Job search strategy discussion thread

I am sure some place like reddit, maybe even Facebook has groups of actual librarians who could collectively, answer that question better than anyone here could, unless someone here happened to be extremely close or was an actual librarian!

A quick google search for job postings of that role may also give you an idea of where things are at that level.

It also begs to mention that it depends on your expectations. I mean, even at Masters degree levels especially for the U.S, it is a relatively low paying job.

Sorry for the necro, but I'm trying to get opinions on what I should say to an employer when quitting a job after abotu a month.

In my case, I'm quitting my job bussing tables (among other duties) at a restaurant.

I just cannot stand the work, even in short bursts, and that's before we get to how my wage is partially reliant on the tips of other workers on the higher rungs - which I have to collect before I leave my shift, which means having to ask them to tip me out (though on my last shift I didn't bother, I was so done that day). And that can take up to several minutes, during which time more guests can leave, sticking me with more tables to clean, again, several minutes after my shift was supposed to end.

It's not like my last job was glamorous, but there I could at least keep up the work for seven to eight hours, I was getting paid better (and weekly), and when my shift ended, I left.

But obviously I can't tell my bosses any of this. SO what do I say to justify my decision to leave?

First, you should thank your employer for hiring you and for the opportunities even if you didn't like the job.

I don't know if you have another job lined immediately after or just quitting wholesale though. In the former case, mention a new opportunity arrived that's more in-line with your future motivations, so it's time to pursue it. In the latter case, say that, for one reason or another, you don't find yourself equipped to handle the job anymore and have to bow out.

I'm not quitting yet; I'm trying to get hired elsewhere first.

Does your job include a few months of test period at the start? Here usually when starting at a new workplace, during the first 3 months the employee or the employer can just ask to end the job contract without fuss.

My current one is either 3 or months. In either case, I'm still in that stage.

If you’re waiting to quit until you find another job than “I found a job that’s a better fit for me” is answer enough.

I wouldn’t expect most restaurants to care why people quit, it’s a pretty high turnover industry.

So this may be a little specialized, but has anybody ever heard of some kind of centralized site or database for finding teaching openings at universities?

As a bit of background, I'm very interested in teaching history at a university level, and right now am willing to take any sort of temporary position at pretty much anywhere, since the objective is just to get my foot in the door. But the thought of looking at hundreds or thousands of individual universities' sites sounds enormously time-consuming. However, I've never heard of anything to suggest there's an alternative, even thought it sounds like one existing should be a no-brainer.

Nercobump.

I am looking for online jobs that aren't customer service or data entry. I am aware that I cannot do the latter but the former might be a little too difficult for me due to my computer being down. Can anyone recommend me a job that does fall into those categories?

If youre applying to places that still take physical resumes, go out and buy superbright white paper to print it off on. Literally makes your resume stand out in a stack.

Is there a better way to sift through a bunch of similar postings to get through to the few that I actually have even a slight match for? Specifically, my only marketable skills are with computers, and only at a help desk level.

If you are doing online or remote customer service, you want to work for a company that supplies you with a work computer. (and then not abuse it.) You'll need an excellent connection that will stay up as much as possible and has decent speed.

Edited by SKJAM on Oct 27th 2022 at 12:25:17 PM

Not sure that's directed at me, since I would not be working from home. All I can really ask for is the best search terms to use on sites like Indeed.

Edited by ShinyCottonCandy on Oct 27th 2022 at 3:28:11 PM

Really more for GAP,

For yourself, does the website allow Boolean search tactics? If so, find at least one listing that matches what you're looking for, find the key terms that distinguish that from similar but non-matching listings, and set up the search to include the terms that you want while excluding those that are a deal-breaker.

Edited by SKJAM on Oct 28th 2022 at 9:38:20 AM

I will try those tactics to see if I get a different result. Also, I am trying to look for transportation to those jobs I want.

Those who had to do work-from-home jobs, what is that like? I thought about doing this but I never had to work-from-home because I usually work in factories part time, seasonal.

Prior to the internet, most "work at home" jobs were piecework scams, like stuffing envelopes. Those jobs still exist, and are not worth your time except in the direst circumstances.

My company sent all the customer service people remote in March 2020, initially as a way to reduce infection for a couple of months while the pandemic blew over. The pandemic did not blow over, and it turned out that since our jobs are just "talk to people on the phone while navigating databases", they could be done from home just fine. The fear that we'd all goof off if there wasn't a manager physically looking at us at all times proved misguided. (That said, we did lose a couple of people who didn't have self-discipline.)

I don't miss the two hour commute on the bus much. The biggest hassle has been my internet provider keeping my connection up (repeated failures has caused me to switch providers.)

Big tip: Have an area that is "the office" where all your work-related stuff is, even if that's just a corner of your utility apartment. And when you go to work, put on your "work t-shirt and sweatpants." This helps build a "I am at work now" attitude

Yeah, my employer has a whole online course about how to be effective working from home. Had to take it before I could start hybrid work schedules.

Looks like I have to find a time that works with my ride. Not having a car or any means to go to a bus station sucks. I live in a suburban area that is connected to another area. My bus service doesn't reach here as it connected to another county.

Edited by GAP on Nov 9th 2022 at 6:39:42 AM

Okay, so I have a question about a job I was "hired" for and I can't find the job thread in OTC so in here it goes.

So a rough timeline of events: late last month I was "hired" for a position at Safeway pending a background check after an interview at a job fair. I'm told I'll hear back from them once it goes through. Some time passes, calls are made, turns out the background check is taking a bit longer than expected (according to the employer). I'm told the same thing. That was a week or two ago now, and I haven't heard from them since.

My questions are thus: Is this normal? Should I bother following up on Monday? Should I wait some more? Or have they changed their mind about hiring me and have decided to be shitty about it and not tell me (this has happened before) and I'd be better of applying somewhere else?

That or it was a privilege you got as a senior person in a business. When you’re a high flying executive or lawyer you could decide to work from home because you just didn’t care to come into the office.

My wife works from home regularly and I can do so on occasion. The big things to get used to compered to workplace based jobs is the social isolation and the need to operate near 100% by email. You can’t just pop over to a colleague’s desk to get help with a problem and there are no coffee chats or catch ups.

Then there’s the work-home divide and the issue of distractions. It can be hard to switch off from work properly, you may end up loosing space in your home that becomes the dedicated work space (though that’s healthier then working from the sofa or dinning table). It can also be easier to get distracted by things like postal deliveries, events on the street or your own devices/hobbies.

There’s plenty good about work from home, but those are the things to carful of.

I’d generally recommend not stopping applying for jobs until you’ve actually started a new job. It’s generally an idea to chase things, but offer fall through and circumstances change. Having a conditional offer for one job shouldn’t prevent you from applying for other ones.

Of course, to some of us that may be a plus.

@Silasw

Those are some good points but the thing is, I do not really have a car and I have to find a ride. I had done it before but it wasn't convenient for both of us. If I had a car, it would be no trouble for me to set and find my own hours but I don't. I need to find hours that work for me and my ride so that I can work without feeling guilty. Amazon's hours will not work for me unless it is the day shift.

@Physical Stamina: Until they actually hire you, you are well within your rights to keep looking. And if a better job snaps you up before the first place finishes the background check or whatever other behind the scenes bureaucracy is holding them up, too bad for them. But by all means check back weekly with Safeway to let them know you're still interested.

If you are confident enough, and you get an offer from a second company, you can say something like "Safeway has offered me $X as a starting salary, what are you offering?" as part of your acceptance negotiations.

Is there any advice for me going into an interview to overcome the inability to even think there’s a remote chance I’ll get hired?

Looks like DND Canada's giving me an assessment test since my qualifications are considered good enough for them to consider me.