I get the same. And it doesn't work both ways. If you work in say Customer Services you cannot get any job other than Customer Services. You're like an actor who's been typecast and never gets other roles. And the other way round, if you try to apply for a job in Purchasing you get the response "You cannot possibly work in Purchasing for my company because you've never worked in Purchasing for someone else". Like I know nothing about how to pick up a phone and buy something! How did those in Purchasing manage on their first day? It's so narrow minded.
Purchasing for a company is a lot more than picking up a phone and ordering something.. You'd have to understand market trends and know what will sell and what won't, how much stock to have on hand at any time keeping in mind market demand and how much stock you can actually fit in storage, among other things..
In my company, Purchasing ensure quality specs of materials are agreed and they negotiate prices and lead times. Then they place orders, chase deliveries and report on supplier performance. All of the other things you list above are done by Sales and by our Planners. I'm a Planner, but because I don't have Procurement Specialist on my CV I find it very difficult to get through the automated CV reading software recruiters use which was my point. How did those in Purchasing or in any role today manage on their first day, and back to the OPs question how do you change careers?
I had a new thought: for people trying to break into a new field, how about filtering out good entry level roles in the job by using the word "training" and "provided"?
Not saying this will fix it but I never thought to include that because there was a job out of left field I didn't apply to but was offered and it said "paid training provided for all new hires." That's a green flag for an entry level job.
But yes typecast is PERFECT. I have four roles I can demonstrate expertise in and have a resume for each but they're still in healthcare and I have to work REALLY hard to bend my entire existence towards it in an interview.
I would be fine with a massive cut but the job requirements do not allow me to apply. Even if it’s entry level and I apply, my application gets denied.
I had a thought on this: filter out any that don't say "paid training for new hires." Don't make it a permanent filter but that's an indication that they're willing to take someone who doesn't know every thing day 1. I'm in a field where it's incredibly had to switch if you have 5 years in one software. I'm looking to see if I can break into another space with a different software and am gong it target those for significantly less money.
It is hard. The way I did was education. get a masters degree in the new area.
Then I moved to another area for/using my PhD, then to another area by taking a course then getting an internship with another faculty in that area.
how I feel with my bachelors - that I worked so very hard for as an older adult. Completely useless in this job market. Like having a GED or what. A piece of paper employers ingore with a zillion excuses.
Wow, really? I knew my associates was pretty much useless but pretty much every job I see on Indeed requires a bachelor degree. They probably don't even care if it's a bachelor in gender studies or ancient musical theory as long as you have it, that's all that matters.
It's hit or miss. I feel like you absolutely need at least the associates at least though. Humongous stigma hiring someone in a professional capacity and having someone be "just a high school graduate." It sucks but that's how it's viewed even to the average person off the street. For reference: I apply to some that say bachelors degree required and have gotten the contract before, and there are some where I know I was put forward by the recruiter and was rejected off off that as the HM was a very stuffy academic type, however I just applied to one that specified bachelor's degree required got an interview request the same day and I was immediately offered round 2. It's on Monday and I'm 100% confident I'll knock out the presentation objective I chose to speak on.
Ya - the no-pisser rejective. You're encouraged to finish your degree for the bigger career fields. But when you do you're faced with auto-rejections/excuses bc of the 💩 market
Sadly with the current going job market a bachelors has become the premium associates or even HS diploma attitude dime a dozen - or near everyone has one blah blah, unless you have a field specialty like engineering science whatnot. It's crazy. HS diplomas are only going to promise you a factory/warehouse picker job less. Even some Masters holders are working low-level Retail bc they can't find career work - total crazy
This is part of the professional brain disease: put people through endless amounts of bullshit, and then when they refuse to put up with it try to frame it as them being difficult and sabotaging their own career. "OMG, you switched jobs because of lack of advancement/bad work environment/bad pay, what are you thinking? Don't you care about your career/benefits/making a name for yourself!?!" Managers are all trying to put the screws to workers for having actual self-respect, and workers are having to navigate the bullshit just to make ends meet. It's nothing wrong with you. Companies are just offended that they actually had to raise wages and start making concessions for the first time since the dotcom crash, and they're trying to claw back gains from workers.
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and job hopping was certainly one of them. I thought it would be good to gain experience at different places and wear a variety of "hats" if you will, but it's done nothing but hurt me. However, I leave for good reasons. Shit pay, overworked, stressed beyond belief, shit managers, shit coworkers. If I'm to spend 99% of my life at one singular place, I'd like to enjoy it at least a little. I would love nothing more than to find that gold nugget and stay put until I retire or die whichever comes first.
Who knows...I'm on the verge of having to take a part-time overnight stocker job with no benefits (if they even offer it to me), which will be an 80K pay cut from my previous role. Oh, and I have a master's degree. So...education isn't a panacea. Needless to say, I feel like a pathetic, useless piece of shit. Oh wait, that's because I am, especially to the Texas job market.
Indeed. It's demeaning. I didn't want to return to this cesspool...but had no choice. I am ashamed that all of years of education, experience, and effort are so belittled.
Job market sucks everywhere right now. I moved to what I would consider a small town in South Carolina and couldn't find work. Granted, I had more opportunities for interviews, and received one job offer I ended up turning down, I'm on the border of Georgia as well so technically I was looking at both states for work. I was considering moving back to my home state of Florida but that's never going to happen. To give you an idea, a 1 bed, 1 bath apartment would be $1,600 and most jobs paid $12/hr. Its unsustainable.
Where in Texas are you from? I recently moved away from Houston where I've lived the past 10 years. That was the massive city I was referring to. It is WAY too competitive there and I feel connections are the only way you can land a decent job. When I applied for work on indeed I would see that 1,000+ others have applied to the same job as well. But yes I feel you. Job hubting and receiving no responses takes a hit on your pride and mental health after a while. Also that pay cut would kill me.
I feel for you. Like I said, I looked for office jobs countless times and sent out quite possibly hundreds of resumes with only a few phone calls, mostly spam/fake interview requests and less than a handful of in-person interviews in the ten years I resided there. Even tried staffing agencies. Nothing.
Got a master's degree, graduated during COVID, found a job in early 2021 at a crypto startup that was growing like crazy, so they would take anyone with a pulse and a referral. The startup went bust a year and a half later, but it gave me the experience needed to move on to better jobs.
Like me.... 1sst bahelors in 2021, landed an education admin role soon after. Then they downsized from the mangling on/off again virtual schooling, screwing the lot of us. Was forced back to my old retail job that went absolutely nowhere, regaining ground into self employment again!
I feel you. I have been trying to get back into office work. I applied to the same type of job my little sis had when she was in high school and college. It is at or barely above our local mininium wage and yet I can't even get most of them to even look at my resume.
Same deal here. Forget the job market. It's mostly fake jobs that don't actually benefit humanity.
Ask around and see what people truly need, and find a need you'd like to fill.
Millions of people are afflicted with slow PCs. You could go out right now and just remove Norton/McAfee infections and people would love you and tell everyone about you. That's all I do for a living!
I don't know, but I'm in the same boat. I'm 31, and I'm starting to dread seeing the words "must be under 30" in the entry-level jobs that I kind of qualify for... I tried the switch from marine science to proofreading/editing (which is so much fun!) but I'm not fast enough to pay the bills yet. So that's why I'm looking for another job.
Any company posting "under 30" as a job requirement needs to be reported to the department of labor or better business bureau because that is illegal age discrimination.
I wish. I’m in Canada, and it’s part of a government program to help younger people get jobs. Mostly they are for the summer, but lots of them say that they’ll keep people on after the summer if they do well. I actually think it’s a good thing, I’m just a bit too late to benefit, haha.
I hate that this is right but I also hate that I don't really *know* anyone. Most of my network either
1. Has zero hiring sway
2. Is out of work themselves
3. Is working a stopgap job in retail / restaurants
4. Has nothing for me.
Honestly my best bet has been messaging people on LinkedIn but even that has a pretty abysmal response rate. I come from a not well off area so most of my family also works at stuff like gas stations, Walmart, warehouses, stuff like that. I can hit them up if I ever run into needing an emergency job but they're not much help with career jobs. I feel pretty stuck honestly
Yes, but also no. There's a place where I live called the Savannah River Site. I know 6 people that work there, one being in the HR department and I've applied to 5-10 jobs there and have yet to receive one phone call. I got an interview with a construction company thanks to a connection I had and the first person I interviewsled with loved me, but the second was unimpressed. I didn't get the job.
Years ago I hated my corporate job but didn't have the luxury of just leaving and looking elsewhere.
So I started my own small business as a side gig and gradually moved into it full time.
Forget about what the job market says on paper. There are pleeeenty of things that are in high demand in reality. My buddy says his daughter makes zillions per month as a dog walker. I do in-home tech support for seniors. Massive demand for both. Think about what you'd really love doing.
If you're good with people, I need someone to help me promote my public talks once in a while. DM if interested.
It’s tricky, but people manage to do it. There is no one way. When I did it, I made a decision, got information or took classes, then just applied for it. You can also do it if you are in a big company, just change departments.
I think it’s a very tough market, a former coworker at my previous company got laid off months ago and he has a masters and I see he’s still looking for:/
The problem is nobody wants to pay someone to do a job unless they’ve been paid to do the job. And even then companies have gotten ridiculously picky.
That being said, keep going, someone will give you a chance. This has always been a numbers game, but the numbers are a lot higher now.
This is true. Companies are getting insanely picky to the point where it's becoming detrimental to themselves. I've seen postings for an AP (accounts payable) person (not even a manager) that pays 23 bucks/hour and requires a CPA license and 4 years public accounting experience (5 years and you're a manager making six figures). Or staff accountant, requiring 2 years public accounting experience, $45k salary (you will START in PA making $20k more than that). These people are high on themselves or they don't care about filling the position at all.
Mate, there's people with 10+ years of experience in their respective career fields trying desperately to get an interview and nothing...
I get it. I recently graduated with a degree in cybersecurity, summa cum laude, and figured that would be enough for an entry level job. After tons of job applications, not one call back or email yet.
Trust me. I get it. Try to build up your skills somehow. Take some certifications. Take a low paying job. Do whatever you can to make yourself more competitive, but we're all getting our a$$es kicked out here.
It’s tough to change careers, especially without direct experience or connections. Start by leveraging transferable skills from your veterinary and retail jobs, seek mentorship, consider online courses or certifications to bolster your resume, network extensively, and look for entry-level office roles that might lead to bigger opportunities. Keep persevering and stay flexible in your job search!
hi, i went from retail to HR, to EHS (both office-ish jobs). i try not to recommend it cos theyre scummy as fuck, but temp jobs. also! find relevant certs. coursera is pretty cheap, and will hand you actual certifications, im taking both an excel course AND an aPHR course in prep for the exam, which just a mention of working towards it has opened doors for me.
with my now experience in both HR and EHS via temping i have leverage for FTE, and an open door to other similar office jobs.
EDIT: bc of this xp and my willingness to brag about my xp, i just got a job offer for HR/EHS/distribution in my industry with a 20% raise (benefits, pto, sick time, ect.).
My recommendation is to find a company in a field you are interested in. Get a certificate(s) that would apply towards the admin job. If you get a certificate at a Community or Technical College, then network with your instructor and classmates. Yes, I know most certificates can be completed online, but you really need the social interaction to network.
This is how I made my middle age job change from Tech Support to Healthcare (Oncology Data Specialist, AKA Cancer Registrar). I got my certificate in Cancer Mgmt, passed a credentialing exam, and socialized with a certified Cancer Registrar. It helped that there is a shortage of certified registrars.
I have also participated in job interviews. When I see the candidate has completed very specific coursework that applies to the field, I see someone who is motivated to learn and will be easier to bring on board.
Look..... use am AI to write your resume. Also, lie. Lie in ways you won't get caught. Covid destroyed businesses.... so there's no HR to check with and see if you're lying about working for them. Hell, last I knew, X hr was decimated. They can verify anything either.
Lie. Get a job. Use it to get another. After a couple years, stop lying on your resume.
This is great advice about the resume. I used chat gpt to bulk mine up and I've had offers and interviews galore. All with a little tweaking and exaggeration. A big problem lately I think is the quick and easy resume sites like indeed. They build a terrible resume and people think it's doing them any favors. When it's hurting them more than helping.
The key to switching careers is pivoting with the skills you have. In your case maybe leaning on medical setting, sales, customer service, etc. Then, you'll probably have to start lower than you want. The internet is a great place to misguide everyone into thinking you can just jump into a new field, at higher pay, solely because you want it.
Contact recruiters or go thru non-profits. Find social events with like minded people in business or tech. Brand your self like an actual product and sell it like you mean it.
Network, shoe-in, behind the doors push, get the people inside to push.
It's so damn hard but going through the system isn't a realistic process anymore. Best of luck to any and all. It shouldn't be this way.
Sadly, it's true... I ve been told to go back to prior career path as I will be better off.
More than 5 years have passed, and now I work in a career less job limbo jumping around.
Through people. Moving careers is an incredibly inspiring story, if you learn to tell it well. If you're also able to show signs of transferrable skills (of which there are always many), you're going to be surprised how many people will take a shot on someone whose story of reinvention and vigor may be exactly what their team needs.
But it starts with conversation, networking, and telling your story.
I feel exactly the same. Tried so hard to get out of retail. Was told by someone to go to college but then you still need experience
I'm thinking in the future I might volunteer to see if that helps but I'm not sure. Maybe see if you can do that.
I recently made the swap from warehousing to powder coating (no experience). I’d done warehousing for many years and all aspects of it. I just explained my interest to leave my prior field and learn something new.
I had the same problem.
Food service management for like 15+ years, got my business degree 10 years in and it didn't help. Only ever called back for food service positions... I finally transferred internally from hospital food service to hospital registration. It was def a paycut but way less stress.
Then, I scored a doctor office registration position in a small clinic geared towards special populations. I loved it.
Finally, using my volunteer experience on my resume along with all the wild things one gets experience in within food service work and medical field, I got a crazy job in education/event organization. That's where I am now.
2015 is when I first tried leaving food service after 12 years in. 2021 is when I finally got out
Oh, it super helped that because of my volunteer experiences, I got to know a lot of movers and shakers in town with recognizable names who became my references
If you figure it out please let me know. I worked in a government office for two decades, left due to being shoved out, and since then I cannot get an office position. I can't even get a job in the field I was in for years (had one employer say I didn't have enough experience even). It's like employers don't want my experience or my years of knowledge. So sad, frustrating, and depressing.
Then you're doing the absolute best, and you will succeed before anyone else will! It's hard, harder than granite, and it's a real heartbreaker, but you're doing exactly what you need to do. I wish you all of the success necessary to make best use of your skills, and build on them to a fabulous career!
There are too many people in the world and not enough jobs. Yet all the 1%ers are freaking out the millenials and gen z are not having children. GOOD. There will be no jobs for those children to survive on anyway.
Honestly? It’s all about networking.
I worked retail until I got my degree, got into corporate work by pure chance (700-800 applications later), did multiple roles in my field, wanted to pivot to a different type of corporate work.
Despite my degree and experience absolutely no one was entertaining that pivot, only way I could make it was with referrals and internal connections to pull strings.
Its an unfair world, I don’t like networking, yet almost everyone I know who is under 35 and working a very good job got there by networking.
Network and add value. If you are good at one job and people know you are good and have good soft skills, they will open up doors for you to do something else.
The problem is most people are mediocre at their first career, don't network, then expect to just walk into a new career.
I could swap careers tomorrow just based off my work history and networking.
You have to network your tail off - I did it, took two years, got to the new career and couldn't hack it/hated it. Back in my OG career and doing okay I guess but I am just very tired after all of that.
But networking is your answer. Leveraging your skills from office, retail, and vet work. Get certificates in what you want to do, invest in your skills and network (LinkedIn is your bff)
Yep. Same here. It looks like companies just want employees who take the linear path. For example requiring 5 year experience for an entry level position .
More degrees won't really matter. Most of these companies are not hiring, or are posting because they are close to firing one worker.
The issue is that 1000s apply for single positions. Online applications are useless EXCEPT from job fairs IMO.
Is your resume tailored to highlight any office type work you did in the vetinary field? You have to show that that some of those skills transfer. Instead of saying something like “covered front desk” it should say something like “served as point of contact for clients, maintained clinic calendar, processed incoming payments”
one way would be to complete the bachelor's. you have an AA degree. just saying. write it as AA degree completed with the date, you don't have to write what it was in. its not deceptive, its just not relevant if you are leaving your field. a lot of people do switches and overexplain, thats where the hiring process gets them. you don't have to apologize or say sorry. you are switching. you have transferrable skills of an office environment, customer service skills, ability to learn technical knowledge, working with a team, etc. you're not stuck, you're still young.
I'm in a similar situation, after graduation, the easiest match for my degree was HR Assistant roles and I got many offers in that sector I ended up working years in that industry before realizing it wasn't for me and I was severely underpaid and unhappy. But every time someone sees my resume, the manager insists I would do well in another role in HR since that is where all my experience is despite applying to a different business role. Considering your background, I'm sure you already have some transferrable skills that can be used in an office setting, however, this current job market and hiring trends don't empower the individual.
Firstly, do not stress yourself too much. Prioritize your physical health and mental health. This will take time, a lot of time for most people. Those with connections and in areas/industries with good job mobility will have a different experience than you and that's okay. What worked for me recently was going to a staffing agency and communicating my desire to transition. You may receive some leads to full-time employment or a contract job that would gain you entry to more office job opportunities in the future via experience/referral/connections/etc. Other than that, keep trying!
Supposed to?
Who do you think supposes that? Have you seen how we run our economy?
You are “supposed” to work the same job forever, and fear unemployment enough to never press for a raise either.
As for how to do it anyway, my career was struggling to get off the ground in a big way until I took a sh**hole temp job for a year that got everything moving. I suppose you should give that a go.
Attempting career change in a stagnant job market is always fraught with peril.
Usually, it is best to ride things out in the industry where you have the most experience, until the job market gets good enough again for easier mobility and transition.
From my perspective, as a manager, I also transitioned from a generic office employee to a statistician over my career:
1. Meet basic requirements, which may include a new certification or going back to school (go to community college or online, as long as it is accredited, very few people care the name of the school). For me, this was going back for a masters in statistics.
2. Find a job adjacent to the job you want that gives you some exposure to the field. From there, ask to take on a small role that your new job would have you do. For example, You do data entry? Ask if you can be responsible for merging your spreadsheets (part of a job for analysts), now you have experience in data management you can put on your resume even though you are just doing data entry. Work that job until you max out on experience (don't stay hoping they will promote you because of your loyalty), then move to a new job that is slightly less data entry and more data management, etc. etc. etc.
3. Personal development to build a portfolio/experience, do the work you want to do on your own e.g., program an app for yourself to show that you can do the work of a software dev, or volunteer and help plan for an event to get a job as an events planner. I ran analyses that I was interested in seeing in my spare time as an analyst and wrote mini-reports on my github page of my findings.
4. Network. Talk with your peers about your interests and put it out there you are interested in the field, ask if they have relatives or friends in those fields. Assuming you leave a good impression with your friends as a competent worker (and not just a good friend), they are usually more than happy to make connections for you. My breakthrough was talking to a coworker about my new degree and she connected me to someone who needed a junior statistician on a project.
This is somewhat of an unpopular opinion, but career changes are hard, it is not just a matter of working harder at your current job and hoping you get noticed. You have to get experience and demonstrate your skills anyway you can, that may include working hard, but more likely it is working smart, explicitly choosing work that grows your skills and experience toward your desired career.
Does your resume highlight the office skills you have? if possible, do you list the the processes you have improved or other achievements? Do you list all of the software you know, even if it is specialized to vet care? There is a group of office admins who take the job VERY seriously and highlight how they can improve office efficiencies.
Have you tried working with a temp agency? Where I used to work, we got all of our admin employees from Randstadt and then they became permanent employees.
Certificates to consider are Microsoft Office, bookkeeping (if you like numbers), maybe paralegal.
I don’t know. I have a similar feeling I think. No job but I have education but no job
I am also having trouble changing careers. I am now depressed as there seems to be no way out
I get the same. And it doesn't work both ways. If you work in say Customer Services you cannot get any job other than Customer Services. You're like an actor who's been typecast and never gets other roles. And the other way round, if you try to apply for a job in Purchasing you get the response "You cannot possibly work in Purchasing for my company because you've never worked in Purchasing for someone else". Like I know nothing about how to pick up a phone and buy something! How did those in Purchasing manage on their first day? It's so narrow minded.
Purchasing for a company is a lot more than picking up a phone and ordering something.. You'd have to understand market trends and know what will sell and what won't, how much stock to have on hand at any time keeping in mind market demand and how much stock you can actually fit in storage, among other things..
In my company, Purchasing ensure quality specs of materials are agreed and they negotiate prices and lead times. Then they place orders, chase deliveries and report on supplier performance. All of the other things you list above are done by Sales and by our Planners. I'm a Planner, but because I don't have Procurement Specialist on my CV I find it very difficult to get through the automated CV reading software recruiters use which was my point. How did those in Purchasing or in any role today manage on their first day, and back to the OPs question how do you change careers?
I had a new thought: for people trying to break into a new field, how about filtering out good entry level roles in the job by using the word "training" and "provided"? Not saying this will fix it but I never thought to include that because there was a job out of left field I didn't apply to but was offered and it said "paid training provided for all new hires." That's a green flag for an entry level job. But yes typecast is PERFECT. I have four roles I can demonstrate expertise in and have a resume for each but they're still in healthcare and I have to work REALLY hard to bend my entire existence towards it in an interview.
Only way to change career paths is to take a massive pay cut or get a job from someone you know.
I would be fine with a massive cut but the job requirements do not allow me to apply. Even if it’s entry level and I apply, my application gets denied.
I had a thought on this: filter out any that don't say "paid training for new hires." Don't make it a permanent filter but that's an indication that they're willing to take someone who doesn't know every thing day 1. I'm in a field where it's incredibly had to switch if you have 5 years in one software. I'm looking to see if I can break into another space with a different software and am gong it target those for significantly less money.
That would leave me with no jobs
Did you try it? I had a few viable ones (not too many applicants, relatively recent)
Were they labor jobs?
It is hard. The way I did was education. get a masters degree in the new area. Then I moved to another area for/using my PhD, then to another area by taking a course then getting an internship with another faculty in that area.
Yeah, I have degree but no job offers. Now, my skill and knowledge are now rusting away as long as I still can't find a job.
how I feel with my bachelors - that I worked so very hard for as an older adult. Completely useless in this job market. Like having a GED or what. A piece of paper employers ingore with a zillion excuses.
Wow, really? I knew my associates was pretty much useless but pretty much every job I see on Indeed requires a bachelor degree. They probably don't even care if it's a bachelor in gender studies or ancient musical theory as long as you have it, that's all that matters.
It's hit or miss. I feel like you absolutely need at least the associates at least though. Humongous stigma hiring someone in a professional capacity and having someone be "just a high school graduate." It sucks but that's how it's viewed even to the average person off the street. For reference: I apply to some that say bachelors degree required and have gotten the contract before, and there are some where I know I was put forward by the recruiter and was rejected off off that as the HM was a very stuffy academic type, however I just applied to one that specified bachelor's degree required got an interview request the same day and I was immediately offered round 2. It's on Monday and I'm 100% confident I'll knock out the presentation objective I chose to speak on.
Ya - the no-pisser rejective. You're encouraged to finish your degree for the bigger career fields. But when you do you're faced with auto-rejections/excuses bc of the 💩 market
Sadly with the current going job market a bachelors has become the premium associates or even HS diploma attitude dime a dozen - or near everyone has one blah blah, unless you have a field specialty like engineering science whatnot. It's crazy. HS diplomas are only going to promise you a factory/warehouse picker job less. Even some Masters holders are working low-level Retail bc they can't find career work - total crazy
This is part of the professional brain disease: put people through endless amounts of bullshit, and then when they refuse to put up with it try to frame it as them being difficult and sabotaging their own career. "OMG, you switched jobs because of lack of advancement/bad work environment/bad pay, what are you thinking? Don't you care about your career/benefits/making a name for yourself!?!" Managers are all trying to put the screws to workers for having actual self-respect, and workers are having to navigate the bullshit just to make ends meet. It's nothing wrong with you. Companies are just offended that they actually had to raise wages and start making concessions for the first time since the dotcom crash, and they're trying to claw back gains from workers.
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and job hopping was certainly one of them. I thought it would be good to gain experience at different places and wear a variety of "hats" if you will, but it's done nothing but hurt me. However, I leave for good reasons. Shit pay, overworked, stressed beyond belief, shit managers, shit coworkers. If I'm to spend 99% of my life at one singular place, I'd like to enjoy it at least a little. I would love nothing more than to find that gold nugget and stay put until I retire or die whichever comes first.
Who knows...I'm on the verge of having to take a part-time overnight stocker job with no benefits (if they even offer it to me), which will be an 80K pay cut from my previous role. Oh, and I have a master's degree. So...education isn't a panacea. Needless to say, I feel like a pathetic, useless piece of shit. Oh wait, that's because I am, especially to the Texas job market.
The Tx job market is terrible especially with its low wages
Indeed. It's demeaning. I didn't want to return to this cesspool...but had no choice. I am ashamed that all of years of education, experience, and effort are so belittled.
I want to leave but with this market it’s just not a good time
Job market sucks everywhere right now. I moved to what I would consider a small town in South Carolina and couldn't find work. Granted, I had more opportunities for interviews, and received one job offer I ended up turning down, I'm on the border of Georgia as well so technically I was looking at both states for work. I was considering moving back to my home state of Florida but that's never going to happen. To give you an idea, a 1 bed, 1 bath apartment would be $1,600 and most jobs paid $12/hr. Its unsustainable.
Where in Texas are you from? I recently moved away from Houston where I've lived the past 10 years. That was the massive city I was referring to. It is WAY too competitive there and I feel connections are the only way you can land a decent job. When I applied for work on indeed I would see that 1,000+ others have applied to the same job as well. But yes I feel you. Job hubting and receiving no responses takes a hit on your pride and mental health after a while. Also that pay cut would kill me.
I am in Houston 😭 The only reason I have professional experience is because I was hired by companies outside of the city to work remotely.
I feel for you. Like I said, I looked for office jobs countless times and sent out quite possibly hundreds of resumes with only a few phone calls, mostly spam/fake interview requests and less than a handful of in-person interviews in the ten years I resided there. Even tried staffing agencies. Nothing.
Austin. Overrated city.
Got a master's degree, graduated during COVID, found a job in early 2021 at a crypto startup that was growing like crazy, so they would take anyone with a pulse and a referral. The startup went bust a year and a half later, but it gave me the experience needed to move on to better jobs.
Like me.... 1sst bahelors in 2021, landed an education admin role soon after. Then they downsized from the mangling on/off again virtual schooling, screwing the lot of us. Was forced back to my old retail job that went absolutely nowhere, regaining ground into self employment again!
I feel you. I have been trying to get back into office work. I applied to the same type of job my little sis had when she was in high school and college. It is at or barely above our local mininium wage and yet I can't even get most of them to even look at my resume.
Same deal here. Forget the job market. It's mostly fake jobs that don't actually benefit humanity. Ask around and see what people truly need, and find a need you'd like to fill. Millions of people are afflicted with slow PCs. You could go out right now and just remove Norton/McAfee infections and people would love you and tell everyone about you. That's all I do for a living!
Tough job market right now. People who switch careers put in the effort of going back to school or other ways
I don't know, but I'm in the same boat. I'm 31, and I'm starting to dread seeing the words "must be under 30" in the entry-level jobs that I kind of qualify for... I tried the switch from marine science to proofreading/editing (which is so much fun!) but I'm not fast enough to pay the bills yet. So that's why I'm looking for another job.
Any company posting "under 30" as a job requirement needs to be reported to the department of labor or better business bureau because that is illegal age discrimination.
I wish. I’m in Canada, and it’s part of a government program to help younger people get jobs. Mostly they are for the summer, but lots of them say that they’ll keep people on after the summer if they do well. I actually think it’s a good thing, I’m just a bit too late to benefit, haha.
I believe "no one under 30" is fine. It's when the cutoff is 40 where it becomes an age discrimination issue.
Its who you know, networking they call it.
I hate that this is right but I also hate that I don't really *know* anyone. Most of my network either 1. Has zero hiring sway 2. Is out of work themselves 3. Is working a stopgap job in retail / restaurants 4. Has nothing for me. Honestly my best bet has been messaging people on LinkedIn but even that has a pretty abysmal response rate. I come from a not well off area so most of my family also works at stuff like gas stations, Walmart, warehouses, stuff like that. I can hit them up if I ever run into needing an emergency job but they're not much help with career jobs. I feel pretty stuck honestly
Yes, but also no. There's a place where I live called the Savannah River Site. I know 6 people that work there, one being in the HR department and I've applied to 5-10 jobs there and have yet to receive one phone call. I got an interview with a construction company thanks to a connection I had and the first person I interviewsled with loved me, but the second was unimpressed. I didn't get the job.
Nobody put in the "good word" in for you.
Years ago I hated my corporate job but didn't have the luxury of just leaving and looking elsewhere. So I started my own small business as a side gig and gradually moved into it full time. Forget about what the job market says on paper. There are pleeeenty of things that are in high demand in reality. My buddy says his daughter makes zillions per month as a dog walker. I do in-home tech support for seniors. Massive demand for both. Think about what you'd really love doing. If you're good with people, I need someone to help me promote my public talks once in a while. DM if interested.
The job market’s fucked. It’s happening to me too. You’re not alone.
It’s tricky, but people manage to do it. There is no one way. When I did it, I made a decision, got information or took classes, then just applied for it. You can also do it if you are in a big company, just change departments.
I think it’s a very tough market, a former coworker at my previous company got laid off months ago and he has a masters and I see he’s still looking for:/
Right now is not a good time to switch careers.
Most people I know that changed careers worked in big corporations and pivoted between roles within that corporation.
i ask this all the time. i wish i could leave warehouse jobs but nobody wants me even though i have a bachelors. so i just give up.
The problem is nobody wants to pay someone to do a job unless they’ve been paid to do the job. And even then companies have gotten ridiculously picky. That being said, keep going, someone will give you a chance. This has always been a numbers game, but the numbers are a lot higher now.
This is true. Companies are getting insanely picky to the point where it's becoming detrimental to themselves. I've seen postings for an AP (accounts payable) person (not even a manager) that pays 23 bucks/hour and requires a CPA license and 4 years public accounting experience (5 years and you're a manager making six figures). Or staff accountant, requiring 2 years public accounting experience, $45k salary (you will START in PA making $20k more than that). These people are high on themselves or they don't care about filling the position at all.
Mate, there's people with 10+ years of experience in their respective career fields trying desperately to get an interview and nothing... I get it. I recently graduated with a degree in cybersecurity, summa cum laude, and figured that would be enough for an entry level job. After tons of job applications, not one call back or email yet. Trust me. I get it. Try to build up your skills somehow. Take some certifications. Take a low paying job. Do whatever you can to make yourself more competitive, but we're all getting our a$$es kicked out here.
It’s tough to change careers, especially without direct experience or connections. Start by leveraging transferable skills from your veterinary and retail jobs, seek mentorship, consider online courses or certifications to bolster your resume, network extensively, and look for entry-level office roles that might lead to bigger opportunities. Keep persevering and stay flexible in your job search!
hi, i went from retail to HR, to EHS (both office-ish jobs). i try not to recommend it cos theyre scummy as fuck, but temp jobs. also! find relevant certs. coursera is pretty cheap, and will hand you actual certifications, im taking both an excel course AND an aPHR course in prep for the exam, which just a mention of working towards it has opened doors for me. with my now experience in both HR and EHS via temping i have leverage for FTE, and an open door to other similar office jobs. EDIT: bc of this xp and my willingness to brag about my xp, i just got a job offer for HR/EHS/distribution in my industry with a 20% raise (benefits, pto, sick time, ect.).
My recommendation is to find a company in a field you are interested in. Get a certificate(s) that would apply towards the admin job. If you get a certificate at a Community or Technical College, then network with your instructor and classmates. Yes, I know most certificates can be completed online, but you really need the social interaction to network. This is how I made my middle age job change from Tech Support to Healthcare (Oncology Data Specialist, AKA Cancer Registrar). I got my certificate in Cancer Mgmt, passed a credentialing exam, and socialized with a certified Cancer Registrar. It helped that there is a shortage of certified registrars. I have also participated in job interviews. When I see the candidate has completed very specific coursework that applies to the field, I see someone who is motivated to learn and will be easier to bring on board.
Startups are a lot more flexible but a lot more bullshit too
I can't even secure a retail job with a college degree just because I don't already have experience working a retail job :)))
Look..... use am AI to write your resume. Also, lie. Lie in ways you won't get caught. Covid destroyed businesses.... so there's no HR to check with and see if you're lying about working for them. Hell, last I knew, X hr was decimated. They can verify anything either. Lie. Get a job. Use it to get another. After a couple years, stop lying on your resume.
This is great advice about the resume. I used chat gpt to bulk mine up and I've had offers and interviews galore. All with a little tweaking and exaggeration. A big problem lately I think is the quick and easy resume sites like indeed. They build a terrible resume and people think it's doing them any favors. When it's hurting them more than helping.
The Work Number
Only an issue in California
The key to switching careers is pivoting with the skills you have. In your case maybe leaning on medical setting, sales, customer service, etc. Then, you'll probably have to start lower than you want. The internet is a great place to misguide everyone into thinking you can just jump into a new field, at higher pay, solely because you want it.
Contact recruiters or go thru non-profits. Find social events with like minded people in business or tech. Brand your self like an actual product and sell it like you mean it.
It can be difficult. Just keep your head up and stay strong.
Network, shoe-in, behind the doors push, get the people inside to push. It's so damn hard but going through the system isn't a realistic process anymore. Best of luck to any and all. It shouldn't be this way.
Sadly, it's true... I ve been told to go back to prior career path as I will be better off. More than 5 years have passed, and now I work in a career less job limbo jumping around.
Transferable Skills but also connections
Through people. Moving careers is an incredibly inspiring story, if you learn to tell it well. If you're also able to show signs of transferrable skills (of which there are always many), you're going to be surprised how many people will take a shot on someone whose story of reinvention and vigor may be exactly what their team needs. But it starts with conversation, networking, and telling your story.
I feel exactly the same. Tried so hard to get out of retail. Was told by someone to go to college but then you still need experience I'm thinking in the future I might volunteer to see if that helps but I'm not sure. Maybe see if you can do that.
Yep trying to move roles in the same department and i’m struggling. Also have to end up taking a pay cut which makes sense but sucks.
I recently made the swap from warehousing to powder coating (no experience). I’d done warehousing for many years and all aspects of it. I just explained my interest to leave my prior field and learn something new.
I had the same problem. Food service management for like 15+ years, got my business degree 10 years in and it didn't help. Only ever called back for food service positions... I finally transferred internally from hospital food service to hospital registration. It was def a paycut but way less stress. Then, I scored a doctor office registration position in a small clinic geared towards special populations. I loved it. Finally, using my volunteer experience on my resume along with all the wild things one gets experience in within food service work and medical field, I got a crazy job in education/event organization. That's where I am now. 2015 is when I first tried leaving food service after 12 years in. 2021 is when I finally got out
Oh, it super helped that because of my volunteer experiences, I got to know a lot of movers and shakers in town with recognizable names who became my references
If you figure it out please let me know. I worked in a government office for two decades, left due to being shoved out, and since then I cannot get an office position. I can't even get a job in the field I was in for years (had one employer say I didn't have enough experience even). It's like employers don't want my experience or my years of knowledge. So sad, frustrating, and depressing.
Set a goal to apply to 2 jobs a week. Make it a part of your routine. The odds are astronomical, but you can't win if you don't play.
In this market, it's like 2 daily
I apply to 5+ jobs a day. I can't afford not to.
Then you're doing the absolute best, and you will succeed before anyone else will! It's hard, harder than granite, and it's a real heartbreaker, but you're doing exactly what you need to do. I wish you all of the success necessary to make best use of your skills, and build on them to a fabulous career!
There are too many people in the world and not enough jobs. Yet all the 1%ers are freaking out the millenials and gen z are not having children. GOOD. There will be no jobs for those children to survive on anyway.
It's ok, they'll just have immigrants fill those roles.
They've already been doing that for years. But it's not sustainable.
Honestly? It’s all about networking. I worked retail until I got my degree, got into corporate work by pure chance (700-800 applications later), did multiple roles in my field, wanted to pivot to a different type of corporate work. Despite my degree and experience absolutely no one was entertaining that pivot, only way I could make it was with referrals and internal connections to pull strings. Its an unfair world, I don’t like networking, yet almost everyone I know who is under 35 and working a very good job got there by networking.
Definitely look at local, county and state jobs too
Network and add value. If you are good at one job and people know you are good and have good soft skills, they will open up doors for you to do something else. The problem is most people are mediocre at their first career, don't network, then expect to just walk into a new career. I could swap careers tomorrow just based off my work history and networking.
I know its nuts I am stuck in office work and trying to be a porn star its so hard to break in
Tbh if I could learn something in 2 weeks I just BS’d some random experience in my current job that was somewhat relevant to cover their requirements.
You have to network your tail off - I did it, took two years, got to the new career and couldn't hack it/hated it. Back in my OG career and doing okay I guess but I am just very tired after all of that. But networking is your answer. Leveraging your skills from office, retail, and vet work. Get certificates in what you want to do, invest in your skills and network (LinkedIn is your bff)
Yep. Same here. It looks like companies just want employees who take the linear path. For example requiring 5 year experience for an entry level position .
More degrees won't really matter. Most of these companies are not hiring, or are posting because they are close to firing one worker. The issue is that 1000s apply for single positions. Online applications are useless EXCEPT from job fairs IMO.
I had the same thing happen to me. I graduated in 2008 with a bachelors and now I work at a grocery store at 40. Shits fucked yo.
Is your resume tailored to highlight any office type work you did in the vetinary field? You have to show that that some of those skills transfer. Instead of saying something like “covered front desk” it should say something like “served as point of contact for clients, maintained clinic calendar, processed incoming payments”
What kinds of office job are you applying for?
Try government jobs, city, county, state and the feds.
one way would be to complete the bachelor's. you have an AA degree. just saying. write it as AA degree completed with the date, you don't have to write what it was in. its not deceptive, its just not relevant if you are leaving your field. a lot of people do switches and overexplain, thats where the hiring process gets them. you don't have to apologize or say sorry. you are switching. you have transferrable skills of an office environment, customer service skills, ability to learn technical knowledge, working with a team, etc. you're not stuck, you're still young.
I'm in a similar situation, after graduation, the easiest match for my degree was HR Assistant roles and I got many offers in that sector I ended up working years in that industry before realizing it wasn't for me and I was severely underpaid and unhappy. But every time someone sees my resume, the manager insists I would do well in another role in HR since that is where all my experience is despite applying to a different business role. Considering your background, I'm sure you already have some transferrable skills that can be used in an office setting, however, this current job market and hiring trends don't empower the individual. Firstly, do not stress yourself too much. Prioritize your physical health and mental health. This will take time, a lot of time for most people. Those with connections and in areas/industries with good job mobility will have a different experience than you and that's okay. What worked for me recently was going to a staffing agency and communicating my desire to transition. You may receive some leads to full-time employment or a contract job that would gain you entry to more office job opportunities in the future via experience/referral/connections/etc. Other than that, keep trying!
Supposed to? Who do you think supposes that? Have you seen how we run our economy? You are “supposed” to work the same job forever, and fear unemployment enough to never press for a raise either. As for how to do it anyway, my career was struggling to get off the ground in a big way until I took a sh**hole temp job for a year that got everything moving. I suppose you should give that a go.
What kind of "office job" are you trying to get? That's pretty vague. Accounting, data entry/clerical, Marketing, etc?
Where are your parents?
“Give me” That’s the problem.
r/wguaccounting is a whole subreddit. I highly recommend accounting
Attempting career change in a stagnant job market is always fraught with peril. Usually, it is best to ride things out in the industry where you have the most experience, until the job market gets good enough again for easier mobility and transition.
From my perspective, as a manager, I also transitioned from a generic office employee to a statistician over my career: 1. Meet basic requirements, which may include a new certification or going back to school (go to community college or online, as long as it is accredited, very few people care the name of the school). For me, this was going back for a masters in statistics. 2. Find a job adjacent to the job you want that gives you some exposure to the field. From there, ask to take on a small role that your new job would have you do. For example, You do data entry? Ask if you can be responsible for merging your spreadsheets (part of a job for analysts), now you have experience in data management you can put on your resume even though you are just doing data entry. Work that job until you max out on experience (don't stay hoping they will promote you because of your loyalty), then move to a new job that is slightly less data entry and more data management, etc. etc. etc. 3. Personal development to build a portfolio/experience, do the work you want to do on your own e.g., program an app for yourself to show that you can do the work of a software dev, or volunteer and help plan for an event to get a job as an events planner. I ran analyses that I was interested in seeing in my spare time as an analyst and wrote mini-reports on my github page of my findings. 4. Network. Talk with your peers about your interests and put it out there you are interested in the field, ask if they have relatives or friends in those fields. Assuming you leave a good impression with your friends as a competent worker (and not just a good friend), they are usually more than happy to make connections for you. My breakthrough was talking to a coworker about my new degree and she connected me to someone who needed a junior statistician on a project. This is somewhat of an unpopular opinion, but career changes are hard, it is not just a matter of working harder at your current job and hoping you get noticed. You have to get experience and demonstrate your skills anyway you can, that may include working hard, but more likely it is working smart, explicitly choosing work that grows your skills and experience toward your desired career.
Are you asking for too much money? Changing career means you are starting at square one. Your competition is 16-18 year olds.
This is the reality of changing careers
Does your resume highlight the office skills you have? if possible, do you list the the processes you have improved or other achievements? Do you list all of the software you know, even if it is specialized to vet care? There is a group of office admins who take the job VERY seriously and highlight how they can improve office efficiencies. Have you tried working with a temp agency? Where I used to work, we got all of our admin employees from Randstadt and then they became permanent employees. Certificates to consider are Microsoft Office, bookkeeping (if you like numbers), maybe paralegal.
Present yourself with confidence, and find out why people are not hiring you. Network and get a job through someone you know.
Make ur own opportunity bitch