Looking for a Job is Depressing

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I spend half my day sending applictaion after application. Resume after resume. Email after email. Phone call after phone call. Nothing.

Its discouraging and depressing and I am just in an ugh.

I finished a 2 year degree in IT Security and not really getting anywhere. I should probably just use my skills to become a hacker.

I know the frustration, Ace.

Out of the hundreds of applications I made in the past three years, I got called back on about 4 of them, two of them I was totally overqualified for, too. The other two? Underqualified. ARGH!

I had been kind of looking for over 7 years, but, only hardcore as I approached graduation.


But, just like my last job, cold applications weren't what did it for me, it was someone already working with them company that I knew, giving me an in and making sure I got past the HR filters. That's the story most of my colleagues have as well.

I'm there right now.

I hate job hunting...I hate it more when I'm unemployed and have bills to pay.

The worst is the phone calls. Checked my voice mail yesterday, and got a message from a place I hoped to hear back from. When I called in, it was about a DIFFERENT job, not the one I was waiting to hear from.

In spite of trying not to get my hopes up before I knew if it was good news, I did, and it was crushing to find out it was yet another call for a possible "interview."

I'm tired of being called to come in and interview. I want the call that says I have the job.

I've had those sorts of days myself. I've felt discouraged, disgusted, discombobulated.

What I would do: Just read a good book or watch a good TV show.

And continue plugging away tomorrow.

I disagree because that is the very definition of insanity: continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I think a better opinion is pursuing alternatives such as self-employment or trying different and unique tactics to getting a job. Sometimes being unconventional works better than traditional avenues.

All I can say is that it took me over 2 1/2 years to understand that the career counselors advice of blanketing the town with generic resumes is a terrible thing to do. Once I started to focus on smaller shops, I had ten times more success and then you realize the dirty truth: most career jobs are not advertised heavily because it's not worth the headache of dealing with the flood of unqualified liars. Same reason why I don't post an ad in the paper looking for a softball player tonight. I don't need a flood of texts and emails from unreliable people for such a small position! Even though I was advised to take it off my resume, do you know how I got most interviews? Degree? Height? Grammar? No it was the fact I mentioned I played pickup hockey as a goalie. Made for a GREAT icebreaker!

While a 16-18 year old is advised to apply everywhere and I agree that's good advice, once you graduate College/University you are pretty much wasting your time doing that. Too bad most counselors can't see the differences between an entry level job and a career path.

I don't think the OP should just send out "generic resumes." I believe he has to tailor the resume to the particular job. This online application thing is disgusting, in my opinion.

I believe one solution would be to write a personalized cover letter for each resume. Don't mention anything about Asperger's though. Research the company a bit. Write how your skills will be useful to the particular company which you are applying to.

Or if you see something that could REALLY help the company, perhaps do what GiantHockeyFan did:

In essence, GiantHockeyFan found inefficiencies in the operations of the interviewing company

He: 1. informed the company about what these inefficiencies were.

2. proposed solutions which would make the company more efficient.

3. stated that the company should call him immediately after the interview to discuss this further.

4. he got the job.

I have an Associates so far. Some family members are encouraging me to just get a Bachelors. I think it would be a waste of time and money.

I could maybe see going for Certifications though. I might also consider taking specific classes I want like Computer Programming (Python or Ruby), but I think Degrees make you take to many unnecessary classes.

Also, in my Associates Program I took 2 Firewall classes and never once configured a Firewall. We just talked about recovery plans and management s**t. I don't think colleges know how to teach IT.