How Not To Embarrass Yourself While Applying For A Job
Posted by: Jessica Wakeman
Filed in:
news
2:30PM, Monday October 12th 2009
Rough day today? You simply must read The New York Times’ profile of twin sisters Kristy and Katie Barry, age 24, who provide a solid eight minutes’ worth of entertainment. Kristy and Katie graduated from Rutgers last year, they’ve applied to 150 jobs, and they still haven’t landed that dream job in journalism— either sports reporting or having their own TV show.
The twins, who work as bartenders and dog walkers, have tried all the usual job search tactics—you know, mailing a package of chocolate-covered peanut butter balls to potential employers, befriending editors on Facebook, taking improv classes and playing softball to hunt for leads. No luck! Are you shocked?
Girls, believe me, I know journalism is a hard field to break into. I weathered a heinous job search (well, it felt heinous) while living with my parents after college. You, at least, are renting a $2,900 a month apartment on the Upper West Side. But I feel for you! I’ve sat in the waiting room—clod in heels, with freshly printed resumes tucked neatly into a folder—of many of the publications in Manhattan. So, my dears, here’s some free job search advice from me to you:
- First of all, cool it with the baked goods. You’re from Ohio; you mailed buckeyes to potential employers. Maybe Amelia can weigh in here, but mailing presents just looks unprofessional to me. [I happily accept presents from people I have no intention of ever hiring.—Editor]
- Have a focus. Like, a specific one. You tell the Times you want to be twin sports reporters, but you’ve applied for jobs copy editing the celeb baby section of People.com and to a magazine for diabetics. Employers don’t want to hire you for “some job, any job”—you should be the perfect fit for the job someone is trying to fill.
- Newsflash: Bartending won’t get you a job in journalism. I know you have to pay the bills, but you’re not even in the right field. At least put something on your resume related to words! And, furthermore, raking in $800 a week bartending is most likely more money than you’ll earn in most entry-level journalism jobs. Don’t get used to it!
- Ditch that $2,900-a-month apartment for something a 24-year-old can afford. Jeez Louise, I don’t even live in a $2,900-a-month apartment and I actually have a job in journalism. Your place surely isn’t hindering your job search, but you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re going to be able to afford it on an entry-level salary.
- Also, cool it with the saxophone-playing. Katie sits in the Times Square subway station playing her sax next to a sign that says, “Don’t Give Money, Give Business Cards.” Again, this sort of behavior does not get anyone job interviews, either.
I don’t mean to be nasty. I really don’t, OK? But whenever I look around at my life and feel guilty for having been gobsmacked with the lucky stick, I remind myself there are people like Kristy and Katie Barry out there in the world. Whatever job interviews I may have flubbed, at least I got those interviews—and I never mailed anyone a package of chocolate-covered peanut butter balls.
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bethlynn00
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 01:49 pm: [report]
They don;t want jobs, they want attention and a piece in the Times. I wouldn’t want to hire or work with anyone like them, imagine what they would try to do for a promotion to afford that $2900/month apartment.
toxicstar
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:09 pm: [report]
They seem out of touch with reality and possibly quite spoiled.
Bartending or not, a $2900 apartment is not reasonable for the unemployed or a young person starting out.
I suspect they must receiving some generous help from their parents, which allows them to keep a certain life they’re accustomed to, otherwise their noses would be more focused on the grindstone, not zany, attention getting antics.
jimnist10
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:16 pm: [report]
Ugh. That’s all I’ve got. Ugh.
raqueleza
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:26 pm: [report]
I’m a recently-graduated journalism major, and the field is seriously vicious. The industry is changing, and just having a degree doesn’t cut it anymore; “entry-level” now translates to 3-5 years experience. The way to get a job isn’t by attempting cutesy stunts; anyone can do that. You need to work for nothing to build a decent clip book, and work in the fields you want to write about. (As an aspiring beauty and wine writer, I work part-time jobs as a makeup artist and a sales associate in a boutique wine shop, then write about it. And it’s the most fun I’ve ever had.) I feel like if you’re putting in the hard work, you’re going to get there eventually, and have tons of fun doing it.
Amy
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:28 pm: [report]
There are 4 people living in the apartment, so $725 each. I can’t imagine they’d get much cheaper even much further from where they currently are. Cut them a break.
bethlynn00
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:33 pm: [report]
Yeah and I just read the comments on the article and I am glad to see that not many people are sympathizing with these losers. It is so frustrating to hear about all of these people who think things should just come to them, because they are accustomed to things just happening. Okay, so you have a college degree and do stupid stunts, but what are you going to bring to a job, that hundreds of other people are just as qualified for and really working for? They have Macs, why aren’t they trying to start a blog or posting vids on YouTube or something actually related to what they claim they are looking to do? Sorry, but being blonde, young, and twins is not a qualification, you have to show drive and creativity within your field, otherwise why take a chance on you when the industry is struggling?
Plus it really peeves me off that they get a story in the Times and I’m sure there are tons of New Yorkers, really struggling, who have advanced degrees, and are not making #&@$% of them selves on street corners. Or even tons of people who have not had the chance to go to college, because of finances and struggle every day just to make ends meet and we are suppose to feel sorry for these chicks? What about all of the single parent out there struggling to care for them and their families, while these chicks are sipping Starbucks and going to Cancun? Please! I have a Masters degree and I gave up my $640/month apartment, to move into my current, tiny $525/month apartment, so that I could have small luxuries, like cable and internet, cause I couldn’t afford it before I moved. And these dummies moved from Newark, where they were probably paying a lot less in rent to the city to pay alomst 3G’s in just rent? Bitches, please! This article makes me want to boycott the Times for even suggesting that they deserve even an ounce of our sympathy, especially when there are probably people who graduated with them having a much, much harder time. Ugh, is right they make me want to vomit. Okay I think my rant is done.
bethlynn00
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:40 pm: [report]
@Amy: No the issue is that they had a place and they move into this much more expensive apartment with no jobs and no way of knowing if they could make rent, that’s just bad planning. Plus that does not include any utilities, just rent. I’ve never lived in New york or Newark, but I would take a guess that what they had previously was somewhat more affordable than what they have now. They seems to have had lots of breaks cut for hem, so they don’t need anymore for renting an apt they couldn’t possibly afford. If you go to any housing seminar, especially for renters, that is lesson number one.
joyy
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:45 pm: [report]
@raqueleza & bethlynn00 - word. And the comments on the original article are about on par. They’re trying to be big fish in one of the biggest seas out there. If they really want to be doing the WORK they claim to be interested in, they’d probably have better luck outside of NY, but my suspicion, as others suggested, is that they’re interested in attention, not actually starting solid careers.
And $800/week bartending? I work in communications (which is awesome because now I’m *actually* using my english degree) and that’s more than my gross pay, let alone what I actually take home. Granted, I’m totally satisfied with my salary but still, that ain’t exactly starving in my book. Good things come to those who wait, not to those who complain.
Amy
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:47 pm: [report]
@bethlynn00: In general, you are absolutely right. The article says they moved from Newark, but not that their rent increased in doing so. Now, one could rightfully assume that moving from Newark to the UWS would be more costly, but a $2900 2-bedroom in Manhattan, let alone Newark, is fairly cheap. I think they’d be hard pressed to find something cheaper even in Newark. Seems like they got a deal there, because that’s divided by 4. So you’re making an *assumption* that their rent increased when they moved; it’s not stated in the article. If they did indeed incur exponentially higher rents by moving, just so they could be in Manhattan, yes, that is indeed dumb!
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 02:52 pm: [report]
Lol, Jersey City rocks. We’re paying less than that for 5 people.
retro chic
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 03:53 pm: [report]
Why would they expect to get an interview if they can’t demonstrate some writing skill with a cover letter, resume and samples? To some extent, that is the pre-interview for any writing-related job. Like sales jobs want applicants to call in and talk off-the-cuff to the hiring manager.
With their mom as a freelance journalist, you’d think they’d get better advice or an assist somewhere if they were any good on even a “lowly” proofreader, admin level. They need professional intervention for their wakeup call, tho I don’t think that’s what they’re looking for.
They must know by now they shot themselves in their twin feet now that the vid is out there – no employer wants that kind of potential liability or exposure from loose cannon employees.
karmakaze
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 04:08 pm: [report]
pitiful…just pitiful. I want to smack both of them upside the head and tell them to wake the #&@$% up to reality!
Knitter79
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 05:20 pm: [report]
It amazes me how different the mindset is for current college grads versus when I graduated eight years ago. We had an intern in my office this summer that thought he deserved all the perks and benefits that the VPs had, without actually working (he didn’t even show up some days with the explanation of ‘I didn’t feel like coming in’). And the work he did do was sh!t because the degree really just gets you in the door…the real knowledge comes from on-the-job experience.
They actually want their own tv show right after graduation! These girls should look for entry-level no-respect, pay-nothing jobs and work their way up.
Squidtermz
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 02:14 pm: [report]
I have a feeling when they speak. The words “like” and “um” are peppered throughout their conversations. That’s my first interview rule. Plan ahead. And stuff isnt “like” anything. It either is or isn’t. Your not like unemployed and stuff. You are unemployed. If you can talk the talk you can get a job.
william.paul
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 09:36 am: [report]
@Amy, I don’t know what part of Newark you’re thinking of, but either their rent increased dramatically or their space decreased dramatically. I looked at places in the Ironbound that were $1,500 for three bedrooms.
@CheeeeEEEEse come to Bayonne, it’s even cheaper.
I Go To 11
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:16 am: [report]
Dear Barry Twins,
Thank you for perpetuating the stereotype that people of our generation are spoiled, entitled brats. It makes the cockles of my 26-year-old heart warm to know that those of us who actually work for what they want are being compared to you and your ilk.
Sarcastically yours,
I Go To 11
C.Munro
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:46 pm: [report]
Oh, boy. At this point, I wish a bribe of baked goods were enough to break into my field. Had I known just how bad it is trying to get a job in journalism, I’d have probably majored in something I enjoyed less, like marketing.
These two probably aren’t the best example of how to get one’s foot in the door, but I can sympathize: Nobody is hiring recent journalism grads right now. As someone else has mentioned, employers expect even entry-level positions to be filled by those with 3-5 years experience.
coriannen
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 04:54 pm: [report]
C.Munro- Hate to break it to you bud, but the marketing field isn’t any better right now. I just graduated and there seems to be no such thing as entry level.
majicksand
wrote on October 15 2009 @ 08:47 am: [report]
Amazingly, I think these girls are very creative. They’re flooding the market with their faces and getting great exposure. If all they did was the same tried and true approah as everyone else, they wouldn’t stand out. Someone is going to admire their spunk and hire them. Donald Trump, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson wouldn’t have gotten where they are playing it safe.
Kate134
wrote on October 15 2009 @ 09:42 pm: [report]
I’ve applied to job after job after job, I have a BA in international studies, I’ve worked as a paralegal and I speak Arabic and french fluently. You’d think after translating modern Arabic plays and living for half a year in Dubai, I would have job offers from the Govt. and private sector lined up. But I don’t because the private companies don’t want to spend money on getting people clearances, and the govt. has a 8-12 month delay on replying to resumes, even for desperately needed arabic translators. My choices are selling make up (what I did before college) and joining the military (going to Iraq or Afghanistan).
Where’s my sympathy from the NYTimes? I have loans to pay off and I live with my Dad in suburban MD.
Lessy
wrote on October 16 2009 @ 08:02 pm: [report]
I’m about to graduate with a journalism degree in January, and I have no sympathy for this pair. What, you want a television show right after graduation? That’s great, I want a pony. Looks like neither of us are getting what we want.
Living in Texas, I have incredibly little chance of getting any sort of job in journalism—despite having a year and half’s experience at a daily paper, editorship of my college paper and awards from press outlets. So you know what I’ll do? Rent an affordable place and do odd jobs, while freelancing and building up clips, until I can go somewhere else. You work your way up until you get to where you want to go—you can’t just go there. Be willing to work, because without some sort of work ethic, your attention grabbing antics are useless.
PS: As someone who’s allergic to peanuts, if I had gotten your little “gifts,” I’d have absolutely not hired you, ever, and maybe written a nasty note.
papayalily
wrote on October 17 2009 @ 04:12 pm: [report]
@I Go To 11 My thoughts exactly.