Desperately looking for a summer job

[Enobmah]

??????Hey all. So close around my area of Glendale Arizona, I've been trying to apply at the following places like Fry's food & drug grocery store, Best Buy, Borders, Barnes&Nobles, or any job other than a fast food restaurant. Most of the time all of the retails are done online in order for the application to be processed.

??????One by one, I would try calling the stores and keep asking them how my application went. After the call, I would get a response such as, "The manager will give you a call back once the file is looked upon." As I wait to hear back from those stores, I've been feeling a little anxious if I will get the job or not. It seems to stress me out when I am trying to go for it.

?? Either one of two things can happen here: I can wait and wait until they give me a direct call or they might not get to me and I will have to restart the application form again. It really worries me when that happens. There are tons of people who want to get a summer job besides me and make a living. I just hope soon I will get one of these jobs as summer begins.
????

??So guys, from your personal experience for job hunting what advice or suggestions can you give me to effectively to be one of the candidates to be hired on the spot by the time school/community college comes to a close? =]


Okay, update on the job hunting today: I walked out and went to the target retail store and said they were hiring for backroom team assistant which is a part of the Logistics position of the job and I applied for it, then hopefully as soon as my finals are over I expect to get a call from them before summer starts. I have my fingers crossed on this very job that I am interested in. If I get this job, I'll be so happy that I will celebrate. For reals this time.

[Tsetsume]

First and foremost: Penmanship.
The first thing a potential employer sees of you (unless they personally handed you the application) is your application.??No one wants to hire a person who doesn't take the time to neatly fill out an application.
Studies show that a person with bad penmanship is either unintelligent and/or doesn't care (the latter is definitely most of the cases with horrible handwriting).??No one wants to hire an unintelligent person who doesn't care about anything.??And being able to read their writing is always a plus.??
If your handwriting is horrible you can neaten it up ten fold by just slowing down.??As you get better at making neater letters they will come more naturally and you can write perfectly effortlessly before long.??

Secondly, whenever you make any kind of contact with the business, make it professional.??When you walk in to get an app or when you turn it in the manager will ask about you.??You don't want them to hear "he looked scruffy as hell like he just got out of bed.??I think he needs a shower, too."??

This also applies to the next step:
Don't call after turning in an application.??After a few days (so they have time to review it - more people are applying than just you!??be considerate!), go there in person and ask to speak with the hiring manager.??This will put you in their mind much more predominantly.??Make eye contact, shake their hand, say hello, ask how they are doing.??"I'm so-and-so and I filled out an application on WhateverDay.??I was wondering if you've had a chance to review it yet," is all you need to say.
Chances are you won't get an interview then and there (although it has happened to me), but it is A LOT more than a name on a piece of paper handed to them by a secretary/hostess/whatever.
If you can't get there in person then work on your phone personality.??Most people are kind of shy or curt on the phone.??Don't be.??You're calling the love of your life and you're the happiest man in the world!
"Blahblah, Inc.??How may I help you?"
"Hello!??How are you???May I speak with a hiring manager, please?"
"And your name?"
"Oh, I'm sorry - So-And-So Smith.??^_^"
Don't chat up the receptionist, but let her know you are slightly outgoing so she can pass this on to the manager.
Think of everyone involved with the company as an ugly woman with a really hot friend.??The hiring manager is their hot friend.??She's not going to date you if you are mean to her friends.??

With the interview be yourself.??The manager is your best friend who you are completely comfortable with.??Laugh, make light jokes, don't stay on one subject TOO long, and answer questions directly.??Don't puff yourself up to something you are not (i.e.-don't profess mastery in a field you know nothing about).??If they have a roleplay segment of the interview (which some employers do) embrace it and meet it head on.??You ARE the salesperson and the customer is mad at you but really wants that product!??GO!??XD
Always make eye contact during the interview - but not constant eye contact.??Any more than five seconds of continuous eye contact is creepy.??
Thank them for the interview and shake their hand before AND after the interview.??You are a kind, courteous person - exactly who they are looking for.??You are going to be the face of their empire - what customers see and why they either want to come back or don't.??Don't be the reason they won't want to come back!
Be the employee they come to see!!??Be the one they ask why he's not there!??You will get raises and promotions and have a big black benz and a Caribbean cruiser!??...okay, maybe not - but you get my point!??XP

If you don't get the job don't burn the bridge (even if you never got an interview).??If you make an awesome impression they will keep you on file or even pass your name on to other companies!??I've seen it happen many many times!
I've also seen managers throw applications away as soon as the person turns around to leave!??MAKE AN AWESOME IMPRESSION EVERY TIME YOU CONTACT ANYTHING INVOLVING THE EMPLOYER!!!

I know I used WAY to many exclamation points in this post!??But I want you to believe what I am saying and be really excited!??Employers like people who are excited about working for them!

ARE YOU EXCITED?!?!??I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!!

ARE YOU EXCITED?!?!??THAT'S BETTER!??XP


Now, go get that job!!!

*edit

Oh yeah!??The application itself!

FULL NAME.??NO SHORTENED FORM OR NICKNAME.
If you are Christopher then don't put Kryss.
Don't be afraid to exaggerate a tiny, tiny bit.??If they don't ask for the most recent employers then put down the ones that are most likely to give you a good reference.
If they don't ask for exact dates then put years.??If you worked a job from November of 2008 to February of 2009 you can put 2008-2009!??THAT'S TWO YEARS!!!??Of course it isn't really, and it's not lying, either.??If they ask you can tell them 11/08-02/09.??They aren't going to dismiss you for putting accurate dates!
When asking for duties performed make them sound extravagant!??Did you take out garbage???Put "sanitation!"??Take orders at a drive through???"Customer Service Representative!"??Use your imagination!??It isn't lying - it's polishing and it's what employers look for.??Just don't say you saved lives because you cooked hamburgers - yes, excessive hunger kills, but... do I really need to explain it???lol

Your signature.
Work on it.??Does it stand out or is it just scribbles???Most signatures are illegible except for the first letters of the names.??This is really all you need.
If your name is John Smith then you just need a J-scribble S-scribble; but make the J and the S very prominent - regal even.??Just like the handwriting, try it slowly.??Work on designs for the letters.??Once you have these two then work on the scribbles.
Don't just make the scribbles arbitrary curly-cues, though.??Pretend you are actually writing the rest of your name.??The "ohn" in John will definitely need the stem of the 'h' in it.??The "mith" in Smith with have two stems ('t' and 'h') and a dot for the 'i'.??Following the "John Smith" example, one could write a stylized cursive 'J' and use the tail as an underline for the rest of the signature.??Whatever makes the signature stand out and say, "I am an intelligent person and I take pride in the things I do," instead of, "omg, I am so glad I am finally done with this application.??I want to go home and smoke pot now.??>_>"??

*double edit!

After the interview call instead of going in person!??Meeting them in person is too much pressure!??It's like sending a $120 bouquet of roses after the first date.??Wait a day or two (not the immediate day after the interview - again, you're not the only person in line) and call.??They will most likely "be out" every time you call.??Leave a message and call again tomorrow!??They will "appreciate your persistence" when you get that second interview!??

*OMG triple edit?!?!

If you find yourself too shy or insecure to do any or all of these things think about this:

If you don't get the job you will probably never see them again.
If you do get the job, it was because you did the things you were normally too shy or insecure to try.

[Enobmah]

Ah okay, thanks for the wonderful time to write all that information down Tsetsume. =]

I'll have to jot down some notes on this for future reference.

[Former-GM-Mystra]

Tsetsume Wrote:No one wants to hire a person who doesn't take the time to neatly fill out an application.
Studies show that a person with bad penmanship is either unintelligent and/or doesn't care (the latter is definitely most of the cases with horrible handwriting).

*ahem* Doctors? And I wont ignore and don't give a damn about my clients, and yeah, my handwriting is horrible! :o

PS: Try Theme parks, best summer job ever!

[Merellis]

-doing this since November-

Good luck.

[Tsetsume]

XP

By "horrible handwriting" I mean sloppy, irregular letters. Doctors [stereotypically] just kinda scribble, but I bet they can have lovely handwriting if writing a letter or something.

[Aaronock]

Oh man Tsetsu said like everything I could almost think of.
I was actually going to say go visit the places you are applying for and try your best to get a manager to meet you if you can.??Look nice though when you go, collared shirt, nice clean pants, and have a good clean look about you.

Anyway good luck Eno, I hope you find a job soon :]

[Tsetsume]

Tsetsu is a boys' name.??D:
Well, technically.??Look up my introductory post for all THAT info... If you wanna shorten it, Tset is fine.??

Collared shirts honestly don't matter with certain employers.??They never matter when going up to request application info anyway.??Some nice jeans and a single-color unprinted t-shirt are always acceptable.??Just make sure they fit; you aren't applying for a gang and/or rap crew.??XD

Also, if you're a guy with long hair you don't need to put it in a ponytail unless it's windy out.??I honestly think long hair looks better let out than pulled back anyway as long as it's brushed/combed well.??Just make it presentable.??If you can't do that you probably shouldn't have long hair anyway.??No one wants to hire this guy:

[Enobmah]

Thank you all for the encouragement, especially you Aaronock. =]

P.S. I'll try not to be that guy in the picture when I prepare myself for a job. xD