What am I doing WRONG?!
 

So, I am now entering what is approximately my 6th month of job searches. Although at first I was looking for things that I had absolutely no experience or education in. I am very frustrated. I would like to go back to grad school, but it seems like for the positions I am looking at I don't need it right this moment. But I STILL cannot find a job. Here is where I have looked:

Careerbuilder.com
Hotjobs.com
Monster.com
Idealist.org
Opportunityknocks.org
And every individual symphony/chorus/opera company, etc... I can find!

My degree is in music with a minor in business, and I have some experience in fundraising (i.e. I developed a program with Dance Marathon that ended up raising over $30,000 more than the previous year). I think that I am a wonderful entry-level candidate. I graduated Who's Who, was a member of ODK, and a member of several different volunteer orgs. I know that people get entry-level jobs... And I know that SOME people get them off of qualifications (though others seem to get them from their aunt/uncle/cousin, etc...). I'm frustrated, and I would like to know what I'm doing wrong so I can FIX it! And I probably am not thet only one.

Oh, and I should mention that I'm trying to get into development with a nonprofit, preferably an arts organization.

Those internet job sites can be helpful in a job search, but it's far more important to network network network.

You mentioned that you want to work with nonprofits. Maybe doing a bit of volunteer work will get your foot in the door and allow you to meet the right people.

Good luck :)

I don't want this to sound negative by any means, but could you clarify what your idea of "entry level" is? I know that many new college grads are not prepared in this area. I see this all the time in my field. I work for a non-profit mental health agency and the sad reality is that without a whole lot of experience and only education and grades and "extracurricular activities" under your belt you are gonna have to start at the very bottom and work your way up. I think from your initial post you understand that though but even with a Master's degree, many positions in non-profits are entry-level (ie. direct-care NOT Director positions, and paying very very VERY little), if that makes sense? Plus and I hate to beat a dead horse by saying this but many fields are currently FLOODED with new grads and people that have been working in them for many many years. That makes job hunting even more competitive obviously, since it is an employer's market. It also takes a lot of time for many places to contact you after you send out a resume. Case in point, I sent out a bunch of resumes 2, even 3 months ago and places have only begun to call me THIS WEEK for interviews.......I still think it is all about who you know, also. Also remember that with all the budget cuts, especially in non-profits, many former positions are being cut, and/or condensed down to one person. Another problem because of this is that many supervisors in non-profits are extremely busy and do not have a lot of time to devote to training and supervising a new grad. I know this is the main reason my supervisor will not hire many new MSW's. Good luck with your job search though, I know it is tough!!! :)

Since you're not looking for big places and a hot shot corporate job, call people up and say you want to do a post-graduate internship or volunteer.

-Rudey

I just have to say just keep plugging along....it took me 2 1/2 to find a position in my field and that was after my job had laid me off, so it was not like I didn't have experience in my field, in addition to some other training and skills that I've acquired over the years.


This is just to say that the job market is tough, but hang in there, it will happen.

Also depending on the city that you live, you may want to try Craigslist also, their "hub" is san francisco, but if you look to the far right of the page they have various city links, I didn't recall seeing that on your list.

You're looking in Atlanta, right? I thought I read a post once where you mentioned that. I'm looking in Atlanta as well. Unfortunately, the job market there isn't good. Also add to it that there's a ton of colleges in the Atlanta area (GATech, Georgia State, Emory, Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, Kennesaw State, Spelman, Southern Poly) plus the nearby colleges in Georgia and you get a ton of people looking for entry-level positions. In fact, people from all over the South tend to look at Atlanta for jobs since it's one of the biggest Southern cities. I know of a bunch of people who graduated from UF, UCF, FSU, UA, UT and moved to Atlanta for a job. It's a tough market. Even for myself. I have 2 years experience my field and I've still been having trouble. I've gotten a few leads but either it's a job that I don't see growth with, it's something that I don't want to do, or the pay isn't that great. It's so incredibly frustrating so I feel your pain! :)

Networking is a big thing. Maybe contact some DGs in the area you want to work and see if they can help you?

You may also want to try using a professional resume writer who can help make your resume sound more enticing and can throw in some of those infamous keywords that employers search resumes by.

Most of all, have patience. It's something I've been trying to tell myself everytime a new lead doesn't pan out so I know it's difficult. Job searches can take a while.

Best of luck!

CarolinaDG,

I lived in Clover, SC which is a hop, skip, and a jump away from Lake Wylie, SC. In fact my parents still live there. Anyways, to be perfectly honest, the job market is not very good in the Charlotte, NC area unless you're looking for a banking job. Hate to disappoint you! :( I looked for 8 months and never found a job in that geographic area. I eventually ended up having to move to Greenville, SC because the job market is actually much better here. They're building a lot of new things around here so you might want to look here.

First, you have to see where the non-profits are-- where do you want to work and live? What interests you about development? What is your fundraising background? An employer wants someone who has the skill sets to be successful, but above all, an entry level player must be a good fit with the exisiting staff.

Ignore the large job websites. Employers resort to posting on those sites out of desperation when their personal network and colleagues fail to come through with referrals of decent candidates. Call it unfair, but I'd much rather hire someone I know or know through a fellow worker/industry professional. (Think of it like the sorority recommendations that come in at recruitment-- those girls stand out because someone you know has recommended them.)

Start subscribing to list-servs who post jobs, network with sorority alumnae and get involved in a community activity where you can increase your networking and practical application of development skills.

If you are relocating and waiting to find a job before you move, just GO. Employers are more likely to hire someone who is already living in the area. Why waste time interviewing someone entry level who lives 3 states away when they may take the job and mid-move change their mind, which starts over the process of the employer having to look for someone.

Do you have a master's degree and you are looking for an entry-level position? Take your master's degree off your resume. That's right. Lie. You are applying for an entry level paying job. Someone sees your master's degree on there and immediately discounts you--- why should I hire you and pay you more when you have just as much real experience (or less) than someone with just a BA? The only people who need master's degrees are those who have experience in their field and are looking to take it to the next level (not entry level) or those who can't be employed without it (Industrial Psychologists, Doctors, Speech Pathologists, Lawyers and some Social Workers, among others.) If you're fresh out of undergrad and diving back in for an MA, stop and ask yourself why. You could be making yourself unemployable at the entry level--- and if you come out of a master's with no practical work experience, you're doubly up a creek without a paddle. That and for every 10 MA's I know, 9 are miserable with their degree and student loans because they didn't take the time to work in their field before continuing on to higher education. Again, this is true of some fields, not all. But with non-profit, marketing and communication, a master's degree is useless at the entry level. Internships and volunteer work relevant to the position are what will get your foot in the door-- both as a resume builder and as a potential to go from intern to full-time worker at the same place.

Tailor every cover letter and every resume to the job you are applying for. Don't waste their time or yours with a blanket cover letter addressed to "Sir or Madam" telling them your "Educational background makes you qualified to handle indepth analyses across a variety of complex platforms, which makes you well suited to the position." What the hell does that mean? Exactly. Use plain English. Resumes should be no longer than one page. Cover letters should be no longer than one page. You have not done anything to this point in your life worthy of two pages. Leave off summer jobs baking bread and painting houses. In your letter, express why the job interests you, how you heard about it, that you want an interview, and throw out a couple of pre-professional or working life highlights that stand out about you. The average employer will take about 8 seconds to scan your resume. Make it stand out.

If you are asked to an interview, immediately send a hand-written thank you note to follow up the next day. It does make a difference and helps keep you top of mind to the employer.

- Qualifications to dispense advice is based on 5+ years of personal interviewing, relocating and hiring/intervewing experience. PM if you'd like any resume writing advice. The job search can be a challenge, but it is something you need to be committed to in order to see results. I'm happy to help.

I would like to second this sentiment. While I'm not in your field, I did graduate with an "art" degree. People have asked me if I am going to go back to Grad School for graphic design. A masters in design is actually pointless and a waste of time and money if you don't have the kick ass portfolio (that can be done with stuff outside of school) and internships/experience. Grad school will only enhance your portfolio at best and most companies interviewing for GPHD positions look for pieces and clients you have met and worked with outside of school. Live clients in other words.

The best advice I ever got was for the catch 22 situation of wanting experience but the job won't hire you unless you have experience. Get an admin job and your job of choice. And any busy company will probably be swamped with projects one day and may need your help. This is where you get experience.

Also, learn about how to create functional resumes as apposed to chronological resumes. That way, employers will focus on what you did at the job rather than what the job was. Example: I am a graphic designer at a print shop who is trying to break into event planning. If I said my job experience is just a print shop employee, of course they will overlook my resume. However, if I say in a big paragraph that I do all kinds of planning and admin experience from this job first, then they might think I'm qualified. So don't rely on Word or Monster to set up your resumes... because they do the chronological thing.

And GAH! Spell check... make sure all the known software is correctly identified, even with funky spellings. (Quark Express is NOT QuarkXpress.)

Re: What am I doing WRONG?!
 

THAT should be a MAJOR point in your resume!!! You wouldn't necessarily list it under "employment", but it could be under the "experience" header, or "relevant skills", something like that.

If you've done that much with Dance Marathon, I would check out Children's Miracle Network, St. Jude's Foundation, Susan G. Komen, etc. Think of the companies/non profits that are active in your area, find out who you can talk to and see if they can give you any advice on how to "break in" to the field. (I doubt they would be advertising on Monster.com anyway..their local offices would do local searches).

You could also consider a development job with a university to start with (especially one that has a large music program). Higheredjobs.com has 177 listings right now under "Development and FundRaising". That could get you going in the right direction.

PsychTau

nonprofit-jobs.org looks to have about 100 jobs listed on their site as well. Check them out.

PsychTau

Thanks for the wealth of advice. I actually contacted a development director at an opera company and she basically reinstated that I was doing the correct things. So, I'll try to answer the questions.

1-Entry-level position to me includes a LOT of filing, typing, data entry and a salary of around $30,000. I would even take less if it were a 9-5 job where I felt it was good experience and I could get a second job somewhere.

2-I do not have a masters degree. I was thinking about getting one due to the fact that I cannot find a job without one.

3-I am not looking for jobs in Clover/Charlotte. I gave up on that a LONG time ago. You're right, they only hire bankers. And sales people.

4-I am not ONLY looking in Atlanta, it's just a preferance so I can get in-state if I end up going to UGA.

5-I know that networking is how people get jobs. I think it's unfortunate, but I know tons of underqualified people who got jobs just because their drinking buddy knew of an opening. Unfortunately, my resources are tapped in that area. I can't publicize the job hunt at work, and my resources through DM have given all the help they can, but don't know of anything. I'm seeing some of them next week, though, so I'm hoping something magical will happen.

Once again, thanks for all the assistance. I'm sure there are other people as well on this board that will benefit from it.

Does your local DG or Panhel alum group have networking events?

Does DG have a national "Network of Opportunity" or any similar program to match up young women who are interested in a certain field with mentors who are established in that field?

I will give you the biggest secret out there. It's a super, duper secret.

It's called cold calling. It's embarassing and nobody likes doing it but it is the best tool ever for anything.

-Rudey

Yes, and they tend to want you to pay dues and I haven't done that yet. :-) Just kidding. Last time I checked, there was noone in the same field as me registered, though. But I am going to check it again. Part of it (not to make too many excuses) is that I honestly just hate doing that when it's not someone from my chapter. I feel like it's like, "Hi, I know I don't know you, and I know that there are hundreds of thousands of Delta Gammas out there, but give me a job, please. Thanks!"

Rudey, as far as the cold calling... Does it REALLY work??? I always thought that was like sending your resume' out to random places... you have a 1/100 shot in getting a job. If it does work, though, I'm all for it!

Yes cold calling really works. Cold emailing never works.

-Rudey

What about asking the Delta Gamma National Philanthropy (or whatever the title is)Chair if she knows anyone? Since she deals with service and non-profits, she might have some inside information.

PsychTau

I work for a non-profit in the development and community relations department, so here are my suggestions and thoughts:

-Try professional networking groups, such as AFP (American Fundraising Professionals); the PRSA or other public relations group; call the United Way in your community for a listing of nonprofits in your target field (I believe you said music or the arts?). A lot of these groups have local websites that have job positings

-Call an organization that you'd like to work for and offer to intern for free. I know that you said you have some fundraising experience from college events, but it may help to have some local experience volunteering or interning

-Also, most of the people that I know in non-profit community here in development come from public relations and journalism backgrounds as the "job description" for development contains a lot of those aspects, including some graphic design, writing, and LOTS of media relations.

Good luck in your search!

I work for a non-profit in the development and community relations department, so here are my suggestions and thoughts:

-Try professional networking groups, such as AFP (American Fundraising Professionals); the PRSA or other public relations group; call the United Way in your community for a listing of nonprofits in your target field (I believe you said music or the arts?). A lot of these groups have local websites that have job positings

-Call an organization that you'd like to work for and offer to intern for free. I know that you said you have some fundraising experience from college events, but it may help to have some local experience volunteering or interning

-Also, most of the people that I know in non-profit community here in development come from public relations and journalism backgrounds as the "job description" for development contains a lot of those aspects, including some graphic design, writing, and LOTS of media relations.

Good luck in your search!

Re: What am I doing WRONG?!
 

What kind of music degree is it? Education? History? Performance? I don't think it is performance, right?

My honest first reaction was a non-profit entry level job for $30K in the South has got to be hard to find. My gut says you need to get a masters in either of those two fields (probably business more than music) to be competitive unless you've got a heck of a lot of experience. $30K might also be unrealistic.

Agree though on the cold calling. You need to try it at least. And if nothing else, you can get more information on how to focus your search.

As for the DG alumnae dues, it's $18 to pay your alumnae per cap. If that's all that is standing in your way to using national resources, I'll say it is money worth investing.

i'm having a hard time finding a job as well (although i have been out of school for only 2 months and job hunting for 4)...its tough but i've found that the job websites dont work for me. i've been through tons more interviews through networking than by applying online

good luck!

welcome to my life. i've been out of school since may and am still looking.

the cold emailing does work. i've gotten two offers from cold emailing, though i had to turn both down. they weren't offering enough money for me to move to/live in LA. i just send my cover letter and resume together in the email. it's worth a shot, the only thing you have to lose is the time it takes to send the email.

i've also had a couple of people i've emailed pass along my resume to friends they know in the industry who possibly have a position to fill.

on a side note, if anyone knows of someone looking for an assistant account executive type position in a pr firm or corporate communications department in texas, or colorado, let me know. ;)

join that alumnae group
 

while none of your alumnae sisters may work in the field you are interested in, they may know someone (or know someone, who knows someone). don't feel shy about introducing yourself and when the job topic comes up, and it will, let then know what you are looking for. they are your sisters and they will try to help you if they can.

ps- i looked on my own for my first job out of college for three months and finally threw in the towel and started enlisting everyone i knew to keep an eye and ear open for anything. within two weeks one of my uncles called a friend in banking, who called his banks personnel department and there was my first job!! for the most part it is all about networking!

You might not be doing anything wrong, maybe it is your market. Have you considered relocating?

Because I'll be starting the job search again soon, I've been going to a lot of the career-related events that my alumnae chapter sponsors. This week's was about networking--and it was moderated by two "career coaches." They mentioned that it's a complete waste to post your resume on monster.com, because there are literally hundreds of millions of resumes posted on it or other generalist sites like that. If you're going on industry-specific sites, then it's okay. Supoosedly 3% of job seekers find employment through those sites--and 80% find their jobs through networking. They explained ways to go about doing it that were really common-sense based, but it was nice to have all that information on paper in one place.

Have you joined the professional organizations in your field? If you're a current student, or have recently graduated, sometimes the fees are a little lower than they are for established professionals. Membership often grants you access to listservs that will occasionally post job listings, and you will have access to the latest thinking, salary figures, and recent work in your field. Also--the annual conferences are a good way to meet established professionals who can serve as mentors.

Just another thought for those of you looking, WEDDINGS are a great source for networking. I went to my roommate from college's wedding yesterday. Besides her and one of my sorority sister's and a frat guy from college, I knew no one else. Everyone at my table though were in a similar field as me AND work for the state so they told me that I could send my resume their way if anything opens. PLUS, my friend getting married is also a Social Worker and there were a TON of Social Workers at this wedding.........I am sure the same applies for those of you in other fields too.

Very very very true. You will get rejected quite a bit but it's a game of stats, sooner or later someone is going to listen to you and give you a chance.

You have to sell yourself to some of these people, do what it takes to get an interview. And if you are looking at positions that require a bit of experience, do like Rudey said and get an internship or do some volunteer work while you hold down a p/t job that gets you by.

Network with everyone, sell yourself to everyone.

Another question. I went in for an interview on Friday, and they said that they were going to make the decision quickly, either Friday or Monday. Since I was down there on Friday, I didn't have a chance to send/compose a Thank You note, so I sent one today through e-mail. I know that people have different preferences, but was this the right thing to do? It's too late now if it's not, but I'm pretty much assuming that I didn't get the position since it's now 4:30 on Monday and I've gotten no call. Then again, maybe the other person will ask for way too much money and they'll have to come back to me. ;-)

Well I don't know if I would send someone a thank-you note via email, especially with spam and all that, but remember that today is a holiday, so maybe they weren't in the office today. I'd give them a few days.

There were a few reasons I sent it through e-mail (I should've explained earlier):

1-She was very specific to say that they were making the decision very quickly, probably Friday but possibly Monday and there was no way the Thank You would get there before the decision was made (according to their timeline)
2-She was very specific to say that she thinks follow-ups are important (this is for a position involving following up with donors)
3-I read on a website that 81% of employers prefer e-mail thank you's because they are quicker

As far as the holiday, that's what I'm trying to act like it is, but wouldn't you think she would realize she would be on vacation on Monday? Just my thought, but I'm not sure that it's necessarily true. I'll just chalk this up to experience if I don't get it.

Also, while we're on the subject, I've heard of a few different ways that are "appropriate" or even "preferred" for sending a thank you note. One is in the standard thank you note form (a little notecard handwritten saying "thanks"), one is in a business-letter form, and one is via e-mail. I have even heard that you should send a follow-up e-mail and then a separate thank you note if you know that the hiring process is going to be a quick one. Is this overkill, though? My only concern is that part of the position is writing handwritten thank you notes to donors, so this COULD be a test. I think I'm overthinking things, though...

LOL. When you said "Thank you NOTE" in your other post I was picturing a Thank you-type e-card or something like that LOL. I think it is fine that you send a follow up thank-you email. And just to reassure you more, I knew I had off today from work all last week but just out of routine, told a hospital on Friday that I would do the discharge for a client today. The SWer there actually reminded me that today was a holiday, so people do make that mistake out of the routine of work.

Don't expect that people will call back when they say they will.

I was sitting on pins and needles when I was trying to get an admin position somewhere. They told me they needed to make the decision asap and would contact me by the next day... a week passed. Turns out I interviewed during the busiest time of year. I didn't get the job but I was waiting for them to contact me so I could either a) give my two weeks or b) start looking for something else. (I had my heart set on the job btw.)

If the interviewer seemed friendly, drop a line following up. Kind of like a follow up of a follow up. If you were one of the few people interviewing they SHOULD give you a letter or something saying yeah or nah.

I ALWAYS recommend not giving up looking elsewhere. The economy sucks right now and the job market is flooded so even if you are thinking "Hey, I got the job", you may not. I think this is a good rule of thumb even if you are really happy where you are. I am comfortable, and tolerating my job right now, but know it's not forever, so when I see something that looks like it may be a good opportunity, I send my resume anyways. Plus, my boss always tells me stories about how someone will be a horrible interview, that he would never offer a job to, or if not that extreme, 'just not a good match' and one of the questions he asks is "What would you say if you got offered this position" and 9/10 they always say "Yes", with extreme confidence that this is the place they are going to be at forever now. He also told me that he is required to interview a certain amount of potential employees each month to satisfy the powers that be even though he knows that they are not the "right match" for our team. It sucks, I know. I just wish that people were more honest with me about how hard it is to find a job. I still feel that our current college system doesn't prepare new grads for the realities out there when it comes to finding work........

Never stop looking, period. If a better offer comes along you should seriously consider taking it. Most of the companies out here today would do the same to you if something better came along. You have to watch out for you....

Wise words. I actually had a program director from another program in our agency speak to me the other day. She said that she already had interviewed someone and was planning to offer her the position but if I would consider coming over (based on a random recommendation from my former supervisor who she ran into that day) the offer to me was good as done. I had to say no though because the salary was too low. But until you get that call, and in many cases, something in writing, the deal is never sealed. Again, best of luck to everyone who is trying to find a good job.

Ha ha, no. Sorry, I wasn't even thinking it would come across that way. It was a VERY busy weekend for them this weekend. She had asked me to come in sooner, but unfortunately she called right as I was about to head out the door to 2 12-hour work shifts and couldn't come down until Friday. The office was an absolute MESS. I felt REALLY good when I left... She kept saying things like, "your computer and office will be in there" and stuff like that, which I've never had happen in an interview before. Plus, she said out of 70 applicants they only interviewed a few, and they were about to hire someone when they saw my resume' come across and she said she HAD to interview me before they made a decision. It could all be smoke blowing you-know-where, but like my dad said, "Second out of 70 is not a bad place to be." Anyway, I have two more 12-hour shifts the next couple of days, so it'll at least keep my mind off of it if they don't call. I'm a HORRIBLE interviewer... I have everything pictured in my mind perfectly that I want to say, and then I just clam up and get nervous. I always want to just say, "Listen, I know I'm not a good interviewer but I'll kick some serious butt if you just give me this position."

Well, just got the call and I didn't get the job. Somebody shoot me now...

So, apparently the problem is not my resume', it's my interview. I give up!

If I were you I would ask every interviewer for feedback and try and find out what it is you are doing wrong.

-Rudey

well if you know that you don't interview well then that's quite obviously what you're doing wrong and what you really need to work on

I'm sorry to hear that. While I feel everyone can always stand to improve on their interview skills, that may not be it totally. While it may be slightly different in other fields, I've been around my business long enough to know that in most instances, Directors have in mind exactly who they want to fill certain positions. This could be best for both parties involved in the long run. It takes time, I know, but I am sure the right fit for you will come along soon. My boss has interviewed people he thought were super but knew down the road for whatever reason THEY wouldn't be happy at the position they were interviewing for. It could be a blessing in disguise. Good luck as you continue with your job search!!!