|
cname posted:So to confirm the double negative. You're saying "Don't expect to be paid for what's used." correct? Jesus christ please never give professional writing advice to anyone ever again. And BTW that wasn't a "double negative" you quoted, either.
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2013 17:58
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 17:09 |
|
|
razz posted:I think he means that you may write a whole lot of words, but the company may only want to use a subset of those words and that's all you will be paid for. You won't get paid to write stuff that they don't use. Exactly, I'm just saying that however many words are originally submitted there will likely be an editorial process to cut it down, tighten it up and make it fit for purpose and the finished product will be what the client is paying for. In all likelihood he'll be given a (low) word-count to work to, but he shouldn't expectto be given free reign to write as many words as he likes and be paid for them. toby posted:Who cares. It is a job. He can do it while he looks for other jobs. It can go on a resume. If it is bullshit, he can say "thanks for the opportunity, I've enjoyed working with you, it's time for me to move on." Oh of course, and if he wants to do anything with writing in the future freelance work looks great on a resume and shows pro-activity. I was just trying to manage expectations, it'll be a couple of hundred here and there rather than big amounts of cash for essay-length work. It is a great start though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2013 18:31
|
|
|
clammy posted:Jesus christ please never give professional writing advice to anyone ever again. And BTW that wasn't a "double negative" you quoted, either. I gave him interview/job getting advice, not professional writing advice. He absolutely should act as though he's trying to determine whether or not the company/job would make a good fit for him, just like they're trying to determine whether or not he would make a good fit for the company. Nobody wants someone who is balls to the wall, desperate for work. That's fine though. We can't share a dialogue since you didn't touch on any of my points. You just corrected a single one of my mistakes and told me to gently caress off, without reason or contribution of any kind. toby posted:Who cares. It is a job. He can do it while he looks for other jobs. It can go on a resume. If it is bullshit, he can say "thanks for the opportunity, I've enjoyed working with you, it's time for me to move on." Yea, obviously, but that's not to say he shouldn't try to act as though he's carefully considering his non-existing options. cname fucked around with this message at 18:38 on Mar 6, 2013 |
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2013 18:34
|
|
|
cname posted:I gave him interview/job getting advice, not professional writing advice. He absolutely should act as though he's trying to determine whether or not the company/job would make a good fit for him, just like they're trying to determine whether or not he would make a good fit for the company. Nobody wants someone who is balls to the wall, desperate for work. Asking for a writing sample is standard with basically anybody who might employ you as a writer, and no, you do not get paid for the writing samples you submit. Half the time, you're lucky if you even get a writing prompt. A penny a word is peanuts; even boiler-room content mills like Textbroker pay more than that (well, there are level 2 and 3 writers who get that or less, but most of the work that comes in at a high enough volume to make any kind of living is for level 4 requests, which are at a penny-and-a-half rate). There are plenty of people trying to get on with places like this, so playing hardball in the manner you advised is a great way to be seen as a troublemaker. Asking a few questions is fine, but quote:"Relate to the partial phrase "Make sure before moving forward" as much as possible. It impresses interviewers/HR people by telling them you like being organized/orderly and making sure all ducks are in a row" is just laughably asinine, because at a penny a word you're literally talking about an operation that's paying below the standard set by the Wall-Mart of the internet writing world. Talking that way to a potential employer for ANY entry-level job is a great way to expose yourself as either a nutjob or a moron who tries to sound smart by using pseudo-professional circumlocutory language.
|
|
#
?
Mar 6, 2013 19:28
|
|
|
toby posted:Who cares. It is a job. He can do it while he looks for other jobs. It can go on a resume. If it is bullshit, he can say "thanks for the opportunity, I've enjoyed working with you, it's time for me to move on." This. I am a writer as well and before I got my current job I was unemployed for over a year, scraping by on whatever freelance gigs I could get. My pay ranged from $50/hour to less than minimum wage depending on the product because if my bills were due, and there were no other prospects I would take whatever was available. These type of jobs typically don't lock you in like a normal salary-type job, so he can still be looking for something better. When you do the test, definitely take note of how long it takes you to create the copy you're writing and how many words it is, so you get an idea of what you'll be making, and how much you would end up working in order to make whatever amount of money you're looking to take in. And make sure you set up legally, either with a contract or the proper tax paperwork, and keep a file for all of that paperwork, because you will need it if you end working several jobs before getting settled with a permanent one. Also remember that if you are hired as an independent contractor rather than a W2 employee and you make more than $600 from an employer, you will need to set aside money from your checks to pay taxes because your employer will be reporting it to the IRS, but not be withholding money from your check. I would typically put 1/3 of each paycheck into a savings account I had set aside for tax money.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 02:44
|
|
|
Is there only one McDonald's within the 15mi commute radius? What about other fast food places?
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 14:08
|
|
|
Listen to Clammy. You will never get hired (anywhere) if you use pretentious language that makes your work more difficult to read. People are quickly scanning most documents on a computer, it needs to be readable and coherent. I've written a few things professionally (press releases and such for a Senator and a pro sports team)and my grammar is pretty weak. If you write clearly and directly there's a much lower chance of needing high level grammar and punctuation. If you're not sure about the grammar LOOK IT UP or REDO THE WHOLE SENTENCE. One easy mistake can make or break your portfolio, so don't gently caress around trying to sound smart. Most of the time the person looking at it is not as good at writing as you are and they're making sure you can write clearly with no obvious errors. And if they are as good (or better) at writing than you are, they will hate every last square inch of you if your writing looks awkward and pretentious. Edit: Sleep next to Strunk and White.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 16:09
|
|
|
Gumbel2Gumbel posted:Edit: Sleep next to Strunk and White. Strunk and White were hacks who didn't follow their own (self-invented) rules in their own book. Ignore those dudes OP. OP your full time job is looking for work but I don't think that means you should go work at McDonalds.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 16:33
|
|
|
cname posted:-"I need to have everything organized, in order to successfully operate. I don't operate well under disorganized chaos." This tells a potential employer: -"I can't handle hectic environments (99% of entry-level workplaces)" -"I can't remember poo poo. Expect to be waiting for me to take notes on everything and to spend hours organizing my meticulous notes instead of working." -"I am high maintenance, prone to silent criticism/resentment, and I allow my environment to affect my performance." Negative statements like "I need...I don't operate well under [circumstance]...I don't like...I require..." should be avoided in an interview. They don't want to hear that poo poo. These kinds of things are issues for everyone, and bringing it up makes it seem like you are less able than most to cope. Taking notes is fine, but don't talk about it like it's some sort of crutch. Don't broadcast your weaknesses and hangups. Talk about what you can do rather than what you can't do.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 16:56
|
|
|
kimbo305 posted:Is there only one McDonald's within the 15mi commute radius? What about other fast food places?
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:01
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:Why do you people think that fast food is some sort of endless producer of easily obtainable jobs? Do you think we could solve the nation's unemployment problem if we just built more Hardee's? Because of their turnover they are almost always hiring and they are right at the OPs current skill/experience level.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:04
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:Why do you people think that fast food is some sort of endless producer of easily obtainable jobs? Do you think we could solve the nation's unemployment problem if we just built more Hardee's? Fast food and retail have very high turnover, so they're more likely to be hiring at any given time.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:04
|
|
|
And just to let everybody know, I have been applying to fast food places around town. Now all I have to do is follow up.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:15
|
|
|
ClemenSalad posted:Because of their turnover they are almost always hiring and they are right at the OPs current skill/experience level.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:17
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:Turnover goes down when unemployment goes up, because people are less likely to leave their low-wage jobs and there are more people competing for that job. The fast food advice might work in economically sound times, but it sounds hopelessly dated today. Even then, recommending that someone seek a high-turnover job is, at best, deferring the employment problem rather than resolving it. A year or two at a fast food place would give the OP some stable employment history to put on their resume and some experience bonding with fellow employees and learning to cope in a stressful environment. This is all valuable experience, and it's silly to suggest that a high-turnover, fast-food position is doomed to end prematurely.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:23
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:recommending that someone seek a high-turnover job is, at best, deferring the employment problem rather than resolving it. Not really. I don't know about fast food, but retail turnover in my experience isn't a matter of "Suprise, you're FIRED!" but more that a lot of people in retail tend to work for a while, find something else they want to do (or train in another field while working, or graduate from school and move) and leave. Yes, turnover is lower in retail and fast food because of the recession. But employment possibilities are hosed in most fields too.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:23
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:Turnover goes down when unemployment goes up, because people are less likely to leave their low-wage jobs and there are more people competing for that job. The fast food advice might work in economically sound times, but it sounds hopelessly dated today. Even then, recommending that someone seek a high-turnover job is, at best, deferring the employment problem rather than resolving it. A year or two at a fast food place would give the OP some stable employment history to put on their resume and some experience bonding with fellow employees and learning to cope in a stressful environment. This is all valuable experience, and it's silly to suggest that a high-turnover, fast-food position is doomed to end prematurely. Benny the Snake posted:Well people have been asking what industry am I trying to get into and what my internship responsibilities are. I strongly recommend looking into online tutoring. I've worked with Tutor.com in the past. They started at $10/session-hour and went up to $11 after a few months. They don't do employment verification either, but it will give you some income and some experience. If you get a fast food position and tutor in your free time, you will be able to save money faster, and you'll have something relevant to put on your resume. If you get on with a tutoring company who doesn't verify: When you fill out applications in the future, just don't mention that they don't verify, give them the name of your "mentor" (or whatever the company calls your supervisor) as your supervisor/manager name, and put down the company's main phone number off their website. Let the prospective employer find out on their own that the company doesn't verify if they bother to check (many don't).
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 17:31
|
|
|
(Unless something has changed recently, I'm happy to confirm that as an actual, former in-office employee of Tutor.com, they not only verify - I've personally done verifications.)
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 20:23
|
|
|
Eris posted:(Unless something has changed recently, I'm happy to confirm that as an actual, former in-office employee of Tutor.com, they not only verify - I've personally done verifications.) That's good to know. I could have sworn I read in some of my onboarding paperwork with them that their policy was no verifications, but I guess I was wrong. edit: Actually I think it was in the tutor guidelines/handbook pdf or one of the pdfs listed from the resources link. I stopped tutoring there last April. Maybe it was an old policy that changed but wasn't updated in the pdf while I was there? clammy fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Mar 8, 2013 |
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 20:31
|
|
|
Kalista posted:When I post an ad for an entry level position on Craigslist, I get literally hundreds of resumes within the first three days. I am the only person in my small business who is responsible for reading, responding and hiring, as well as the other things I do daily to keep the place running. There's no way in hell I'm going to send a response, even an auto-response (which is essentially as good as no response at all) to the people I don't choose to bring in for an interview. That's a ridiculous waste of my time, particularly when I can tell that a lot of people are just sending me their resume in order to check off another "application" to keep qualifying for unemployment (which I don't judge - I just know that's what's going on). You can't just bcc everyone? It takes, like, a minute.  And an auto-resonse rejection is better than sitting and wondering if your email ended up in the spam folder by mistake or got eaten by the craigslist forwarding server or whatever.
|
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2013 21:34
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:Do you think we could solve the nation's unemployment problem if we just built more Hardee's? It worked for FDR.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2013 02:03
|
|
|
So today I'm canvasing for my internship and I just happen to be canvasing in the same area where the Police job I've been talking about is in. I step in to the Senior Center where my aunt works and I say hi and get to talking. She was even nice enough to get me lunch. I love her. Anyway I ask about the position and she gave me the bad news. It's likely that the position will be closed because the person who left that position is thinking about coming back. My aunt's going to double check for me, bless her, but it looks like my dream job of working in a police department with my Uncle Bob is up in smoke I'm going to send out more resumes and put in more applications online. I'm also going to check into my neighborhood Round Table Pizza to follow up on a visit I made last week. I'm keeping hope alive even though it's growing more and more bleak.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 00:13
|
|
|
This is a truly lovely situation and i am sorry. My mom was a bitch to me when when i lived with her after my father died so i sort of get it, I got to go off to school and live their though so i didn't see her often and i moved out immediately after. I actually work as an intern at a law office and hopefully soon will be a lawyer so as to your big legal question, you could bring your mom to court for assault but i don't know if you want to man... its your mom and i know shes being crazy and yes you absolutely need out of that situation but i think finding a job is a great idea. Also, AmeriCorps is a GREAT IDEA if that hasn't been shot down. My ex girlfriend worked their while she was in school and delivered pizza at the same time. It paid for school and her to live in a pretty nice apartment and food/fun money etc. My recommendation is to take A JOB something that you can do to supplement the income of a paid internship like AmeriCorps. Its not very glamorous to take a McJob after college but you need some money. Take this as an opportunity. Also, i wouldn't look to deep into your job interview being lost because of "bringing up your family issues". One of the things i do at the practice now i have been here a year is interview new candidates. I wouldn't take somebody who said their biggest flaw is "getting flustered". Regardless of what came afterwords, confidence is king in the real world so if that IS a real problem for you i would suggest trying to deal with it. Good luck man, and from experience your relationship with your mom and her children will get better when you are out of the nest. Me and mom have gone from shouting at each other constantly to on very good terms even without dad to keep us in line. Its better when you both have independence. EDIT: Oh yea, the above text dose not constitute legal...yada yada...client attorney relationship yada yada --AcidRonin (not quite yet) Esq.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 14:25
|
|
|
If you're willing to move, I second the AmeriCorps recommendation. You can get some fabulous experience, meet interesting people, see different parts of the country, get money to pay for school or pay off student loans, defer student loan debt if you have any (for the duration of your AmeriCorps stint), and while the pay is typically meagre, the hours aren't usually taxing (my position required 35 hours a week for 12 months) so you can get a second job a lot of the time. I'd check with whatever programs you apply with though, as some frown on a second job, but most of them don't care as long as you show up for your AmeriCorps position at the proper times. Watch out for AmeriCorps VISTA positions though, as those can sometimes be positions that are kind of abusive in terms of hours and expectations, but again it depends entirely on where you're going, so you'd just have to treat any interviews with them like two-way interviews (which you should do for any position). VISTAs also result in a more competitive status for federal jobs as well (on par with a military veteran), which can be really handy depending on your career trajectory. In short, AmeriCorps can be a really excellent way to remain usefully employed.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 14:53
|
|
|
BtS, I am rooting for you. Keep your head up, goonbro.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 15:05
|
|
|
Good to see the support in these last few posts, there's been a lot of uncalled-for negativity in this thread. Benny, I am glad, and may I say, proud of you for making the effort I couldn't get up the gumption to do when I was your age. You've got people rooting for you, so just keep up the good work.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 15:45
|
|
|
cucurbit posted:If you're willing to move, I second the AmeriCorps recommendation. You can get some fabulous experience, meet interesting people, see different parts of the country, get money to pay for school or pay off student loans, defer student loan debt if you have any (for the duration of your AmeriCorps stint), and while the pay is typically meagre, the hours aren't usually taxing (my position required 35 hours a week for 12 months) so you can get a second job a lot of the time. I'd check with whatever programs you apply with though, as some frown on a second job, but most of them don't care as long as you show up for your AmeriCorps position at the proper times. The position in Hampton VA is kick rear end and the property values around here are not fuckgoons high. I would recommend it honestly if you want to look into it. Nice neighborhoods and such.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 16:18
|
|
|
Have you ever thought about working in a hospital in your area? Not something you would think about first for lower end jobs but they need TONS of clerks, couriers, patient transport etc. Hospitals are almost always hiring. For example, my hospital has 584 job listings and tons of them are right up your alley. Only thing is you need to be completely drug free and not have a serious criminal record, but I'm sure you would qualify for that. Remember a majority of jobs drug test prior to employment so stop smoking weed if you do that.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 16:32
|
|
|
kimbo305 posted:It worked for FDR.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 16:33
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:I'll remember that next time I drive on a highway paved with Hardee's past the dam built out of leaking Hardees on my way to a national park brought to you by Hardeestm. Who built the highways and the dams?
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 16:36
|
|
|
ClemenSalad posted:Who built the highways and the dams?
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 16:41
|
|
|
ClemenSalad posted:Have you ever thought about working in a hospital in your area? Not something you would think about first for lower end jobs but they need TONS of clerks, couriers, patient transport etc. Hospitals are almost always hiring. For example, my hospital has 584 job listings and tons of them are right up your alley. And before I forget, I have great news. There's a job fair this thursday and I have a friend who's taking me there. We both work at the intership and she's a very sweet person who offered me a ride. I'm going to print a dozen resumes and look my very best fot this. Should I also have a copy of my diploma on hand? Wish me luck! 
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 22:35
|
|
|
Benny the Snake posted:Well there's a hospital up the street and I have an aunt who works there as a nurse. Would I need first aid training to work so much as a receptionist at a hospital right? I'm just making sure what kind of training I'd need for this kind of thing. And besides, a hosptial job would be great. I'm gonna call her today and ask. I doubt you would need first aid but definitely ask that would be awesome man. Theres a lot of spots/jobs there that could be up your alley.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 22:54
|
|
|
If you can, look up who will be at the job fair and prepare specific resumes for the companies that you are interested in. Imagine "Mercy Hospital" is going to be there and you can enter into your objective/purpose section as "To obtain a position with Mercy Hospital where I can provide quality service and gain experience in a medical institute." Often times it is good to look at the company's website and see what jobs need to be filled and you can submit your resume for those specific position through a job fair too. "*small talk* Oh yes, I saw that your company is looking to fill in this position. I am very interested in it/ Can you tell me more about it?. I have a resume for it here. Can you please forward it to the hiring manager for me?" Good luck 
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 23:01
|
|
|
Hey OP, check out this A/T thread before you go to the fair: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3536134&pagenumber=2&perpage=40
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2013 23:21
|
|
|
Quixotic posted:I'll remember that next time I drive on a highway paved with Hardee's past the dam built out of leaking Hardees on my way to a national park brought to you by Hardeestm. My joke was that the WPA soaked up a lot of people looking for jobs, and BtS would have an easier job hunt if there were all those Hardee's being built.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2013 05:06
|
|
|
Well, turd. Today was the primary election day of the campaign. Not five minutes, five minutes, after the candidate made his speech passed when he stepped out of his office again to announce we've been shut out I guess I ought to look into another internship to keep myself busy on top of the job search. I'm thinking about joining with one of the two campaigns that's in the runoff.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2013 05:42
|
|
|
Well whats next dude? If i were you I'd be dangerously close to quiting.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2013 05:51
|
|
|
Jizznastics posted:Well whats next dude? If i were you I'd be dangerously close to quiting. I've noticed that I wax poetic when I'm stewing. Maybe I oughta look into poetry whenever I'm in a mood like this.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2013 06:36
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 17:09 |
|
|
Benny the Snake posted:
Therapy and cover letters would be a lot more productive.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2013 11:59
|
|