How do I find a job?

[Tofurkey]

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Hi there,

I have a JD and a BA in art history. I have been looking for a job since the August MCAT since this is my glide year. At first I was just looking for a medical job, but then I realized that would be next to impossible and now I'm just looking for anything. I've gone on 20 interviews since then and sent out about 80 resumes--in every imaginable field. And....nothing.

So my question is....how does one go about finding a full-time job? I'm with two temp agencies, who haven't found me squat, I've emailed every alum in the city I live in (chicago), and I've used my school's online e-recruiting job database. I've also cold-emailed Drs and profs at NW, as well as responded to online and classified postings. With a BA from Williams and a law degree I've landed nothing. I can't believe this and I'm very depressed. Does it usually take two months or more to find something? I have no standards at this point. I'm working a 6.50 job right now retail just to pay the bills, but I really need to find something susbstantial soon.

Thanks,

T

 

[Tofurkey]

I forgot to say I don't want to work in the legal field in any capacity--so that is out.

Thanks.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised if you went to a Temp Agency. Often they have "temp to hire" jobs they know of through connections, they'd go absolutely crazy with your academic credentials. This is especially true when the economy appears to be getting ready to take off - most companies go to temp agencies before they hire outright. I'm sure you can find something medically related.

 

[Apparition]

Pharmacy sales pays great and they might like your JD.

 

[MeMyselfI]

I was in the same position last year after graduating from undergrad. It gets very depressing when you can't find a job. You should definitely continue applying to more jobs. With the way the economy is right now, you could be w/o a substantial job for months 🙁 . Have you thought about teaching English in a foreign country like Japan,Teach for America, substitute teaching, working at a Post Office (they pay up to $17/hour or more),telemarketing. Keep trying, praying, and don't loose hope. I eventually found a substantial research position after searching for anything and everything for about five months.

 

[Tofurkey]

I'm with two temp agencies--and they haven't found my squat. I did go to one interview that they sent me to, and they chose another person. I find that temp agencies--though I had high hopes for them--actually don't seem to be working too well for me.

 

[wxl31]

I was in the same position last year after graduating from undergrad. It gets very depressing when you can't find a job. You should definitely continue applying to more jobs. With the way the economy is right now, you could be w/o a substantial job for months 🙁 . Have you thought about teaching English in a foreign country like Japan,Teach for America, substitute teaching, working at a Post Office (they pay up to $17/hour or more),telemarketing. Keep trying, praying, and don't loose hope. I eventually found a substantial research position after searching for anything and everything for about five months.

Are you in med school right now? My problem with research positions is that they want someone for 2 years. I had a weird interview today for a research job. The first three interviews were with lab ppl (post docs and RAs)...each was 20 min and no problem. Then I interview with the PI and it's like 5 min. She asks me about med schools and how many invites I have...then she says that I'll be gone a lot to interview...I say no b/c I'm squishing them together...then we talk about something totally unrelated to the job and me...then she says I'll let you know in a week. The weird thing is that the post doc I talked to said that all the interviewees are just like me...they can only work less than a year...I dont know why the PI seemed so bothered if everyone else interviewing can only commit to one year.

If I don't land this job, I'm going to give up on research. It'll be Kaplan for me.

 

[MeMyselfI]

Are you in med school right now? My problem with research positions is that they want someone for 2 years. I had a weird interview today for a research job. The first three interviews were with lab ppl (post docs and RAs)...each was 20 min and no problem. Then I interview with the PI and it's like 5 min. She asks me about med schools and how many invites I have...then she says that I'll be gone a lot to interview...I say no b/c I'm squishing them together...then we talk about something totally unrelated to the job and me...then she says I'll let you know in a week. The weird thing is that the post doc I talked to said that all the interviewees are just like me...they can only work less than a year...I dont know why the PI seemed so bothered if everyone else interviewing can only commit to one year.

If I don't land this job, I'm going to give up on research. It'll be Kaplan for me.

I'm actually not in med school right now. I'm in the application process. My PIs didn't have much of a problem with the fact that I plan to go to med school. When I was looking for research positions in the Northeast(ie New York, Boston,etc.), many people did want a two year commitment. When I came back home to Texas, however, none of the research jobs that I applied to asked for a time commitment. I wonder why this is so. I would suggest that you stop telling people that you will only be there for a year, if you can schedule your interviews so that they won't notice what you're doing. The only bad thing about doing this is that you will eventually need a letter of recommendation from them.

 

[the other Dr.]

Hi there,

I have a JD and a BA in art history. I have been looking for a job since the August MCAT since this is my glide year. At first I was just looking for a medical job, but then I realized that would be next to impossible and now I'm just looking for anything. I've gone on 20 interviews since then and sent out about 80 resumes--in every imaginable field. And....nothing.

So my question is....how does one go about finding a full-time job? I'm with two temp agencies, who haven't found me squat, I've emailed every alum in the city I live in (chicago), and I've used my school's online e-recruiting job database. I've also cold-emailed Drs and profs at NW, as well as responded to online and classified postings. With a BA from Williams and a law degree I've landed nothing. I can't believe this and I'm very depressed. Does it usually take two months or more to find something? I have no standards at this point. I'm working a 6.50 job right now retail just to pay the bills, but I really need to find something susbstantial soon.

Thanks,

T

School is starting. Tutor! Advertise at a law school, college and high school, charge $35-50/hr. Once you build a few regular clients, it's a great way to supplement a part time job. Also consider substitute teaching. It's a minimal starting investment to take the exam and get finger-printed, and you can make something like $100/day, depending on your district.

Not the most glamorous work, but your schedule will be flexible when you start leaving for interviews!

 

[Fusion]

I think that the region of the country has a lot to do with both the ease of finding a job as well as the kind of job that someone eventually finds. Highly populated areas such as the Northeast, Chicago, LA, etc. have a lot of premed students in "transition periods" who only need something for a year or so. But employers in these regions have enough applicants to be choosy about who they hire, not just with individual qualifications, but with regards to time commitments as well. I live in the southeast and have been fortunate enough to have had a few significant clinically related jobs that provided me with some awesome clinical exposure and patient contact. I am applying to med school now and have been up front with everyone about the fact that I will only be available for a year and will need some time off to go on interviews (hopefully! ). The job that I will be starting next week is very understanding and as excited to have me as I am to start working there. Granted, I am well qualified for the job in terms of my educational background and work experience (let's just say that I've been trying to get into med school for a long time now), but I think that it would have been much more difficult to find something like this if I was in a place like New York.

 

[phleebie]

tofurkey - i went thru the same thing recently: i just took the aug mcat during my glide year (which is right now) and was searching for a job this summer before the test. at the time i was also doing the same old "volunteer at the local ED" thing. after volunteering at the same hospital for a few months, i started to get to know a few employees around the place, including one of the lab supervisors (mainly because one of my main "jobs" was to deliver specimens to the lab). when one of the phlebotomist positions opened up, she asked if i would be interested in the job; two weeks later i started training and ive been there working ever since. so, if it's employment in a hospital setting that you really want, my advice would be to start volunteering (if youre not already) and make a good impression - it really can lead to some great opportunities.

 

[Tofurkey]

bump

 

[Tofurkey]

Please!!!! I need advice desperately.