things going wrong

[benmurrihy]

So, depressingly, although I attempted to make sure that I would have some sort of vacation work arranged for this summer break, I do not. It's a requirement of my degree, to graduate. That is, when I graduate next year

Comments

[shigawire]

Is your resume online somewhere? Maybe ask friends or the UCC list if there is any short term work that would be appropriate?

It's going to be very difficult to find vacation work through advertised positions (although don't stop trying; I could be wrong). Apart from short term contracts, most positions will be looking for long term commitment, and the contracts will probably want some previous experience doing very close to the work they need. It's going to make it even more interesting if you don't have much formal work experience.

At the same time, this has little to do with if you can do the work, and a Professional Practicum thingy doesn't have to be too in-depth.

[helen_jess]

I think Zoe was saying that Coles Claremont need people. Maybe ask her about that. YOu can also always put your resume into the city of nedlands with a covering letter saying how you'd like to do casual relief work at the library or council. When I had no work, I emailed every council I could think of that was nearish me and asked them if they had any casual work. Maybe you could try that.

[benmurrihy]

I forgot to mention that this is professional pracicum - it has to be related to the subject matter of my degree (Electric/Electronic Engineering). I don't think coles or libraries would qualify.

[maelkann]

On the bright side, if you don't get professional practicum, you could very well be working at a supermarket!

[mexicanjewlizrd]

have you tried nepotism? It's the thing to do in Perth :-P

[bantha_fodder]

I applied to three different places, assuming that at least one would work out.

Perhaps that was your first problem. Is searching for vacation work much different to searching for any other kind of work? I know you've found gainful employment previously, so I'm unsure what sort of experience you've had whilst searching for jobs, but it can often take weeks and applications into at least the lower double digits before anything pans out.

[benmurrihy]

This has actually never happened to me - a long, fraught with disappointment search for gainful employment. I think I'm firstly picky about which sorts of jobs are things I could never see myself doing (though I don't know how baker slipped in there) and when I do apply, I tend to only need to do a few.

I also assumed that since I'm not exactly shabby academically, it would suggest a need for less effort. This may be related to my general confusion over the whole 'networking' thing. I've said it before, but I think that gaining advantage because of who, rather than what, you know, is illogical and vaguely immoral. My housemate Andrew thinks I'm naive (or in his words 'a mildly sociopathic social retard'), but I think that it's just what makes sense. If I were a person looking to fill a position, I would surely want the best person for it. I couldn't compromise my professionality by delivering a substandard person, simply because we'd previously met and got on famously at such-and-such an event. It just wouldn't be right.

[ext_4351]

Yo Ben. I'm potentially interested in the vacancy at the house and would be willing to stay for a year (if I'm willing to move in at all :-) - the only potential snag is that I won't be in Perth from New Year's Day through til mid February so if anything is to happen it'll have to happen quicklyish. Drop me a line on cameron@ucc ...

Cameron