Keep interviewing, but no job offers!

Dear Career Guru,

I'm a recent graduate and I desperately need to find a job! My loans will start coming due soon, and I don't have any way to pay for them. I have been to my university's career center, built a resume (which I hear is good, just never know though) and I've had some interviews. The problem is that I never get a job offer! It's so frustrating to go through the whole process, and then get nothing out of it. I really don't want to move back in with my parents. Should I redo my resume? Help!

- Jobless in the OC

Hi Jobless,

The good news is that your resume is probably fine, because it's doing its job - getting you a phone interview/in person interview. At that point, your success in getting a job is most dependent upon how you are presenting yourself. The question is, what is happening in those interviews? It sounds like you're getting a bit frustrated with the job search process, and that can sometimes comes out during an interview. Desperate candidates can come across as angry otherwise unpleasant to work with. That will definitely hold you back from getting a job offer.

Your career center would be a great place to ask for a mock interview. Ideally, they would video tape your interview so you can see how you actually come across in person. If you cannot get back to your school, ask yourself these questions:

1) How did I feel before, during, and after the interview? If you recall feeling really anxious or unhappy during the interview, then chances are your employer picked up on it. Some anxiety tends to make people perform better, but above a certain threshold, high anxiety affects your ability to think clearly.

2) What did you wear to the interview? Did it match the office environment? As in, don't go into a corporate job wearing jeans, but don't wear a suit to interview at a surf shop...

3) Did you answer their questions? Did you have sufficient knowledge about the company, its vision, and products?

A great video that covers the basics in interviewing is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ucmfPOBV8

Good luck!

Where are the jobs?

Everyone is complaining about the lack of jobs. I work with college students and recent graduates, and the lack of local jobs that can support the cost of living in Southern California is a constant complaint. Recently out of college it's acceptable to share a room with someone, but that gets old quickly when you really want to get your life started. A lot of times, an enhanced dorm experience just isn't as much fun as you had imagined.

So you have your degree, about $25,000 in college debt (roughly the average) and you don't want to move in with your parents. What do you do?

I advise people to follow their dreams, explore your talents and strengths, and then make a move. This move might mean a physical move out of the area. If you have a good resume and interview well, but are still not getting offers of gainful employment, it may be time to seek your fortune elsewhere and return when conditions are more hospitable. According to the Orange County Workforce Indicator 2011-2012, your household needs to bring in $53,080 per year to afford a 1 bedroom rental. If that is outside of your salary range in the next few years, you might be better served building your career elsewhere.

The thought of leaving your family, friends, and beach is very frightening. I won't minimize that. But I cannot begin to tell you how many people I counsel who get "stuck" in their careers and watch their financial and living situation deteriorate because they choose not to make a move. After all, hoping for an economic turn around or that the Career Fairy will bestow the perfect job on you, after making your best efforts, is not a viable strategy. This is akin to playing the lottery, laying out your financial planning based upon winning the jackpot, and waiting for your ship to come in. Take control of your life, seek out some changes, and take a chance that can turn into something worthwhile.