Love Nashville, but there's only one problem... (car rental, rental)

[nicole0642]

... I can't seem to find a job to get me down there!

I know you all get this alot... but do any of you know of any place that is hiring in the Nashville area?

I just graduated with my BBA and am desperately looking to move back to Tennessee from Michigan.

I have been sending my resume out like crazy on Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com, looking up big companies and applying directly, applying to hiring agencies... it almost feels helpless.

I just spent $500 to go down there for the day because I received a call for an interview and the lady seemed as though my resume was promising and that they were choosing 5 people out of 13, but once I got down there I found out that they were choosing 5 people out of about 50.

I know that being an "out-of-stater" is probably hurting my chances, but there is absolutely no way that I would be able to move without having a job ready for me when I get down there.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Pimpy]

I think Careerbuilder and Monster are a waste of time. You are on the right track sending your resume directly to the big companies you're interested in. You might consider contacting some of the more reputable professional recruiters in the area as well, such as Hadden, Robert Half, etc.

Being from out of state probably isn't helping your cause any, either, especially in a sluggish economy. If you're single and fresh out of school with no family to support, why not come on down here and sling drinks or wait tables until you find something more permanent. That way, you'll have a Nashville address, you'll make enough cash to get by, and you'll have time to interview for the jobs you really want during the day.

[alleycat]

When you say you're applying directly*, do you mean you are talking to a live person, or at least directing your resume to a real human being, or do you mean you are sending your resume to the personnel department of individual companies?

*I applaud you for doing that; I have fussed on here before about people relying on Careerbuilder or Monster. It's the modern-day equivalent of looking in the classified ads in the newspaper, and that's not how most better jobs are filled.

[nicole0642]

When I say "directly" I mean going to their webpage and searching under their "Career" page and sending my resume to them through there.
But I've also sent it to a specific person when the name and email address is given as well as sent it to the HR Department.

I agree about Careerbuilder and Monster... however, the job I went down to interview for was applied to on Careerbuilder. But I didn't get the job, so I'm back to not being a fan of it!

Yes I am single and the only one other than myself to support is my little puppy. I have considered bartending or waitressing but I haven't really had much experience in either - so I'm not confident it will be enough to get me by! The only experience I have when it comes to that is that I was a "shot-girl" for a night club. Other than that I've only worked retail, call center, and now I'm at one of the Big 3.

[Tunky]

When my husband lost his job and we had to move down here, I had to look for work too (twice, actually...the first position I took was just in order to have SOMETHING, I didn't like it from the get go and kept looking). Looking for a job was more than a full time job...it was exhausting and emotionally draining as well.

I have to agree 100% that Careerbuilder and Monster are a waste of time. You might luck out, but....

Do the leg work and whatever else you have to do to find a way to apply directly to a company and IF you can get a name, any name, even better.

This probably sounds like a waste of time too, but it actually helped me...the book "What Color is Your Parachute" has been updated and has some very helpful info. You might want to check it out.

Good Luck!

[rossc]

I've been self employed but that hasn't been going well lately, so I started looking about a month ago. I don't usually do Monster or career builder, but I saw a job listed on Monster, knew the employer and the job details, the hiring managers name and applied. I didn't hear anything so I just started calling the hiring manager telling him how perfect I'd be for the job. After three calls I got an interview and was hired on the spot. Turns out my resume on Monster was one of about 500 submitted. If you are not one of the first 50 or so they look at, you probably won't get an interview because they have already hired someone. I don't know if I got an interview just so I'd stop bothering the hiring manager or if they really thought I was perfect for the job, but it doesn't really matter. You need that interview to impress the hiring parties. Do what you have to to get that interview.

FWIW...I have a degree and over 10 years experience in IT and get a call back. The market is flooded with qualified people. If they were picking 5 from 50, you got lucky. Usually they have hundreds to choose from. The job I just got is not in the IT industry and the pay isn't the best, but it's a job and it's something I like and it could easily turn into a management job.

The out of state thing is definitely not helping. There are so many right here who can go to work tomorrow, employers are just not even considering out of state people.

[nicole0642]

During the "group interview", the HR Rep said that there were over 400 resumes sent in. So there must have been something impressive on mine that landed me in the top 50.

It's just so discouraging. I know that the economy is bad and everything, but when you look at the big picture - like the fact that you go to college to get a good job - it's just so sad, and annoying and frustrating, that you get shafted because things are just bad all over right now.

And on top of that, the ability to do a face-to-face interview is so much harder than I expected it to be! Last week I got a call on Friday and had to get off work Tuesday and schedule a flight and car rental last minute. Ugh, SO expensive and so last minute. I wish I could say it was worth it. But the dumb company didn't hire me. But I guess it's the chance I have to take if I'm this serious about moving back down there...

[rossc]

Group interview? You got a one on one interview as well, didn't you? The problem people right out of college or recently out of college have is that they are up against people with the same or better degrees plus years of experience.

[BP300]

I've seen a lot of people on this forum claim that "out-of-staters" have more difficulty finding jobs. I think this is an inaccurate statement. It depends on where you're coming from and what type of experience you have. I, for example, was heavily recruited in Nashville when I was living in NYC. Companies flew me down and took me out to lunch to recruit me. This was last year when the economy was starting to falter. I know many companies in Nashville have difficulty finding individuals with public company experience, so they look for people from NYC, Chicago, LA, etc.

[Big TR]

Originally Posted by BP300

I've seen a lot of people on this forum claim that "out-of-staters" have more difficulty finding jobs. I think this is an inaccurate statement. It depends on where you're coming from and what type of experience you have. I, for example, was heavily recruited in Nashville when I was living in NYC. Companies flew me down and took me out to lunch to recruit me. This was last year when the economy was starting to falter. I know many companies in Nashville have difficulty finding individuals with public company experience, so they look for people from NYC, Chicago, LA, etc.

The sample size police just called and want to talk to you.

OP, finding a job as an out of stater is next to impossible. Some people in the right field can get a job if their skill set is unique as BP300 has noted. If you are a run of the mill employee (like staff accountant, customer service, etc.) and basically anybody can fill the shoes of the position, you are going to have a very difficult time getting a job.