I Need a Job

[smazzon1]

Long story short: I quit my waiting job a week before I left for Italy because I wanted to find a job closer to where I live. I'm back and am starting to get really nervous about finding one. I handed in applications to a few restaurants and emailed two of them a week before I flew back but nothing's come of it (even called one of them today). I've found some other restaurants that I'm going to visit when I'm back in New Brunswick but I'm getting scared. I've been working a long time and am not at all used to not having money.

Ugh, just wanted to vent. I hope I find something before school starts. What kills me is that I planned this semester so that I had two days off during the week so I could work including Friday-Sunday.

[Barmacral]

You are going to be in Canada I take it? I'll be catering my advice on the basis that you are. (just a bit on my background, I worked on contract at workopolis.com until just recently and am currently job searching using the same tips I'm giving you)

Some tips: Apply everywhere, the more places you apply the more chances you have of getting a role.

Upload your resume to Workopolis.com and Monster.ca. Recruiters see those and you do get callbacks. Also use the HRDC website and don't be afraid to just google local businesses and see what is around in your area.

Don't be afraid to go to recruitment and temp agencies, I've gotten one job as a temp, and while it wasn't great, it paid. This morning I went into Randstad and the guy that I met with is super nice and it sounds like I'll be working with him for the next while.

Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, being limited to waitress experience now doesn't mean you have to be stuck there.

Get your smartserve. Get any other small and cheap certifications you can. This shows that you are dedicated to learning new things, and in some cases (like smartserve) can even be useful in the food service industry.

Don't stop applying, even when you get discouraged. Before I worked at Workopolis I got very discouraged and my application process slowed down drastically, which probably hindered my ability to get a job.

Don't be afraid to go to a professional career counsellor to get your resumes and coverletters (yes both are plural and for good reason) and interview skills into top shape. I did that and went from no interviews in months to 6 in 6 weeks. It made an incredible difference.

Don't lie. Ever. Be vague if you need to be, but don't lie, if you get caught in one you've just lost out on a job, and it does happen.

Hope that helps.

[smazzon1]

Haha it's actual New Brunswick, New Jersey (near Rutgers) but thank you. Part of my problem is that I've gotten really picky since I made a lot of money at my last job since it was very close to fine dining. I really should apply to a lot of places since there are many restaurants in the area.

Thank you!

[Avistew]

I've been out of a job since... Oh my, my last job was in 2008. And it was for 3 months.

Now, I wasn't legally allowed to work for about three years in the middle, so that does make it less bad (I don't feel as bad about it, that is) but it's still as hard (people look at the gap and they're like "why haven't you worked since then?").

Best of luck! I'd be happy with a job below minimum wage to be honest at this point, but for some reason even fast food places (the "worst" of the jobs I've been applying for) aren't too interested. Seems that they have many, many applicants, and not that many jobs to fill.

[at348am]

Wow! you sound just like me right now! I moved the first week of July for school and I still haven't found a job. I used to deal cards at a casino and the money was really good, but I won't be able to be a dealer here so I figured I would go back to waiting tables. Honestly, I thought that I would turn in a few applications and be able to get a job pretty much right away because I have a great work history and good references and all that but for whatever reason, it just hasn't happened. At first I was being a little picky about where I applied, but now that I've been unemployed for 6 weeks (longer than I've been unemployed in 10 years!) and my money is running out fast, I've started applying everywhere. I even applied at KFC :/ My problem is that I need to make enough money to support myself while I'm going to school and minimum wage really isn't going to cut it for me. I was pretty much counting on waiting tables for the tips, but right now I will take anything that I can get just to have some kind of income. The only advice I have is to turn in as many applications as you can, and turn them in in person if possible. Then go in in person to check on them after a week. I wish you the best of luck!! I know how hard it can be out there, but the good news is that you just need ONE place to hire you. Just one!

[Barmacral]

Heh, well aside from the sites themselves my advice still works. Monster.com is where you'll want to go instead of monster.ca, as Monster is a major international job board with country specific sites.

Also to everyone in this thread looking for work - don't worry about finding something good right away, employers love people who already have jobs, so even if you can get a terrible job, it will help since it shows that you are currently working.

[Skwuats911]

You should check out craigslist, the restaurant/bar I work at uses that when they are looking for servers or cooks etc. I found my job as a valet for the Ritz Carlton through craigslist when I was in college. It's not my go to for looking for jobs but it definitely is a really easy site to use on the hunt and a lot of places use it since its free.