Self-Promotion & initiative pay off in this job market

[mscriv]

Stories like this remind me that it takes initiative to make things happen. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going..."

British graduate scores in sandwich-board job hunt



LONDON (Reuters) – In a pinstripe suit, silk tie and polished shoes, David Rowe has all the trappings of a successful London city worker, except for one stark difference -- he is wearing a sandwich board that says "JOB WANTED."

As he walked down Fleet Street, home to legal firms and investment banks, the 24-year-old history graduate showed the human face behind the "lay-offs" and "recession" headlines.

"The first 20 paces are the hardest, you feel very conspicuous, but you just steel yourself to get on with it," he said, starting a slow trudge toward the Law Courts before turning toward St Paul's Cathedral.

He landed a job offer within hours. Full story here.

[star-fish]

Eh, he got offered a recruitment job. They are ten a penny. Low pay, commission-based in a recession - I wouldn't do it. Too many angry people and having to manipulate companies and create fake job listings.

£20,000 debt from a history degree at Kent is pretty terrible as well!! I graduated with £12k debt just as the recession was beginning in summer 2008. Since then I've had two jobs (still in the second, didn't like the first for various reasons), fought to get them and not great pay but better than nothing. And great experience-wise for what I want to do.

Got lots of friends who still haven't got jobs, and it's because of any/all the following a) they don't apply for many jobs b) they don't have any work experience c) they don't have charisma or interview skills.

Gone are the days when you can just leave uni and expect to have a job. If you have no relevant work experience, you've got only a tiny, tiny chance.

[allmIne]

Originally Posted by star-fish

Eh, he got offered a recruitment job. They are ten a penny. Low pay, commission-based in a recession - I wouldn't do it. Too many angry people and having to manipulate companies and create fake job listings.

£20,000 debt from a history degree at Kent is pretty terrible as well!! I graduated with £12k debt just as the recession was beginning in summer 2008. Since then I've had two jobs (still in the second, didn't like the first for various reasons), fought to get them and not great pay but better than nothing. And great experience-wise for what I want to do.

Got lots of friends who still haven't got jobs, and it's because of any/all the following a) they don't apply for many jobs b) they don't have any work experience c) they don't have charisma or interview skills.

Gone are the days when you can just leave uni and expect to have a job. If you have no relevant work experience, you've got only a tiny, tiny chance.

It seems like you don't realise it, but your attitude is similar to that of many unemployed people. It's the reason why people don't apply for many jobs.

Fair play to him. Also, we can't judge him on his level of debt; we know nothing of his personal circumstances.

[Consultant]

Yeah any job is better than no job.

Well maybe not any job, but this one isn't the worst I can think of.

[jknight8907]

Originally Posted by star-fish

Eh, he got offered a recruitment job. They are ten a penny. Low pay, commission-based in a recession - I wouldn't do it. Too many angry people and having to manipulate companies and create fake job listings.

I've noticed a similar attitude on another forum I visit that has a "Work & Employment" subforum. Almost every day a new thread is posted with somebody whining and moaning about how they applied for some jobs online, faxed a few resumes, and are giving up because nobody will hire them and it's horrible and sad and they can't take it anymore. They admit to only applying for a few jobs online that are very close to the one they just lost, and have made no attempt at applying in person, or looking for jobs other than what they just came from, yet cannot understand why they haven't found a job right away. It's really hard to be sympathetic to a person like that.