Needed to vent a bit.

[JimH]

Hey guys! Just needed to vent a little bit. Job searching is the absolute pits. I have been searching for about six months, but it ramped up in May after graduation. It is starting to feel like I will never get a job. I know basically what I want to do, but I am stuck in the not having enough experience but can't get a job to get experience cycle. I know it doesn't help that I am limiting myself to basically two cities, but I have reasons for being picky on location. This is getting awfully frustrating and I just want to find a job. I really want to get somewhere and start building my dream garage brewery.

Anyway, sorry guys, I just needed to vent and my wife is in the same boat and sick of hearing it.

Also, for the ladies on the Borg, I use "guys" loosely.

[Dawg LB Steve]

A little venting goes a long way sometimes. Good things come to those who wait. Know it's frustrating but will eventually work out for you, keep your head up and trudge on!

[Beer-lord]

Best of luck to you Jim. I admit, the news makes it look like things are better but I wonder. However, DO NOT GIVE UP. I'm positive you'll find what you are looking for.

[FedoraDave]

I understand the frustration, Jim. I truly do. But it won't always be this way. Fight the good fight, and keep your chin up. You never know when something will break your way. And it's okay to vent here. We're your brothers (and sisters). The Borg is about more than beer.

[Inkleg]

Vent away Jim, we are here through think and thin, beer just happens to tag along. All the best in the job search.

[John Sand]

What they said! ^
Also, I was young in the seventies. We had a ten year recession, but in the end it worked out. I know the US economy is still sluggish, but it always comes back. Keep looking, check every opportunity, keep an open mind. You never know what might happen. I didn't grow up planning to be a cop, I took the tests for options. But I did that job for 22 years.

[Kealia]

Best of luck to you in your search, Jim.

[Bluejaye]

Feel free to vent. How are you going about in your search? Back in the stone ages when I graduated, I remember going through something similar, sending out resumes, looking through classified ads (omg, newspapers!?!). It was pretty depressing. Then I used my alma matter's job placement program and bingo, the offers rolled in.

[BlackDuck]

Keep your head up Jim....It's amazing that when you least expect something, that's when it just seems to drop in your lap. And I'm sure the right job in the right location will come to you soon.

[D_Rabbit]

Welcome to the working world.... well once you get a job! Job searching sucks! I was looking for so long that I forgot about most places that I applied to. Surprisingly one came back at the right time. Things work out for a reason. You just haven't found the right fit yet. I never anticipated I would be in the field I am in now but that happens with most people.

Good advice by Bluejaye. Most colleges and universities can really help with placement at no charge. If they care than they don't want people walking around saying they got their degree from their university and are still unemployed. Isn't a good look for them.

[philm00x]

No worries, Jim. Your patience will be rewarded

[Yankeedag]

Sometimes you have to suck it up and take a less desirable job to gain the experience. I had to do that with my latest profession. Now that I have it, I can pick and choose. Not saying you'll like it, but it takes you to the head of the line in some cases. Just something to think about.

[JimH]

Thanks guys. I fell better knowing I can vent here.

I have been applying to just about anything I can find, feels like 2-3 jobs per day. I was a machinist's mate in the Navy and with my bachelor's I was hoping to find some mechanical maintenance supervisor like jobs. And when I find them and apply, I find that they want direct experience in whatever type of facility they have, even though I know I can do the job. The "straw that broke the camel's back" yesterday (which prompted my mini-rant) was that I had applied to a more entry level position, it wasn't a supervisor role so I thought I had a good chance to get in and get experience. But the hiring manager said, through the HR person who called me, that he wanted someone with direct experience since it was a smaller crew at his facility, but that he recommended me for other facilities in the company. Unfortunately, that meant outside of the geographic preferences my wife and I have.

I have tried just about anything to find jobs, from Indeed to LinkedIn, to finding a list of companies based in the cities I want to go to and directly applying on their website. And unfortunately my University doesn't have a career center any longer. We had a budget crisis and the former guy moved back to Florida so the position stayed vacant. They are currently trying to start the career center again, but it is slow.

Thanks for the advice guys. I got a piece of advice a couple days ago which I am trying to follow. Job searching isn't a game of checkers, but a game of chess. You don't necessarily go linear, you go strategically.

[RickBeer]

Definitely strategically. Networking is very important. Informational interviews, who do you know, ...

Tough when you lock in geographically. We have been due to elder care issues, and companies went from "you can fly in weekly" to "you must live here".

My son had a job lined up after getting his Master's in Mechanical Engineering. Unfortunately, due to circumstances entirely within his control, he lost it. Tremendous life lesson unfortunately. He's still searching, but nothing yet.

[braukasper]

Keeping hunting, networking, networking, networking. Rick is right about the networking. Where I work never seeks anyone. You only get in by knowing some one.