Job Hunt Woes


JudoMinja
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So, since completing my Bachelor degree in Fish and Wildlife Management, I've been applying like crazy to every job I can find that even remotely fits my skills. So far, just about every response has been an email or letter saying I was not selected for an interview, and it's been very disappointing.

Then, a couple months ago I finally got an interview... but I was not selected due to it being only a three-month position and I would have had to move all the way across the US for it, so I was kinda iffy about it during the interview and someone else who already lived in the area got selected.

Aaaand, the final blow that has me raising my arms in frustration-

Today I received a response for a job I really really wanted and that I thought would be a perfect fit, and I worked really hard to write an awesome cover letter and double checked my resume to revamp my descriptions... and they said they think I'm OVERqualified!!!

UGH!!!

Okay, just needed to vent.

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Been there - it's frustrating, and I feel for you. However:

I've been applying like crazy to every job I can find that even remotely fits my skills.

You do know that about the lousiest, most horrible, least-chance-of-success way to get a job, is to apply for it, right? About 20% of the jobs filled out there, get filled because someone filled out some form on some website and did nothing else. The other 80% of filled jobs, get filled because of networking. If you want a job, you be part of the 80%, not the 20%.

If you don't know what that entails, there are a ton of good resources and books out there. Most people here will have examples of what it looks like. If you're an introvert like me, it can be like pulling teeth. But it works.

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My husband had a similar position, came out of law school with top grades and we thought he would walk into a job. He did so much applying and interviews sometimes got through to the second round but always ended up that someone else got the position :(

Anyways, he went for a days voluntary work at a charity that was loosley based around law and from there is has networked into serveral law firms and now has many avenues he can explore.

Hope that helped.

as we say in the UK- Keep yer chin up :)

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I can think of one really great business idea with Fish and Wildlife Management...

Okay, dunno if you have this skillset... but in my town, there's a guy - super small businesses, I wouldn't be surprised if there are only 2 of them working for that company - who specializes in maintaining fish ponds and aquariums for businesses. One of his clients is this Plastic Surgeon who does liposuction and breast implants and such. The surgeon's office is super elegant (yeah, he is in the "beauty" business) with an indoor Japanese-style atrium with a koi pond. And each and every examination room has a salt-water tank (the wall between two rooms holds a fish tank that you can see from either side but has a barrier so you can't see through it to the other room). One guy maintains that entire office. And he maintains several other businesses.

We have an outdoor mall that has a gigantic fish/turtle pond. Some other business built and maintains that.

So, yeah, it might not be what you intended to get your degree for, but it's something you can think about - being your own boss instead.

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I've been trying to get back into teaching... but they're just aren't any teaching jobs these days! I figure I'm good because I already have a full-time job, but my Sister and Sister-in-law just graduated in teaching...

I have another business idea about this one. You know how there are all these home schoolers and some of them don't have the core competency, and some may be struggling with discipline, etc. etc. You can hire yourself out as a home school facilitator - basically just help with the kids with anything they're struggling with as a support to the parent... Some parents would rather keep the child at home and pay a professional to provide course correction than throw their kids back into the public school.

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I have another business idea about this one. You know how there are all these home schoolers and some of them don't have the core competency, and some may be struggling with discipline, etc. etc. You can hire yourself out as a home school facilitator - basically just help with the kids with anything they're struggling with as a support to the parent... Some parents would rather keep the child at home and pay a professional to provide course correction than throw their kids back into the public school.

That's a fantastic idea.

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I have another business idea about this one. You know how there are all these home schoolers and some of them don't have the core competency, and some may be struggling with discipline, etc. etc. You can hire yourself out as a home school facilitator - basically just help with the kids with anything they're struggling with as a support to the parent... Some parents would rather keep the child at home and pay a professional to provide course correction than throw their kids back into the public school.

I'm actually doing this for a lady in my ward who doesn't feel qualified to teach her kids science, so she hired me to tutor them. I go to her place one night a week and work on science with her kids for about an hour or two and get paid $15/hour to do it. She's been talking about trying to hook me up with some of the other moms that homeschool. It's a great thing to bring in extra money and would pay way better than what I'm making now if I could figure out how to segue into doing it full time...

That, or figure out how to start my own child-care/tutoring business, or my own wildlife rehabilitation center. It's something I've been looking into and researching a lot.

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Been there - it's frustrating, and I feel for you. However:You do know that about the lousiest, most horrible, least-chance-of-success way to get a job, is to apply for it, right? About 20% of the jobs filled out there, get filled because someone filled out some form on some website and did nothing else. The other 80% of filled jobs, get filled because of networking. If you want a job, you be part of the 80%, not the 20%.

If you don't know what that entails, there are a ton of good resources and books out there. Most people here will have examples of what it looks like. If you're an introvert like me, it can be like pulling teeth. But it works.

I know that networking is the most important part, and I've been really struggling to figure out how to network when there is absolutely NOTHING related to my field where I currently live. I'm working on doing the training and going to the continuing education things I would have to do to get a federal permit as a rehabilitator, and that would hook me up with some more contacts that might get me something... but it's going slowly because the training takes place WAY far away from me, and going to a symposium is expensive. :(

I was doing quite a bit of networking while I was physically going to college in Minnesota, but that all got flushed down the toilet when I got mixed up in my bad relationship and had to cut and run. There was an opening at the Raptor Center where I volunteered for two years that I qualified for- I applied to it, listed all the people I worked with there as my references... and I didn't get it because I wasn't in Minnesota. Sigh.

I've thought about taking just ANY job somewhere closer to a place where I could volunteer, rebuild my networking efforts, and get my foot in the door but it seems even minimum wage positions don't really want to hire someone who doesn't already live in the area.

I've even tried just changing my direction and working my way up in the school district here since I already work in the school, but I can't seem to get anyone to take me up to the next level job despite how much all my coworkers like me for how hard I work. I am working as an education aid this summer- totally got the job due to networking yay! And it's at a different school than where I am now, so I can expand my network abit and get more people to notice what a good hard worker I am... but part of me really wishes I could just get a job that actually uses my degree instead of having to work in the schools.

Anyway, I'm already doing everything I can think of to do and doing my best to network- not just fill out applications. It's just very slow, time-consuming, aggrivating and.. like you said- like pulling teeth. Getting that "overqualified" letter just really hit my "exasperation" buttons. I know if I keep doing what I'm doing and remain patient, eventually I'll get something.

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In other words, how many students total, graduate from all the collages in your region? How many positions open up in your region?

I once tried for a federal job. Was disappointed that I was never called since leaving the military.

I applied to every employer here, in BC for a telecom job and had some interviews, but no job offers. Instead, I hired my self and applied to national outsource telecom companies who ask for bids on jobs. In march, was paid 5 grand in work. Not bad ;) Last two months, not much came though. But I have to apply my self, network with clients.

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I'm actually doing this for a lady in my ward who doesn't feel qualified to teach her kids science, so she hired me to tutor them. I go to her place one night a week and work on science with her kids for about an hour or two and get paid $15/hour to do it. She's been talking about trying to hook me up with some of the other moms that homeschool. It's a great thing to bring in extra money and would pay way better than what I'm making now if I could figure out how to segue into doing it full time...

That, or figure out how to start my own child-care/tutoring business, or my own wildlife rehabilitation center. It's something I've been looking into and researching a lot.

Judo, if you can do it without getting into debt, I'd suggest going ahead and starting your business. Even if you only do it part-time and don't make a lot of money for a year or two, it will give you more networking opportunities that you can use to get yourself a full-time job. When you're looking for a job, you're always in a better position if you already have a job; and I think that's true even if the "job" you have is self-employment.

Also, I highly recommend the book What Color Is Your Parachute?.

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In other words, how many students total, graduate from all the collages in your region? How many positions open up in your region?

I once tried for a federal job. Was disappointed that I was never called since leaving the military.

I applied to every employer here, in BC for a telecom job and had some interviews, but no job offers. Instead, I hired my self and applied to national outsource telecom companies who ask for bids on jobs. In march, was paid 5 grand in work. Not bad ;) Last two months, not much came though. But I have to apply my self, network with clients.

No, I was not really thinking that analytically faar ahead when I started college. I went straight from high-school to my dream college thanks to a practically full-ride scholarship convinced that I was going to stay in school long enough to become a veternarian... Then I changed my direction to follow my dream of working with animals and kids outside doing educational programs. I wasn't thinking about practicality at all. I was being a visionary. And I feel like my classes required for getting my degree very poorly prepared me for the job market I was to face in my field once I finished.

Add to that the rough circumstances that put a stumbling block in my path for my timing in finishing my degree and having to move to be near my family so they could help me get back on my feet and it was like I set myself up for disaster. Remaining optimistic as I've tried to figure out how to make my dream a reality has been difficult.

However...

Judo, if you can do it without getting into debt, I'd suggest going ahead and starting your business. Even if you only do it part-time and don't make a lot of money for a year or two, it will give you more networking opportunities that you can use to get yourself a full-time job. When you're looking for a job, you're always in a better position if you already have a job; and I think that's true even if the "job" you have is self-employment.

Also, I highly recommend the book What Color Is Your Parachute?.

Thank you SO MUCH for this book suggestion. I read what I could of it that is provided free online and I am definitely buying it to read in its entirity. From the research I've been doing to figure out how to get a federal wildlife rehabilitator permit, the complete lack of any wildlife related jobs in my imediate area inspiring me to think about trying to start a center, and my father mentioning that one of the people running for city office in our coming local elections wants to start a ZOO here... I've really been thinking that a total change in direction trying to become SELF-employed in my field instead of sending applications to people far away who would prefer to hire someone local...

I already purchased the book providing the information for the minimum standards for a rehab center, and a guide to starting a non-profit, and adding What Color Is Your Parachute to my list, I think, will be a great help.

I'm not unemployed right now, and I have also been told that simply having a job puts you in a better position to get hired elsewhere... It just hasn't really been working that way for me, because the job I have right now has absolutely nothing to do with what I actually want to be doing. Having a job is certainly better than having no job, and it is a great boost to my confidence to at least be able to provide for my litte guy, even if I am in a minimum wage position. But any networking I would do in my current position would only help if I wanted to get a teacher certification and become a teacher which... I really just... DON'T want to do. While I enjoy teaching, I would not enjoy being a Teacher.

Anyway.. I feel like I'm rambling now, but THANK YOU GUYS! I was just letting out a little vent to get out my frustrations, and I feel that the input I've received here has given me a push back into the right direction. Instead of continuing to do the same thing I've been doing and getting no results, I'm going to start working toward starting my own wildlife rehab center RIGHT HERE.

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Have you tried utilizing the LDS employment, staff agencies, you don't necessarily have to work in that field you major. I'm sure there are other criteria's that you've attained that can be used in other area's, honestly, your more than just what a degree offers. I don't know why our system wants us to attain degrees yet in some states people with no degrees have experience and skills equivalent to those who are studying. I know when all else fails fast, and pray, speak with the bishop. :) Best of luck to you!

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My grandfather was a park ranger. Times have changed but it will probably be something you like. Eventually, if a wildlife job opens, you can step over the line into that field if you are hired.

Yes. I frequently check all the postings for park rangers on the USAjobs site- that covers federal parks. And I also frequently look into the state govt listings for states I wouldn't mind moving to. But I can never seem to make it past the computerized filter to get my resume looked at by an actual person. I've been having my dad help me keep tweaking my resume to try and get a govt position since my dad went through the same thing since he works for the govt, but apparently there are a lot of people more qualified than me applying for the same positions. Or... those hiring already have someone in mind and just do the job posting as a necessary formality.

So, I need to get myself more qualified. And since there's nothing to do with wildlife where I am so I could volunteer, the only way to do that is to get permitted, get certified, go to training events and conferences.. etc. I will keep searching for and applying to open positions I can find, but instead of that being my focus- my focus is now working toward opening my own rehab center. It's exactly the kind of thing I dreamed of doing as a kid anyway. I've just come to realize as an adult that getting a degree isn't the "free pass" into what I want to do with my life I thought it would be.

Have you tried utilizing the LDS employment, staff agencies, you don't necessarily have to work in that field you major. I'm sure there are other criteria's that you've attained that can be used in other area's, honestly, your more than just what a degree offers. I don't know why our system wants us to attain degrees yet in some states people with no degrees have experience and skills equivalent to those who are studying. I know when all else fails fast, and pray, speak with the bishop. Best of luck to you!

I agree that degrees are made out to be more than they really are. As I've been career hunting, I've felt many times like getting my degree was really just a waste of time. But... It was thanks to going to school on scholarship that I was able to spend so much time volunteering at the Raptor Center and working as a laboratory animal caretaker - and got the experience I needed to do what I really want to do. And I'm of a mind that no education is really a waste- even if it doesn't necessarily take us where we plan.

I know I don't have to work in the field I major in- but that's why I got a degree. So I could work with wildlife. That is my passion more than anything else. I won't shy away from taking other jobs while I work toward that goal, but I want to make sure I am actually progressing toward my goal and not just getting stuck in a rut. I've been feeling like I'm stuck in a rut, because I can't get any further ahead if there's nowhere for me to volunteer and gain more experience/networking with wildlife. So, I've identified my next step as getting a permit. The training I need to do in order to get that takes place in September, so I have time to catch up on reading and planning and figuring out how else I can prepare to open a center.

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BC: I'd say that she's doing just that: She's looking forward to how to progress and find what she wants. She's looking at getting the certification she needs, which takes place in September. In the mean time, she's willing to do other work - So long as she's concentrating on progressing towards a goal.

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