How are people like me ever going to get hired again?

[Nikia]

I have been looking for a different job for quite a while. Perhaps it is partly because I am picky, have skills targeted to jobs that cannot be found at every company, and want to be paid more than $10/hour. I don't apply for every job. I'd say that my interview rate for jobs that I do apply to is roughly 30% which isn't too bad since I am applying to jobs that are advertised publically either on the web or newspaper.
I have gone to perhaps a dozen interviews. Although I really didn't want a couple of those jobs, there were several jobs that I wanted and could clearly do. These jobs had other candidates who I was competing against. I believe that part of the reason that I wasn't hired at these other jobs was because I was ridiculously nervous and it showed. For example, at one recent interview, I was red when I looked at myself in the mirror afterwards. At the last interview, I went through periods of time when I felt like vomitting or passing out and that must have shown too. I think that my answers are generally alright, but sometimes I do pause in mid sentence.
I have anxiety disorders and am recovering from an eating disorder. Perhaps, I should work on getting better and not worry about the job search for a while. On the otherhand, my job is a big source of stress and hopelessness for me. I believe that I would improve if I got a better job and do well at it despite my problems.
A job interview is probably one of the most stressful situations for me where I am not actually in any real physical danger. I have not had much luck with medications for controlling anxiety on a day to day basis. I have Xanax for situational problems like panic attacks but would be uncomfortable taking it for this situation because it makes me sleepy and sort of high/drunk acting when I stay awake.
How do people with anxiety get decent jobs? I know that people like me will lose out everytime to the cool and collected candidate. It just sucks. I think that if I lose the job I currently have now that I'll have to claim disability.

[trackfan]

1. I've never gotten a job where the "fix" was not already

in place, and the interview was just a formality. I do terribly in true, competitive interviews because I am so nervous. I also blush, and feel like I'm lying when I'm telling the truth - probably moreso than if I were actually lying!

[hfojvt]

3. that is another thing

advertised jobs are often not a reality. Like the part-time math tutor job I applied for. A BA in math and an MA should at least get me an interview, but it did not. Then I am taking a free class at the same school and one of the students says "I might be working as a math tutor next semester, they offered me the job." I apply for a janitorial job at a church that goes to the pastor's son, and so on. Wasted my time and money going to school and studying when I should have been networking with rich kids.

[Nikia]

7. I wish that I had a network

That could help me get hired. I live quite a distance from my family and the people who I grew up with. The people who I was friends with in college are now musicians/artists, soon to be doctors, or academics getting their PHDs and don't live around here. Pretty much all the people who I know here are working class who aren't in the position to get me hired anywhere and perhaps wouldn't even if they could (Sometimes I feel that they don't want me to get a better job.).
Yes, I am jealous of students from my college that had a job arranged for them upon graduation. Actually I could have had an arranged job upon graduation, but it would have involved moving to the same city as my mother and teaching abstinence education for a community organization. Silly me, I thought that I could get a better job on my own. For some reason, I am not regretting it though.
I do wonder about some of these advertised jobs, even the ones that I have interviewed for. I suppose that it is possible that the interview process was just a technicality.

[Kathryn STone]

17. oh my god I am so glad you understand r.o.p.

the best job I ever got was when I was 18-19 yrs old and my mon had sat by this attorney at that firm at some "church" function and she told him about he-"that is" how I got that job. Now that I am older, I look back at my school p'vte school called Christ Church Episcopal and the people from my graduating class are back in the same town, partners at the law firms, married to the prominent framilies. Argh!!!!

[hfojvt]

2. dang it, I would love to claim disability

but all I have is a bad knee and a reserved/awkward personality.

I hate job interviews. I have never had one that felt good. Then again, my application to interview ratio is probably about 20 to 1. That makes me feel even worse. There is so little that I am qualified for, and every decent job I see advertised wants you to have 3 years of experience and how the heck am I supposed to get experience? Seven years of university education and just about all I have experience in is emptying the frigging trash. Hell, I had 3 years experience as a temp in one factory and I could not even get a job there (but I did get my revenge. Their computer messed up and the line sat for an hour before I fixed it. How do you like your $12,000 of lost production, ya cheap bastids at Kraft Foods?)
One credit card company spent six weeks training me, but allowed me to be fired after five months because I cannot sell, but I called customer service six months later and still knew more than two of the people that I talked to. Even in my current janitorial job I worked there for eleven as a part-timer, so who could have more experience for the full time job. But they still hired two people ahead of me, who did not work out. I find it to be a frustrating world. The interview process is a crock of doo-doo.

[Nikia]

8. Some jobs seem to want very specific experience

Maybe, you are right about the fact that many of them could actually be for someone specifically.
I am sorry that you have had bad luck with your working life. They tell us that if we get degrees and work hard that we will get a good job, but that's not how it goes. I think that the corporate world is stacked against some of us. It seems to be all about knowing someone or fitting the perfect mold.
I wouldn't feel too bad about the Kraft plant. I interviewed for a job at one of them. I mentioned that I'd like to have a career there when they have the standard "What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?". They said that people hired for hourly positions, which the position I was interviewing for was, rarely are ever promoted into management or professional positions even if they do have a degree. The interview went downhill from there.

[hfojvt]

14. my idea of a career

does not demand constant advance. I expected nothing more than working on the floor for 20 years. See, in their screwed up view I am supposed to want the management job, but wouldn't I be insane to want that when experience shows that I cannot even get the basic job?

Sure, I would have liked to work at the local community college. I applied there four times without a single interview, so how could I make that a long term goal? Also, teaching was kinda frustrating for me, so I really would rather run the bosch machine at Kraft.

[Nikia]

15. I'd rather do something more knowledge based

If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten a chemical engineering degree. I really want to do something like design new products or actually do science.
I suppose that I could do science if I got a PHD. That would be difficult now though unless my husband got a good job or we got money some other way. Even then, I'd probably have to teach. If I didn't want to teach, I'd have to get lucky since all companies hiring PHDs want someone with very specific experience and academic research, at least from what I've seen from the ads.
I don't really want to manage people. I would like to use my brain more though, instead of mostly running a bunch of meaningless tests and documenting everything.

[BlackVelvet04]

4. From a previous sufferer of

panic attack and anxiety disorder I can tell you this is doable for you. I hadn't worked in 10 years, suffered from anxiety disorder, was scared and had no confidence. Here's some of what I did to help me with the interview process:

*Practice with interviews for jobs you DON'T want.
*Practice with a friend. Have them ask you all of those stupid interview questions and get your answers set in your head.
*Think of the interview as a play. Play the person you WANT to be, not who you think you are right now. Chances are the person you want to be is really more who you are than your perceptions are telling you right now. Just before you walk into the interview think "showtime"!
*Try coral calcium for the anxiety. It had an amazing calming affect on me and I actually eventually kicked the panic attacks and anxiety.

Just to give you encouragement: I started working on a golf course 6 years ago after not working for 10 years. I am now the director of a museum.

Good luck. Please try some of the things I suggested....they work.

[Nikia]

11. I am glad that you have had success

In improving from your anxiety disorders and in your career. It gives me hope to know that someone else did it.
I'll look into coral calcium. I probably need more calcium anyway. It might be worth giving it a shot.

[Deja Q]

5. 1st appearances can be important. And the concept is utterly stupid.

Having Asperger's disorder, I have a huge disadvantage when it comes to oral communications. (never mind PTSD disorder as well...)

I can have the most stellar reviews, but if I can't be a Shakespearean actor in front of a suit then I'm not going to get the pittance of a pittance they oh-so-generously offer.

What happened to the humanity in humans? Oh yeah, Satan bought all those shares.

[Nikia]

9. It makes it difficult for us who can't be our best at first

I settle down once I get to know people. The job that I almost got until I messed up the 8 hour corporate interview, I interviewed with 2 of the main people locally 3 times. I was more comfortable each time that I saw them.
Some people appear comfortable and confident upon first meeting people, even for a naturually stressful situation like an interview. They might not be the best person for the job, but they always have an advantage.
I think that human resources for most company is not really a humanity sort of thing. They are looking for someone who fits the mold. No matter how much or little personal interaction the job entails, they always seem to consider interpersaonl skills an important criteria and don't consider that you may improve as you get to know people or would be in more normal situations.

[NoSheep]

6. I take 1/2 xanax. And bring a bottle of water for dry mouth.

[Nikia]

13. I am afraid to take Xanax

For the reasons that I have mentioned. I have been thinking about practicing with it though like taking it before semi stressful situations that don't matter too much but require thinking and interacting like leading my support group. I'd have to make sure that I was alright driving home too.

[NoSheep]

16. 1/2, if you really need it, shouldn't feel abnormal. What is the strength

of one of your pills? Mine are really low so half is nothing. Also, docs can proscribe meds in liquid form that allow for lower doses.(if available, of course.) speak to your doc. Good luck. I have been there.

[Blue_Tires]

10. i'm in the same boat as well

if i have time later, i'll share my story....


what field are you in?

[Nikia]

12. Quality assurance in the food industry

I work for a smaller company so I do lots of different things. I am both out in the plant and in my lab. I also taste product.
I majored in biology. I would also consider a more basic lab job if it paid alright.