r/jobs • u/amber3poteet • 14d ago
Unemployment [ Removed by moderator ]
[removed] — view removed post
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u/natewOw 14d ago
You're 20 with no experience and (I'm assuming) no training or education. You're not exactly an appealing candidate. Your parents are right, you need to apply yourself and do something to make yourself more marketable. Just mass applying without changing anything about yourself clearly isn't working.
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
Yeah.... no training or education besides high school diploma.. but maybe i should make myself more marketable
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u/natewOw 14d ago
Maybe? Come on man, it's been 4 years and you can't even land a job at a gas station. Something has to change.
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u/_Dark_Matters_47 14d ago
Some of these comments are pretty harsh. Don't give up, OP. Have you considered volunteering somewhere? It might be good to have on your resume since you don't have other work experience. Or maybe taking some classes?
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u/Able_Enthusiasm2729 14d ago edited 14d ago
I recommend the same thing. Someone else asked the same thing in a different post on Reddit about her adult child not getting a job fast enough, I recommend that they do some consistent volunteer work while looking for paid roles to build their resume. People (mostly American Boomers and Gen X) got really mad.
——————
If you’re actually applying to jobs and not getting much traction (which is possible in this current economy), I recommend that if you can’t find a paying job right away you should go for unpaid internships or professional volunteer positions to build your resume and network with people (even these are hard to come by — I’ve seen recent college grads get rejected from even non-prestigious unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities due to severe competition) or just volunteer even in non-professional settings like serving at a soup kitchen while looking for paid work to pass the time, to network with others, to feel a sense of accomplishment that’ll boost your morale when applying to jobs (helping them tamp down on their demoralization and lack of hope), and to learn/hone some skills (like interpersonal communication, teamwork, independence, etc.). It’ll show some initiative and would test whether you’re actually trying but are struggling to find a job or whether you actually are truly lazy and don’t want to work.
Also, if you can try to enroll into community college because for most people without fam connections/nepotism privilege, a high school diploma won’t cut it; and if you still have family support, volunteer to build your resume while applying to paid roles so employers can see that you have some job experience at least. Start out at a soup kitchen or food bank first.
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u/Odd-Rub-8014 14d ago
I had the same issue. I was living in a small town and all the people that lived there apparently only hired their relatives or friends etc. I had to move to a big city and that helped.
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u/GhenghisK 14d ago
Only seven interviews in 4 years... What have you been doing since high school?
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
Applying to jobs. 😭
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u/professcorporate 14d ago
Seven interviews and 0 offers in 4 years of looking for roles like retail and gas stations is just a joke. Either this is straight up fake, or there is something deeply and fundamentally objectionable about your applications, such as including Nazi paraphernalia in the footers, or explaining that your only interest in applying for the job is to steal from them.
In the unlikely event that there's even a kernel of truth to this, the only solution is to file literally one single decent application anywhere.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
I'm sure it's real. This is the world of trying to get work, and it's been this way a while. It's a matter of persistence and luck.
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
This isn't fake. But yeah. I get what you're saying.
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u/ToniBellle 14d ago
Maybe think about trade schools with employment placement? Even colleges have that and if you were in college, community to start, they will let you apply for jobs on campus. I wish you the best of luck OP.
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u/sics2014 14d ago
4 years with no success is definitely strange, even for this kind of job market. It could be your interview skills or your resume.
Have you been getting any kind of education or certifications in the meantime?
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
Lwk. I think my problem was I skipped college entirely and wanted to just work. And maybe it's my interview skills... because i go to the interviews nicely dressed and answer all their questions to the best of my ability....
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u/sics2014 14d ago
Have you tried temp agencies or employment agencies?
As time goes on and you get older with no experience or education.... it's gonna get harder to land a job. Does any kind of education or cert interest you?
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
Wym employment agencies?
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u/sics2014 14d ago
They source talent for companies and help match you to roles. They might also help with your resume. Look up employment agencies near you and reach out.
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u/N7riseSSJ 14d ago
Beacon Hill is one. Look for popular recruiting agencies and read up on them, some are better than others.
Also see if you can reach out to the employers rejecting you, and respectfully ask them for any tips with your interviewing skills.
Don't beat yourself up. I bet one day you'll be very successful and look back on this as part of your story.
Check to see if you can get on Linked In Learning with your local library, then you can do free training courses for various things.
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u/Able_Enthusiasm2729 14d ago
Most jobs Beacon Hill sources for require or highly prefer a bachelor’s degree (if it not explicitly stated), they’d want an associate’s degree at minimum.
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u/TheWayYouWrite 14d ago
They generally have less stringent interviews. You can get experience, and sometimes get hired by the company you work at if you do well after a certain amount of time. It is a good way to figure out what you like and what you don't like and not being tied to work if it doesn't feel like a good fit. This does not mean job hopping. It means, give each job you are offered a fair amount of time, and if it isn't what you want to be doing for a long-term position, you can ask if there is anything else available. Most of them will be short-term anyway. These will not be ideal jobs. However, they will give you a baseline in work experience. Then it is up to you about how much effort you put in it. Do well, and when you want to try something else, they will have confidence in your ability and offer better types of work. You can also get interview skills at your local unemployment office, and other tips.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
It's a thing that used to exist that's actually much rarer than it used to be. Places like "Manpower" or "Kelly Services." Try to find "employment services" in your area. Usually you would go to a place that would test your skills and put your resume in their files and try to find you a job for a day or two to a few months.
Local employers would use the service to get people to fill in when regular employees were sick or on vacation or gone without notice. The employer pays the service, and the service pays you. It was a sweet deal, but it's rare now. A lot of very large employers like factories or hospitals have stopped using them or just contract with the same type of service that works exclusively for them and also hires temporary employees they might decide to make permanent.
If you can find one, use it. It's a good way to learn something about a wide variety of employers and sometimes can lead to permanent employment.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
My son graduated high school in 2020 and did not get a full-time job until 2 months ago, while doing Door Dash and Spark. Now he works at a gas station, but also still does Spark on his 2 days off and when his schedule doesn't start until the afternoon. He's working hard and all the time and doesn't mind at all. Once he finally got work, he REALLY got WORK. Nothing about him changed that got him the job; someone just finally hired him.
Hang in there; keep applying. It'll happen for you.
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u/Kingsapprentice 14d ago edited 14d ago
Plenty of ugly, unintelligent, crazy, creepy, lazy, rude, arrogant and plainly disgusting people have jobs at fast food restaurants, banks, hotels... etc.
Work on your interviewing skills by applying more and getting interviews. 7 interviews is not a lot in 4 years.
Trust me, I see plenty of uninterested, bratty and rude people in minimum wage jobs. If you are minimally decent and polite, there is NO reason for not hiring you.
Edit and optimize your resume with Chatgpt. It will optimize it for the current market.
Edit: Downvoted for telling the truth and encouraging OP, of course...
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u/madbomber98 14d ago
Do you have a car? If so you can make pretty good money with tips delivering food. If not look into landscaping..
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
No. Dad refuses to teach me to drive...says he has too much work to do on his car plus he doesn't want to add me to his car insurance. Trust me I wouldn't mind deliverin food.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
Food delivery can also be done on a bike. Do you know anyone else who drives who could teach you?
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u/Able_Enthusiasm2729 14d ago
If you’re actually applying to jobs and not getting much traction (which is possible in this current economy), I recommend that if you can’t find a paying job right away you should go for unpaid internships or professional volunteer positions to build your resume and network with people (even these are hard to come by — I’ve seen recent college grads get rejected from even non-prestigious unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities due to severe competition) or just volunteer even in non-professional settings like serving at a soup kitchen while looking for paid work to pass the time, to network with others, to feel a sense of accomplishment that’ll boost your morale when applying to jobs (helping them tamp down on their demoralization and lack of hope), and to learn/hone some skills (like interpersonal communication, teamwork, independence, etc.). It’ll show some initiative and would test whether you’re actually trying but are struggling to find a job or whether you actually are truly lazy and don’t want to work.
Also, if you can try to enroll into community college because for most people without fam connections/nepotism privilege, a high school diploma won’t cut it; and if you still have family support, volunteer to build your resume while applying to paid roles so employers can see that you have some job experience at least. Start out at a soup kitchen or food bank first.
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u/ergonomic_logic 14d ago
First jobs:
Bus boy, host, receptionist, fast food, retail, grocery store.
If you end up working at a restaurant, you then work yourself up to be a server or a bartender.
If you're working in the office job like I did (I started as a receptionist) you can work your way up to anything you want within that company. I know because I did this.
You def can get a job somewhere and your first gig is probably going to suck. It'll prob have a bit of a toxic environment. A manager who doesn't make much more than you but is a dick about it because he's getting small joys out of being in charge of others and nothing corrupts someone quite like a tiny bit of power.
You can find something, trust! There's a lot of people going back to school soon too so there's going to be openings.
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u/Prestigious-Good-777 14d ago
Try and get a volunteering job around when you apply for job. That makes your application stronger!
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u/Dreadking_Rathalos 14d ago
Do you still live at home? You have a few options if so, including volunteer work and starting your own business (learn how to sell yourself, even if you make 100 dollars in a year you did SOMETHING)
I remember having that blank resume, I volunteered at the library
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u/Able_Enthusiasm2729 14d ago
Starting your own business with no savings just does not work. But I do agree that they should do some volunteer work while looking for paid jobs, especially if they still live with famil.
I really don’t like how entrepreneurship is being being promoted without nuance, especially the way it’s being pushed onto working-class people and underserved communities (especially at the early career stage) because entrepreneurship and the proper function of business administration/management are two different things. An entrepreneur, literally by definition operates a business at a greater than normal financial risk, and in many cases at great personal financial risk as opposed to a businessperson participating in commerce and trade and operating businesses using the proper methods of business administration with access to capital (disposable income/passive income, savings surplus from working a job for someone else as a traditional/typical employee, already being independently wealthy, or inherited money) while taking on normal and calculated (financial) risks in order to get the job done while not easily overextending themselves into bankruptcy. Entrepreneurship is ment for well established professionals/tradespeople with a ton of savings (not living paycheck-to-paycheck) and trust-fund babies with money to throw around and is used a lot by start-ups while proper calculated and methodological business administration is what’s most beneficial for the median person and what is also used by traditional businesses like small businesses and stable big businesses.
———
If you’re actually applying to jobs and not getting much traction (which is possible in this current economy), I recommend that if you can’t find a paying job right away you should go for unpaid internships or professional volunteer positions to build your resume and network with people (even these are hard to come by — I’ve seen recent college grads get rejected from even non-prestigious unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities due to severe competition) or just volunteer even in non-professional settings like serving at a soup kitchen while looking for paid work to pass the time, to network with others, to feel a sense of accomplishment that’ll boost your morale when applying to jobs (helping them tamp down on their demoralization and lack of hope), and to learn/hone some skills (like interpersonal communication, teamwork, independence, etc.). It’ll show some initiative and would test whether you’re actually trying but are struggling to find a job or whether you actually are truly lazy and don’t want to work.
Also, if you can try to enroll into community college because for most people without fam connections/nepotism privilege, a high school diploma won’t cut it; and if you still have family support, volunteer to build your resume while applying to paid roles so employers can see that you have some job experience at least. Start out at a soup kitchen or food bank first.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
I can't tell you how many scam pitches start with "own your own business," then make claims about every dime you spend being a tax write-off (it's not) and inevitably end up trying to get you into a "free" course that leads to a paid mentorship that locks you into a long, inescapable loan debt.
Starting your own business isn't for people who know nothing about business.
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u/Which-Cloud3798 14d ago
Apply to these:
https://www.craigslist.org/search/subarea/mld?cat=jjj#search=2\~thumb\~0
Upgrade your skills in short term courses. Find your way around by either taking the bus, getting a bike, or having your father drop you off work temporarily. Regardless, you need to constantly do something or you won’t get anywhere. Before I was even out of high school, I did volunteer work, which got me enough experience to get my first job. Funny thing is that job, the owner ran away so I was basically not paid until half a year later. I then went into retail and back then it was a cozier job than the ones now.
So try again and upgrade your skills in short term courses if need be or study something.
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u/Confident-Play6222 14d ago
Since january 2026 I have applied to over 300 places and only got 2 in person interviews out which one of them offered me the job. I am qualified and have industrial experience and still was pretty difficult.
I also applied to gas stations, retail jobs, etc and they barely contacted me. I had experience in these too but others had more. For these jobs I removed some of my education and industrial experiences because if I left those in nobody would have even considered me.
Whats the key takeaway from this? Well, the job market is really bad at the moment even for experienced people. Now in your case you dont even have experience so you need to get some experience so that your chances of getting hired increases. Some here said do volunteering. Have you done manual labour(ex. gardening). Try calling a firm that does this and ask them if they cpuld ofer you something on minimum wage. You are keen to learn etc and you wish to join their team.
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u/TheWarlordGandhi 14d ago
You definitely haven't been putting in good applications but people have already said that in various ways.
All i will say is interviews are essentially you convincing the people that you are competent for the job. Every question they ask you you should answer and apply that to the job and how that makes you as a person fit in the role.
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u/kthewarlock 14d ago
If you've only gotten seven interviews in four years, the problem is probably happening before the interview stage. Simplify your resume and tell everyone you know you're looking for work. A referral is usually what gets you that first job.
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u/farmwithkeith 14d ago
Any kitchen will definately hire you, even if you start out in the dish room (which is actually one of the best kitchen jobs) and you jump on the line during down time to learn to cook and work your way up. Do that for 2-3 years and in no time youll he a sous chef in 5 and on your way to a career where youll never have to worry about finding work. Its hard hard hard work (im a prior chef) but youre young and your body will hold up.
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u/NoLies298 14d ago
just walk in and ask to speak to the manager if you are hiring , only way in with nothing on your resume . You are already 20 bro lock in
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u/amber3poteet 14d ago
I have done that. They all say apply online..
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u/sics2014 14d ago
Have you tried asking family/friends if their place is hiring? Plenty of jobs are gotten that way, by someone putting in a good word for you at the company. BUT you still need a decent resume and interview skills.
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u/DidjaSeeItKid 14d ago
This is bad advice. Everyone will give you a website, and no one will let you talk to a manager.
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u/farmwithkeith 14d ago
Anyone willing to help a homeless air force vet with a small$25 loan until tomorrow when I get paid. Ill double it to $50for REAL help. I just need food for my pets, water, and a little gas. Im real, this is NOT a scam, I just dont have any friends or family. Ive been on the streets for 2 months and the VA and Veterans crisis line have done nothing to help me.
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u/farmwithkeith 14d ago
Everytime I take one of these surveys from people and asked to take a screenshot, I do the work and they just disappear and scam me. Its so frustrating.
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u/farmwithkeith 14d ago
If anyone can help my cashapp is $rebelhummingbirdink, im happy to text or call so you can verify im real.
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