Artists

Interviewing is an art.  People who have gone through numerous interviews will tell you that they usually ask the same questions.  Those who know how to tailor their answers to the specific job they're interviewing for are artists.  I am an artist.

Just finished a phone interview for an internship position.  When I applied to the position, I thought that it was the perfect fit for me.  Then I found out some background information on the job specifics and am a little torn on how to act.  The hours are part time and the pay is less than what I make currently.  However, the internship is at a company that is well known and the internship is for a position that I want to make a career out of.  The down side is that barely any one is hired on full time from an internship position.  So how do I handle the situation??

The interview went great.  So well in fact that the interviewer stopped after three questions and said that she wanted me to come in for an in person interview.  Now the questions she asked I've heard before.  I knew they were coming and thought prior to the interview how to answer based on my experience.  It's also true that I really do have a lot of experience in this field.  

At this point I think I will still do the in person interview.  If anything it might be my chance to say 'no thanks'.  I'm going to have to sit down and figure out how I would work it into my schedule.  Maybe I can fit in the hours they're looking for around my current job.  It's worth a shot if it gives me the experience I'll need to get another job in my desired field.  If nothing else, it gives me a chance to practice my art some more.

The Lost Generation

The Huffington Post has realized the importance of Generation Y and the struggles that they are going through.  They have an entire section dedicated to articles on Gen Y.  For those of you out there who need more proof that you are not alone out there, check it out.  For those of you who are still trying to figure out just what exactly Gen Y is going through, browse through the articles.

The Lost Generation

The articles cover a variety of topics including the cost of education, Gen Y staying in their parents home, Occupy Wall Street, GI Bill cuts and what Gen Yers are doing just to be able to make ends meet.  The articles are well written and offer statistical data that is shocking.  Take a few minutes and take a look.  Browse through the articles.  Do you feel a personal connection to any of them?  I know I read "Lost Girls" and felt like it was a story about myself and several of my girl friends who are in the exact same situation.

It's unbelievable how much research has been done on Generation Y and how little has improved.  When the economy started to go down, Gen Yers were just finishing high school and we entered a work place that was unstable.  As the economy continues to try to stabilize itself, so do we.  It's a long road ahead and it will not be easy.  Hopefully articles such as the ones published by the Huffington Post will continue to shed light on the situation and things will slowly improve.  Don't give up hope as the journey is not yet over - we've only just hit a road block.

The Job Search

No one likes looking for a job.  Searching the classifieds for a job that seems even remotely interesting. Adjusting your resume so your strengths as they apply to that position are hi-lighted.  Writing a cover letter.  Filling out applications and writing the same information over and over and over.  Waiting to hear back about an interview or waiting to be rejected.

Searching for a job can be a full time job in itself.  There are so many websites that you can use or newspapers with classifieds that list current job openings.  For someone who is looking for a job, you have to put in the hours searching the ads, filling out the applications and writing the cover letters.  I know that I usually spend at least an hour a day looking through jobs and applying to any of them that even slightly interest me.  

When applying online, I usually get the immediate "Thank you for your interest in our position" email.  Then I hear nothing until the "Thank you for your interest in our position but unfortunately we have picked another candidate to fill our open vacancy" email.  Every once in awhile you're lucky enough to get a personal email asking for an interview.  Just the idea of having an interview gives me hope.  The thing that hurts most is when you go to more than one interview and then you get the rejection email.  It's a tough marketplace out there and through your job search you'll get more than one rejection.

Here are a few links to some useful job searching sites:

Jobs That Serve

Linkedin

Simply Hired

Best Job Search Engine Sites

And to help out when you're writing those resumes and cover letters, here are some links to examples and advice on how to make yours stand out:

Resume Writing, Sample Resumes

Cover Letters

Good luck on the search and don't give up hope!

Generation Y

Generation Y, also known as the "lost" generation, refers to people who were born between 1980 and 2001.  Although those dates are different based on who you talk to, for the purpose of this blog it will be for people born between those years.  Generation Y has been facing many new challenges that their parents did not.  These young adults are facing high unemployment rates even though they are more educated than generations before them.

There have been articles published on the "skill" gap for Generation Y but it is more a problem of a "job" gap.  The current economy is putting out more entry-level, minimum wage jobs that most Generation Y'ers are over qualified for.  As we wait for the Baby Boomers who are now reaching retirement age, to step down from their positions, there is a lack of jobs for those who have a degree.  Many people say that this unemployment is due to Gen-Y's lack of enthusiasm for working.  There are jobs available but it requires relocating for many.  This will not be possible if the job only pays minimum wage where many Gen-Yers will have to move out on their own.  Another increasing trend for Generation Y is that they are living longer with their parents or never moving out at all.

As a member of Generation Y, I have experienced this frustration first hand.  I have a Bachelors degree in Business and am working on a Masters degree in Adult Education and Organizational Development.  I have international working experience and speak five languages.  Since returning to America in August of 2012, I have applied to too many jobs to remember.  I have applied to jobs that I'm overqualified for, jobs that matched my experiences perfectly, and jobs that required more experience than I have.  I am currently employed but at a job that I am overqualified and underpaid for.  It's been frustrating.

This blog is going to document my job search.  I will be posting links to articles that apply to Generation Y and the "job" gap.  I will tell you about the jobs I apply for and how long it takes to hear back from the companies.  This is going to be a place for other members of Generation Y to share their experiences and advice.  So for those of you out there who know what I'm talking about and are as frustrated as I am, let's not give up hope yet.  Let's show them that we will not be lost for long.  We are here and we will be found.