Comments on: Jobs, No Experience Needed?

By: R.

R. — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:13:46 +0000

I feel for you. I’m from Canada and there are a great many in your situation.

Part of the problem is we are graduating far too many Arts degrees where the economic value is questionable, compared to the hard trades that Canada needs (plumbing, welding, etc..).

By: Maryann

Maryann — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:09:30 +0000

I am applying for a job as a LPN and it asks “do you have post-graduation experience as a
LPN” Can you clarify what this means please?! Is it just asking if I have experience? I’ve been an actively practicing nurse for 9yrs.

By: Travis Kelsey

Travis Kelsey — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:09:22 +0000

I graduated college back in 2007 with a Bachelors in Computer Science and have yet to get a job in the field. I have probably applied for over 4000 jobs all over the USA. Every company tells me I have no experience so I never get hired. I have even dealt with 10 different recruiters/staffing companies who always tell me that they will help me out but never do anything but ignore me. I have wasted the past 4 years of my life working crap $9an hour jobs and living with my parents. Im $80,000 dollars in debt from college with nothing to show for it. Its ridiculous.

By: In the same boat

In the same boat — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:08:52 +0000

I sympathize with everyone who posted here. I’m 27 years old and I’m currently pursuing a Masters degree in Business Administration. I graduated from Hunter College with a decent average and held a job down as a College Assistant until I was let go in 2009. Now, I was forced to spend money to get licensing as a security guard part-time at least until things hopefully turn around (and I doubt it will). I’ve had some experience working as a College Assistant, Test Assistant, File Clerk and at the Language Lab at Hunter College. I think it’s really sad that we busted our asses to get somewhere in life and this is what we get. It’s ether you have a shitload experience from since you were 13/14 or you suffer.

By: Eeek!

Eeek! — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 03:29:50 +0000

All of you are telling the gospel truth. I worked full-time through college and still graduated with $20k of debt. I’m not qualified for “entry-level” jobs because everyone wants years of experience (and guess what? I was busy working my *** off to pay for my education! I didn’t have time to join fifty bazillion clubs or money to take endless unpaid internships in relevant fields! Not all of our daddies are investment bankers) and I’m now “overqualified” for foodservice, which is all I have experience in. I don’t even want a lot of money or a glamorous career; I just wanted to be able to have a family and support them comfortably but I guess that’s too much to ask. The American dream is dead but what is there to replace it? Where can I go? Europe isn’t doing any better. I would be willing to relocate but there’s no point just going to another country to be unemployed there instead.

By: Renee

Renee — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:01:42 +0000

I have a Bachelors of Science degree and no official work experience and am finding looking for a job is such a daunting task. I have known people who had no college education and very little work experience have better luck than I am having. I can’t even land a Target job. Very depressing. You spend thousands on a college education, work hard (believe it or not, but college is work), and where does it get you?

Some say that companies prefer those with little to no experience because they see an easier mold (no bad work habits, etc). If they exist, I haven’t seen them. I wish this was true with many companies!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:53:17 +0000

No, the job market isn’t pretty right now. But as long as you’re alive, there’s still hope. God bless you and have a great day.

By: B.A.'rely able to get a job with Liberal Arts

B.A.'rely able to get a job with Liberal Arts — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:31:11 +0000

I read through each and every comment. The hurt of not being able to get the jobs we were promised back when starting college is saddening and very much felt. From what I’ve learned, even professionally designated careers such as attorney grads are being offered less and less. Some have taken paralegal positions because of the state of this economy. And who helps us? As the bills mount, and collections notices go out…we are smacked back into the reality of knowing, if we are picked to interview? Our now pathetic credit histories have marred our credibility to the point where no one will even consider or give us a chance. We are the products of this world. The, get rich quick at all costs, buy all on credit and who cares about what happens later..product of hope for a better life. It may not be long before we’re jumping the border in the opposite directions. This ship we call the United States is sinking quick and I am ready to deploy my rubber raft and get off. How can a government back the notion of employ ability based on credit ability? For those of use who have 15 years experience in customer relations, 5 or more years in management supervisory type positions, that hold a BA or higher and who still can’t get employed in anything besides entry level, right out of high school jobs. What can they expect from the byproducts of capital greed and corporate irresponsibility? WE are educated, well spoken and well read graduates. WE want the job opportunities employers are selfishly giving to under qualified persons of whatever economic status. WE want our jobs back. Good luck ever owning a home with defaulted loans. I wish everyone even more luck trying to get hired on in law enforcement with student loans in collections. They see that as a weakness of integrity. This country needs to call it like it is. Our credit burdened, unemployable graduates are VICTIMS of the economy. At some point, I would hope Obama or whomever on capital hill would crawl out from behind their wall of (I am okay, you find your own way) rules and red tape and realize? If this generation of educated looses out, we will create a social caste system of the reality star haves and educated have nots. I shouldn’t be getting paid 14.78hr in a job I could have gotten out of high school. Especially not when a high school, alcohol and drug addicted pop reality star will make more than me in a single taping of their wretched life, than I will ever hope to see this year. Something is not right about that and it definitely does not sit well with me. What will I tell my son when he grows up? Mommy had a degree b/c that is what the world told her was worth earning. However, the state of the world didn’t find it worth while and now we’re relegated to poor wages and living. Look what education did for us. NOTHING

By: I.T. Superstar

I.T. Superstar — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 11:58:25 +0000

I myself am a self taught I.T. Administrator and Application/Database Developer who earned several certifications in the field, spent many years working with upper management reading books that target my challenges and putting things into practice while learning new techniques that have been very successful and have built a portfolio over time, which college heads were not able to do. In our try before you hire session, at my company we ended up getting rid of a few college grads because their knowledge was so far behind and seem to be spoiled. I think experience and character overrides College by far, remember in college courses you just read a little try to memorize till test time pick and choose teachers who most of time has spent little time, if any, in the field they are teaching. What is the difference between this and jumping on Google and reading the latest information about a subject, then putting it into practice. People that hire based on degrees are just selfishly looking out for themselves, because perhaps they have a degree, and end up hurting themselves and their company by passing up someone with more knowledge, certifications, character and experience, remember results is why you hire, not because you might have read something in a outdated textbook. That being said, I am working on a degree although as I take the classes it is confirming what I feel to be true. Good information is easily accessible through the internet, folks the encyclopedia Britannica days are over step into the future.

By: Willy Franzen

Willy Franzen — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:10:09 +0000

One good idea. And one bad idea.

By: dds

dds — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:33:22 +0000

Join open source software project and make this your experience–this is one of the ways to impress employer. Also, make fake experience

By: Morgan W.

Morgan W. — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:21:32 +0000

It’s all about who you know and who you are related to, at least where I live it’s that way. I have been trying to apply for a job for the past 3 years, I have tried multiple employers but have either been turned down or ignored every time. Every one I know who has a job is either related to someone influential locally or a friend/relative of that business owner or one of their relatives friends. All I have ever asked for is a basic job, minimum wage pretty much and they still wont hire me. I cannot go to college, because my family can’t afford it and I can’t get a loan and even if I could I would have no way of paying it back without a job.
With the way people hire today, it’s no wonder the economy is moving backwards.

By: Interview Challenged

Interview Challenged — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:00:09 +0000

I have been unemployed for quite some time, and it seems that I will remain unemployed, or at best under employed. To say I am unemployed, I have a part time position at a local mall, so you may as well say that. I can do a job, I can go through the training classes they require, I can pass their tests, I can be at work every day on time, never miss a day, and perform the job. I cannot get the job because I cannot be a storyteller. I cannot make up situations that did not occur, so what to do? The STAR interview questions – I just cannot come up with answers at will. So what to do? Does anyone else have that problem? I would venture to guess that even people within the companies in question, if they have been employed there for over 20 yrs. could not pass the interview questioning, as this type of interview tactic did not exist years ago. Even if I could man- age to tell a story to answer one particular question, how do I know if that one question will be the one they ask? How can I then answer 5 more of them? I can’t. I also love the question about what was your grade point average, assuming of course that everyone is from a time and place where there again was such a thing as a grade point average. Again, what to do??? I will be forced to retired …..NOW. I don’t want to do that, nor can I afford to do that.

By: Tracie

Tracie — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:43:27 +0000

FINALLY, there are people out there who understands what Iam going through. I received my BA in Communications Studies in December 2009 and I have yet to find a job. I have NO job expereince which sucks because I can’t even get a jop at a clothing store. Thank God I still have my faith because these last 9 months has been CRAZY.

By: Early Retiree

Early Retiree — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:55:57 +0000

I am 60 – no college. Why should I take courses just to have a bill for tuition, when I don’t have a job to pay that bill, along with all my other bills, and I will still not be able to secure employment because I do not have experience…just a college course. I am also not bilingual…meaning Spanish English speaking. The major company I gave over 8 yrs of my life for, terminated me wrongfully, but hey, who could prove that? So therefore, I have been unemployed for 4 yrs…most of the time spent caring for elderly parent who has since passed. Now I can look for work, but who can find work? I also have NO REFERENCES…so another nail in my coffin. My husband has also been unemployed now for almost a year. Just got our health ins. bill today, increase…it will cost over $5000 a year for insuring us both….Obama, can you hear my pain??? Do I dare let it lapse? And have no coverage? No Can Do.. I would take a job doing anything just needing a paycheck…Not a career at my age….careerbuilder…yeah, whatever. What happened to the fact that a person might just need A JOB? I don’t need a career, I am not 20 or 30 yrs. old. Thank goodness for that. This world has just gotten so very difficult. No one wants to “teach” you how to do anything, they want you to know a laundry list of skills to just get a $9-10 hr. job as a clerk or receptionist. And they want experience. Oh, and let me talk about that fancy new term called Networking….because they cannot call it what it really is…”who you know”. If you don’t know anyone, you cannot get a job. Did they ever think that even if you do know someone, are they a friend of yours to be used for your own gains? Maybe everyone would not ask people they know “hey what can you do for me?”.

By: George D

George D — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:11:53 +0000

HR people, I hate you.

You refuse to even look at me – despite several degrees with top marks from top universities, internships and volunteer experience, and work experience through college.

Getting a job is impossible, because of narrow minded HR people who are unable to look at candidates as humans instead of checklists.

By: Raymond

Raymond — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:15:42 +0000

I totally relate to you guys, I have felt this way one time or another. I got two associate degrees, in addition I was working on my bachelors until, I was told I was no longer eligible for financial aid , because I got to many credit hours. I am now with out a job, and i have school loans to pay off as well. The last job I had was because I knew someone. And you guys are right, about its who you know. I wasn’t qualified for it at all. It was a construction job, and I am an art major who has little experience around power tools. Let’s just say it wasn’t my thing and it didn’t pan out. Plus the company went belly up. Even though it doesn’t seem fair that us folks that went to college and worked hard get the crap end of the stick. I don’t regret that I went because I learned more in the 4 plus years I went than I could have hoped to learn at home. Whether I get the job or not at least I can make the kind of art I dreamed of making as a child. Ones knowledge is priceless in my opinion, it’s unfortunate that the various schools and institutions are not upfront about the reality of actually getting a job. it’s obvious if they were they would loose money. my goal now is to try not to make any enemies because they might one day be my potential employer. Especially if it comes down to who you know.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:10:30 +0000

Finally, people I can identify with! I have a BA in History and an MA in Criminal Justice. I can write and analyze on a quantitative and qualitative level. I can also read at a very high level and understand complex topics. I had high GPAs in both my programs, have a clean background, and good credit (apparently all employers want to see your credit now) and I still can’t find a job. I’ve been looking since 2007 and nothing. If I leave my MA on the resume I’m overqualified and if I take it off I get calls back only for them to hire someone with experience. What I wonder is why do they have to waste my time if they know they are looking for experience only. From what I’ve seen there are plenty of experience people out there who can’t do their job right. I’ve had interviews with people I knew within a company and still didn’t get the job based on some weird technicalities. It’s real frustrating now. I’m tired of playing their games and being totally PC in the interview and trying to put on a positive face after the 1 millionth interview. It’s ridiculous. Here, in this country, we are told to go to school, go to college, and get a good education and yet it doesn’t pan out for many of us. As others stated, yes I could go get a minimum wage job but it’s not going to pay my bills and I’ll be further in debt when I get a real job. That and they won’t hire me because I’m a college graduate. I applied for a min. wage position a year ago with a funeral home and the girl that interviewed me wanted to hire me but she had to go through the company that owned the funeral home to get the final answer. They hired someone else because they could pay them less. Another annoying thing is I HATE when people tell me they’ll call back and let me know whether or not I get the job and they never call back, they send a letter. CALL ME!!!!! If I don’t get it I’m not going to yell and throw a fit, I want to know how I can become a better interviewer. It’s like no one calls anymore and yet we live in a society of cell phone wielding maniacs. If I knew it was going to be this difficult I would have shoved college all together, nowadays it is not worth it. How can I have years of experience when I was in school!? Really, is it that hard to train someone, just shove a book in my face if the information is too much, that’s what college did for me anyway so why can’t the workforce do that too. Frankly I’m tired of playing the stupid interview game, most of the time they know who they want to hire anyway. Another annoying thing is having to take tests to get through to a job. A test, really!? Are we all back in college again? I’m ready to take off the PC gloves and just send a resume stating what I really think I am worth to a company and if it sounds arrogant, so what, it’s not like they were going to hire me anyway…lack of experience and all.

By: N

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:26:06 +0000

I graduated from college in 2005 1 year after I graduated I got a job as a Rec Therapist at a behavioral health facility. Prior to this I had always worked part time mostly after school programs. While I was working full time I decided to get a Master’s in Public Administration. I had 3.8 gpa I always had a job so I balance school and work fine but I do not have relevent experience shouldnt coursework count as experience. I graduated with my Master’s in 2008 got married in 2009 and decided to take some time off. Now that I am ready to go back to work I can not find a thing. I’m unble to pay my student loans and money is running out. Do I take my Master’s off of my resume? It sucks that I invested so much time and money into something that I cant even have on my resume.

By: shane

shane — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:55:56 +0000

I have my BA from the university of texas with a 3.4 gpa. unfortunately everyone growing up lied to me when they said ” go to college so you can get a good job”. After searching for a good job for several months, I have been rejected by places such as target, best buy, kohls, ect. in an attempt to get a minimum wage job. i guess you need either a masters or no degree at all because the B.A. has done nothign but hurt me. so im starting to think its Obamas fault i cant get a job. when bush was in office (before my degree) i was able to get jobs with ease.

By: DJ

DJ — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:05:05 +0000

I came across this board on a google search for any sort of job help. I read every last post and I couldn’t help but take the time to echo everyone’s statements. I’m 21, I’ve never held a job in my life, and now family and life situations have forced me to find a job for the past year now. I’ve been searching for what feels like ages now. NOTHING is turning up. I can’t even seem to get a job flipping burgers or serving donuts despite said establishments having NOW HIRING signs out front in clear view. I am not an idiot. I know how to use a cash register, I can handle money, I can serve food. So then what is wrong with me? Why can’t I be hired? It is really not fair anymore. What little money I have left is slowly disappearing and there is still no job in sight. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to me. The last generation screwed up the economy and now we young people are paying the price. Not fair at all…

By: V

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:10:17 +0000

After reading this page, it felt like people have written down what I have gone through over the last year and a half. After my bachelors degree, I thought it would be great if I continued my studies and enrolled into a masters program. I graduated in engineering from a reputed college with a 3.7 GPA, secured the best student award for my graduating year and ….. ended up without a job. All because I had no relevant experience. All my grades, my effort and whatever I gained through my education seems a waste now that I can’t put it into use. My hopes get dimmer by the day as new grads turn up every 6 months. After all, who would want to hire a person who’s knowledge gathers dust with the passage of time.

Thankfully, I had a scholarship so I don’t have loans. A supportive family ensures I have a roof over my head and meals on the table. Otherwise I dread to imagine the condition I would be today.

By: Frustrated

Frustrated — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:50:51 +0000

Just graduated from college in May of 2010, and I have a GPA of 4.0, I am and Honors Student, Summa Cum Laude in Medical Billing/Coding. And guess what? I totally emphathize with what all of you are going thru. Just got a text from a fellow classmate lamenting the same problem Im having , as the rest of you are goin thru. I echo all your sentiments, the same “No experience, no job” syndrome. If anyone knows of an any entry level medical billing/coding position in the San Diego area. please let me know. Were in this together.

By: Scar

Scar — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 07:25:05 +0000

Very true. This is why I get jobs: because I look at the requirements and make sure I know I can do everything on the description, then I go for it regardless of what it says is required. And I haven’t failed an interview yet.

By: Brian G

Brian G — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:04:41 +0000

The reason these employers can require such extreme amounts of qualifications is simply because there are people who can meet them. There are so many people unemployed right now that people with years of experience are taking jobs that would have been given to recent college grads in time past. The college solves every problem answer that has been shoved down our throat is obsolete, we are stuck pumping out far more college grads than our economy wants or needs. 70k+ spent on an education, bills piling up, ruined credit, is this really the best solution? Is this what high school students should be working towards, would any of you have gone to college knowing the truth? Well since most of you already have your best option is to take that crappy job at minimum wage, but look at it from a different point of view, advancement. The only way you will go straight from school to well off is to invent something, or know someone, for the rest of us we have to think long term. Take that minimum wage job that despite having nothing to do with your degree works in close proximity to your desired field, for example for a person with a degree in the biotechnology field you would be well suited to take a grunt job at a waste treatment plant and move up after you move to a job that is somewhat near your field stay there for three years, and voila you have plenty of experienced in the practical application of your field (this was just a rough example i know next to nothing about biotechnology). Now that you have the experience required go find a 50k+ job out there. Of course most people who try this will be completely financially ruined by the time they get a “good job”.

By: Bridget

Bridget — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:00:45 +0000

I would like President Obama to read this. I voted for him! I am a single mother who just spent the last four years of my life getting my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Arizona. I can not find a job. Every job wants experience. There for NO Experience= No Job. I apply for these jobs anyways just to get letters back saying that I am not qualified. I am now drowning in school loan debt, where the interest just keeps growing. I can’t even declare bankruptcy, but the thing is that I WANT A JOB! Maybe it was the degree that i got, Media Art. Ok, so now what? I’m just am thrown into the cracks where no one will notice. There should be help for college graduates who can not get work. Maybe I could get a degree change paid for by the government or some kind of help getting a job. I mean I already owe 30.000 dollars which will at least double by the time I am done paying it. This is crazy. This is not freedom! This is oppression at the fullest degree. There has to be something done about this. In other countries you get schooling for free. These colleges should be held responsible for getting these graduates jobs. Maybe then they wouldn’t give these gigantic loans out so leisurely. Please help!

By: Milosz

Milosz — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:54:59 +0000

I graduated with a bachelor degree in information technology Septermber 2009. I have no experience in the field but I have 8 years of working experience ovall and I’m 24. I have A+ and Network + certifications and still no luck finding a job. All these people want experience and act like they were born with knowledge in whatever they are working in. I just don’t know why they think like that. They tell me that they have been in the field for 10 – 15 years and are experts and stuff like that. First of let me say that 15 years ago if you knew what a monitor or a motherboard was in a computer you were a genius. 15 years ago, 1995 we had Windows 95 and I’m not sure if dial up internet existed yet or email. They ask me about today’s applications that THEY are using (each industry uses different applications for their needs, for example if I work for insurance industry I’ll be using some type of claims application. If i’m working for a Google i’m dealing with totally different applications). My point is that these applications are learned and NOBODY was borned with knowledge how to use these applications or troubleshoot them. On some interviews the people who interviewed me had less knowledge then me on overall information technology. Today’s job market really sucks and I just might going to have to find a temp data entry job or whatever.

By: D.

D. — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:16:46 +0000

I graduated in 2008 with a questionably worthless B.A. in International Affairs. It is almost impossible to obtain an entry-level federal position straight out of university. I enjoy policy research, but many of the think tanks will not hire without adequate experience. I graduated from a reputable state college, but it’s gotten to the point where I have to avoid loan debt collectors because I can’t find employment anywhere.

I’d like to volunteer as well as work, but the truth is volunteering won’t help keep the lights on. People complain about my generation feeling too “entitled.” Excuse me, but perhaps I should feel a little entilted to at least a 30k entry level postion after siphoning off more than 70k to my education. Waitressing itsn’t going to keep the collectors from harassing me!

I completely understand everyone here. I feel as though, I’ve wasted four years for absolutely zilch. Jeff had it right. Let’s just start teaching kindergartners how to use excel, outlook, and do accounting. Why teach them all of that silly stuff, like history, policy, or civics?

None of that stuff matters anyway…./sarcasm

By: Dark-Star

Dark-Star — Sun, 23 May 2010 00:41:10 +0000

The least the older generations could do, having alternately voted away and squandered our futures, would be to provide free euthanasia centers for us.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:04:12 +0000

I am glad to see so many people actually feel the same way. I got a dipolma and I am the top student in college…but still no one in my field would like to hire someone with no experience. The company require experience for almost everything..2 yr customer service experience, 2 yr admin, proficient in this and that. and yet they prefer bilingual..I can speak Eng and Chinese, but they said sorry, Custmoer Service require perfect English.