I had a job. The company didn’t realize that they actually had to sell product to stay in business. Almost all of the workforce was let go or furloughed. I’ve been unemployed for over a month now.
I’ve filled out dozens upon dozens of job apps, starting even before I lost my job. I have my resume public on job listings sites for employers and hiring agencies to find, and I’ve sent my resume to employers and hiring agencies directly. I look through the listings on job boards for each day, mostly limiting my search to a wage that would allow me to make ends meet at home. I’ve solicited and implemented advice from resume design experts. I’ve had one in-person interview, a few preliminary phone interviews, and a couple of message conversations between recruiters and myself. The one in-person interview I had would not have paid enough for my monthly expenses and I was overqualified for the position; they decided against hiring me. I had another interview scheduled and confirmed via a hiring agency’s AI text bot and a human agent’s text; I drove to the scheduled interview place and time and they had no idea that I was supposed to be interviewed. All other communication has either been flat-out rejection or just left me hanging.
I have a Bachelor’s of Science degree from a top 25 ranked university in the US. I have no criminal record. I do have multiple disabilities but they are generally mitigable enough to not affect my work. I have references of my (now) former boss and a (now) former coworker who both praise my impact and aptitude in the factory and office workplace. I’m evidently overqualified for positions that don’t require higher experiences and I’m underqualified for nearly everything else; I can’t get experience in most niche or broad fields because nearly every position requires these experiences to have already been met. I try to follow all the invisible rules of applying and social etiquette. I am too physically ugly to sell my body. It feels like there’s always been a magical aura about me that makes people dislike me no matter how much I try to do the ethically or socially right thing. How am I supposed to get an income to survive?
The situation where a candidate is rejected because they don’t have relevant experience is often decided by people who don’t have that experience either. The last thing I want is a job where I immediately know how to do it. That’s often the reason to leave - it’s boring and not a challenge any more.
The market is probably flat right now and that’s the reason there’s no jobs. You have to hang in there for a bit and wait for an upturn.
So I don’t know if you tried looking for state jobs.
I see you are in Michigan so, apply for something that you’re overqualified for and then work the job until you’re past the probation period.
Then, apply for the job you want. They hire internally first for pretty much every position. This is how several people’s experience go about how they got into their current position with the state at DHHS.
A popular position for getting your foot in the door is processing food stamp applications. It’s remote and doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree, so having a bachelor’s degree will likely get you an interview.
Also, this applies in general:
Applicant recruiting software usually looks for key words.
Look at the ad & attached position description and highlight the words and phrases used.
Include them in your resume, cover letter, application. You have to tailor your application to each position. It’s a royal pain, but that’s how most recruiting software works.
I would also urge you to call the respective departments/agencies HR departments and ask about the position. A current employee may be able to flag your application depending on whom you speak to.
Either that or try MDOC as some say it is the easiest way into the State. Its not for everyone but its an option. They always look for people.
So to summarize
Use exact words and terms from the job description on your application. The software will search and grade your application by these hits.
Keep it short. Use only one font. The software diagnoses the beginning font and can’t read anything that deviates from the font.
Apply for an entry level position and work your way up to the position you actually want.
Other options
Check the community college job postings near where you live! When they are about to start a new semester, they usually have openings
On that note, The schools are always hiring. It varies depending on the district, but Livonia school for example is looking for the following:
https://www.applitrack.com/livoniapublicschools/onlineapp/default.aspx?all=1
Manufacturing is ALWAYS hiring. Drive by just about any plant in the Metro Detroit area and probably there will be ‘now hiring’ signs all over the place.
No experience will probably start around $15/hr, but if you learn fast & want to advance, there are usually ways to move up pretty quickly.
Check out mml.org’s classifieds if you haven’t already. Again, people often overlook city government jobs but the pay is often decent and have good benefits. Some also tend to browse governmentjobs.com.
Oakland County seems to have lots of different jobs available.
Try contacting an agency like kelly or arrow strategies if you’re in tech.
Remember we are near the end of year. December January February are basically dead time for gigs, they all pick up on march
Ah, Liberal Arts degree. Fun. Might be better to go back into academia for the rest of your life, lol.
Otherwise just keep at it. Sometimes it takes 3 applications or sometimes it takes hundreds. If you can lift then Nursing homes and in-home helpers are always hiring more people, right now.
Have you applied for unemployment yet? They’ll usually back pay to when you were laid off too if you get through all the red tape… Might be a state by state thing idk
Have you ever thought about talking to a therapist about the magic aura thing? There might be something you don’t realize that they could help you figure out.
Could you get a job of any kind and reduce your living standard for a little while to match what you make? This is a shitty answer, and really should only ever apply to the 1%… But sadly we do live in a capitalist hellscape… Good luck
This year in particular has just been a fucking awful job market. I lost my job in January and had severance last a couple months, but even after spending every day reading job boards and filing job applications until I was emotionally exhausted, I had zero callbacks for seven months. It was only a few months ago that I got two interviews, and I got offers from both. As soon as I accepted, I had some other companies suddenly crawling to me with offers. I’m still recovering from my debts accrued in that time, but I’m finally in a much better place now. Keep going at it, and I promise something will crack.
