7 April 2010

No jobs for school leavers or am I blind?

| doomguy1001
Join the conversation
28

Hey folks!

I am an 18 year old and I graduated from college late last year. Since then I have been seeking either part-time or casual work while I do a course at CIT. I have checked notice boards, The Canberra Times and job search websites localised in for the ACT to no avail, not to mention the careers websites for the major supermarkets and department stores.

It seems that the only positions available are for the public service (majority of positions are for managers and other positions require prior experience) and all the retail stores in the town centres (including Civic) are also seeking people to fill positions for management. Finding a job is hard keeping in mind that I have had no previous employment and cannot *checks newspaper* make cabinets.

Should I walk around the shopping centres handing in copies of my resume and make my presence known? or am I blind and cannot see the many hundreds of jobs in Canberra that lay before me?

Join the conversation

28
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Doomguy1001 – I’m on the flip side, I have positions to fill in a store I’m aquiring and not enough resumes to look through. Job ad is here:

http://www.capitaljobs.com.au/subway-sandwich-artist-jobref-14704/

The jobs aren’t exactly glamorous, but the pay is good and hours are flexible. I’m keen to see your resume, and anyone elses!

you could sell your body in fyshwick, though your psyche’s well-being is maybe better off in the long run going with the agency thing. have you had a word to the careers counsellors at CiT to see if they can offer advice – maybe in the field of your study?

What ‘Coach’ and others said about agencies, Doom.

It’s well worth having a good hard look at your skill sets (not just what you can prove with bits of paper or subjects you’ve studied) but your interests, hobbies, aptitude — basically the things that are going to have you springing out of bed in the morning rather than calling in sick if you can’t be ar$ed.

A good professional should be able to match you to something that you’re likely to stick at and progress with rather than just plod through to get your pay.

‘Work to live’ rather than vice versa.

I’ve just quit my job without organising another. I’m actually planning to start my own business. Totally not concerned about money, there’s stuff I know how to do and in the meantime waitressing will combine work with exercise!
The waitressing gig wasn’t advertised, a friend got me in for an interview. If I didn’t know people who were hiring I probably would have talked to an agency about office temping.

You can always get work in petrol stations, its not great but it pays, has flexible hours and there’s heaps of them.

Simply drive around and fill out the forms, you’ll have a job in no time.

KFC have been advertising jobs on the radio for the last month, they must be desperate. Kingsleys has been advertising On tv against krudd’s work visa policies and that they can’t get people to fill roles. Basically most things retail hire all the time as kids are lazy. If you have availabilty all day and have transport to get you there, in most cases you should be able to walk into a half decent service industry job. Put together a simple clear resume, spell check and get a proper email address then you shouldn’t have too many problems.

Hi also ring places up for a job, I have done that, and got employment, don’t wait for people to advertise.

i would go to the agencies.

They are always screaming for casuals to work in call centres, switchboards etc. The work is pretty easy and they can be flexible with hours. Just today i saw a sign outside a agency in civic wanting people to recruit for call centres.

Also seek.com.au – however i agree that going to stores personally and handing out your CV is a grand plan. You will get much better response if you show yourself as well presented, articulate and more importantly..keen.

Good luck:)

Hi DoomGuy, I can understand what you’re talking about. There are actually 2 job markets – one visible and one “hidden”. The visible one shows up in the newspapers and websites, along with the employment agencies (whether Job Network-based or private). estimates vary as to how big the percentage is, but let’s say maybe 30% of all jobs are “visible”. The good side of these is that it’s easy to look through and find something which appeals to you. The down side is that so is everyone else, so you have to be good to land an interview, and even better to get the job.

The “hidden” job market holds the other 70% of jobs. This is because most bosses are busy running their firms, and only hire people when they really need to. The easiest way for them to find someone is by asking their staff, other bosses, or people they trust. One interview with one candidate recommended by this group of people – if the two people hit it off, both are happy. The boss hasn’t had to waste much time or money to fill the gap, and the new employee is quickly hired with zero competition.

Posting here on RiotAct is a good start, and several people above have offered suggestions, but if you can learn how to network (which means keeping in touch with people, and doing something to help them when you can, even if it means washing their car or something) then you’ll learn a skill set which will benfit you for the rest of your life 🙂

Good luck!

I know someone who works at DFO, there are always jobs going there. Maybe no what you’re after but…

If you’re desperate, places like KFC and McD’s are always hiring.

You’re 18, people will probably be hiring you based on future upskilling opportunities and your availability, probably not for expert knowledge.

Oh, and keep your CV efficient and streamlined.
If they’re taking the time to read your resume, they won’t want it to fit on a single square of toilet paper, but frankly don’t care if you got the under 12s soccer Most Valuable Player in 2004.

I noticed while on lunch today that Just Jeans in the Canberra Centre had a sign up in the window advertising a casual position.

Don’t forget to make sure your CV is easy to read! I worked in retail for awhile and some of the CVs that came in were awful. If the manager can’t read your CV easily because of the layout, font, crap photocopying, typos, etc, it’ll end up in the bin.

Oh, and if you put your email address on your CV make sure it sounds professional – e.g. not “hotstuff69@madeup.com”

Honey, walk around any shopping centre and you will find a dozen signs asking for staff. You are trying to be too clever by looking in the CT – lots of small businesses wont pay for an ad in the CT when a sign in the window of their shop will get just as good results.

You seem literate so you could possibily be the manager in a short time anyway……

To use a coaching expression……..”We don’t see what is out there, we see what we believe is out there”

Allow yourself the luxury of reflecting on the kind of work you want to do. Then see who does it and where it is available.

Your mind works in pictures….it plays movies, and my guess is you might be playing some movies that involve you having no work and no money, and all the consequences that brings.

Make some new movies that involve you working in the kind of job you want.

Your mind is not capable of a positive and a negative thought at the same time. So try running that new movie to replace the old ones.

Then start talking to people. Ask for their help, their advice, and switch off your own filters, so you do not judge what you hear based on your current beliefs.

Getting on here was a great start. You WILL find something just right for you right now.

(Let us know the outcome)

Good Luck.

Try night fill at Coles or Woolies, I’ve heard they pay quite well. But look after your back, you’re only as old as your spine!
Good luck 🙂

Yeah, indigoid is right – doomguy’s writing abilities are far beyond that of a modern 18yo.
Me suspect troll. Not sure why though.

Oops! I “failed” in my last comment.

“I didn’t know that my delivery was that good.”

indigoid said :

Your posting indicates* to me that you are abnormally literate. This could be quite useful once you get a foot in the door

* not a scientific study

I didn’t know that delivery was that good. Thanks!

If you just want work, wander shopping centres and hand out resumes to business owners like they’re not worth the paper you wrote them on.
Ask to talk to Managers or Owners if possible.

Or just find a recruitment agency, take the basic typing tests they offer, and tell them you’ll work for minimum bid.
They cost you nothing, and employers pay them to cull out the timewasters.

Your posting indicates* to me that you are abnormally literate. This could be quite useful once you get a foot in the door

* not a scientific study

Clown Killer11:57 am 07 Apr 10

If you’ve got a car and can handle manual work they’re building one hell of a dam up at the Cotter – labourers are always in demand and the pays OK too.

For somthing more urban, just get a handfull of CVs, scrub yourself up and get out to the shopping centres etc. It seems like every second business in Kingston has got a sign in the window advertising positions.

If you’re really stuck just use a recruitment agency like Effective People. They don’t cost you anything and it’s their job to find you a job. A lot of them specialise in filling entry level public service jobs which are often flexible and, if you become permanent, offer studies assistance.

Spread the word!
Get your parents, friends, neighbours to spread the word.
If you’re this keen to work you will find something easily.
a lot of employers I know are sick of the deadbeats that respond to adverts & are going with word of mouth recommendations.
Try Big W nightfill in the city.
I think CITSA also has a job network.

Hospitality is you’re friend. and I don’t mean Maccas. Get a job with one of the hotels (Hyatt, Ridges) or a catering company. I worked for a hotel in their food and beverage area (waiter for very samll to very large functions) while I undertook a degree at CIT. It’s the easiest casual job you can do.

johnboy said :

Bunnings in Belconnen seems to always be looking for staff.

Commonwealth Bank in Dickson’s got a sign in the window too.

Basically I’ve never seen so many employers crying out for staff in this town. But it takes a while to learn how to look. Good luck with it.

Thanks dude!

I think the best way is to walk around and hand out your CV. You normally get an answer right away.

Bunnings in Belconnen seems to always be looking for staff.

Commonwealth Bank in Dickson’s got a sign in the window too.

Basically I’ve never seen so many employers crying out for staff in this town. But it takes a while to learn how to look. Good luck with it.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.