much better with smaller companies where you can simply email an executive and have a reasonable certainty that they will see it. However the key is that you have to be able to convince them in just a few sentences that they need you in the company. So you have to have a skill or results at a previous employer or something that will make an executive take notice of your email, and want to talk to you.
posted by COD at 6:10 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 6:10 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Another tactic is that if you can find the recruiters who are filling positions in the industry you want to be in, send your resume to them. (In a lot of fields the job postings aren't put up by the company at all, but a recruiting firm)
I've had a lot of luck saying "I saw you were posting for 'Job' in 'Field X.' I don't think 'Job' is exactly what I'm looking for, but you seem to be plugged into that industry. Here is my resume, please keep me in mind if you have other openings in 'Field X.'" Almost every time I've gotten called back because they had other jobs they were trying to fill that weren't being advertised yet.
Good luck! It is a hard market.
posted by Caravantea at 6:18 PM on July 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I've had a lot of luck saying "I saw you were posting for 'Job' in 'Field X.' I don't think 'Job' is exactly what I'm looking for, but you seem to be plugged into that industry. Here is my resume, please keep me in mind if you have other openings in 'Field X.'" Almost every time I've gotten called back because they had other jobs they were trying to fill that weren't being advertised yet.
Good luck! It is a hard market.
posted by Caravantea at 6:18 PM on July 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
So I don't know what your field is precisely, but as a small data point in favor of this: I got my first internship (in economic research, as a junior in college) by basically e-mailing places and saying "I don't see that you have an intern program, but if you do ever hire interns, here's my resume." I tried this at maybe four places and got one positive response; I basically attribute that particular internship with later getting me a similar job and setting me on my career path.
I'm not suggesting you look for internships or something to accumulate experience (although depending on what you do and where you are it can be a strategy to get your foot in the door). But the point is that cold e-mailing places without posted openings can work. Especially, as some people suggested above, with small firms who maybe don't have the resources to post jobs as widely.
posted by dismas at 6:31 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm not suggesting you look for internships or something to accumulate experience (although depending on what you do and where you are it can be a strategy to get your foot in the door). But the point is that cold e-mailing places without posted openings can work. Especially, as some people suggested above, with small firms who maybe don't have the resources to post jobs as widely.
posted by dismas at 6:31 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I got a job by sending my resume and cover letter to a place with no advertised positions. It caught the interest of the person in charge of hiring. We chatted a bit, and he told me he liked my resume but that there weren't any positions. That changed a week later and he gave me a call. I then got the job.
I've sent cold letters out to maybe a dozen places in my latest job search. Most of them have not garnered any response. One company did interview me and said they were interested in creating a position for me (and it looked good until salary figures were discussed) and another told me they liked my skill set but didn't have anything for me at the present time.
I have noticed that a lot of places in the industry I am targeting say on their websites that they welcome resumes at any time whether they are hiring or not. I don't think this is an unusual thing to do, though it might depend on your field.
posted by synecdoche at 8:09 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've sent cold letters out to maybe a dozen places in my latest job search. Most of them have not garnered any response. One company did interview me and said they were interested in creating a position for me (and it looked good until salary figures were discussed) and another told me they liked my skill set but didn't have anything for me at the present time.
I have noticed that a lot of places in the industry I am targeting say on their websites that they welcome resumes at any time whether they are hiring or not. I don't think this is an unusual thing to do, though it might depend on your field.
posted by synecdoche at 8:09 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
My husband got his first job post post-doc by emailing companies that made the equipment he was an expert user of, even if they didn't have job postings. The company that he ended up at using this approach was rapidly verging on obsolence and terribly mismanaged (probably part of why the approach worked), so YMMV. He ended up leaving after a year for better pastures, but it was a good way to get his foot in the door.
posted by permiechickie at 8:13 PM on July 17, 2016
posted by permiechickie at 8:13 PM on July 17, 2016
When I read your query, I'm not sure I understand what type of job you are applying for (I do see the customer description comment, but not sure if it is that or any type of job, so caveat is that this might apply to certain fields).
A bit of advice he gave me was to send out my cover letter and resume to companies that don't have any open positions.
Sending off unsolicited interest for projects and jobs has worked very well for me. If I am looking for something (project or job), I make very succinct emails with a few bullets and I do some research on the company. However, it is field specific - there are other jobs/fields that this would be a waste of time. One thing you can do is test whether this approach is viable for your type of jobs; send out 20 emails (or whatever approach you use, some people send a hard copy, or make a query at HR first, whatever approach you use.). If you hear crickets, then try another approach, but if you get some responses, keep using it and see if you can improve the numbers.
I'll admit that at this stage of my job search I am disinclined to bribe or otherwise woo hiring managers.
I don't view it as wooing; rather, think of it as an exchange. They might need your particular skill set and you happen to have it and are letting them know this (plus for whatever reason, you are interested in what they produce/products/projects, whatever.) It is a few sentences, that's it. You are exchanging your time and expertise for money, this is not wooing or best friend or whatever.
...Networking...
I'm addressing this part of your question/background because we might have overlapping challenges (I also am horrible at small talk plus my own challenges of anxiety, shyness, and what not). I used be unable to get basic info from phone calls, but I flipped it around and am sharing this with you if it helps.
When I approach people for info interviews, I offer several options to make it easy for them. But if you know that in person is too much, just ask for a (whatever time limit works for you and probably for another person, so lets say 20 minutes max on phone or just a few emails, or whatever, let them pick. Don't mention in person, or if they do, apologize and turn it down.) For the phone calls, you can write a detailed script with the info that you want and need. You can practice with someone else - I believe that you can get better at this. But you don't need to ramble with chit chat - focus on the questions, they have limited time, too.
For whatever reason, there might be bridges burned with your current colleagues and or work places (I think this happens to everyone at some point), but don't focus on them: Focus on new connections. Think about what things you might have in common that are googleable or apply to the them with empathy (ie, I also went to X college, or I also just graduated, or I saw your writing about [insert hobby], whatever it is). Some people will ignore it, but don't worry, keep on approaching other people and someone will help out.
There are other ways to network, too. I recently met someone who found a job by reaching out to people in LinkedIn (people he did not know). Now he had education in the field but no experience, but sent out queries (interested in X job, would you have time to talk), and it worked out well for him.
But it is a numbers game, and also remind yourself that people like to help other people.
That said, when I ask for info from people, I don't look for contacts to get an "in" to a company through the person, I use it to learn how to get into similar types of jobs and companies (ie, strategies and myself as an employment package). What are other ways to approach a company/other listings/is there something else you should do (the list goes on and on, feel free to memail if you want more descriptions/I've also posted about this before.)
...rarely interested in someone without the minimum 3-5 years experience...
Talk to people in your desired industry/job. Sometimes there are alternative ways to get adequate (as in adequate for hiring) experience. Sometimes jobs will even list 3-5 years as a desired criteria, but some jobs will take people who don't even come close. Keep applying, and let them decide if it is sufficient or not.
I'm also mentioning this as idea for you, mainly because I can't tell what type of job(s) you are looking for. But it sounds like you are looking at your weak points, but in some environments it might be neutral and not even noticed. I do remember your user name, and either seeing your writing/or stuff about your writing/and your passions. I wonder if you would be well suited for a job in communications (specific niche area, I don't know). But I do have some of the same challenges you do and found that coworkers in (niche are of communications with technical background) were similar in personality (ie, introverted, some were definitely not chit chatters, and many had a passion for the niche area.) In some cases, if you can do the job/have the technical background, some people will overlook the lack of social stuff. Just an idea and a possible way to shift it in your head if you can.
Good luck.
posted by Wolfster at 8:29 PM on July 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
A bit of advice he gave me was to send out my cover letter and resume to companies that don't have any open positions.
Sending off unsolicited interest for projects and jobs has worked very well for me. If I am looking for something (project or job), I make very succinct emails with a few bullets and I do some research on the company. However, it is field specific - there are other jobs/fields that this would be a waste of time. One thing you can do is test whether this approach is viable for your type of jobs; send out 20 emails (or whatever approach you use, some people send a hard copy, or make a query at HR first, whatever approach you use.). If you hear crickets, then try another approach, but if you get some responses, keep using it and see if you can improve the numbers.
I'll admit that at this stage of my job search I am disinclined to bribe or otherwise woo hiring managers.
I don't view it as wooing; rather, think of it as an exchange. They might need your particular skill set and you happen to have it and are letting them know this (plus for whatever reason, you are interested in what they produce/products/projects, whatever.) It is a few sentences, that's it. You are exchanging your time and expertise for money, this is not wooing or best friend or whatever.
...Networking...
I'm addressing this part of your question/background because we might have overlapping challenges (I also am horrible at small talk plus my own challenges of anxiety, shyness, and what not). I used be unable to get basic info from phone calls, but I flipped it around and am sharing this with you if it helps.
When I approach people for info interviews, I offer several options to make it easy for them. But if you know that in person is too much, just ask for a (whatever time limit works for you and probably for another person, so lets say 20 minutes max on phone or just a few emails, or whatever, let them pick. Don't mention in person, or if they do, apologize and turn it down.) For the phone calls, you can write a detailed script with the info that you want and need. You can practice with someone else - I believe that you can get better at this. But you don't need to ramble with chit chat - focus on the questions, they have limited time, too.
For whatever reason, there might be bridges burned with your current colleagues and or work places (I think this happens to everyone at some point), but don't focus on them: Focus on new connections. Think about what things you might have in common that are googleable or apply to the them with empathy (ie, I also went to X college, or I also just graduated, or I saw your writing about [insert hobby], whatever it is). Some people will ignore it, but don't worry, keep on approaching other people and someone will help out.
There are other ways to network, too. I recently met someone who found a job by reaching out to people in LinkedIn (people he did not know). Now he had education in the field but no experience, but sent out queries (interested in X job, would you have time to talk), and it worked out well for him.
But it is a numbers game, and also remind yourself that people like to help other people.
That said, when I ask for info from people, I don't look for contacts to get an "in" to a company through the person, I use it to learn how to get into similar types of jobs and companies (ie, strategies and myself as an employment package). What are other ways to approach a company/other listings/is there something else you should do (the list goes on and on, feel free to memail if you want more descriptions/I've also posted about this before.)
...rarely interested in someone without the minimum 3-5 years experience...
Talk to people in your desired industry/job. Sometimes there are alternative ways to get adequate (as in adequate for hiring) experience. Sometimes jobs will even list 3-5 years as a desired criteria, but some jobs will take people who don't even come close. Keep applying, and let them decide if it is sufficient or not.
I'm also mentioning this as idea for you, mainly because I can't tell what type of job(s) you are looking for. But it sounds like you are looking at your weak points, but in some environments it might be neutral and not even noticed. I do remember your user name, and either seeing your writing/or stuff about your writing/and your passions. I wonder if you would be well suited for a job in communications (specific niche area, I don't know). But I do have some of the same challenges you do and found that coworkers in (niche are of communications with technical background) were similar in personality (ie, introverted, some were definitely not chit chatters, and many had a passion for the niche area.) In some cases, if you can do the job/have the technical background, some people will overlook the lack of social stuff. Just an idea and a possible way to shift it in your head if you can.
Good luck.
posted by Wolfster at 8:29 PM on July 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
I don't know if you have already seen it, but here are some relevant thoughts from Temple Grandin. She echoes Wolfster with regard to developing specialized professional skills (and freelancing). She also makes mention of the importance of having a mentor for social skills support, and the backing of an employer to educate coworkers on autism. Ideally, she thinks, this would be arranged by the school or invested others. The usefulness of support around social issues - along with accommodations to the workplace or tasks, for sensory issues (and stress) - seems to come up quite often in the research I've (just) read on employment and adults with autism.
I'm so sorry you've been failed by your college and employer. I don't know what kind of actually helpful (and funding-stable) autism-specific resources exist near you, but I think it would be a good idea to dig into any available support, at this point. Advocacy organizations, any vocational rehabilitation or financial support programs you can find, other community resources, even peer support (IRL or online). If the social side of things has proven to be a significant barrier, I think it would also help to talk to other people with autism about strategies they've used to compensate. There are a few questions on here that might be good starting points.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:43 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm so sorry you've been failed by your college and employer. I don't know what kind of actually helpful (and funding-stable) autism-specific resources exist near you, but I think it would be a good idea to dig into any available support, at this point. Advocacy organizations, any vocational rehabilitation or financial support programs you can find, other community resources, even peer support (IRL or online). If the social side of things has proven to be a significant barrier, I think it would also help to talk to other people with autism about strategies they've used to compensate. There are a few questions on here that might be good starting points.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:43 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Another data-point: I got my current job by cold-calling when no jobs were posted online. It was a lot of back-and-forth before I actually started working for them, but I am so proud of myself that I was brave and went for it because it really paid off.
posted by athirstforsalt at 11:24 PM on July 17, 2016
posted by athirstforsalt at 11:24 PM on July 17, 2016
Coming from a man that once encouraged me to bribe employers by buying them gifts I'm hesitant to take seriously his advice.
I have bought would-be employers flowers (twice), and I regularly buy my boss coffee. The pay-off is more good will than you can imagine. Try bringing two cups of good coffee with you next time you interview (with sugar and cream on the side), and you'll see what I mean. Further, even if that sort of thing *feels* wrong to you, keep in mind that the more comfortable you make the interviewer, the more comfortable they will make you, and the better the interview will go. Just present folks with itty bitty little tokens of generosity in person, smile and concentrate on being warm. The pay-off can really be extraordinary.
Communication, other than through writing, is difficult for me.
Then make sure your resume and cover letter are flawless, and make them speak for you as much as possible. Further, format the resume (as much as you can) so it will function as a script, or series of prompts, for yourself when you actually do have interviews. To be graceful about it, make a little joke about X or Y being so long ago or something. I've gotten jobs after having interviewed this way.
Former graduates of the same program at the same college have all either ignored requests I've sent or kindly informed me there was nothing they can do. Those that are employed in the field I am interested have mostly ignored me or, to the best of my knowledge, appeared annoyed when I have inquired about employment at their company.
The thing is people in their position are often inundated with resumes from people in yours, so in a sense they're likely as overwhelmed as you are. If you have a big network on Facebook and LinkedIn, sometimes it helps to announce what kind of job you're seeking in an open post. I know someone who got a job this way. This might work for you if you feel more comfortable in a text-based environment.
Nevertheless I have attempted to "network" without success.
As one who despises networking, this is the kind of thing that sends a chill through my heart. I can't bear this kind of stuff, and I do it poorly when I try, and then fret about it for days afterward—and I am not on the autism spectrum.
There are workarounds, however.
As an FYI: A lot of writing-based industries that hire freelancers really do keep your resume, and call you up or email you when they have a project that needs doing. I have gotten jobs this way before.
Another approach is to locate professional associations and attend meetings. I've always found this far easier than networking with Joe's uncle's brother-in-law, for example, as you've already got a set subject matter when you start talking to someone at an association, and regardless of differences in employment levels you're both there to further your careers. Without pretense, there's a lot less pressure, and you don't feel like you're asking for favors.
Now, joining an association sometimes costs, but if the association is important enough to the industry, it may be worth it, especially if they have a large job bank, run workshops, and make other materials available, which will also help make you more employable. Note that many also have discounted rates for young professionals. I have gotten jobs this way before, too.
The far cheaper method of doing the same thing is by joining a meet-up group for your profession. I'm sure the way they're run differs across the country, but in major cities on the East Coast they are often sponsored by businesses, which run scheduled workshops or offer industry-specific lectures on a regular basis, and have internal listings for jobs that they pass around or announce to the group at large. I know several people who have gotten jobs this way, too.
Finally, in some fields, course instructors for specialized adult ed classes will also be asked for employee referrals. I also got a job that way.
This, then, makes me think that cold applying to companies is a futile endeavour. Why would a company I apply to that might not even have an open position be interested in me when companies I have worked for in some capacity aren't? For two months I worked for free at a major national company to acquire experience as part of my college program. In the end, they refused to consider me for a position, telling me I should "return to school and study a more desirable subject" if I am serious about working there, and refused to provide me with a reference stating that they have a no reference policy. Yet I am to believe that a company with no advertised openings will hire someone like me that has no real experience?
Interns are routinely exploited in this country and the ratio of internships to later employment has been seriously on the wane for a long time now. The Obama people were trying to crack down on this early in his administration by at least tying internships more to college credits, and that's been somewhat successful. But the outright exploitation of free labor just continues. I actually asked a former lawyer for the US Department of Labor why more isn't done about this, and he explained it was a numbers game. There are just so many more businesses than inspectors, the odds of getting away with it are huge (as you saw). I've heard of many other cases of gross maltreatment and outright meanness to interns. There have been lawsuits in several arts-oriented industries, and I read a mind-blowing article about Disney, in particular. Don't take this experience to heart. We have very few and very poorly enforced labor laws in this country, and we suffer as a people as a result. Because the easiest cost for an employer to contain is labor, it's the most likely element to be abused: Voila, the intern!
As for writing directly to small companies, yeah, as people have attested above, this sometimes works too. But it may not be speedy. None of this stuff is, necessarily, which is why you should start by trying to deal with your debt, and then take on several of these kinds of strategies at once. Have you been to a credit counselor? Have you taken all conceivable action to make sure you don't need to start repaying your debt if you're unemployed now? It's my impression (but I don't have first-hand knowledge) that loan repayments can be deferred. In your case, that sounds critical. If you don't know how to begin, start by googling so you better understand what you're looking for in a credit counselor. (The good ones are free, as I understand it, and will likely be working through a non-profit or something government-backed). Also, see if someone at your college can help with this. They must have student aid advisors of some sort. If they can't, you might start by looking at this US Department of Justice link. Although it may provide you with cold comfort now, remember you're not alone. A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2016 will quickly demonstrate the problem is massive and nationwide.
Job-hunting is always brutal, but it doesn't have to be quite as bad as you're experiencing it. You are not alone with an outrageous—I would call it treasonous, but that's me—amount of student debt. You just need to start routing yourself down a path that will provide some relief while finding some work-arounds to play to your strengths while looking for a job. And as much as you can, try not to be bitter, as it will only make you feel worse, and less confident and less trusting, which makes it harder to make a connection with whomever might otherwise hire you.
Good luck.
posted by Violet Blue at 1:23 AM on July 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
I have bought would-be employers flowers (twice), and I regularly buy my boss coffee. The pay-off is more good will than you can imagine. Try bringing two cups of good coffee with you next time you interview (with sugar and cream on the side), and you'll see what I mean. Further, even if that sort of thing *feels* wrong to you, keep in mind that the more comfortable you make the interviewer, the more comfortable they will make you, and the better the interview will go. Just present folks with itty bitty little tokens of generosity in person, smile and concentrate on being warm. The pay-off can really be extraordinary.
Communication, other than through writing, is difficult for me.
Then make sure your resume and cover letter are flawless, and make them speak for you as much as possible. Further, format the resume (as much as you can) so it will function as a script, or series of prompts, for yourself when you actually do have interviews. To be graceful about it, make a little joke about X or Y being so long ago or something. I've gotten jobs after having interviewed this way.
Former graduates of the same program at the same college have all either ignored requests I've sent or kindly informed me there was nothing they can do. Those that are employed in the field I am interested have mostly ignored me or, to the best of my knowledge, appeared annoyed when I have inquired about employment at their company.
The thing is people in their position are often inundated with resumes from people in yours, so in a sense they're likely as overwhelmed as you are. If you have a big network on Facebook and LinkedIn, sometimes it helps to announce what kind of job you're seeking in an open post. I know someone who got a job this way. This might work for you if you feel more comfortable in a text-based environment.
Nevertheless I have attempted to "network" without success.
As one who despises networking, this is the kind of thing that sends a chill through my heart. I can't bear this kind of stuff, and I do it poorly when I try, and then fret about it for days afterward—and I am not on the autism spectrum.
There are workarounds, however.
As an FYI: A lot of writing-based industries that hire freelancers really do keep your resume, and call you up or email you when they have a project that needs doing. I have gotten jobs this way before.
Another approach is to locate professional associations and attend meetings. I've always found this far easier than networking with Joe's uncle's brother-in-law, for example, as you've already got a set subject matter when you start talking to someone at an association, and regardless of differences in employment levels you're both there to further your careers. Without pretense, there's a lot less pressure, and you don't feel like you're asking for favors.
Now, joining an association sometimes costs, but if the association is important enough to the industry, it may be worth it, especially if they have a large job bank, run workshops, and make other materials available, which will also help make you more employable. Note that many also have discounted rates for young professionals. I have gotten jobs this way before, too.
The far cheaper method of doing the same thing is by joining a meet-up group for your profession. I'm sure the way they're run differs across the country, but in major cities on the East Coast they are often sponsored by businesses, which run scheduled workshops or offer industry-specific lectures on a regular basis, and have internal listings for jobs that they pass around or announce to the group at large. I know several people who have gotten jobs this way, too.
Finally, in some fields, course instructors for specialized adult ed classes will also be asked for employee referrals. I also got a job that way.
This, then, makes me think that cold applying to companies is a futile endeavour. Why would a company I apply to that might not even have an open position be interested in me when companies I have worked for in some capacity aren't? For two months I worked for free at a major national company to acquire experience as part of my college program. In the end, they refused to consider me for a position, telling me I should "return to school and study a more desirable subject" if I am serious about working there, and refused to provide me with a reference stating that they have a no reference policy. Yet I am to believe that a company with no advertised openings will hire someone like me that has no real experience?
Interns are routinely exploited in this country and the ratio of internships to later employment has been seriously on the wane for a long time now. The Obama people were trying to crack down on this early in his administration by at least tying internships more to college credits, and that's been somewhat successful. But the outright exploitation of free labor just continues. I actually asked a former lawyer for the US Department of Labor why more isn't done about this, and he explained it was a numbers game. There are just so many more businesses than inspectors, the odds of getting away with it are huge (as you saw). I've heard of many other cases of gross maltreatment and outright meanness to interns. There have been lawsuits in several arts-oriented industries, and I read a mind-blowing article about Disney, in particular. Don't take this experience to heart. We have very few and very poorly enforced labor laws in this country, and we suffer as a people as a result. Because the easiest cost for an employer to contain is labor, it's the most likely element to be abused: Voila, the intern!
As for writing directly to small companies, yeah, as people have attested above, this sometimes works too. But it may not be speedy. None of this stuff is, necessarily, which is why you should start by trying to deal with your debt, and then take on several of these kinds of strategies at once. Have you been to a credit counselor? Have you taken all conceivable action to make sure you don't need to start repaying your debt if you're unemployed now? It's my impression (but I don't have first-hand knowledge) that loan repayments can be deferred. In your case, that sounds critical. If you don't know how to begin, start by googling so you better understand what you're looking for in a credit counselor. (The good ones are free, as I understand it, and will likely be working through a non-profit or something government-backed). Also, see if someone at your college can help with this. They must have student aid advisors of some sort. If they can't, you might start by looking at this US Department of Justice link. Although it may provide you with cold comfort now, remember you're not alone. A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2016 will quickly demonstrate the problem is massive and nationwide.
Job-hunting is always brutal, but it doesn't have to be quite as bad as you're experiencing it. You are not alone with an outrageous—I would call it treasonous, but that's me—amount of student debt. You just need to start routing yourself down a path that will provide some relief while finding some work-arounds to play to your strengths while looking for a job. And as much as you can, try not to be bitter, as it will only make you feel worse, and less confident and less trusting, which makes it harder to make a connection with whomever might otherwise hire you.
Good luck.
posted by Violet Blue at 1:23 AM on July 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
One other thing, believe it or not. (Yes, I've spent years thinking about how to tackle these kinds of issues.) If part of the problem is that you don't have prior experience, find a nonprofit that needs help, and offer to provide it. (You can find good volunteer positions on places like idealist.org. You can also google "volunteer" + "name of your city." You might also check into your local United Way, which often acts as a clearinghouse for volunteer work of all kinds.)
Nonprofits always need real help, and writing skills (or the time to sit down and write) are one of the things they need. Not only will this provide you with real-world experience, but the known (tacit) exchange is a blurb on your resume in exchange for the work. You do not need to identify yourself as a volunteer here! Instead, simply talk about the project (e.g. Project Writer). Moreover, they can and will provide a recommendation for you on your Linked-in page (which you already have, right?), as well as phone references.
Also, know if you go with littler and scrappier non-profits, they will outright trade position titles for work upon request. As far as they're concerned, it's your pay. And that sort of thing can absolutely pay off, as I can attest to, too.
posted by Violet Blue at 1:44 AM on July 18, 2016
Nonprofits always need real help, and writing skills (or the time to sit down and write) are one of the things they need. Not only will this provide you with real-world experience, but the known (tacit) exchange is a blurb on your resume in exchange for the work. You do not need to identify yourself as a volunteer here! Instead, simply talk about the project (e.g. Project Writer). Moreover, they can and will provide a recommendation for you on your Linked-in page (which you already have, right?), as well as phone references.
Also, know if you go with littler and scrappier non-profits, they will outright trade position titles for work upon request. As far as they're concerned, it's your pay. And that sort of thing can absolutely pay off, as I can attest to, too.
posted by Violet Blue at 1:44 AM on July 18, 2016
Sending your CV off works - most jobs are never advertised (I literally don't know anyone who got a job by applying through an advert). Some people get to hear about these not-advertised jobs through colleagues and friends of friends (hence why networking is recommended), but if that isn't open to you then yep just send your cv and cover letter in to places where you'd like to work. Most places keep a file of people to contact when they next have a vacancy.
(And networking is not supposed to be about calling random alumni up and asking for a job - it's about getting advice on where to apply, hearing about vacancies, and getting CV feedback. If you're emailing complete strangers and are blatantly just after a job, they won't get back to you).
This stuff is really obvious when you've been in employment for ten years or so, and not at all obvious when you are a new grad, autism or not. Nobody tells you this stuff. Everyone finds it hard to get their first job.
posted by tinkletown at 1:59 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
(And networking is not supposed to be about calling random alumni up and asking for a job - it's about getting advice on where to apply, hearing about vacancies, and getting CV feedback. If you're emailing complete strangers and are blatantly just after a job, they won't get back to you).
This stuff is really obvious when you've been in employment for ten years or so, and not at all obvious when you are a new grad, autism or not. Nobody tells you this stuff. Everyone finds it hard to get their first job.
posted by tinkletown at 1:59 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Consider the opposite: my company posts job listings even when there are no open positions. For example, we've got a listing now in my department, but my boss has explicitly told us that we won't even start the hiring process until Q3. I think it's kind of shitty, but it's not dissimilar to what your counselor is telling you. They're two sides of the same coin. The idea in both cases is that the hiring manager should have a pool of pre-screened candidates so that when a position does open, all they have to do is make a quick phone call and the process is rolling. They're not dependent on who happens to see a job posting. So I say go for it. You've got nothing to lose.
I would also suggest combining this with informational interviewing. Find someone who has a position similar to the one you want at a company, and meet with them and ask questions about the company and the industry. You can throw in some questions like "I know you're not hiring now, but do you expect to take someone new on in the near future?" Then, after you talk with them, send in your unsolicited resume by saying "after speaking with so-and-so, I wanted to give you my resume for consideration when a _____ position opens up". That way you look more like an internal referral.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:52 AM on July 18, 2016
I would also suggest combining this with informational interviewing. Find someone who has a position similar to the one you want at a company, and meet with them and ask questions about the company and the industry. You can throw in some questions like "I know you're not hiring now, but do you expect to take someone new on in the near future?" Then, after you talk with them, send in your unsolicited resume by saying "after speaking with so-and-so, I wanted to give you my resume for consideration when a _____ position opens up". That way you look more like an internal referral.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:52 AM on July 18, 2016
Before you start sending out resumes to companies without advertised vacancies, have you had your resume reviewed by folks who volunteered to do so in your previous question? If you have not been asked even once for a phone interview since you asked that question, and you have not had your resume reviewed, then I would be concerned that your resume or cover letter are not presenting you in the best light.
> I have bought would-be employers flowers (twice), and I regularly buy my boss coffee. The pay-off is more good will than you can imagine. Try bringing two cups of good coffee with you next time you interview (with sugar and cream on the side), and you'll see what I mean.
Be careful about doing this - whether this will go over well will depend on the company and the person you are interviewing with. This definitely would not have gone over well with my previous (and current) employers, and I have worked in both industry and academia. At best it would have looked weird, at worst clueless. If you bring coffee and if your interviewer is held up for some reason you'll feel mighty silly facing them holding two cups of cold coffee.
That said, bringing flowers or coffee might work in some sectors - just don't assume it will work in all situations.
posted by needled at 5:01 AM on July 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
> I have bought would-be employers flowers (twice), and I regularly buy my boss coffee. The pay-off is more good will than you can imagine. Try bringing two cups of good coffee with you next time you interview (with sugar and cream on the side), and you'll see what I mean.
Be careful about doing this - whether this will go over well will depend on the company and the person you are interviewing with. This definitely would not have gone over well with my previous (and current) employers, and I have worked in both industry and academia. At best it would have looked weird, at worst clueless. If you bring coffee and if your interviewer is held up for some reason you'll feel mighty silly facing them holding two cups of cold coffee.
That said, bringing flowers or coffee might work in some sectors - just don't assume it will work in all situations.
posted by needled at 5:01 AM on July 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
I've hired people who sent in an application when we weren't advertising. Oftentimes you know you need to fill a position sometime soon but haven't started and if the right candidate just drops into your lap, awesome. Employees who can identify problems and come up with solutions are great and sometimes they can do that from before they've even joined the organisation.
posted by kitten magic at 5:14 AM on July 18, 2016
posted by kitten magic at 5:14 AM on July 18, 2016
I wanted to highlight a couple of other things from the Grandin piece:
1) Things went well for her when the work she did followed her natural interests. This helped her connect with mentors, who cared less about her self-presentation than their shared passion - her knowledge and skills.
2) She advises circumventing HR, if possible, and getting a representation of your work directly to the technical or creative people, who will care a lot less about how well you perform at interview than the goods you can deliver. And I think this ties in with 1), it will be a more effective strategy if you are working in an area you care a lot about.
I know you're afraid, concerned with basic survival. For the immediate short term, I think the temp agency angle is a good one (plus tapping out all possible government $$ supports), or perhaps going back to truck driving, temporarily. Maybe getting some financial or legal advice on managing the debt.
But I think it is likely, even in today's economic atmosphere, that you would have better luck if you leveraged your real interests.
You previously talked about loving and raising exotic species (I don't quite know how to class them, sorry :/ scorpions, spiders, and centipedes, you said). I think that you'd probably have much better luck finding a job at a specialized pet store, or a veterinary clinic that treats these species, caring for them, than at finding an office job where you'd be out of your element. I'm sure you'd have no trouble getting your enthusiasm and knowledge across, and I bet it would be appreciated. (Or maybe you could raise and sell them yourself at some point - my good friend's father-in-law does just that, and it's a viable business, even though it's in a kind of rural area.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:31 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
1) Things went well for her when the work she did followed her natural interests. This helped her connect with mentors, who cared less about her self-presentation than their shared passion - her knowledge and skills.
2) She advises circumventing HR, if possible, and getting a representation of your work directly to the technical or creative people, who will care a lot less about how well you perform at interview than the goods you can deliver. And I think this ties in with 1), it will be a more effective strategy if you are working in an area you care a lot about.
I know you're afraid, concerned with basic survival. For the immediate short term, I think the temp agency angle is a good one (plus tapping out all possible government $$ supports), or perhaps going back to truck driving, temporarily. Maybe getting some financial or legal advice on managing the debt.
But I think it is likely, even in today's economic atmosphere, that you would have better luck if you leveraged your real interests.
You previously talked about loving and raising exotic species (I don't quite know how to class them, sorry :/ scorpions, spiders, and centipedes, you said). I think that you'd probably have much better luck finding a job at a specialized pet store, or a veterinary clinic that treats these species, caring for them, than at finding an office job where you'd be out of your element. I'm sure you'd have no trouble getting your enthusiasm and knowledge across, and I bet it would be appreciated. (Or maybe you could raise and sell them yourself at some point - my good friend's father-in-law does just that, and it's a viable business, even though it's in a kind of rural area.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:31 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Networking is very hard and very time-consuming. I went from having no real network two years ago to a very substantial network by talking to and building things with 2-5 new people a week, and while it makes me feel more secure, it hasn't actually lead to any concrete gains as of yet (I still have the same job I had, which I got just by applying online with no connections). I mean, all things considered it's better to have a network than not have a network, but it's not a magical cure-all that will solve all your problems, and it's not free. I wouldn't perseverate on your lack of a network, just try to improve it over time if you can.
posted by miyabo at 4:03 PM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by miyabo at 4:03 PM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Sorry if this is irrelevant, but are you still looking for work in software development? If so, that means a few things:
- more and sometimes easier networking options: technology-specific meetups, forums, things like stackoverflow, github, volunteering on open source projects, etc. (The last also have the advantage of letting you strengthen your skills and résumé.)
- speaking of résumés, you have a higher chance of finding employers happy to accept a good portfolio of projects in place of years of employment
- A lot of places you wouldn't really think of need software or hardware related work done, including a lot of small/tiny businesses. Some might want actual employees and some might just need specific jobs done. You really can try getting business cards made and going door-to-door in a commercial area, if you live in a place that has one (otherwise, you might be able to use something like yelp to find businesses and organizations nearby). If you go this route, make sure to look up information on how to do freelancing right - things like not overpromising, doing the taxes correctly, what sorts of behavior from clients you might need to plan for, what sort of support to offer, etc.
- almost any place you could imagine volunteering for could use you. If they don't have a project in mind you can suggest one.
- do you have temp agencies in your area? If they're looking for Office skills you could spend a little time learning how to work with excel macros and have a skill that's relatively rare and extremely useful in very many contexts
- if you've had other employers before and had a good relationship with them, you can let them know your new field and see if there's anything you can do for them or if they can pass your name around
- for extra income, you can freelance online (try to find out which the better sites are and be resigned to minimal returns at first); give private programming lessons and lessons on how to use computers (look up educational software like Scratch if you're
going to work with children); offer computer repair; etc.
posted by trig at 9:24 AM on July 19, 2016
- more and sometimes easier networking options: technology-specific meetups, forums, things like stackoverflow, github, volunteering on open source projects, etc. (The last also have the advantage of letting you strengthen your skills and résumé.)
- speaking of résumés, you have a higher chance of finding employers happy to accept a good portfolio of projects in place of years of employment
- A lot of places you wouldn't really think of need software or hardware related work done, including a lot of small/tiny businesses. Some might want actual employees and some might just need specific jobs done. You really can try getting business cards made and going door-to-door in a commercial area, if you live in a place that has one (otherwise, you might be able to use something like yelp to find businesses and organizations nearby). If you go this route, make sure to look up information on how to do freelancing right - things like not overpromising, doing the taxes correctly, what sorts of behavior from clients you might need to plan for, what sort of support to offer, etc.
- almost any place you could imagine volunteering for could use you. If they don't have a project in mind you can suggest one.
- do you have temp agencies in your area? If they're looking for Office skills you could spend a little time learning how to work with excel macros and have a skill that's relatively rare and extremely useful in very many contexts
- if you've had other employers before and had a good relationship with them, you can let them know your new field and see if there's anything you can do for them or if they can pass your name around
- for extra income, you can freelance online (try to find out which the better sites are and be resigned to minimal returns at first); give private programming lessons and lessons on how to use computers (look up educational software like Scratch if you're
going to work with children); offer computer repair; etc.
posted by trig at 9:24 AM on July 19, 2016
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Most other non-entry-level jobs, this probably wouldn't work for, is my guess.
posted by chainsofreedom at 5:44 PM on July 17, 2016