Artisan's Guild

[Blitz Walrus]

Work at library

So would you recommend working at a library? My friend worked as a book shelver and he wasn't really upset with it even though there were some annoying parts, but generally it was okay. I'd like to think I'd enjoy the quiet, rather laid-back style of working at the library, but I also want to earn a living because I'm slated to move out next January or February.

i love it, it's pretty chill, it does get nutty when school's out though.

[Spoony]

Oh boy have I done some shameful things for cheddar

I did about six months of telemarketing

I felt like jumping off a bridge every day

[Vax]

Previous job was being a host at a local pub and restaurant

current job is p much the same thing at a different place, and some freelance V/O work which will be much easier once I set up my studio

[[Insert Fail]]

My jobs thus far:

Courtesy Clerk at Vons (December 2006 - May 2008)
Retail Associate at the Mets Team Store at Citi Field (April 2009 - October 2010 - so two seasons retail at a baseball stadium)
Front-End Cashier at Super Stop & Shop (February 2010 - May 2011, overlapped with my job at the baseball stadium during 2010)
Retail Cashier at the Cardinal's Team Store at Busch Stadium (September 2011 - November 2011)
Retail Associate at Dick Blick Art Materials (October 2011 - December 2011)
Retail Associate at Walgreens (September 2012 - present)

All of my past jobs have been part-time - Walgreens is the first full-time job I've had. I am on graveyard shifts, so I work from 10pm-8am. It's a guaranteed 40 hours a week with benefits, though, so it's worthwhile and probably the best job I could land at this point in time.

I am in the same boat as you Sol, i.e. high school graduate but no college degree. I've had to work since getting out of school and college has not been an option seeing as how I've moved to four different states in 1.5 years. (I'm hoping this will change by next fall semester.)

If I had any recommendations, I would say BE PERSISTENT. Go into stores and ask to see a manager to inquire about job applications. Don't ask if they're hiring, ask if they're accepting applications - there is a difference. You want to put in your application where ever you can. Even if you know the application is done online, walk your booty into that store - managers remember a face better than a name on a piece of paper. If the application is physical, when you fill it out and turn it in, hand it to the manager if they're available. Tell them you're looking forward to speaking to them again. Call the next day or call that weekend, ask for the manager or staffer and say, "Hi this is [so and so], I filled out an application and was wondering if you'd had a chance to go over it?" They might tell you they're not hiring even after going through all that effort. Don't let that discourage you. If they say they're going to call you back? Remember which day they're supposed to call you. If they don't call you by 3:00pm, call them. Bug them (within reason). Make sure they remember you. It's how I got three of those jobs, and the managers specifically told me it was because I was always calling them and bugging them because they were usually so busy they'd forget.

Create a resume. Resumes don't need to be extraordinarily fancy, but it shows that you're putting effort into your job application. Even if your resume is repeating the exact same information on your application, staple it to your app! Some online job applications even have an option to attach a resume - it just looks nice, and you can even have a little introduction boosting yourself and your capabilities if you feel you lack experience.

Lastly, try to be flexible. I just moved to North Carolina so I had no obligations of any sort, so my availability could be for any day at any time - it's why I'm working these graveyard shifts. I don't know your exact situation, so I don't know how available you can make yourself, but try to be open. A fair number of companies have high school students or college students working for them, and they have limited availability. Make yourself open for weekdays, especially mornings!

I'm not sure if this helps, but I'm up for answering any questions you might have as well!

[Dire]

I almost ended up doing door to door sales before getting work in the deli department of a supermarket. While I was working in the deli I was volunteering at an art gallery not far from the city. They started using me regularly so the gallery owners started paying me... then they had a messy divorce and the gallery closed.

I am currently in the bakery dept of the same supermarket. My new supervisor is a man child who used to own a Krispy Kreme.

...

Tosser.

[Syobon]

I'm a trained windsurfing instructor but I haven't actually been able to do that job much due to lack of time and there only being openings in the summer. I pushed carts with construction parts in a factory for some time. Oh, and every Sunday I volunteer to tend to the dorm bar, not sure if that counts.

[SaintCrazy]

Work at library

So would you recommend working at a library? My friend worked as a book shelver and he wasn't really upset with it even though there were some annoying parts, but generally it was okay. I'd like to think I'd enjoy the quiet, rather laid-back style of working at the library, but I also want to earn a living because I'm slated to move out next January or February.

Yeah it's pretty awesome. I hear the jobs at bookstores/CD stores are pretty cool too, and you would do similar stuff I imagine. Shelving stuff is really nice if you're an organized person and the rest is just getting to know the library.
Of course it depends on where you're looking at. It might be harder to find places that are hiring. I remember back in my hometown there was a Books-a-million that would higher high school students/grads pretty regularly though.

[hotb]

I wish to be the little sysadmin

[Sleauxbreaux]

Previous job was being a host at a local pub and restaurant

current job is p much the same thing at a different place, and some freelance V/O work which will be much easier once I set up my studio

Heyyyyyy, that is awesome. How do you go about the voiceover thing? I've paid out the butt for a private voice acting coach that I've yet to utilize, and I'm curious to know if I could've avoided that. Not that I regret it, it's just a LOT of cheddar. and it came with a home studio, which is nice.

[Vax]

Previous job was being a host at a local pub and restaurant

current job is p much the same thing at a different place, and some freelance V/O work which will be much easier once I set up my studio

Heyyyyyy, that is awesome. How do you go about the voiceover thing? I've paid out the butt for a private voice acting coach that I've yet to utilize, and I'm curious to know if I could've avoided that. Not that I regret it, it's just a LOT of cheddar. and it came with a home studio, which is nice.

Well I'll say this; it never hurts to hear from a professional how to do things like this. You can always benefit from classes like that when it comes to a job like doing voice overs.
The most important thing that everyone will tell you is that you absolutely NEED a good demo. You need variety and you need to be easily found and sampled by prospective employers. A simple webpage is perfect for that. Just somewhere you can put up your demos and take questions and put pictures and info and contact stuff. The most important demo is the commercial demo, which as it sounds is a demo comprised of things like radio and television commercial segments that fit your voice. Again, variety is important in this regard so don't be afraid to mix it up a bit.

Otherwise, not many employers are gonna care about classes you've taken or general education. They want to hear your voice, not necessarily your accomplishments.

[Tales]

i don't really have a job but once i volunteered in a charity shop and i was put to work tagging obese stinky clothes in the loft
yeah i quit after a while

but um this christmas I'll be 16 so old enough to work, I'm thinking of maybe applying to work in a department store as they'll need extra hands but i dunno i doubt they'll take on someone so young plus I might have revision to do. Ideally for a first job I'd work in a little clothes shop or even a big clothes shop but i'm getting braces and yeah

[Doormaster]

I do the marketing and general technology stuff at a quilt shop/retreat center

[Blubber]

Spent all summer at a place that printed shirts and made roadsigns. It was less than minimum wage but I was taking all the work I could get.

We were doing this one order for a stag party and most of the shirts were to have a normal name on the front and then an inside joke (to the tune of "can't touch this" or "utter dick") printed on the back. But one shirt stood out - on the front it had to say "Dr. Skin" and the back was to read "I will wear you like a coat". Creeped everyone out.

I spent all summer dreading that my handiwork would end up on Crimewatch.

Now I'm back at uni looking for a weekend job ~

[Shoolis]

I am a professional horse crystal breeder

[Madican]

I once spent a few days being one of those telemarketers, the kind that deliver a political spiel and ask for your vote.

I got paid under the table though so that won't show up on background checks. It was cheddar I was sorely in need of for the Christmas season after leaving Walmart. And honestly after working at Walmart everything starts to look good.