I need a job

[Crystal]

I want too much stuff, and I can't ask my parents to buy me all things I want. I need something to do all day, other then lounge around..but I have no idea how to even fill out an application >_<

And who's going to hire me? I'm 18, and I didn't graduate.. and don't have a GED or any job expercience. I was thinking about a costume store, pet shop, wal-mart or maybe even hot topic.. I am NOT WORKING WITH FOOD. I hate food, it's sickening. :x

What am I supposed to put on those pages you're supposed to put employers on? And how am I supposed to prove it's legal for me to work in the USA? :huh

And what about interviews? :eek I freeze up around people I don't know, and just nod my head. I'd never get hired that way.

I can't sit at home, leeching off my parents for the next 20 years..can someone offer me some help.. please?

[ReaperFett]

Do some sort of course specialising in an area you think you might be decent at.

[Park Kraken]

It helps if you say "Mmmm Hmmmm", and "Right" when you nod your head.

Edit: Resume is basically your name, followed by your address, history of education, work experience, a list of skills that qualify's you for the job, at least three references, people who say you work hard, with their full names, addresses, and phone numbers, it's good if you use someone other than family, and friends, like other employers, or bosses, or maybe teachers......
Did I miss anything guys?

[imported_Eve]

If you need help with a resume, I can help. I have made some templates for pals of mine.

I say go into something that doesn't require an education, but can be fruitful. Leasing comes to mind. But you have to be bubbly and sell. Here in Denver, you can make 10/hour + 50 commissions (every time you move someone in or renew a lease).

[Zatania Duvall]

Wal-mart would hire you. As long as you're very polite and aren't extremely shy. I'm a little shy myself and I still got hired there.

Otherwise, I'd tell you to get your GED first then worry about a job. It doesn't take too long to get it as long as there's a testing time soon.

If you've never worked before, you won't have to worry about "job related references". So you can just leave that blank and tell Wal-mart at the interview that it's your first job. You'll just need some really good non-family references. Like friends or teachers you knew. Even a neighbor.

They'll ask you some questions on a little quiz, which is easy to answer because you'll know the obvious answers they'll want to hear. They'll love it if you say that you've worked with computers, even if it's just working on the internet, so put "computer skills" down as a part of your skills. If you're polite, but down "polite" and if you're patient, put that down too because it'll make it easier for you to work with customers.

When it comes to customers, you'll get used to talking to them in no time. I'm still shy around people myself. but when I'm on the job, I'm the most talkative person in the world because I know I have a job to do. And there's a paycheck in it, so think about all those goodies and keep smiling about it and try to keep eye contact. You can fool them into believing you're not shy if you smile and keep eye contact.

EDIT: As for proving you're a US resident, birth certificates and permits/IDs will prove that.

Also, try radio shack. I know someone that works there and hasn't got their GED yet. As long as you do well on the math quiz they give you, it's no problem. But you will have to try to get used to talking to customers. You'll earn commision that way by selling selling selling!

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

You could still get hired in some places but getting your GED is essential in the long run, darlin.

[Zatania Duvall]

Yeah, otherwise you'll have to work fast food for a very long time. Telling walmart that you'll work on your GED ASAP will help get you hired. I'm guessing that you're waiting for your class to graduate since you're 18. For some reason they won't let you make an attempt at your GED unless your class has graduated.

[Lord Talzen]

One question that is mildly off topic and At the risk of sounding stupid.... What is a GED?

[Charley]

General Educational Development

Its a method of completing high school for drop-outs that decide to continue their education at a later date.

[Zatania Duvall]

Or in a more detailed version, a highschool diploma without actually going through highschool. You take a test instead.

[Dasquian Belargic]

What does one of those entail?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

General Educational Development - basically its a high school equivelency diploma


i dont usually pay attention to 'school-type' things anymore though, but i do know that those with ged's outperform about 40% of those who have high school diplomas

[Morgan Evanar]

i dont usually pay attention to 'school-type' things anymore though, but i do know that those with ged's outperform about 40% of those who have high school diplomas Further cementing my belief that highschool was a huge waste of time. Boy did I hate it.

[Charley]

Thats a little deceptive. 60% either perform the same, or underperform high school graduates.

There's also the bit of recruiting for college and such.

Don't knock high school. It still wins.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

i dont knock hs, i just could never really get into it cause i was always the quiet one who sat in the back and drew all the time

no one really paid much attention to me anyways, so it was all good. i got to do what i wanted, and no one bothered me.

although, we did chain our principle in his house for our senior prank - that was kinda fun

[ReaperFett]

Originally posted by s'Ilancy
i dont usually pay attention to 'school-type' things anymore
I envy the working types :)

[Charley]

Same here.

I can't really afford hookers and blow on college pickings.

[Dae Jinn]

Leeloo -- get your GEd. It'll be helpful in the long run.
Or not. I have a college education and I work at Burger King so...I guess it depends on what you really want to do.

Walmart is a good start, you might want to look into workshops or job search centers. They can help you with resumes and give you interview tips. :)

[Charley]

Originally posted by Dae Jinn
Leeloo -- get your GEd. It'll be helpful in the long run.
Or not. I have a college education and I work at Burger King so...I guess it depends on what you really want to do.

Walmart is a good start, you might want to look into workshops or job search centers. They can help you with resumes and give you interview tips. :)

Well you got a degree in art. Its tough to market something like that.

[Dae Jinn]

I got a diploma in Grahic Art and Design, which means if I really put some effort into finding a job in that field, I could. Probably. *shrugs*

[Charley]

Well, look at it as supply & demand. Graphic Art and Design is an awesome class. Most people would be thrilled to take it. Therefore, lots of people get into it. Now on the flipside, there isn't a graphic art & design firm on every corner of Canadia. This means that Supply > Demand, and thus the jobs that do exist pay for peanuts.

:\

This is why I'm not an art major, not a history major, and not a major in german or such. Its tough to find work in the "fun" majors.

[Dae Jinn]

I'm not good at much else so, I guess I'm screwed then ;) :lol

[imported_Eve]

NETWORKING. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW.

So you know someone?

And art degrees - I don't say this to be offensive at ALL (I want to get an art degree myself, just to have one) - it's just with art and music (and the like), people with true talent don't need school for it. It's genetic. Either you are good, or you are not. People can't learn to draw well, or paint well, or write well. You can be refined, but talent isn't something that can be taught.

Graphic design - yeah - cause you need to learn to use software. However, most of that software, you can learn on your own for free if you care enough to learn.

Most jobs train people anyway. I don't care what you studied, you're going to learn to do it my way anyway, so...

But having an education reflects that someone is responsible, dedicated, and follows through with stuff.

Anyone who has been to college knows that you learn more in your first hour of any 101 class than you learned in all of HS.

Yeah, get your GED.

[Crystal]

Thanks to everyone for the help :)

I picked up an application that told me that I needed to show them papers to prove legal for me to in the USA, so I got confused, since all the "papers" I have are is just my birth and social security things. :uhoh

I haven't got my GED yet since, I'm just like super stressed about taking the test. I mean honestly, I'm stupid. and I tend to use the excuse in my mind, that it doesn't matter since I'm not going to college yet.

Wal-mart, Radio Shack and some other retail places, seem like they might be the best idea for me.. I hate dealing with people but maybe I can pretend I like them, just to make money ;)


So you can just leave that blank and tell Wal-mart at the interview that it's your first job. You'll just need some really good non-family references. Like friends or teachers you knew. Even a neighbor.

I really don't know of anyone that knows me, except my friends parents. I never talk to our neighbors or anything.. and I haven't spoken to any of my HS teachers for like two years, wouldn't know how to get ahold of them and don't think they liked me much anyway.

Getting a job seems like so much work, I'm not sure how I'll get through it >_<

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Go get GED, apply to Wal-Mart have them pay for you to go to a JuCo get your Associates in Business or something related and then you suddenly have alot more things open up for you

[Ceres Duvall]

The GED is really easy. Trust me, and they help you out with the classes that they offer. :) And your birth certificate and Social Card are enough to show them, or a permit or liscense. Friends' parents are good non-family references, so use them. I did even though I don't talk to them much either. Muwaha. :D

[Crystal]

Thank you ^_^

I've got a birth certificate! and the other stuff :D I picked up some applications this week and I was going to put a few of my friends parents for references but figured I should mention it to them first.. according to my brother, places like wal-mart never even call them o_O I got the rest of the stuff filled out, though.. feels weird not to have every line filled in. There was like a whole page to fill out previous employers on one of the applications.

Wish me luck.. :uhoh

[Ceres Duvall]

Good luck. Oh, one more thing. ALWAYS ask to speak to a manager when handing in the application. Some disgruntled employees that feel they dont have enough hours will throw applications away in hopes of getting more hours. So give the applications to a manager, not an employee.

And yeah, some places don't even call, but you do need to put real phone numbers and addresses for references.

EDIT Plus I don't think you're even close to stupid. If you're able to spell correctly and use proper grammer like you are, the test will be a cinch for you. The writing part and reading parts are the only parts that most people fail, but thats only because a lot of people recieving a GED don't know how to write or read properly. Believe me, it's easy. So just give it a shot, you'll need it in the long run anyways and there's no use in putting it off.

[Crystal]

Originally posted by Ceres Duvall
Good luck. Oh, one more thing. ALWAYS ask to speak to a manager when handing in the application. Some disgruntled employees that feel they dont have enough hours will throw applications away in hopes of getting more hours. So give the applications to a manager, not an employee.

Hm.. I never thought about that. Thanks for the tip :)



EDIT Plus I don't think you're even close to stupid. If you're able to spell correctly and use proper grammer like you are, the test will be a cinch for you. The writing part and reading parts are the only parts that most people fail, but thats only because a lot of people recieving a GED don't know how to write or read properly. Believe me, it's easy. So just give it a shot, you'll need it in the long run anyways and there's no use in putting it off.

thanks :) I think they have the test every month or something like that.. I looked into it a little while ago.. maybe I can find out when the next date is and just go take it . If I did happen to fail, I can always take it again, right? ;)

[Ceres Duvall]

Right. You get three chances at it, so there's no way you can fail completely, right? If your grades in school were C+ to B+, you'll have no problem passing it. In fact, a lot of people that get their GEDs are around B+ students that shouldn't have dropped with such good grades anyways. They only make the test easy because there are some people that drop out because they have to since they can't make the grade.