Still no job prospects

[RobbyR]

I just have no clue where to turn any more. I just can't find a job. I have mild autism which makes it very hard for me to interact with people in many capacities. I've been using vocational rehab but they just referred me to an employment placement place and the girl there who is my case worker has not come up with a single lead for me since November. She keeps saying I am very employable and capable, but I never get any job leads.

I rarely get interviews. I usually make good impressions in person, but its usually the job itself that gets me. I don't do well at all with multi tasking and it takes me awhile to catch onto things unless they are fairly simple tasks. I am thinking of trying a staffing agency, but they probably won't help either.

A local doctor who knew me as a patient let me come into his office and see how they did things and was going to try me out for a receptionist,but that didn't work out at all, I just couldn't handle the intense multi tasking So now back at square one yet again. I just don't understand why these career placement people never come up with any leads for me? I mean I have already been diagnoses as having mild autism, but yet they can't seem to find any tangible leads for me. I'm getting very depressed over this. I feel useless.

[RobbyR]

Went to a couple staffing agencies this week, because that's what they do, right? One thing in my favor is despite my lack of work history I clean up very nice and keep a nice image, and people seem to appreciate that. I'm not really picky about what I'll do, I'll work in a warehouse or do office work hopefully something comes my way soon! Guess the name of the game is to keep trying. Haven't really used staffing agencies before hopefully they can help me out but I'm a bit skeptical until they get me a solid lead.

[Jim Allen]

The name of the game is indeed to keep trying and to be upbeat, it's all about selling yourself at the end of the day. Not sure what the job market is like at the moment where you are based, but make sure the old LinkedIn page has been setup to impress, get honest feedback on the old resume and avoid anyone offering "paid assistance" in finding you work. Don't give them the same email address you use for social media other than LinkedIn, and if you have a "odd" email address create a new one. I've been handed resumes and have binned them based on the email address alone.

The staffing agencies, use more than one and do follow-up with them but don't over do it (spam or stalk them) either. 

Best of luck

Jim.

[RobbyR]

Thanks Jim! That's what I'm trying to do. I went to two different ones this week. The name of the game for me is to find something I can actually handle so I can keep the job for awhile, that's why for now it needs to be something basic and not multi-tasking, which is a problem for me. I am definitely proactive so I have that in my favor. Don't really have much work experience that's usually works against me, but I have to start somewhere right. I had LinkedIn for awhile, but nothing came of it. I just have no work experience so I guess people think there's something wrong with me. But in my favor, I do present myself very well I always get compliments on my style, manners, appearance, etc. I'm just trying to keep at it and hope somebody gives me a chance.

I wished the receptionist thing had worked out, but it was just way too much for me. I am the type of person I do one or two things at a time extremely well, but I can't multi-task well at all.

[Jim Allen]

I never got a job or hired anyone using LinkedIn, that said it's one of the first things i check the morning before interviewing someone, so it is semi important to have, it's also the norm and expected in my industry to have one for "networking" and to have a good online presence.

To be honest in the past 5 years I've interviewed 100's of people, we were so busy at one stage we had 25 a week coming in for months. I spent maybe 2-3 sec looking at the resume (CV), quick check of LinkdIn and did the interview.

In the 3-4 sec I did look at the resume it was simply to check the layout & structure and any unexplained gaps. The reason was to just to make sure you can read/ write and understand how to present yourself. That's about it.

The only time I would focus on the resume is if I thought they were lying or to root out the ones that have "Mom" or "1st class teacher" listed as references. Trust me it happens. My question would always be "If I called them now what would they say about you? " Anyone who answered me with "He/She will tell you that i am the greatest employee and hardest worker ever" I would simply not hire.

That said I am a bit of an arse (ass in US) but i have in the past hired quite a few people with no experience as they presented themselves well, were up to date on the market and understood how to focus on being upbeat but without lying or sucking up, so I do think you have a better chance than you think it't just trying to get you foot in the door and that can be frustrating I know.

EDIT:
But don't take what I think, say or do to heart like I said I am a bit of an arse when it comes to hiring and being a manager, so i do feel sorry at times for the staff who have to work with me.
 
Jim.

 

[skeebo1969]

   I went on many bogus interviews before going for the job I really wanted.  It was great practice for the real deal and helped take some of my anxiety away. 

   

[RobbyR]

I think for me for the most part I do well in interviews, usually make a good impression I think, usually it just comes down to what's on paper or lack thereof, or occasionally the person doing the interviewing just doesn't click, but usually I tend to make a good personal impression. And I am pretty well spoken too. I can usually explain myself pretty well & am articulate, I feel like sometimes it just comes down to work experience or if the interviewer is an ass or not.

Right now what I am trying to figure out is that I obviously need a steady job, but my experience is so limited I don't know if I'd like certain jobs or not. Like for me, it's about can I do the job day to day, can I handle it, and therefore keep it, that's what it boils down to. Like I don't even bother with customer service/retail/call center/receptionist jobs because I don't like interacting with the general public at all in a work setting (although I am fairly social informally).

I'm terrible at math, money, etc, and awful at multi-tasking. Things I'm good at are writing, editing, proofreading, basic data entry, basic computer skills, typing, anything repetitive & predictable. I don't think well on my feet and multi-tasking is not my thing I prefer laser focus on one thing at a time.

So at this point I am going to take pretty much the first thing I get offered that I feel is feasible. I have a lot of applications pending, and an interview for a crisis counselor telephone position that I interviewed for 2 weeks ago. I'm not going to be too picky so long as it's a job I can do & just something to put down on the resume. If it's a warehouse, for a short time, so be it. I'd rather work in an office, but I'd almost rather do a warehouse if it was just doing one or two repetitive things but I think I would be really good as a telephone operator or switchboard just simply transferring calls or something like that.

So we'll see what happens, but I am ready to take whatever comes my way cause rent got to be paid lol.

[Jim Allen]

Hmm.

Well fingers crossed for the counselor telephone position.
I went though a few years of unemployment myself and ended up doing loads of temp jobs basically any work i could get, so I know how it can be on the no experience side trying to get into things, i ended up doing work in construction, worked in shops, stores, did order picking for a while for an online supermarket business , worked in a sandwich factory  still can't eat premade sandwiches. Than the last temp job was stripping and taking back faulty toner cartridges before i found work i was any good at and could live with and wanted.

Doing some volunteer work, is always an idea to get something on the resume as a filler and to get some newer references from that if possible, it does not have to be "public facing" and i know it does not pay the rent but at least adds some experience.

Jim

[OneTampa]

Robby,

Good you are focusing your job search on your abilities even though you may not have extensive work experience.

You may also find that several job applications now have sections to complete for those who require special accommodations and request that you contact the HR Department.

Best of luck to you.