(SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY) Will you help me find a job?

You said that you put in your resume and applications since Dec without a call back, so you aren't even getting in the door for an interview? It might be your resume, how does it look? Did you play up your strengths? The resume you send out says alot about you. I used to write resumes for a side job for friends. If you want, I'll take a look at it and give you some pointers.

Also, when you send your resume out, are you calling the company back to ask that they got it? What about asking if there are openings and if they say yes, ask to set up an interview? You have to take initiative to get noticed.

You said you have a little experience, I bet you have more than you realize because any job you have held gives you experience, any volunteer work, any projects, that's experience.

Tina

First thing you need to do is shape up your resume. Take out the part about the 4.0 and the fraternity. Just stick to the facts. You won't find many good jobs in the classifieds. Go to your Illinois Employment office and talk with a counselor there. They have the good jobs listed. The ones that make it into the paper are usually duds. When you say you need a good job with good earnings, benefits, and growth potential I laughed out loud. That is what everyone wants! Keep your resume to one page. Also, if you are really serious about breaking out of the menial jobs mold, then you need to go to the companies where you would like to work. Go to them. Ask if they have any job openings in IT. Ask if they have any internships. An internship is a really good way of getting your foot in the door. The sometimes last 2-3 months, so it is a job interview for the entire time. Make friends with the coworkers then and it will be really difficult for them to tell you goodbye. And even if they do, you will have that as job experience that may impress your next potential employer. Good luck.

You could do a few freelance projects to show potential employers your projects. It looks good on a resume. Here are a few sites I know of.

http://www.scriptlance.com/?ref=bobbi507

http://www.guru.com/

You do get paid for these projects and for most you set your own price. You kind of just look through postings that Webmasters have on the site. There are people too that need programming done and they do not know how to it. Give it a shot. I think it would give you an edge over some others.

By the way I think it is Phi Beta Kappa, the honor society. Maybe I am wrong.

You need to go to a major city in your state. Secondly, there are a lot of agencies that will place you on a work to hire basis.

Let me know if you have done all of this already.

Dah dude, former CIO major company.

Post your portfolio of projects you have worked on. You should have about a years worth of projects. You didn't mention your specialty.

Possible paths....

vb.net, asp.net, c#, coldfusion mx, php, ruby on rails, java,sap/netweaver

Database skills

oracle, sql server, mysql, access, foxpro

Can you write stored procedures/triggers, can you design normalized databases, can you write inline queries using multi-joins.

Reporting skills

cyrstal reports, jreports, .....

Refine your question with your skills and someone could offer you better advice. Truth is, GPA doesn't really mean much to me. Skills are far more valuable than GPA. however, you are competing against people coming out a four year degree. Experience and projects should be used to compete against them.

Try my former employer, Visa. Top notch.

-MM

put in your application at www.vermeerjobs.com