How does one...

PWCorgi

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#1
Go about finding a NON-retail job?

Yeah...pretty much that. No degree (though I am 1 year away from a sox degree if I could just go back) and no real experience other than in libraries.
 

Dizzy

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#3
Just apply and make sure you are canny about upping your life experience and applying skills you have learnt along the way to meet the criteria for the job on the application form.
 

Beanie

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#4
Build a killer resume that focuses on your skills and the tasks you did at each job rather than just "I worked at this place during these dates." Rather than "I folded clothing tables at the mall," write stuff more like "kept store organized and presentable throughout the day."
Stalk craigslist, Indeed, and your local paper, and apply to anything that it sounds like you can do. You might try stuff like, say, being a desk clerk at a hotel... that will give you reception/office management experience and you can then take that and apply to professional office environments. Alternatively factory jobs are pretty frequently hiring, but you may have to get started working third shift and work your way up. But I dunno if that's quite what you mean by "non-retail." Factory jobs kinda suck though the pay is lovely since the job kinda sucks.

Send out a LOT of resumes and applications... and you get lucky.
 

Fran101

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#6
Craigslist part time section.
Center for student employment at your university.
Ads in paper.

Student jobs are under-rated IMO lol they like to work with student schedules and most of the jobs are ridiculously easy. I worked in the school cafe all through my undergrad
 

joce

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#7
What is it you want to do?

Go apply for a tech position at a hospital. Ours does not require you to be a nurses aide and they give you your own training. Nursing homes will train you as well.
 

Locke

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#8
Depending on your interests, you might look into working in a kitchen or bakery.
 

ACooper

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#9
Ya, you gotta be a bit more specific than 'non retail' LOL

Factory? Medical? Office? Construction worker? LOL
 

Laurelin

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#10
If you can get some computer skills that is one of the biggest selling points. The things they liked on my resume were the math degree and science classes and then my computer programming classes. Being functional in excel and other software was also really helpful, even photoshop and hex editors that I used for games as a teen. (The funny thing is I use a very similar hex editor now for work lol) Even if it's the wrong soft ware, it shows you can learn other software. That's assuming you're meaning an office/technical kind of job.

A lot of mine was luck. 99% of my job I learned on the job... But you really do have to show your capacity for learning in the field that they're after.
 

Locke

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#11
If you can get some computer skills that is one of the biggest selling points. The things they liked on my resume were the math degree and science classes and then my computer programming classes. Being functional in excel and other software was also really helpful, even photoshop and hex editors that I used for games as a teen. (The funny thing is I use a very similar hex editor now for work lol) Even if it's the wrong soft ware, it shows you can learn other software. That's assuming you're meaning an office/technical kind of job.

A lot of mine was luck. 99% of my job I learned on the job... But you really do have to show your capacity for learning in the field that they're after.
Great post!

Look for entry level positions, such as a secretary job, and try to work your way up.
 

Southpaw

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#12
I stalk Craigslist a lot and often there are interesting jobs that pop up on there, depending on what you're looking for.... doesn't hurt to apply to anything that sounds appealing. You could make your resume sound pretty awesome too cuz your job is not just "I stood at a cash register all day." For myself I play up the customer service bit of it and educating customers about food/products because that's very relevant to the jobs I apply to.

Knowing people works too, my sister got started in HR at a law firm in her early 20s with no degree, and has only worked her way up since then - all because she knew the right people.
 

PWCorgi

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#13
Thanks guys.

As for what I want to do, right now pretty much anything that doesn't involve dealing with JQP. I'm just getting burned out on dealing with people who are being stupid and their pets suffering for it.

I really do need to finish my degree, but I worry that I will dump more money into a degree and then STILL not have any options. I'd almost rather just start over and try some kind of tech school or cert.
 

-bogart-

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#14
My son posted an ad on Craigslist . He said he was in college looking for a job. His computer skills and the desire to learn any job. A guy from a law firm emailed him and he got a job as the second guy in the it dept for a law firm. He really is the doubly for the it guy but he is learning and makeing pretty good money. Give it a try.
 

joce

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#15
What do you want to end up making salary wise realistically? Look into what you could do now and do school or apprentice etc.

I know nursing is not for everyone. But hospitals will pay for your school and get you your masters or nurse practitioner. You may have to do med surf but it's a decent paying job. Look into behavioral health tech. I love the psych!

Highway patrol hires frequently. I know a couple people testing now.

I don't know what tellers make or if they move up in a bank but I see positions open here.

Ford is hiring again here on and off but they don't make what they used to.

Get a good resume and get it out there. And good luck!

I kinda want to just do insurance some days to not have to deal with people!
 

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