If you are like me, a millennial in the year of 2016, you’re going to want to prepare for a job search and wake up call. I don’t want to sound harsh regarding the topic of employment in this day and age however, the reality of it is. For many years now, I have heard that finding a job is becoming increasingly difficult. This just in, I know to be true. As of now I am not looking for corporate company positions or positions you need a degree for, but, positions that don’t even require you to have a degree are very difficult to get. These jobs require that you have references and experience in a specific area sometimes. As a youth, I have been encouraged from a young age to complete high school and eventually attend college. Back then, you could imagine how hard it must have been to be told that school does not end with general education. You could also imagine the excitement and hope to fulfill an achievement such as college within a young child. The ability to go to school, major in something you believe to be your path in life could all seem very exciting.
As I grew up, I started to understand the financial aspects of what education means. As a teenager, yes I did find work as a cashier. It was a very exciting opportunity. As a college student in between semesters and breaks finding work isn’t so easy. I have learned that employers of non degree seeking position, they too expect a lot, such as experience. Experience is not there when it is your first job, which can make it increasingly difficult to find work even if it is not specialized. Specialized position often require that you have experience even if their company teaches employees skill sets needed for the job such as, Sephora. Retail stores such as Garage, Francesca's, etc require that you have 2+ years experience in retail before applying however, what if you are looking for a first job and can not get one within retail, or wholesale?
It is very much difficult for applicants to show who they truly are online or on paper. Do I blame employer’s for having such high expectations for those looking for work for the first time or work within specialized fields in order to gain experience? No not at all! I could see that maybe it is difficult for employers to trust applicants with little to no experience on paper to do their job most effectively. Do I feel it could be done a little differently? Yes. The job market is high in demand as of now. There are motivated individuals putting all of their eggs in one basket by going to school post secondarily and receiving degree’s that have led them into nothing but large, difficult debt. If you are like me, a youth, attending college working as hard as you can to be successful in life, make sure you don’t become discourage by the phrase, “We regret to inform you that you have not been selected to work at "______.” It only makes you stronger even though it may hurt.
You may not know this but, interviews are achievements. It may seem like a test, which it is, past or fail however, it is excellent practice for preparing you in getting whatever your dream job will be whether, you know what you want to do or not. Interviews give you all the time and practice in the real world to make your case to that one company that really matters to you. When you finally get your opportunity in a form of an interview for that one true dream job you hope to have, all of your past interviews will come in handy. Here are some tips I have gathered from my experience in searching for part/ full time non-degree seeking positions when it comes to the interview process.
1) Make sure you always, always, always make it an appoint to show your interest after you drop off your application to the manager of that specific store.
2) In showing your interest, make sure you give the store 2-3 days to a week before calling to see if they have had a chance to review it. Wait and Pace.
3) If you receive an interview date, say for instance a week in advanced, read over the company’s mission, what your position entails, and any additional information.
4) Remember to practice what you would like to say during the interview to be most prepared for it. Nerves eventually always kick in because, you don’t have an answer. This often led to my forgetting of who I was, why I was there, what I could bring to the table and the immediate question I was being asked.
5) Dress nicely and always be honest. Regardless if you have had a bad work history, something that went wrong in your past, or something you are just worried about prior to being hired always discuss it with your employer. Concealing any truth or not being vocal about any worries you may have could possibly take away from you showing who you really are to your interviewer.
6) Get to the point quickly because, employers would from my experience, would rather hear less and ask for more if need be. Don’t be too short with them just make sure to get to your point you want to make at a reasonable timely fashion.
7) Do not have high expectations to get any position. Stay humble. This way if you do not receive this position you can move forward and not drown yourself in misery because, while you may have worked very hard for the position, there are always competitive applicants and other variables that come with making decisions.
8) When the employer calls back to talk with you regarding your interview, always thank them for their time and their interest regardless if they say yay or nay. It is a reflection on you as an applicant.
9) When applying to jobs, always make sure you are applying to more than just one. This increases your chances in something working out whether that be your first choice or last choice, all that matters is that you have put in the effort and experience can benefit be beneficial in getting to where you would like.
10) Never give up. You may not have the power to decide whether or not you get a position however, you are in control of the effort you put into being successful. After all, no one knows where they will end up however, they control the paths they take to get them where they would like to be. You have just as much promise, ability, and motivation as any one else if you act upon it.
