Applying For Near Min. Wage Jobs?

[Draehl]

It's been just over a year since I graduated college and still no "real" job I was expecting with my finance degree. Still living at home, but parents are pushing hard to retire and I'm their current road block (drain) until I get a job.

So that being said I think it's time to look at trying to get something along the lines of a stock clerk at a grocery store or something similar. How do you think I should approach that type of scenario? Go in there guns blazing with my finely tuned resume and a nice suit and tie or play things down a bit? I can see the merit in both. Distinguish myself from your average applicant vs. not looking like I'll leave the moment the job market turns for the better (which is 100% true)

Thoughts?

 

[JontRevolting]

That sounds tough man but i reckon it's always better to be over qualified than under qualified and those kind've jobs have a high turnover rate with employees,employers at these kind've jobs are used to over qualified students and most likely would expect that you would'nt be hanging around for ever anyway.

 

[damnromulans]

Have you gone to a temp agency? With the sorts of jobs they offer (if any are available) there is often potential to be permanently employed by the companies in question

 

[Draehl]

Have you gone to a temp agency? With the sorts of jobs they offer (if any are available) there is often potential to be permanently employed by the companies in question

I have talked to a couple and they even hooked me up with some interviews, but the ball always seems to get dropped before any word positive or negative gets back to me. It ends up in a game of phone tag and after a couple weeks of that you can't help but give up if they don't show the slightest interest in you.

Edit: I'm sure they're busy, with so many people unemployed so it's understandable, but frustrating.

 

[damnromulans]

With all due respect, how are you interview-wise? Do you think it may be you that is keeping you from jobs?

 

[Draehl]

With all due respect, how are you interview-wise? Do you think it may be you that is keeping you from jobs?

Not amazing, but certainly not terrible. It's not just me though. I've spoken with people I went to school with and most of them are in a similar situation. Either working a dead end job for little pay, or still looking full time. The problem mostly seems to be a lack of applicable job titles. I primarily find one of three types of jobs:

1) No experience required, no degree required, crap for pay dead end jobs.
2) Pure commission telemarketing sales positions.
3) 5+ years analyst/etc. type experience.

When I have managed to find an appropriate position I'll get an interview and when I'm given an inkling of feedback it's that they went with a more qualified candidate.

 

[JontRevolting]

these sorts of shelf-stacking-grocery jobs are made for people in your position.At my last job before i was rudely given the ass for belting my boss,it was quite common for students to come and go and was actually encouraged by management,if they had school or whatever it took precedence over the job and the bosses were fine with it.Don't give up yet man it may have just been that there have'nt been any positions atm but one will pop up sooner or later.

 

[unknown]

having worked in the grocery store world for six years now, you would definitely want to work in either Grocery (stocking) or Receiving (what I do). If you work in grocery and clearly show initiative and get buddy buddy with the grocery manager, you should be able to move up pretty quickly. Receiver is ideal. You work in the back by yourself unloading the trucks, breaking down loads, inspecting the quality of stuff coming in, and you report directly to the department managers and store director.

I wouldn't necessarily go in guns blazing full suit and tie unless if you were applying for a managerial position. Also, don't go for Vons/Ralphs/Albertsons or any other big box stores first. Try for the smaller chains first. I worked at Albertsons for two years, union job, and was only making $8 an hour. Henry's, non union small chain, started me off at $9.25

 

[waif]

I would try to downplay the short-term aspect, definitely. When I got hired at Walgreens, I think one thing that really helped was that I was going to be around for a while, and I noticed when other people applied that long-term availability really improved their chances, as did a flexible schedule.

 

[The Heartbreak Kid]

Just go to every single place and hand in a CV, dress code to me wouldnt make any difference, can be seen as smart but also desperate.

You cant highlight one job, apply for everything, one is bound to offer you something.