Frustration and job hunting

MrBishop

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
Hello...I work p/time for two companies...and I job hunt when I can, looking for that f/time job that'll get me some money and a regualr schedule.

I send out 10-15 CV's per day, 5 days a week and have been doing so for about 1 year now...no vacation, no breaks. By my best estimate...that's somewhere in the region of 2600-3500 CV's :eek2:out there, plus my online passive CV's/portfolio etc...

I've beat the streets and now, the streets are beating me back.

I need new tricks for getting ym foot in the door. Advice? Anyone!!?(
 
i'm little help other than to say keep going, or if you can manage it try to find out what it is that got others an interview and you not [particular experience, skills or something].

it took me about 6 months to get a permenant job, including a 2wk trip to scandinavia where i spoke to 50 companies, and probably another 100 companies back home. i was bloody picky though and would only write off 2-3 cv's a week [plus the cv was expensive and complicated to make].

paid off though, i work for a nice enough company now. still miss scandi bad though :)
 
It's kind of a scary step, but do you guys have temp services (here we have Raandstat, AmTemps, etc.). I got my current job (5 yrs., unlikely to make it to six unless I get a raise before the end of August) when I took a temp to perm job with the company. I don't know what you do or what you're qualified for, Bish, but you can specify what you're looking for. Typically you work for the temp service for 3 to 6 months (at a reduced rate because the company who uses the temp service has to pay them, and they of course take a cut before they pay you). If it's a temp to perm (temporary to permanent) and you do a good job, you'll probably get hired. Just tell the temp service you're only interested in a full time job and you'd like to only be sent on temp to perm assignments. I used to only work for temp services when I was a full time musician. It's an excellent way to get your foot in the door, and if you don't like the job, you don't really have any commitment to it.
 
go to a place that is desperate to hire(i know how bad that sounds and i dont want you to think im insulting you) but think about this. they are in need of help and you need a job. its how i ended up hired at wal mart.
 
i worked for a temping company while i was looking for permenant stuff, they got me some work that paid the bills and while not being brilliant was good experience.
 
Want me to look at your CV for you? Maybe that's part of the problem...

and I think the temping thing is a real good idea...if only to keep your experience fresh :)
 
Chcr - they have placement agencies here...I'm familiar with them...there are 87 Executive Headhunters in the Montreal area...they ALL have my CV's. So far...it's garnered me about 4 temp gigs for a grand total of 2 weeks work. Not too shabby...the problem is that they don't often have mandates for Graphic Designers/Web Designers/Page Layout experts... So, I freelance a LOT. It's OK, but with the number of Advertising firms/magazines/newspapers etc in my area (430+ **I have an excel sheet for emailing purposes**) .. that one of them would be hiring.

I've considered 'flyering' - that is, printing out postcard sized CV's/portfolios and have them flyered on a busy street, but it's spendy...with no idea what kind or returns I'd get. No guaruntees...ya know?


images


I've also considered setting up a booth with a sign that'd say "Will Design for $30k/year" on it and handing out CV's to all interested...perhaps with a call to local radio and TV companies for some free PR :)

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PuterTutor said:
Dude, just get a job already. :D
Click to expand...

PT - Thanks - I'll try to do just that :)

Actually...I work 2 jobs plus my freelance work.
1 job= 20hrs/week
1 job= 9hrs/week
freelance - between 10-15hrs/week depending on the work

Nixy - Résumé - (it's french for a breakdonw of your life) - I thought that most Anglos used the term Curriculum vitae instead of Résumé **which is Latin, instead of french**

Leslie - check your PM...have fun!
 
Everyone I have ever run into in this neck of the woods uses resume...:shrug:

I can't even pronounce "vitae" :tardbang:
 
i always curriculum vitae, it makes me sound posherer that what i really am :nuts2:

resumay always seemed daf to me, why have that you can have an acronym :D
 
I'd actually be pretty worried if I didn't have a job right now. At least around here the market is shit. I know several people that have college degrees that are working 7 and 8 dollar an hour jobs. I wish you luck, persistance, and more luck Bish.
 
Thanks |PT|

Here's my latest Press Release :

For Immediate Release – Press Release

He took the plunge and is still falling

Montreal – July 7th, 2003 He is your average Graphic Designer. He is 35 year old, married, or rather living with someone, he has a child, a house, a car and no job. More and more, this is becoming the average for Montreal designers and he’s not the only one getting concerned. Last year sometime, after having become disenchanted with his job, Marc Gendron decided to take the plunge and change his life. The problem is, that after going back to school and earning not one, but two certificates at Concordia University’s Continuing Education program, he’s found that he took the plunge but that he is still falling.

Looking for the Parachute


Nearly a year and a half after going back to school, and more than 9 months since earning his degrees in Marketing and Graphic Design, Marc is still looking for that golden parachute, but he’ll tell anyone that asks that he’d settle for a bronze one instead. “It’s not that I’m not trying…I still send over 150 CV’s a week to prospective companies, but the jobs just aren’t there.” Marc was heard saying to a fellow Graphic Designer. After taking a quick look at the job-market, he just might be right. What was once considered a great place to find work, web-design and pulp-and-paper design is experiencing a glut of people looking for the same thing that he is, but not finding it. “This is a buyers’ market, and they (the employers) can ask for anything they want and get it, whether it is in the form of low pay, requests for vast amounts of experience, or a wide knowledge of different software…or all three for that matter.” Knowing that he doesn’t have the experience that current designers have means that any job is starting to look golden to him now. What’s a man to do?

Building a soft landing from the ground up


“It’s not what you know, but whom you know” has been a corporate axiom for decades now, and Marc’s no stranger to it. In fact, it’s given him a greater appreciation of two things; Firstly, you need to network and secondly, that you help others when you can, and hopefully, they’ll reciprocate. With this in mind, and several hours a day free, Marc has created what can only be considered a novel idea, at least in Montreal. It’s called Café Montreal Design, and it’s an online group dedicated to Designers like himself, living or working in the Montreal area. “We try to help each other find work, answer questions and discuss theory and practice regarding Design”, he tells us with a grin, and it seems to be working. Marc has been contacting local designers, design teachers, design companies and job placement firms and is getting them to visit his site, join his club and give a little hand to others just like them. Job openings are being placed on this site, as well as articles drawn from the Internet or from the member’s own experiences. People are joining up at a rapid rate, and Café Montreal Design has tripled its membership since the end of December 2002.

Falling feels like flying to the optimist


“I’m not an optimist, but a realist with strong goals.” Is Marc’s axiom now, and with Café Montreal Design growing daily, he finally has something to look forward to when he wakes up in the morning. With every posting, or new person joining up, he is starting to feel more like he is flying more than he is falling. His long-term goals haven’t changed all that much. He’s still looking for that career, but now, he’s determined to take as many people with him as possible, as despite the large number of people that are now trusting in Café Montreal Design for their daily dose of optimism, the weight on Marc’s shoulders seems to be lessening. What about his short-term goals, you might be asking yourself? “I want to help at least one more person per week to find a job. If that’s myself, great! If that’s someone else…even better.” He says with a shrug and a smile. What else is a man to do?

-30-

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cafe_Montreal_Design/
 
Professur said:
Bish, you need professional help.
Click to expand...

I don't think that a psychologist could help me find a job...unless he's well known...maybe I could leave a few business cards in his office.

I would get to work for some strange people...but sado-massochists need posters too :)
 
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