20 year old female with no job experience or references to put on an a

I'm assuming you have a legal right to work in the US, first of all. What I did when I was first out of college with no experience and no job leads was sign up at a temp agency. I did a lot of very boring jobs (answering phones, typing someone's entire business card collection into their Oulook, filing expense reports for other people) but it helped get office experience and meet a lot of contacts. One of the places I worked even wanted to hire me but the agency found me a different, better job.

El Cerrito is surrounded by schools.  Anyone can go to a community college.  It's not great, but it's better than nothing.

Yes, I have a legal right to work in the US. I sent my resume to hiring agencies and they've never offered any jobs for me :\ Right now I'm at the point where I will do absolutely ANY job, I do not care what it is. Even picking up dog poop (honestly) , but THAT isn't even possible for me! I feel so worthless. There's nothing I haven't tried and people still deny me.

A community college? Really? I can go to college right now for free? o.O Why did no one ever tell me that!! More info PLEASE

This might not be the best attitude when job hunting.

I don't think community college is free. It is cheaper than a big name four year college though.

It's a lot cheaper than Berkeley.

I think the subject of this thread is what is causing your problems.

I would suggest not advertising your age as if you were writing a personal ad, no disclose your living situation during any interview. The company can NOT legally ask for your age, marital status, religion, nationality, etc. until after you are given an offer. If they do, you may never need a job and live on your own private island.

Refer to this thread.
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=313638

What kind of jobs are you applying for?
Maybe instead of agencies you should be looking at the help wanted ads in  your local newspaper and go and apply directly.
I think you need to adjust your attitude some and maybe you are setting your goals too high right now.  Have you looked at the fast food industry, sales help at local stores, temporary office work, and so on. Pay at these jobs may be low but it is a job.

Bob K

Safiia wrote:

Yes, I have a legal right to work in the US. I sent my resume to hiring agencies and they've never offered any jobs for me :\ Right now I'm at the point where I will do absolutely ANY job, I do not care what it is. Even picking up dog poop (honestly) , but THAT isn't even possible for me! I feel so worthless. There's nothing I haven't tried and people still deny me.  ...

Start a dog walking service and target affluent neighbourhoods first. 

Hi,
It's hard for anyone to find work these days and even harder for an expat, so I understand your frustration and I know from experience it can really bring you down. However I think that what you need to do to get yourself out of this rut (and hopefully actually find work) is focus on the positive.

Firstt make a list of all the things you are good at and in a second column write whether you can do each of those without a degree or experience - everyone has something. For example you speak Arabic, French and English all well. While you can't become a college professor (yet) there is no reason you can't become a tutor. Every college and most high schools offer french, and many (if not most) colleges also offer arabic. Many colleges have official tutoring programs and all have bulletin boards - and then there are cafes near those schools and elsewhere. It may not be the career you want long term but can put some cash in your pocket in the meantime. I don't know you so I can't make a full list but that one seemed like a pretty obvious one. I'm sure there are other things you can put on a list.

Then take another piece of paper and make a list of what you'd really like to do - on that list mark off the ones that need a degree as possible majors when you can go to college and circle the ones that do not. There are two main types of resumes - Objective and Summary resumes. I always explain to people that if you have a good amount of experience in your field a Summary resume, geared towards why you would benefit a potential company is best, but if you don't then an Objective resume is better as it is more of a "This is my goal, this is what I would like to do, a job like that" kind of resume - People looking at objective resumes don't expect a whole list of prior achievements or for them to be in a different field. You might need a slightly different objective for each of the things you have circled - I personally maintain 3 resumes.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Hello

Safiia wrote:

I've been job-seeking for 3 months now. After not hearing back from 60 people, I gave up and stopped applying/trying. Then I got back on my job-seek journey yesterday, going door to door getting applications. I now have 12 applications that are filled out, except for the work part. Plus I have no references to put, either. Because I know no one besides my parents and brothers, and that's because I do nothing. I came back from my home country 3 months ago and can't go to college yet; they claimed I have to reside here a year first, don't know why but I do know that it's irritating me really bad. I want to do something. I want to be someone. No one wants to hire me, and I can't go to school, either? What's up with that..

And now I find myself 20 year old, with no job or normal education (I have a GED due to moving around too much I never got to go to college(because of my parents)) and I can't even do anything productive. I'm starting to lose hope, I'm starting to feel worthless, stupid and pathetic. I am starting to feel depressed. I don't know what to do anymore, I don't know where to turn. It looks like all doors are closed. Even my mother tells me it's useless filling out applications, and if I were hire-able they would've hired me long ago. With each passing day of no phone call from the places I applied I'm starting to feel she's right. Someone please help me. I can't go on doing nothing for long. I will lose it. I am tired of wasting time, it's driving me crazy. Because time is very valuable due to the fact we can never get it back.

Please tell me if there is still hope for me, what I should put down for these 12 applications, what steps I should take.. etc
Please... someone, anyone..

I live in El Cerrito, CA

Hi,

Hope you are doing well.

Hey, do not give up and try searching for more opportunities. Can you send across your resume to me ... I think if you represent it in a proper way, half of the job will be done. i will be glad to help you in that and also will refer you to my connections here if they have any suitable opening.

Write back to me as soon as possible. please put "Expat.com" in the subject line so that i can recognize you.

Thanks,
Agni
agni.mukhopadhyay[at]gmail.com

Hi Saffia,

I hear your pain. But the least thing that helps is a negative mindset. Sounds like a cliche but it's true.

First you need to know what you are looking for and what are your strengths. For me personally a #1 success book out there is "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill and I love how he advises people to go about this. You can get a free copy online (The original copy 's copyright has expired because it was published in 1937 so it's public domain. You can also buy one, which are the edited "modernized" versions. However, I find the original the best as it points where the issues are and it's impossible to miss what to do.)

cheers.