STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kenzie · Chanel

Where to look for a new job?

Karina · Chanel

http://www.monster.com

http://www.hotjobs.com

http://www.careerbuilder.com

http://www.ajb.dni.us

Your local newspapers online

http://www.flipdog.com

shopgirl82 · Chanel

www.craigslist.org

Andrea Julia · Coach

I've done really well with contacting companies I would like to work for directly. Usually there is an area of their web page where they list job opportunities. You can apply for those or you can even send your resume for something that might exist in the future and let them know you would be interested in that kind of position when it opens up.

I haven't had much luck with monster and hotjobs and that stuff. I think it is just that it is just too easy for people to just apply for a million jobs and as a result, the companies get more resumes than they can ever look at. I really just get more of a response when I apply for jobs listed on the company's website or at more industry-related job search sites.

Are you looking to stay in retail management?

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
Are you looking to stay in retail management?"

No, I would rather die than stay in retail. I hate it. It's awful and mindless. My brain is numb from this stupid job and then to have a boss telling me that this stupid, meaningless job should be my first priority just sends me over the edge.

I really would like to get into what I went to school for and what I did internships in--PR/Marketing/Event Planning. I also did the journalism thing, but there really isn't any opportunity in this area to work in magazines, so that's not an option. I just want to work in something that allows me to use my brain.

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: NylaBelle
" No, I would rather die than stay in retail. I hate it. It's awful and mindless. My brain is numb from this stupid job and then to have a boss telling me that this stupid, meaningless job should be my first priority just sends me over the edge. I really would like to get into what I went to school for and what I did internships in--PR/Marketing/Event Planning. I also did the journalism thing, but there really isn't any opportunity in this area to work in magazines, so that's not an option. I just want to work in something that allows me to use my brain."

If you get into PR/Marketing, you will most likely have to start off as an assistant so you might not be able to use your brain for another 2 years. However, you would be on the right track. I think it would be very easy for you to get a Marketing Assistant position because you are way overqualified. With all the development of selling strategies and product placement you do in your current job, you would be hired immediately. Most of the people in those positions are right out of college with no experience. Unfortunately, it is very hard to skip over the assistant position even if you have other experience or even internships in marketing. I think you could probably get promoted pretty quickly though as long as you show them all you are capable of.

JoceyBaby23 · Gucci

Aren't you in West Chester NB? I do marketing in Downingtown and live near KOP. Maybe I can help you network. PM me if you want!

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
"If you get into PR/Marketing, you will most likely have to start off as an assistant so you might not be able to use your brain for another 2 years. However, you would be on the right track. I think it would be very easy for you to get a Marketing Assistant position because you are way overqualified. With all the development of selling strategies and product placement you do in your current job, you would be hired immediately. Most of the people in those positions are right out of college with no experience. Unfortunately, it is very hard to skip over the assistant position even if you have other experience or even internships in marketing. I think you could probably get promoted pretty quickly though as long as you show them all you are capable of."

Actually, I have had several interveiws over the past two years for this type of position and no one will hire me b/c I am 'overqualified', but they won't put me into a higher position b/c I don't have 2-5 years experience, so I'm absolutely stuck. I'm so tired of hearing that I'm overqualified. I basically worked as an assistant during my internship years and I had alot of responsibilities, considering that I was just an intern. I wrote press releases, designed and wrote newsletters, contacted and interviewed artists (worked in arts organizations), contacted press, wrote advertising copy, ect. But whatever, no one cares about that. I even have a portfolio (which I should probably redo, b/c it's been a while since I've done that)

Retail is boiling my brain and slowly turning it to liquid. I actually moved up the ranks more quickly than most people in retail, too considering you neeed that stupid 2-5 years experience to snag some of the positions that I've held and the one I currently hold. But I still think it's mindless and doesn't challenge me in the least.

Thanks for your thoughts, though. I agree that I should probably go directly to the company that I want to work for. The problem is finding those companies.

-- Edited by NylaBelle at 11:50, 2005-03-29

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: JoceyBaby23
"Aren't you in West Chester NB? I do marketing in Downingtown and live near KOP. Maybe I can help you network. PM me if you want!"

Hey, JoceyBaby23, you have PM!

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: NylaBelle
" Actually, I have had several interveiws over the past two years for this type of position and no one will hire me b/c I am 'overqualified', but they won't put me into a higher position b/c I don't have 2-5 years experience, so I'm absolutely stuck. I'm so tired of hearing that I'm overqualified. "

That is so ridiculous! They should JUMP on the chance to hire someone overqualified! As long as you are willing to do the work and accept the salary they are offering, isn't it a GOOD thing that you are overqualified? You would help their company and the person you are assisting so much more than someone right out of college. You would help their company to make money and that is the goal, right? I've heard of this before: people being turned down because they are overqualified. I can understand this if it was a position that had no growth potential where you would get bored and leave, but marketing and pr assistants are expected to work towards higher positions. Having some experience under your belt should be a good thing. In the interviews you should to show them the benefit of hiring someone who already knows technique and strategies that just needs to be trained in the company's policies and ways of doing things. Nobody will waste hours of their time explaining the basics to you.

kenzie · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
" That is so ridiculous! They should JUMP on the chance to hire someone overqualified! As long as you are willing to do the work and accept the salary they are offering, isn't it a GOOD thing that you are overqualified? You would help their company and the person you are assisting so much more than someone right out of college. You would help their company to make money and that is the goal, right? I've heard of this before: people being turned down because they are overqualified. I can understand this if it was a position that had no growth potential where you would get bored and leave, but marketing and pr assistants are expected to work towards higher positions. Having some experience under your belt should be a good thing. In the interviews you should to show them the benefit of hiring someone who already knows technique and strategies that just needs to be trained in the company's policies and ways of doing things. Nobody will waste hours of their time explaining the basics to you. "

I've had people tell me that they feel bad putting me in a position for which I am overqualified for and for which I would have to take paycut. But I don't think that they should feel bad if I'm willing to move into another field and take the position. I'd rather have a job that I know can go somewhere rather than a dead-end job that like I'm in right now. I'm basically as high up as I can go (or want to go anyway) in this field.

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

Hey girl - good luck with all this, and good for you! A lot of people just get comfortable and stay way too long with something that they hate.

Have you tried applying for positions at a few corporation's in-house marketing publications? That seems like a natural transition with your journalism experience. Also, when one of them was miserable with her crazy boss (they're in every field...) she freelanced her PR services for a while. It might be something fun you could do part time. Also, another one switched to a higher paying job by volunteering with a non-profit and taking over a small publication and some PR duties. She made some contacts and ended up in-house at a hospital (pretty good money). Maybe a little experience in these ways might sort of break the logjam. (I've been in that position where people don't know exactly what you can do because your resume doesn't say what they expect).

valenciana · Dooney & Bourke

i have actually heard about a phenomenon where people falsify their resumes, but in the opposite direction, like taking things OFF or downplaying their duties in related jobs due to that exact situation where they aren't hired because they're "overqualified." it's sad but i don't know...i guess sometimes if you need a job, you gotta do what you gotta do. personally, it feels like i'll never be in that situation (of having too much experience), so i have no idea what i'd do. finding a job is frustrating for everyone these days it seems like. if you have no experience, "too much" experience, get pigeonholed into a field you don't want to be in (my biggest fear)...you're SOL.

you should check out idealist.org for non-profit jobs. i haven't gotten a job from there, but i haven't applied for any yet either, but there is some promising stuff. also, if you just do google searches for companies, like AJ said, corporate websites are often better than monster and hotjobs. like say, i've done google searches for "atlanta 'biggest employers'" or something like that, and you can sometimes find lists of the top employers or largest organizations in your area. then from there, search their websites.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

If people are thinking you are overqualified you might just have to downplay your past experiences some so that it looks like you will be willing to take the position and "learn" everything you can in it. I have had that problem with all the state jobs/state people I have talked to about getting a permanent position working in state government. I had to downplay alot and basically say I didn't want to be challenged but rather know my duties month to month and work a regular 9-5 job to get anywhere. I did finally find another better job somewhere else but I do know what you are going through with being "overqualified". PM Esquiress about all of this. I swear I wouldn't have the job offer I have today without her peptalks and suggestions.