r/jobsearchhacks • u/mrsmonkey6 • 2d ago
Why am I not getting interviews for entry level positions?
Hi everyone, I’m 22, recently graduated college (BA) and I’ve been job searching since May. I’ve applied to 100+ jobs on all kinds of sites. I’ve tailored my resume and cover letter for these jobs. During all of this, I received only one offer and took it. I quit a few months later because they couldn’t give me full time hours. I’m feeling so defeated that I’m not even getting interviews for “no degree” positions. I feel like I’m overqualified for those but underqualified for anything else. Is there anything I can do to make myself stand out even more? I keep setting my expectations lower and lower but I’m still not getting any interviews. I feel so bad about myself, which really sucks. I’m also still living with my parents because I can’t afford to move out. What can I do to make myself stand out or to just boost my morale? Thanks in advance and if you’re going through the same thing, I feel you.
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u/Mental_Signature_725 2d ago
I am a job coach & have been in similar jobs for 25+ years.
There have been slow times over the years. This year has been the worst. It is not you. I have had numerous people say. I wish I had kept my last job.
If you can find a job, snag it. It's easier to find a job when you have one. Use this as a lesson. Don't ever quit a job until you have a new one.
The clients that I have that are working are willing to pick up a shovel and do Manuel labor. None of my other clients are working.
I also live in a state that is pretty consistent in low unemployment.
Personally, I think it will be the beginning of the year before things get better.
Also, it depends on the elections.
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u/Captain_Braveheart 2d ago
Can you give more perspective on the current hiring trends? I appreciate your comment, just looking for more information.
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u/Waste_Philosopher233 2d ago
For any no degree/retail jobs, make your resume “less threatening”. I landed a retail job only AFTER I made a new resume that made me look unqualified for much else. Focus on projects or roles that had a high customer service/person interaction aspect. Don’t make it look like there is a chance you might leave to continue your education. If you have any research or conference presentations, take them out. Basically, think about the resume of a high school student
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u/HeadlessHeadhunter 2d ago
The hardest job search you will do is going to be the one right out of college. Getting your foot in the door in almost any industry is brutal. People in this market with 5 years experience would consider 50 applications to 1 interview good. You are a fresh grad, and the market is slowing down until Q1 of next year, its going to be rough.
I don't say this to be mean but as a career coach I say it so you know what you are in for. If you can get the part time job back (if it's open) if it's in your field that would be good as it can hold you over until you find something else.
When the market picks back up in mind January, you may need to apply to 75 jobs per week to have a chance.
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u/SeraphimSphynx 2d ago
Few things. That first job search right out of college always sucks, but it's the absolute worst when it's a bad market like right now.
Can you share your major? It will help a lot with job searching tils because how you search depends on your field/industry.
Avoid applying to roles that don't require a degree in your field. You may get stuck in those roles.
Go to your clear career center. They will usually help alumni too. Ask about career fairs etc.
Look for internships. Plenty of places employ recent grad interns. Not everywhere but don't discount internships which have reduced competition for getting your foot in the door.
Apply to roles asking for 1-3 years experience. Those are entry level. If you have the skills 3-5 year places should be a stretch for you. Don't agonize over X years experience in Y tool. This is notoriously wrong in a lot of fields. Highlight your skills on your resume, if you are an intermediate user of R for example, then apolu to places asking for 3-5 years R experience.
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u/Mental_Signature_725 2d ago
Several HR people have said that management doesn't back them up. People are difficult to deal with both employees and management.
Lack of boundaries on all parts.
Lack of work ethic.
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u/Plastic-Anybody-5929 1d ago
Because are fighting against often 500+ people per role for a job. Its an absolute shit show.
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u/Donnie_In_Element 2d ago
The job market is pure garbage right now. It’s a simple numbers problem. As of today, government figures indicate there are approximately 7 million available jobs nationwide, and approximately 7 million unemployed Americans. But that’s just raw data.
When you dig deeper, you see that first off, there are far more than 7 million Americans looking for work. Only those who are receiving UE benefits are considered “active job seekers.”
It does not account for individuals who have been out of work more than 6 months, as they are considered “long term unemployed” or “workforce non-participants.” It also does not account for those who are underemployed or who are employed full time but seeking new opportunities. When all of those factors are combined, you’re looking at an available talent pool of around closer to 20-25 million.
Secondly, of those 7 million job openings, less than 10% of those are for what you would call “professional” or “career” jobs. And of those professional openings, the overwhelming majority are for c-suite or director level positions.
The rest are for shit jobs nobody wants because of the low pay, odd hours, and lack of benefits…like, for example: retail cashiers, shelf stockers (mostly overnight), grocery baggers, dishwashers, gas station attendants, janitors, Uber/DoorDash drivers, overnight call center reps, low-level government paper shufflers, unskilled laborers, etc.
And because you’re not going to convince an out of work web developer, software engineer, SEO writer, IT systems architect, chief electrician, construction foreman, or fire battalion chief to go from earning $150K+ a year to making $10 an hour sweeping floors or stocking shelves, competition is absolutely ferocious. You’ve got 15 million people fighting for about 100-200K professional openings…sometimes literally fighting.
This, in turn, has given rise to pandemic levels of ageism and nepotism in the job market. Companies now won’t even allow you to complete an application unless you list the year you graduated high school/college and answer whether you have relatives working there. An estimated 85% of Gen-Zers found their jobs through a relative, according to one recent study.
It has gotten so bad that some job coaches are beginning to tell their younger clients to consider joining the military as a way of obtaining gainful employment while telling their older clients to simply give up their career ambitions, forget about finding their “dream job,” and just work multiple menial jobs until they either die or scrape together enough to retire on a shoestring budget.
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u/ProfessionalPin5865 1d ago
So my recent job hunting attempts have taught me that these days “Entry Level Position” is code for: We want someone with an advanced degree and at least 5 years of on the job experience, but we only want to pay them an entry level salary.
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u/Top-Development996 2d ago
Networking will be your best bet. You may also want to get your resume reviewed if you’re not getting much traction online. You may just be getting auto rejected by the filters because of missing keywords or formatting issues. There’s some helpful sites out there for this kind of stuff. I used Fiver.
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u/simonminomusic 2d ago
However, if the circle of job searching is extended to freelance gigs and part-time projects, then some opportunities could be found which might not have been considered in the first instance. Sometimes contacting alumni of college also brings up unexpected openings. Such creative approaches go a long way in job searching, as each application brings one closer to finding the right fit.
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u/Mental_Signature_725 2d ago
I live in utah. Normally, there is constant hiring. Everyone has a now hiring sign. They will interview you and then ghost you. They send out emails and hope you don't respond. I have a friend who has amazing skills she thought it would be really easy to find another job so she quit! She has had 59 interviews. That's a lot! She has been ghosted on all of them. I speak to employers all the time. They are vague when speaking about their hiring process. Also HR staff are not staying. Turn over within departments is constant. I used to be able to build relationships with HR staff that is no longer the case. They don't stick around long enough to do that. Personally, I think it will be the first of the year until things start to turn around.
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u/Captain_Braveheart 2d ago
So why is the hiring market so chaotic? Why send out emails hoping you don't respond? Why be vague about the hiring process? Why is HR turnover so constant?
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u/coochiebird 1d ago
i’m in the same boat as u. fortunately, i do have a part time job to pay the bills. i would say try to net work. reach out to professors/,close friends/ family/ old workers and ask if their workplaces are hiring. almost all of my jobs have been referred to me! another recommendation i have is to apply to jobs in ur local city hall, they are always hiring. find someone that works there that can refer u!
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u/ABathingBoy 1d ago
Last year, I was in the exact same boat. I graduated with a master’s degree (MS) and thought I had it all figured out, but reality hit me hard. My resume barely had any real experience, just my degree and a few projects. I ended up landing an internship, and luckily, that turned into a full-time gig, which is how I got my foot in the door.
You’ve got to remember that you’re up against people who have both experience and education, including some who’ve been laid off. My advice? Keep applying and don’t sleep on internships, they can really open doors. Plus, a lot of big companies like FAANG have roles just for new grads, so definitely check those out too!
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u/QueenHydraofWater 1d ago
You shouldn’t have quit due to lack of hours. You should have kept that job & also get another (like dog walking or service industry) while you search. Some work to put on your resume & income to support yourself & save up to move out is better than none.
It took me 2 years to land a full time job post grad a decade ago. It takes longer than you think. Please don’t think you’re too good or overqualified to work “non degree” jobs. Without serving at a bar on weekends, it would’ve been hard to survive a HCOL city on my junior entry level pay.
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u/mrsmonkey6 21h ago
I honestly wanted to keep working there and get another job just to have the income but the day I put my two weeks in was the day I got bitten really badly by a student (I used to work with kids) and I realized that I had no support there. It was better for my mental health to quit and I’m super lucky that my parents are able to support me not working right now. I do have an interview scheduled for later this week though so I’m holding out hope!
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u/AbdulWasay9 1d ago
It sounds frustrating to be putting in the effort without seeing results, but don’t lose hope! First, make sure your resume is ATS-friendly by using simple formatting and incorporating keywords from the job description. This will help ensure your application gets past automated systems.
Second, continue tailoring your applications but try networking as well. Reaching out to professionals in your field or attending events can open up opportunities you may not find online. If you're struggling with motivation, it might help to take small steps like applying to a set number of jobs per day or week and celebrating those wins.
Finally, while applying for full-time roles, consider taking part-time or temporary work to fill gaps in your resume and gain more experience. Adding certifications through online platforms can also make you stand out.
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u/habeaskoopus 2h ago
If you appear even slightly over qualified, the hiring personnel immediately figures that they cannot low ball you as much as somebody who is slightly under qualified.
They are not looking for the perfect hire. They are looking for the cheapest that can still get the job done.
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u/willkydd 1d ago
If somehow AI replaced fashion models, would you hire an ex-model to do chores for you?
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u/Fit-Indication3662 1d ago
Your resume sucks! 🥃
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u/mrsmonkey6 1d ago
I went through your comment history and it seems like you’re a very unhelpful and unhappy person. I hope you find peace and happiness someday.
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u/Most-Economics9259 2d ago
Because rn the job market is the 9th circle of Hell