Ask Me Help Desk - How can I get a job with nothing to put on resume and poor interviewing skills?

How can I get a job with nothing to put on resume and poor interviewing skills?

Little volunteer work, poor interview skills, no job experience, poor communication skills, scared to call people, not outgoing or happy person, no skills, or qualification, at all. Not even qualified to clean floors, wash dishes, or any fast food joint. So what do I do now? I'm willing to do anything besides sales or call centers, or being a server or hostess. I'm too fat for those jobs.

So I need help with making a resume and with interviewing skills.

I can't go to college right so the out of the question.
I can't go to the military because I am too obese.
I have some volunteer experience but apparently that doesn't count.
I'm out of high school and during that time I was depressed and didn't do squat.
Temp services says their nothing for me all the time.
I don't have a drivers license.
Currently going to a job center but no luck.

There are job centers that will help you with interview skills and resume prep. Check your local dept of labor for referrals.

Hmm. All right

Do you live near a public library, or can get to one on public transportation? If so, apply to be a page (book shelver). It's an interesting job, will keep you moving, and will get your foot in the door for other jobs there.

Do I check in person or online? Because I see no postings for a book shelver.

You go in person, go to the front desk, ask for an application, fill it out there (if you have all your information), and note in the top right corner you want to shelve books, then with a cheery smile, hand it back to the circulation clerk. Even if there is no opening, the turnover is probably rather good as the pages go on to find other jobs, so you may have to wait a few months, but at least you are on their list. Apply at other libraries in the area too.

Honestly, you better start changing your ways if you want to make it out in the real world...

I cannot think of ANY jobs that you would feel comfortable with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

You go in person, go to the front desk, ask for an application, fill it out there (if you have all your information), and note in the top right corner you want to shelve books, then with a cheery smile, hand it back to the circulation clerk. Even if there is no opening, the turnover is probably rather good as the pages go on to find other jobs, so you may have to wait a few months, but at least you are on their list. Apply at other libraries in the area too.

Ok thank you I'll try that tomorrow and post back here.

Yes, let me know how it goes.

What do you consider "poor interview skills"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enigma1999

Honestly, you better start changing your ways if you want to make it out in the real world...

I cannot think of ANY jobs that you would feel comfortable with.

What do you mean by that?

I have a quick test for you for shelving books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Yes, let me know how it goes.

What do you consider "poor interview skills"?

Well according to the this one interview I was on a long time ago I was too nervous and kept squirming, couldn't look him in the eye couldn't answer the questions correctly, would either give too short of an answer or take to long to answer, or be too negative about myself. Stuff like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I have a quick test for you for shelving books.

Huh? What is that?

Are you male or female (can't tell so far) and how old?

Sorry, Wonder girl. I am female and 20 years old.

In order to shelve books, you have to know your ABCs and how to put numbers in order. I'll give you a quickie test.

If that's all I have know.. I think I might fail since I have trouble with those.

Let's give it a try.

Fiction authors (including mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and western authors) are shelved by their last name. Put these three mystery authors in order like they would be on the shelf:

Sue Grafton
Janet Evanovich
Lilian Jackson Braun

First you need to seek out some help. Your local unemployment office will offer classes (for free) and other assistance to figure out how to write a resume even if you have little to put on it, and can teach and coach you in interviewing skills. You need to take the initiative to solve these problems and remove these obstacles. You might not become great at interviewing but not every job is suitable for outgoing people. You just need to be a competent interview subject, and find work that's fitting to your personality.

Second, you might need to fake it a bit. I would never hire someone who described themselves the way you do, such as "I'm not a happy person". You will have to smile, be friendly and approachable and put your best foot forward and put these negative thoughts about yourself out of your head. You need some successes and the happiness will come, and for work at least, you'll have to fake your happiness in the interim.

You may need help identifying potential careers and for this I would recommend you contact your local community college. They often do testing for free or very low cost, particularly if you cannot afford it, to help people determine what they are meant to do in life. They can also talk through your concerns with you, tell you about available training programs and career ideas and so on, and help you formulate a goal for yourself.

It seems like a lot of your negative energy focuses on your weight, which you describe as a real obstacle to a lot of work ideas you've come up with on your own. Perhaps you need some help to get to a weight with which you can be more comfortable. That might be what you really need to do, not to be acceptable to an employer (they do hire people who are overweight - most adults are heavy these days and most have jobs) - you might need to loose weight to be acceptable to yourself. You may view your weight challenges as a personal failure, and may need to learn to be more positive about everything in your life so you don't make yourself feel so badly that you escape to food.

So yeah - call your local unemployment office and schedule yourself for a class or one on one help with your resume and interviewing skills. Call your local high school or community college and find out about career counseling and testing for possible areas of interest and careers that would suit your personality. Look into resources for sensible weight loss and set a small goal for yourself - like 10 pounds - so you can start having successes in your life and change that negative tape playing in your head to something positive and affirming.

Just because you haven't done a lot professionally doesn't mean you can't in the future. You can learn and be trained and develop experience and tear down these obstructions in your life little by little.

Best wishes to you.

Braun J. L.
Evanovich J.
Grafton S.

Uhh is that correcnt?

Quote:

Originally Posted by despicableme

Braun J. L.
Evanovich J.
Grafton S.

uhh is that correcnt?

Yup! Perfect!

Was that easy enough for you? Want to try a harder set?

Sure. Though I feel like a complete idiot.

Why like a complete idiot? This is usually the quickie type test a library book shelver prospect takes.

Because I know I can do something like be a book shelver I don't feel confident I will get it at all. That's why.

Quote:

Originally Posted by despicableme

What do you mean by that?

I think what's meant is that you portray yourself in an entirely negative manner. You need a different list - all the good things about yourself, what your interests are, what your hobbies are, what you enjoy doing for fun, what particular talents and skills you have.

For example, you're comfortable using a computer and blogging, using the internet. That's a transferable skill that could be used in a job. Maybe you like animals - perhaps you would be a good receptionist at an animal shelter. Maybe you like kids and could be an office worker for a school or a classroom aide for a teacher. Maybe you like books and could do the suggested library job, while you also go to school for a degree in library science and become a librarian - a high pay, great job. Perhaps you could work in a call center and take orders for a catalog company, or schedule repairs for your utility company. Maybe you love gadgets and technology and could get a job for a call center, helping people on the phone to set up their new phones or computer software (a lot of companies train the entry level people to take care of basic questions and if it needs more expertise, you escalate the call to a more skilled person).

Think about all the good things about you and if you can't think of anything, ask someone who likes you more than you like yourself and take them seriously.

Here are three science fiction authors to put in shelf order -

Ben Bova
T. J. Bass
Iain Banks

Quote:

Originally Posted by dontknownuthin

I think what's meant is that you portray yourself in an entirely negative manner and your negativity will be a barrier to your success. People don't want a "downer" in their office, making everyone else feel lousy. You don't have to feel happy but you sure have to fake it well and find a positive way to talk about yourself. For example, even in asking for our help, a more positive manner might have been:

"I am looking for my first job and will appreciate your help. I am naturally shy and have some anxiety about interviewing, and because this is my first job, I do not know how to draft a good resume. Some obstacles I need to work around are physical limitations due to obesity, and a lack of specific skill training." But then move on and talk about what's good, such as

"I am very eager to be self

*sigh* You're right I'm sorry. I just can't help to be negative. It just spills out of my mouth especially when it comes to talking about myself.

Banks Iain
Bass T.J.
Bova Ben

You're on a roll! Want to do some decimals?

Oh gawd, not math I am horrible with math but I'll try I suppose

Quote:

Originally Posted by despicableme

Oh gawd, not math I am horrible with math but I'll try I suppose

No, no, no. What did dontknownuthin just help you with in being positive? What is a better way to say that?

I don't know. What was wrong with that? I don't see it as negative its true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by despicableme

I don't know. What was wrong with that? I don't see it as negative its true.

Spin it to the positive. You're doing well so far with my quickie test, so spin how you react to my testing you on decimals.

You need to totally change the tape in your head about who you are, dear. Try writing an entirely positive description of yourself.

No more talking about feeling stupid, etc. Why would you feel stupid about taking a quick quiz to find out if you're competent for a job? You did perfectly well on it so instead of feeling stupid, view it as proof that you aren't unskilled. You know how to do a lot of things but you are undervaluing yourself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dontknownuthin

I think what's meant is that you portray yourself in an entirely negative manner. You need a different list - all the good things about yourself, what your interests are, what your hobbies are, what you enjoy doing for fun, what particular talents and skills you have.

For example, you're comfortable using a computer and blogging, using the internet. That's a transferable skill that could be used in a job. Maybe you like animals - perhaps you would be a good receptionist at an animal shelter. Maybe you like kids and could be an office worker for a school or a classroom aide for a teacher. Maybe you like books and could do the suggested library job, while you also go to school for a degree in library science and become a librarian - a high pay, great job. Perhaps you could work in a call center and take orders for a catalog company, or schedule repairs for your utility company. Maybe you love gadgets and technology and could get a job for a call center, helping people on the phone to set up their new phones or computer software (a lot of companies train the entry level people to take care of basic questions and if it needs more expertise, you escalate the call to a more skilled person).

Think about all the good things about you and if you can't think of anything, ask someone who likes you more than you like yourself and take them seriously.

Uhh, OK. Those are pretty decent but don't think I can make it in a call center or being around kids. In school people said I should be a library because I used to read so much but I stopped reading a long time ago and never started back.
As for hobbies, interests, talents, or skills I don't really know. How can I make a list with good things about myself when that so hard? Talking positive about me seems so strange and makes me cringe its frekain embarrassing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Spin it to the positive. You're doing well so far with my quickie test, so spin how you react to my testing you on decimals.

Uhh.. how about I haven't been practicing with decimals as much as I should so I might have trouble with it? Is that better?

Quote:

Originally Posted by despicableme

Uhh, ok. Those are pretty decent but don't think I can make it in a call center or being around kids. In school people said i should be a library because I used to read so much but I stopped reading a long time ago and never started back.

We're trying to help you feel confident about working in a library shelving books. My list about your good points is growing. :)

Ready for the decimal quiz?

Fiction is shelved by author's last name. Non-fiction is shelved by decimals (the Dewey Decimal Classification system, meaning 000-999) plus the author's last name. Put these decimals in numerical order --

973
650.14
355.5

Like that? Numerical order from 000-999?

355.5
650.14
973

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

We're trying to help you feel confident about working in a library shelving books. My list about your good points is growing. :)

Ready for the decimal quiz?

Oh I'm sorry my bad.