hey guys.
So i'm unemployed. Recently i went for an interview at a copy shop and I even told them about some of my graphics experience and they were interested but in the end i never got a call . They said they didn't have any openings but they would keep me in mind. I'm pretty sure they didn't want me cause one of the requirements is lifting 50 lbs regularly and i told them i have a damaged shoulder.

So i'm still looking and i notice most Job listings in the newspaper or in craigslist always ask for someone with experience. So where the heck are the entry level jobs???

By the way, I dn't have any specific industry, I've always just done general office stuff. That's my forte. But like i said the only things there are, want years of experience.

So how do you get a job without experience? It seems impossible these days. 

Whatever happened to the Entry level stuff?
How do you get Entry level jobs and where do you find them?

I tried asking about a Dish washing job and even for that, they wanted people with experience doing dishes in a Restaurant setting. 

I also looked at Server jobs( Restaurant) and they also want people with experience. 

It's not a good job climate at all right now. There probably aren't that many entry level jobs. And the only way to get a job where the employer wants experience is, well, to get some experiencs ;o). I know that can be maddening, but that's the way it is - all of us, at one time or another, were not very marketable in our respective fields. If you want to impress, maybe play up some of your other strengths, maybe not so much related to the job, but somethng that the employer may be able to use one day.

Lie about your experience. That's how I got my first job.

Also, try to get a friend who can pose as your former "boss" to tell the calling HRs how wonderful a worker you are.

erm, don't lie so you get caught.  If you say you have experience on something you don't, it's all to easy to be replaced.

Truth is, there's not jack out there. You, me, and millions of others are out there in the same situation.  Sadly, I'm actually in the same place; but when you have all the candidates you want (and even more), you can be as picky as you want. 

I don't know the art world (I fixed color printers, that's as close as I got) but I've been perusing the 3d art mags. Do you have a portfolio? Some samples of your artwork that you can show, might help, if you can get in the door.

The current 'fashion' for getting jobs is all about 'contacts', finding people on the inside of a company, or someone who knows something, so you can brag (I'm not making this up) about how good you are.

Just keep plugging at it, I suppose. Sometimes you can get on with a temp agency, but I've almsot gotten old in the past waiting on that. Still, sometimes you can use that to get some job experience. hope you find something.

If you want, I've got some US URL links I can send you for job resources, but even those haven't been much of a help. Still, if you want 'em, just let me know.

I feel your pain, I've been unemployed 5 Months now, first time ever in 34 years of working, I start a new job on Monday but the money is 50% less than what I'm used to earning, but it's a job which is good at the minute.

Even being experienced doesn't get you a job, I'm an experienced electronics engineer with good qualifications, it still took me 5 Months to get back to work and even now it's not in the field I'm good at!
You just have to keep trying, it isn't easy out there at the minute!

DON'T LIE!  In this economy, employers are always looking for an excuse to reduce overhead and staff.  Company policy is to immediate terminate if there are any inconsistencies in your employment records.  Entry level jobs are as rare as hen's teeth, but keep at it and don't get discouraged.

Tell 'em you're a fast learner and would like a chance to prove it.

Yes Lie!

I am not giving this advice if it didn't worked. Employers usually just call your last "employer" to verify your authenticity. You just have to get in, and once you are in, work hard and impress your boss. Worse case scenario is if you get caught then tell the truth that you did that because really need the job and desperation brought you to do unconventional means then assure them that they will not be disappointed on you.

I knew one older person who has zero knowledge in computers lied that she knows using them and once she is in and they found out, she simply said "this computer is different from the one she used before".

And guess what, they trained her.

Dude you are courageous enough to dream of making a poser movie. You will need some brass balls to get it done and this is a perfect opportunity for you to practice the brave soul in you.

Well, as a manager I can tell you that it is company policy in every company that I have ever dealt with that lying is a dismissable offence. The official term for it is 'a breakdown in the trust relationship between employer and employee'. If they find out you will definately be very much on the back foot, and that may come back to haunt you in the future.

Think about it, your boss knows you lied 3 years ago to get the job, and comes to you and says he wants you to work every weekend for a month. Can you really afford to say no given that he could have you dismissed for lying to get the job in the first place. I know of so many people that have lost their jobs for less.

I'm not suggesting that you dismiss the suggestion, just be very, very careful if you decide to do that.

The U.S. unemployment Rate  is  9.7% and does not even count those
who are NOT filing for benefits and are on welfare etc.

For years many employers have paid salaries with short term "swing loans" and other  lines of credit from the money lenders.

Now that such easy credit is frozen due the fact that banks can not sell their debt to the gamblers on Wall Street in the form of "credit Default options " and other "Debt backed securities" that derive their value from the eternal interest paid by the hapless debt slaves who have credit cards and mortgages.

Employers have to face the reality that they can NOT actually afford to hire/pay their employees with REAL money. hence No jobs

The drunken binge of manufactured money ( Credit) is over for now
and now working people who became  willing debt slaves long ago are feeling the consequences  of their Blindness
This is the inevitable result of a Debt based economy where private banks create money from nothing, "lend" it to anyone who will take it and get the liability( Debt) off their balance sheets by selling it to the gamblers & thieves on Wall Street.

For a full explanation of the Fraudulent nature of the  monetary system
see the Digital Comic "RDL7 " in my Signature link.

Cheers

Wolf359
Emancipated Former Debt slave.

I dunno what percentage of hirees have factual errors, fabrications or omissions on their CV, but in an ideal world there would be no question about honesty.  anyway, if in the L.A. area, some entry level positions in that economy (11.5% unemp) may be available at various supermarkets.  they hire those with disabilities (e.g. bad shoulders) and there's no need to lie, if one has no prior experience as a bagboy or stocker.  when they're talking about lying, it could be about criminal history, drug use, level of education and that.  if they don't ask, don't tell.  that's not exactly lying.

I reckon OP doesn't have a portfolio (no renders nor videos posted anywhere AFAIK).

It's waay to easy to fact-check nowadays. Your 'digital footprint' on the web can, and does get checked. Your criminal history and your credit history are easily accessible online, and believe me, they check everyone.

Also, sites like Pipl, Linked-in,  and Facebook are checked regularly by HR types, and can, and are used for disqualifying people for consideration.

What I'm told now, is that the best way is to rewrite every resume you send out, based on the advert you're applying from. Find all the adverbs, and use them intelligently and logically in your resume. Your objective should mention the exact job name, and the exact company name, in the title.
Every resume that comes in for any job in mid-to-large companies is scanned for 'key words'. If it doesn't meet a certain threshold, it's never even seen by a human being.

I've been told there's a 'rule of thumb'. Pick up a piece of paper, hold it with thumb and forefinger. Wherever you thumb falls is about as far as they'll read. If you don't have their attention by then, it gets put in the circular file.

Hope that helps.

Having been in the position to hire people in my past job, I can tell you that when (not if) someone had come onboard misrepresenting their experience, then they were fired so fast that they never knew what hit them. 

If a job requires experience that you do not have, it is for one of two reasons:

1. They do not want to spend the time/money training you.
2. The job actually has very specific requirements that you need to know in order to do the job properly/safely/effectively.

If the experience required is because of the second reason, then there's nothing that you can do. You can't say that you know how to run a forklift unless you actually do because otherwise you are a hazard on the shop floor. Likewise, you can't say that you know css/java unless you actually do otherwise you end up screwing up the project and costing the client and employer a lot of money.

If, on the other hand, the prior experience is required primarily because they don't want to spend the time training you and that you are not going to be a risk to the company, then you have a chance to say to the employer that even though you do not have experience, you have many other positive attributes far outweigh your entry-level status. Emphasize your maturity, dependability, eagerness, and willingness to learn--and provide examples! Emphasize how past experience you do have is relevant, and make sure that you explain all of that to them in your cover letter.

For example, the best hire I ever made was a young lady who was applying for an office administrator position. What made her stand out was that she had a couple of years prior experience as a heavy vehicle mechanic in the military. That experience, even though it was only tangential to office work, showed me that she had maturity, discipline, and a level of knowledge that went beyond what you might get at the typical "mcjob" and that the expertise she gained from serving her country would be a tremendous benefit to the company.

Yes, it takes time to do a job hunt. When you are on a job hunt, you have a full-time job of finding a job. Expect to spend eight hours a day five days a week looking for work, preparing cover letters, and contacting potential employers. But ultimately, you will get through it and get the job offer.

If you are looking for really entry-level work, remember that there are always a number of starter-level jobs available in any economy. Whether as unskilled labour (warehouse personnel, movers, swampers, production workers) or service industry (restaurants, fast food, retail stores), people always need to hire because employees come and go regularly. There are also temp agencies, which can provide short-term employment to people as well as providing valuable experience. Finally, there's always the intern option--where you work for awhile for an employer for free in order to gain the experience you need for your chosen career (note I said career--not job--there is a difference).

PoserMocap is right...if the not-entry-level job is there, it's because they want to have someone hit the ground running (so to speak).  If you want to work your way up in anything, start with a temp agency.  They test your skills, and fit you with the right job.  If there's no fit, there's no fit, but don't discount them at all.  They can find you temporary work, or they can find you the start to a pretty lucrative career.  I've heard stories on all ends of the spectrum. 

In this economy, you have to settle.  In my area (Detroit suburbs), kids aren't getting the summer jobs that most of us had growing up, so trying to find a job as an adult is just as daunting a task.  But, your best bet is to settle.  If you find something, you're REALLY lucky.  Even working at a gas station is preferable to not having a job at all and losing everything, right?

Oddly enough, Hewlett-Packard does not seem to have any policy against lying (at least not while I worked there).

Quote -
In this economy, you have to settle...  Even working at a gas station is preferable to not having a job at all and losing everything, right?

Well to a certain extent but even if you are a skilled person with professional experience ( unlike the OP it seems)
Many companies are trying to Take Advantage of the economic situation and offer Slave wages.
That is oppression IMHO.

it gets to a point where a person is better off on public assistance,welfare etc, than working at so low a wage that they can barely afford pay rent, buy soap& toilet paper & food much less have health coverage etc.

Especially if one has already "lost everything" like their Fancy Overpriced house,cars and 60 inch
flat screen TV that they got on Credit anyway and never really owned.

Quote - > Quote -

In this economy, you have to settle...  Even working at a gas station is preferable to not having a job at all and losing everything, right?

Well to a certain extent but even if you are a skilled person with professional experience ( unlike the OP it seems)
Many companies are trying to Take Advantage of the economic situation and offer Slave wages.
That is oppression IMHO.

it gets to a point where a person is better off on public assistance,welfare etc, than working at so low a wage that they can barely afford pay rent, buy soap& toilet paper & food much less have health coverage etc.

Especially if one has already "lost everything" like their Fancy Overpriced house,cars and 60 inch
flat screen TV that they got on Credit anyway and never really owned.

Good point, there.

Well i signed up for a nEW Temp agency because none of the others have jobs. 

And all i've gotten since i signed up( 3 weeks ago) is a 6 hour job for only  1 day... but it didn't even work out because they cancelled it at the last minute. 

Well, don't give up!  Just keep at it.  Call them every monday morning, right when they open, letting them know that you're available for work this week.  They notice that, especially if you're calling first thing in the morning, instead of noon. 

simple answer is apply.

if they want to talk to you, they'll call. if they don't they won't.

just keep sending out the Resume to anyone who has a job that you think you can do.

tis how I got off the govenment unemployment lists in the UK in the mid 90's... (thanks to the condition's at the time, I hadn't held a job in 6 years at that point. partially it was the low wages vs gov paying my rent (could'nt earn enough to pay the rent let alone eat, yet you'd be earning to much to get gov assistance. wonderful) plus no job experience thanks to not having worked.... catch 22)

I did the throw a Resume at everyone that I thought I could do the job of. landed me a job working in a School maintaining their network. from there, I went to a major UK Building firm and worked techsupport their (and watched ppl with M$ bits of paper come and go. all the main techsupport who knew their stuff were like me. no bits of M$ paper.. and we did the job better... life experience counts).

just hit the market with your resume. if they don't call you, don't get upset / depressed.. just mail the next batch out.

someone will answer.

Well, being unemployed is certainly an education...

"There are levels of existence we are prepared to accept" - the Architect*

I'd have to make 38k a year to get off what I'm making in unemployment. That's sad (because it's not nearly enough), and frustrating (because all the job skills have completely changed; so you either have to have skills you don't have 'certs' for, or take less than you're making on the dole).

It does lend you focus Everyone's situation is different; I'm responsible (but were' working on this) for feeding, clothing, and putting the roof over 5 heads (including mine). When you get to that situation, suddenly 50-60k doesn't stretch all that far.

It's a wake-up call, but I got the alarm...;)

"I'd have to make 38k a year to get off what I'm making in unemployment. That's sad (because it's not nearly enough), and frustrating (because all the job skills have completely changed; so you either have to have skills you don't have 'certs' for, or take less than you're making on the dole)."***

The trend I have been seeing particularly in the Visual arts/Graphic design field is to pile more and more Skill sets into one job description
without commensurate pay!!!.

I understand the need to eliminate some of the overlap between print design and web design 
But now you are expected to be a PHP,Action Script,JAVA, JOOMLA, AJAX, DHTML,CSS hand coder along with
video editing and after effects in addition
to standard print Design/prepress with the Adobe CS suite and MS Office suite
All for less than 40K a year in major metropolitan areas like  up here in New York and Even LA.

so even the skilled jobs that are"hiring"
often have a ridiculous list of requirements that
reads like the Closing Credits to "Lord of the "Rings".

Cheers

 That's right wolf. Now just knowing HTML is nothing,!!!

Yu have to know javascript, and all that other stuff you said.

Before, if you just knew HTML, you could get a job making web pages. 

Also with many Graphic design stuff, ,they want you to know all kinds of software. 
I don't know how we're supposed to know all these kind of sofftwares if we don't OWN THEM!!!
Like photoshop, i can't afford it and many times that's a requirement for jobs. 

I have photoshop element 3, why isn't that enough? Why do i have to know Photoshop PRO?

Well i'm not even looking for Graphics jobs, but that's an example

 Hey Guys!!!

I got a call , they're offering me a temp job. 2 weeks.

I wonder if you guys think i should take it.  It's basic stuff.

But then if i take it I lose my benefits. I'll take it anyways, but i wish after that, i'll get another Job. 

If the temp jobs keep comin, then It will be ok.. 

Good luck!  Show them what you got.

Lying during an interview is not only grounds for immediate dismissal but in this state it is considered insubordination and you would loose eligibility for unemployment compensation. I'd think twice about that.
 
The cold hard truth is with double digit unemployment in many states there is a huge pool of experienced labor available. Employers have the luxury of being very picky who they hire these days and many people are taking jobs for which they are way over qualified just to make ends meet. I feel for you, good luck with your search.

Good luck tebop !  Even if your job is not very interresting , is always good to earn some money :D  .You can say on your CV "I'm working for x temp agency since december 2008" even if you've worked only a few weeks , it's not a lie but an embellished truth .

Keep on searching another job by your own means , send your CV or present yourself and ask to meet the boss . Very often , for low level jobs , is easier to get them as the boss may find you dynamic / enthusiastic and you may knock at his door at the right moment . Human contact is very important in low level jobs , it's maybe more important than the experience .You'll need a dynamic and postive way of being , an "opened" face expression ,  good arguments as your flexibility , low family charges ( if the case) or show your artistic skills or your passions if they show a dynamic side ( for ex  team sports may show your ability to integrate in your new job ) . Don't forget your friends and family - tell them that you're looking for a job , there may be opportunities this way.

I don't agree about telling lies , it's too risky , but you can "rearrange" a little bit the truth  . But you must prepare yourself to have answers to "embarrasing " questions , so you won't get surprised .You must show that the bad things that happend in your professional life were not due to your attitude/fault , but were the result of external causes as "bad economic conjunction" , "the new boss decided to drastically reduce your branch of activity and you were the newest entrerred".

There are other things that you can do as being benevole for a well known association when you won't be employed .You'll meet many people , feel useful and say "I've worked for x association " , it will fill the blanks and give you experience in many domains . If you prepare lunches for poor people , you may say that you've made food preparations and dishwashing !

Good luck !