How can I ever get a job?

[lyzbthbell]

I'm a 22-year-old uni student with zero work experience. I also have never been involved with any kind of extracurricular or community activities, so I've got absolutely nothing to put on my resume. I've got few if any practical skills, I'm really not a people person, I'm way too shy to go cold-calling, and I have no social or family network to help me out. All the job ads ask for experience or an outgoing personality and great people skills. With all these disadvantages, how can I ever find someone willing to hire me?

[danielle Z]

Do you have temporary agencies where you are? The papers are full of them. Going to a temp agency had a lot of advantages. They will test you to see where you would fit in, but they will also train you for free. After all the more money you make the more they make. Adecco, Kelly etc. are located all thru the US and there are hundreds more. Even with NO experience they can find you something. Soon you will have a resume like no other.

The nice thing is, if a company you are working for likes you, they can hire you.

Good luck. Call them and they will have a job for you in less than a week.

[gurlygurl20000]

First off, have you ever tried to get a job? Do you at least have an internship? If not, start there. Your university should sit you up with one. Good luck, and you can find a job. Sometimes it helps by volunteering somewhere first. And try not to be so shy. I didn't get a paying job until I was 21, so I know how it is.

[Square moon]

Best job for you is that you can rent one table space in any court near your home and take the typing jobs there of writing pititions. You can charge money per page for typing the sheets. In all courts (in India) I have seen the people doind typing jobs and earning money.

[Meg D]

Yes, temp agancy is a good place to strart. They will charge commissions on the employer side. So you don't need to pay. But of course your pay will be less because of that. They even take money out on each hour. That's tough. Have you thought about freelancing? Working for other people? Tutoring, babysitting, grocery shopping, driving, editing, writing, all those. That case you'd be pretty much working for yourself. You get paid how much you earn. You just need to get your name out there for people to find. A good place to start would be benefito.com. Use their free services to get yourself started.

[Bozema]

In some ways you have answered your own question and in some ways you are being hard on yourself. You know you need to get involved in some outside activities or internships and build a network and that is the first step you do need to take. At the same time, you have posted this question, so you obviously have some practical computer skills. So you should be less hard on yourself and think about what you can do. You can read and write, have some college and use a computer. That qualifies you for many entry level jobs.

Shyness is tough but everyone is intimidated when trying to get their first job - and their second and third jobs. Putting yourself out there and potentially getting rejected is intimidating but it's part of life and it does get easier over time. Also, not all jobs require an outgoing personality.

Your school probably has a job counselor - have you talked with this person? You may be able to get a paid or unpaid internship while you are still in school that will help you get started. Counselors can also help you prepare a first resume and give you help with the skills you need to contact potential employers. Once you've had a little practice, it should get easier and your confidence will grow. And don't get thrown off by a few rejections. Eventually something will work out. Your first job may not be a dream job, but it will be a beginning.

Almost everybody has to go through this at some point - it's not easy but it's part of life. Good luck.