Job-hunting blues

[The Hierophant]

Alright, just what the hell is up with employers nowadays? I do my hair, slap on some styly clothes, put on a happy face, pour on the whit and charm, make inane-yet-necessary smalltalk with the interviewer, rustle up a snappy, flamboyant-yet-still-undeniably-cool CV, dish out fake-yet-seemingly-genuine compliments to the hiring staff etc etc blah blah blah. Y'know, all the usual, traditional stuff you do when applying for a job. And THEN they have the neeerrrrrrrrrve to go and give the job that should be rightfully MINE to some pimply-assed teenage high-school dropout punk because they can get away with paying them $2 less an hour!

GOD.......DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back when I was a pimply-assed teenage high-school dropout punk I had no trouble getting summer-time work. But now that I'm 20 (and in a new minimum wage bracket) I'm getting the cold shoulder. It's the soullessness of the corporate world man!

See, my situation is that I'm a 3rd-year University student who is home for the summer holidays. I'm taking the first semester of varsity off next year to go to Europe, and for that I need Moneeeey. Mooolah. Cash. The almighty dollar. Which is where these white-collar stuffed-shirts come in. Yet these assholes simply refuse to give me the opportunity to take their well-scammed money from them (it was just a shitty-ass customer service job at a retail outfit, I've worked them before no problems). So it would look like I'm going to be spending my summer on the dole. Not that that's such a bad thing. Spending all my days lazing in the sun. Getting a big fat juicy paycheck funded by the back-breaking labour of unwitting taxpayers....hmmmm, actually, this aint so bad. They can go shove their 9-5!

Anyways, in order to make this a valid thread, does anyone have any tales of job-hunting frustrations? Do you just feel like saying 'well what the f**k do you think?' to the gormless interviwer when they ask "what made you want to work here?". Are you 100% certain that you could be doing a better job than the pubescent dipshit that's bagging your merchandise for you? C'mon guys, share the love.

[ 11-22-2002, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: The Hierophant ]

[Cloudbringer]

Try being genuine. A little sincerity goes a long way with anyone, employers are no exception. You think the interviewer and his/her staff haven't heard all the "fake-yet-seemingly-genuine compliments" there are by now?

It is a rough market right now, at least where I am. I guess my advice would be to keep plugging at it and don't lay on the 'fake' so much.

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by Cloudbringer: Try being genuine. A little sincerity goes a long way with anyone, employers are no exception. You think the interviewer and his/her staff haven't heard all the "fake-yet-seemingly-genuine compliments" there are by now? It is a rough market right now, at least where I am. I guess my advice would be to keep plugging at it and don't lay on the 'fake' so much.

Heh heh, you're absolutely right.
To be honest I'm just spoilt middle-class letting off a little steam of frustration (I'm not used to not getting my way, right away y'see).

No worries mate [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[DragonMage]

I know it's frustrating, but I gotta go with Cloudy on this one.

I know when I'm being handed a line of bull...when someone's telling me what they 'think' I want to hear. And it annoys the hell out of me! Believe me, if you are being sincere and are only giving 'textbook' answers and remarks, they know it.

Next time, try researching the company a bit. See what they are all about. Then go in and ask THEM questions about their company based on what you know. If you show genuine interest in their company, they may then be geniuinely interested in you.

[Sir Krustin]

When I was looking for work, I always used to get pissed off at the "don't call us, we'll call you" bs. If you don't want to hire me, say so! sheesh.

Strangely enough, though, I usually get a job very quickly after I start looking - though one year when I was working seasonal labour I took 8 months off to say "screw you" to the government. (It was a nice summer... )

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by DragonMage: I know it's frustrating, but I gotta go with Cloudy on this one. I know when I'm being handed a line of bull...when someone's telling me what they 'think' I want to hear. And it annoys the hell out of me! Believe me, if you are being sincere and are only giving 'textbook' answers and remarks, they know it. Next time, try researching the company a bit. See what they are all about. Then go in and ask THEM questions about their company based on what you know. If you show genuine interest in their company, they may then be geniuinely interested in you.

Yeah. There were certainly alot of text-book, ritualized answers going on in the interview (it wasn't exactly an overly glamorous job so I figured dishing out the deadpan wasn't such a bad idea...ah well). You make alot of good points there on how to seem interested. *gets out note-pad* Ask questions about their company....hmmm, I'll have to remember that one.

[The Hierophant]

Originally posted by Sir Krustin: When I was looking for work, I always used to get pissed off at the "don't call us, we'll call you" bs. If you don't want to hire me, say so! sheesh.

HEh heh. Hoooooooo yeah! Couldn't agree more

I think Cloudy hit it right on the head. When Interviewing, I am just me. I don't fake anything and I just enjoy the experience. I will admit that I have been fortunate in my interviews,
I usually meet up with ex-military types and we talk old times [img]smile.gif[/img] .

[Sir Kenyth]

It's an employers market right now. They are getting people with significant experience and/or educations for around 27K a year starting in some fields. People getting laid off from blue collar work are having their worlds turned upside down when they find out they got an education to get a cut in pay at a new job!

[Arnabas]

Several weeks back I was looking for a job and becoming quite desperate. I did an interview and was sure I got the job. It was possibly the best interview I ever did. If I may be so humble, I was perfect. Even the interviewer said she thought I was exactly what they were looking for. I was sooooo excited because 1. I was unemployed and desperate for a job, and
2. The salary was TWICE that of the highest paying job I'd ever had.
Unfortunately, the guy I was being hired to replace decided at the last minute that he didn't want to leave the company after all and I was left unemployed until about 10 days ago, when I got a job at only slightly more than half of that salary...