There are still plenty of jobs in recession that do not require a degree. When times are tough and you need work, here are a few jobs that you can fall back on.
Maids and Housekeepers - Finding work as a housekeeper is best done in your local neighborhood through reputation or posting your credentials in libraries. There is a lot of manual labor but if you develop a relationship with the homeowner, you might get more referrals from their friends.
Lawn mowing - This type of work is done pretty quickly if you have a bunch of people who can separate the jobs. Get a worker for mowing, one for putting fertilizer and another for raking the grass. You might be able to finish a job in less than 30 minutes and move on to the next.
Taxi and Chauffeur - If you enjoy driving and are good with traffic routes, you can work as a chauffeur or taxi driver. The hours can be long and you might get some unruly customers, but once in a while you get a good tip for driving people to airports or farther destinations.
Security Guards - There is a bit of risk involved as a security guard but it usually only requires a background check and willingness to take on late hours. This is a difficult job to take on if you have a family or are responsible for other people with morning hours. It will also be initially hard to adjust to the sleeping times.
Fast food cook - There is guaranteed employment as fast food cook. The reason is the 300% turnover rate in this profession. Many people quit their fast food jobs for various reasons and you can take advantage of the opening. It does not take too long to learn the techniques and guidelines for how food is cooked and served.
Online recruitment started almost the same time in the USA and in England in the early 90's with providers like Monster.com in the USA, Jobserve.com in the UK and Allstarjobs.ca (started in 1997). A job bank at that time merely had a few thousand of open job positions and the chance of putting employers in touch with jobseekers was quite remote.
Since those early days, we have seen an explosion of job search sites and the technology has improved a lot for the benefit of both, recruiters and jobseekers. Nowadays, typing "Job Search" in search fields of Google or Yahoo, you get millions of pages dealing with this subject.
Finding your first job can be a special experience in ways more than one. Being the first job, it is bound to make you anxious and you might have a lot of apprehensions on how to go about it. The moment you step out of college and start looking for the job, there is a lot of non-clarity on what future has in store for you. You would naturally be worried for various reasons. And you are not alone. All fresher’s like you just feel the same and go through the same phase. There is an anxiety related to the beginning of your career and also how it will shape in future.
Firstly, finding the right first job is important. Your approach to job hunting is very important here. All fresher’s who come out of college are just armed with a degree and nothing else. They have no prior experience to bank on so it is just their personality traits and their personal ability of presenting their capabilities that can ensure them a good job. They have to convince the employer that they are the right fit for the job and land the job. Also, some candidates feel that finding the first job will always be an intimidating and frustrating experience. This is not necessarily true. It is in your hands how you go about it that will define the experience of your first job hunt.
While looking for freshers job, you need to get a feel of the real world outside your college. So, step out and opt for an internship in the industry of your choice. Take up the internship even just to get the first hand knowledge of that industry.
You can also go for a part-time job or a voluntary job service. This will shine beautifully on your CV and will impress the employer during the job interview. Once you get first-hand experience of the real work-world, you will also be better prepared on what to expect. Also, it is a known fact that networking and knowing people in the professional world always comes handy when looking for a job. It is easier to get job offers through your network. And while you are looking for the job and applying at companies, be prepared with your best resume. Get it whetted by some experienced people and seek their suggestions on making improvements. Meanwhile, keep working on your skills. Develop good oral and written communication skills and if you are not computer-literate, be sure to take up training in computer literacy.
With all this preparation, when you have applied for the job, and you get an interview call, the real work begins then. All your preparation so far will come to a naught if you are not able to sell yourself well.
