JOBS in the City ... as opposed to you know what!

You know, I've been looking for a job in this crazy city for some time now and it's so hard. I would like to hear commentary from other Broadwayworld posters who have had experience getting work, not only in this industry but in this city all-together.

I'm so thrown off by "Experience Required" ... It's the catch 22 of how do you get experience if every job requires experience. It's such crap! I have a bachelors degree from a credible university in a credible field. I mean, it can't be that hard ... it's entry-level, right?

Then comes the "just trying to get an interview" portion. How are you supposed to get even an interview when you're in a pool of 500 other New Yorkers who want the exact same thing. I hate to be honest, but I did a bad thing ... I posted an available job on Craigslist and set up an email account just to accept resumes and emails, etc. I set it up on a Friday and by the next morning, I had something like 300 emails. Is that ridiculous or WHAT?

I just think this issue needs to be address and I want opinions and stories.

More and more people straight out of college and grad school (not to mention a lot folks who've already been in the marketplace) are having to go the temp route in order to survive. Register with bunch of agencies and start temping -- it does happen sometimes that an employer will be impressed with your work on a temp assignment and decide to take you on permanently (several friends of mine got jobs this way).

---

Margo is dead-on in her appraisal. I got my last two jobs by temping. After being at both places a relatively short while as a temp, I was offered the full time thing, with great benefits, etc. I highly recommend registering with a few agencies. I use The Laury Group, because they are very actor-friendly.

---

MY QUESTION is this ... so you apply through a few temp agencies, right? to increase your chances of getting work ... what I don't understand is how you manage the work load they give you.

Say two temp agencies call you with work ... how do you handle that?

I am not the "sit at a desk" all day type of girl so I got a job as a nanny and I can still go on auditions and I get paid way more than any sit at a desk all day job. Do you like kids? I was a server too but the hours just sucked!

---

It's a very sad state of affairs. Experience doesn't seem to count for very much anymore. (Even twenty-three years worth!) In fact, too much experience can work against you. I've been told that I'm "over-qualified" more times than I care to count. If I don't find a job by the end of the year, I'm seriously considering taking what little money I've managed to save and moving to another country. And if Bush gets re-elected, that'll pretty much seel the deal!

---

Updated On: 9/26/04 at 03:42 PM

I have friends in their 50's with master degrees who can't get jobs.....They are too old and one is overweight......I think appearance has alot to do with getting a good job...One got so desperate that he took a job as a Guard.......My overweight friend is tutoring kids.....

Thank you Rath. It's so true. And I'm talking twenty-three years of dedicated service and experience working for one "Fortune 500" employer. But it just doesn't seem to account for much anymore. What with the abysmal level of customer service out there, you'd think that an employer would be eager to higher someone conscientious, loyal, and experienced. But with so few jobs, and so many applicants, it's a long and arduous process. Glad you eventually found something though.

---

Updated On: 9/26/04 at 04:10 PM

It's the same all over ...

Companies are in a state of flux and they have their heads "you know where" ... what have you guys been doing to make money? It even seems that the little retail jobs are harder and harder to get. Everyone wants more money and there aren't enough jobs giving money.

I'm just not sure what I am going to do ... considering moving ... but what does that prove to myself. Am I giving up on the city and has it conquered me?

Someone very close to me is mid-50s and an ex-CEO and can't get hired for the life of him. He has now come to the conclusion that he may need to buy a business, build it up and make money that way. It sounds like the only sure way to make money --- but what is sure these days anyway?