23 and never had a job

Become a recruiter!

From what I've experienced, most recruiters have neither people or technical skills.

I'm 23. I live at home. I finished school and discovered that I am not meant to do what I studied AT ALL. I have been miserable for over a year doing part time jobs that involve working with kids and helping people and teaching some recreational classes. I have met a guy and have lied to him about my living and working conditions because I am ashamed. Now I can't really see past today. I take medication to sleep and if I don't take it I'm up for hours. I don't know what I am trying to contribute here. All I'm saying is that at least you have a degree that will enable you to continue to a field biology-nursing or biology-dental, whatever you want. I would kill to be able to be a nurse or a teacher or something good. You should not worry about being shy, it could just mean that you are kind in spirit and being out spoken is too overwhelming for your sweet nature. Just a thought. Anyway, I personally believe in God and he is all that keeps me waking up in the mornings. Best of Luck.

To Mia And LP,

I understand your situation, but capitalized on being young and improve your social skills.

It is true that "slick-talking pampered nitwits get hooked up with the jobs because they have fancy clothes, bleached teeth and connections" and beautiful people have great advantage over people who don't posses this vanity. I myself has burden to overcome. I am a retired US military with 24 years of service and working experience. Also with a college degree, completing another one and years of training. I thought my military service, experience and education will give me an edge in seeking employment. I just recently applied for a job that i have been doing for 24 years while I am in the service. I did not get the job. Again I thought my experience and education is my ticket... Well, the reality slapped me square in the face and woke me up. You see, the problem is, I am a minority with an accent, which I know is my disadvantage. Regardless of my accomplishments, it will not matter, If I can not present myself like a used car salesman. Thats life...like it or not, it will not change. I have to adapt or hope someday an employer can see past my color and accent, and value my skills and experience instead.

One of the many things I like about the military is it gives fair opportunity to everyone. The military will let you prove yourself first without prejudice. It is up to you to take the challenge. Maybe you can consider this career...goodluck!

mia in Berkeley, Illinois said: I'm 23 years old, and I have no work experience. I'm not lazy; I'm just extremely shy and anxious around people. I find it very difficult to talk to new people, to the point where I haven't had the guts to try getting a job in years. My mind just goes blank on interviews when I'm supposed to tell employers about myself.

I wasn't even worthy of working at Starbucks or the Gap last time I applied. I never heard back... I was 19 the last time I went on a job interview, at a smoothie place. I got the job, but was fired after just a few hours, because I was so nervous dealing with customers, I was screwing up orders left and right. So yeah, that was so brief and disastrous, I don't even count it as my work history.

Anyways, having no experience means I will be unemployable after I finish school. (I still have a couple of years left on my BS in bio)... What are jobs besides food service that don't require any previous experience and not much people skills?

thanks :)

I have the same exact problem you are not alone The last tiem i had a job was a few months after I had my daughter I worked in a small grocery store there was so much to learn as a cashire .I would get soo nervous cause the other employers would look over my shoulder to see if I was doing the things right. I would hate going into work cause I was scared that I would start messing things up. I was fierd from that job cause the boss said I was soooo slow and I wasnt able to count money. I am able to count money i just get soo self concious and I end up messing myself up . Anyways I was fired three weeks and thats the only job I have had. I do too get nervous around people but before I talk to them Im all calm but then thats when the words come out and I get nervous lol :) .. I t sucks now cause now Iam working with the Texas Workforce and now all the employers want EXPERIANCE. lol

mia in Berkeley, Illinois said: I'm 23 years old, and I have no work experience. I'm not lazy; I'm just extremely shy and anxious around people. I find it very difficult to talk to new people, to the point where I haven't had the guts to try getting a job in years. My mind just goes blank on interviews when I'm supposed to tell employers about myself.

I wasn't even worthy of working at Starbucks or the Gap last time I applied. I never heard back... I was 19 the last time I went on a job interview, at a smoothie place. I got the job, but was fired after just a few hours, because I was so nervous dealing with customers, I was screwing up orders left and right. So yeah, that was so brief and disastrous, I don't even count it as my work history.

Anyways, having no experience means I will be unemployable after I finish school. (I still have a couple of years left on my BS in bio)... What are jobs besides food service that don't require any previous experience and not much people skills?

thanks :)

Interesting question! Like one of the previous commenters stated take things slow, baby steps I believe was the term he used. You need to develop your self-confidence and there is really no shortcut in doing this. Without the self-confidence you will never be able to acquire a solid career opportunity in your chosen career field. So I would suggest seeking out professional help in an effort to target your self confidence issue and get that taken care of as soon as possible so you can move forward with your chosen career path. Good luck!

I´m a 22 year old woman and I´ve never had a job. Why? Because I have no working experience. And I have no working experience because I´ve never had a job. Its so ridiculous I want to laugh. It´s just wrong, man. They don´t even give me a chance to prove that I can do the job. If I were given a chance, I would do the best damn job possible and I would never take it for granted. Even community college is too expensive for me, and that´s why I need to work. I also tried getting help from a few job placement centers, where they can pay so you can study a career for a better chance at being hired. But I don´t even qualify for that, they all seem to require you to be receiving unemployment benefits, which I don´t have because I can´t be laid off if Ive never had a job. This is very frustrating.

Hunter in Glendale, California said: I´m a 22 year old woman and I´ve never had a job. Why? Because I have no working experience. And I have no working experience because I´ve never had a job. Its so ridiculous I want to laugh. It´s just wrong, man. They don´t even give me a chance to prove that I can do the job. If I were given a chance, I would do the best damn job possible and I would never take it for granted. Even community college is too expensive for me, and that´s why I need to work. I also tried getting help from a few job placement centers, where they can pay so you can study a career for a better chance at being hired. But I don´t even qualify for that, they all seem to require you to be receiving unemployment benefits, which I don´t have because I can´t be laid off if Ive never had a job. This is very frustrating.

I hear ya. I'm the same way except I'm 23 and I got a B.A in English from some private college.It's real frustrating to even get a simple fast food job.

Hunter in Glendale, California said: I´m a 22 year old woman and I´ve never had a job. Why? Because I have no working experience. And I have no working experience because I´ve never had a job. Its so ridiculous I want to laugh. It´s just wrong, man. They don´t even give me a chance to prove that I can do the job. If I were given a chance, I would do the best damn job possible and I would never take it for granted. Even community college is too expensive for me, and that´s why I need to work. I also tried getting help from a few job placement centers, where they can pay so you can study a career for a better chance at being hired. But I don´t even qualify for that, they all seem to require you to be receiving unemployment benefits, which I don´t have because I can´t be laid off if Ive never had a job. This is very frustrating.

I'm in the same situation as you Hunter cept I'm 23 and your right they don't even give ple a chance now these days to even prove their selves if we don't have the experience. Its just so sad and aggravating.

Hunter in Glendale, California said: I´m a 22 year old woman and I´ve never had a job. Why? Because I have no working experience. And I have no working experience because I´ve never had a job. Its so ridiculous I want to laugh. It´s just wrong, man. They don´t even give me a chance to prove that I can do the job. If I were given a chance, I would do the best damn job possible and I would never take it for granted. Even community college is too expensive for me, and that´s why I need to work. I also tried getting help from a few job placement centers, where they can pay so you can study a career for a better chance at being hired. But I don´t even qualify for that, they all seem to require you to be receiving unemployment benefits, which I don´t have because I can´t be laid off if Ive never had a job. This is very frustrating.

I'm in the same situation as you Hunter cept I'm 23 and your right they don't even give ple a chance now these days to even prove their selves if we don't have the experience. Its just so sad and aggravating.

I feel you--I'll be turning 20 next month and I've never had a job as well. The thing is, its not like I haven't tried. I've applied to over 100 jobs within the past 5 months and handed out, emailed, written, and re-written more resume's than I can think of. STILL no job. Although I have no 'work experience' per se, I have don't some volunteer work here and there and I do have some experience in public speaking. But its like no matter what I tell them on my resume, I keep getting looked over. Now I'm at home--stranded. No money, thus no car, thus no social life, and its killing me. I've applied to nearly all the places in my areas and no one is hiring or I haven't been called back for anything. Its frustrating and makes me start to believe I'm a loser.

I'm the same way! You are definitely not alone. we are may not be shy but have INTROVERTED, TYPE B, INTP personality... I've always made it through the interviews no problem but what gets me is when the chattering starts, and the eye contact... I haven't had a job in three years. The best thing I can say is be persistent, find the appropriate work environment, perhaps with someone who understands or you know.

Im 20 and my last job was at 17 where my boss (the daughter of the resturant owners fired me for not agreeing to stay a few more hours that morning because i had a doctors appt) since then i have lost confidence. I started working at fifteen and have volunteered at places such as food kitchens abd thrift stores. I still feel scared when applying and snce have not tried to, worst thing? My mom makes fun of me for it, only when she gets angry because i still live with her, but im going to college full time and i get government grants to cover all of it. Sigh, nobody told me being an adult was so hard! :/. But i totally understand where youre coming from, i liked the suggestions about putting yourself in uncomfortable situations. Apply or interview as much as you can, nobody will ever know you were denied (besdes the interviewer) and do it as many times until you succeed. Godspeed to you and I.
-alana

I was 19 when I got my first real job. Sure, I worked for my mom's business in high school, but after I graduated high school I had trouble finding a real job. This was back in the 1980s, so I'm aging myself here. The job I happened to get was because my BF at the time, worked for the family of the business I ended up getting a job at. It was word of mouth and knowing someone else. Back then you didn't have to jump through the flaming hoops like you do now.

Here's the kicker. Two years ago they were looking for a production artist to help make signs, promos and what not. I interviewed with them and was interviewed by one of my old coworkers back in the day. My cousin and another person I know worked there at the time. That didn't even help land me the job. How frustrating is that? I think what ended up happening is that the guy I was replacing didn't quit or they had someone already employed there take the job. It's not always who you know. It's just a matter of luck sometimes.

Yea I hear ya... maybe consider either choosing a long term career path n then volunteering somewhere to gain experience. For ex.....nurse...md......voluntteer caregiving. Or. volunteer chairty nonprofit office cleirk. I dunno. Uh..... or get any job any where until u get some direction. I'm still strugglingtooo its tough.

I'm in a similar situation. I'm 21 and living with my parents plus I have seizures(Though controlled by medicine they are hugely unpredictable)making me a possible liability and killed any hope of ever driving when started having seizures when I was 10.Living in the small city I live in being that it's Alaska it lessens my avenues for choices on jobs.I currently volunteer a few hours here and there at my local library shelving twice a week.It can be helpful I can confirm the baby steps as everyone has suggested works though i am great with a large crowd of people when it comes to one individual I can only hold a short conversation.for me it's the eye contact as some one mentioned above,I can stare almost anyone down but that defeats the purpose for eye contact in a conversation.

I also think a thousand miles an hour in every direction analyzing everything I literally have to slow my myself down to focused on a single thing to talk about any one subject to someone.Me being someone who likes living on the fast lane mostly, I hate slowing down just to get myself across and hold a conversation.I also am about efficiency and relevance when comes to almost anything including a conversation.I'm practically a "perfectionist light" cause there are things I will let slide though. Keep up the baby steps and always plan it through,but don't plan yourself to death know your limits and know you can't possibly account for every possibility stuff happens.Just be ready to pick yourself back up again and fight on.It helps me anyway at least being someone who tries to plan everyday through.I hope you and all overs like us who don't have jobs yet are blessed with a job in the future.

Try getting some work off Craigslist, just beware of some of the scams out there. But you can find some decent jobs on craigslist to develop some experience.

Give some volunteer experience while you're unemployed. It might help later on your resume when you can get practical volunteer experience, maybe even in a field that you're interested. For example, I wanted to learn more about video production, so I volunteered since 2003 @ my local town community tv channel and learned valuable skills that ended up getting me some work in the TV industry even without a degree in the field. I now have 8 years experience in video production.

Try looking for Seasonal help, to start. At least it'd be something. Try Seasonal retail help around the holidays, maybe a Halloween shop around the fall, a golf course or sports stadium over the summer for baseball or something? Try entry level positions in customer service and guest relations type jobs. Christmas Time help is the biggest chance to get a foothold into entry level jobs. Sometimes they even keep on employees who are on time and do well.

If you like to travel consider a career in the airline industry. its a entry level type position for many when you first start and can grow into bigger things.

But at least for the start get an entry level job at first and then build on that. Also do some volunteer work while continuing your education. that would help with experience. Try to volunteer in a cause you are passionate about or in a field you want to learn more about. If you are in school APPLY and DO internships. An internship can lead to a job.

Try applying to cruise ships and working on a cruise ship for a summer or winter. It will give you a chance to gain hands on experience, and give you the start you need. You also get to travel from port to port.

You could also try seasonal job sites like coolworks.com to get some experience. You can apply to hotels and resorts that offer lodging and such and some expenses/meals, etc. in return for your work where you gain experience in the hospitality industry. They have positions all around the country and the world.

You could also try working for an event company that does your local sports arena , so you'd get to see sporting events and concerts while you work.

You could try to work at event set up break down companies, that cater to conferences, conventions etc.

You could try a catering company and see if they need delivery drivers or what not.
You could try working for a pizza company as a delivery driver.

You could try getting an entry level job at a box office for a theater, or concert hall in your area or sports stadium.

You could try getting a job at a local movie theater. Movie theater jobs don't pay much , but they do pretty much hire just about anybody, and you get to see free movies when you're off duty. And it would be a start toward experience.

You could try a local bookstore or some jobs at local malls to see if they have seasonal help for the holidays and/or regular help
A lot of department stores are pretty good for entry level positions such as MACY's , Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, Sears, etc. They can lead to careers too or a stepping stone.

Try Mom and Pop stores in towns near your area and ask if they might be hiring. You never know.

Ask on your facebook connections if anyone might be hiring. You never know who might reply. Especially if you've been friends with them. Scan the facebook friends of people you might know list, and also your current friends. See what companies they work for and who might be able to help you out.

At any rate I'm sure if you listen to some of my techniques they will help. Volunteering is very important and you should look into doing some volunteer work.

For people that can work hard physically. Try going for a job order filling at a distribution center. I was 22 - 23 at the time working 3 days a week 10 12 hours a day and was living very comfy on my own. For the shy people this jobs awesome because literally you have no time to talk to others .. your timed at everything you do and everyone is only concerned about tasks at hand ... and oh yea no customers :D The work is VERY demanding but it pays off so well having 4 days off a week and not having to bs customers. This job only requires time management skills and knowing how to stack a ton of different sized boxes. I hope this helps anyone

wow I must say this topic, and you peoples storys are like watching myself in the mirror. I got fired form my job last spring for these reasons, but I believe they also used my shy nature to take advantage of me by piling more work in staples, also after I cut my hours to 2 days or 3 they didn't understand the concept of part time, by feet always hurt, and I was always begging for the job to end so I could get out, I really disliked it. Now I am 22 and still trying to but work, while being in college, I have some ideas on how to make money online but need more funds for these ;D lol anyways this was a real eye opener. I really hope to make a group where we can talk about this more, and our progress. Would anyone be willing? I can give my email etc. I will keep my eye on this :D PS I found a great site called Blackhatworld. com where I got some of my online making ideas, but still need a real job to fund them, like I said.hahhahah anyways I believe it will always be hard for us, as we won't get much support from family, but Never Give up people :)

Hamza, there are a few things you can do that anyone regardless of being shy or not should and they are almost exclusively online. First, start a blog that has to relate to the field/job you eventually want..you can read relevant books/articles/discussions on the topic, then summarize and add your POV. Even better if you document some real world things you do related to the field for example interview someone that has the job, research a particular company's challenge and write your take on the solution. Not only is it good practice for your online biz, but you will be able to give anyone interviewing you that link - instant experience and proof that you know what you are talking about and have been proactive in the field already. That will really set you apart.

Otherwise you can try a virtual internship - for free. Better with smaller firms or entrepreneurs, write to them with what you can offer them, help them on some projects and maybe in a few months you can ask for pay. Either way you'll have done experience and doesn't have to be face to face.

Your idea of a group is nice I hope other people take advantage :) I'm coaching job seeking grads (for free, virtually), if you are interested drop me a line risa.resenaren@gmail.com.

I've been shy introvert my entire life. When I finished high school I had no idea what I wanted to do, I felt so scared and never thought I'd get a job.

I felt ashamed being on unemployment benefits but became reliant on the government support. They made me do a government funded training program in hospitality which involved written stuff on safety and food handling and guiding you on how to serve customers. And eventually some hands on work experience in the cafe which terrfied me at first. But there was no pressure on me like in a real job they didn't mind if a was slow as they were patient so it helped me relax a bit and I got quicker and more confident eventually.
The trainers would take the order then show me how to make the coffee's and I didn't have to say much and eventually was serving on my own.

I was disapointed when the training was over as I was begining to enjoy it.

I was still terrified to ring employers for a job. But I would write down what I would say and force myself to ring. I got an interview at a deli. And was so scared I could barely speak. The boss was like don't look so worried you got the job. I couldn't believe it I was 20 and got my first official job.

And eventually by forcing myself to do things even though they terrfied me made me gain more confidence in myself. Don't let fear stop you, the more you face what you're scared of the better you'll get.

Try doing some free government supported training programs. Or do some volunteer work. Both will give you some experience and will make an employer more likely to want to give you an interview.

I've been searching all over the net to try feel some connection with others my age, to know that i'm not the only one stuck within this horrible situation. I'm turning 21 this year & have never had a job. I'm a very shy person & find it hard to engage in conversation. I've had anxiety issues since childhood- the thought of any job where i must deal with & talk to the public, frightens me & this is why i'm regretfully 20yrs without ANY work experience. I know that baby steps- pushing yourself out of your comfort zone so as to move forward in life is an important thing. I'm trying so hard, but i feel so lost and i don't wish to get any therapy or help.

I took a gap yr after highschool, travelled a bit, i was recovering from anorexia & felt alot of depression that entire year. I'm ashamed of it- i'm an artist & pianist, so i decided to draw artworks & enter them in competitions in aus, which was a bit successful. That made me feel some self worth but the reality is i want to earn a living from my passion, that being art &/music. A year ago i began studying bachelor of music (piano), but i'm STILL not clear on what my ultimate goal is with the music industry- and whether i'll get there. I was very close to studying art instead but i've been told it's a very difficult path so decided against. My family and friends all say how talented and etc i am but what is talent when you can't utilise it; work using it? Today i'm going to advertise artist commission on a local site & piano lessons, i'd like to create a business site but have no expertise in this area..

Everytime someone asks if i'm working or i hear about anything job related, i feel that sickening guilt that will never leave. The frustration of feeling i'm getting nowhere in life has reduced me to tears recently. I feel like a loser around my friends, my family, my boyfriend's family- that i'm a minority.
I anticipate the day that i'm self sufficient & have some sort of confidence... belief in myself.

It's like to be a human is all about earning money. You have to have a job to be accepted. I hate this. But at the same time, i'm sick of not knowing what it's like.. even though i have little to say on my resume i could probably work as a kitchen hand, housekeeping, something very basic like that. But even THAT requires some experience sometimes. At this moment in time i feel the need to get any job, just so i am doing something apart from studying (my parents are very supportive of me), but there's something standing in the way of that- if i apply for a job, am i going to feel any better? Am i going to feel like i'm not just a waste of space, is it going to stand in the way of me becoming something more meaningful to me- ie. art, music?
I lack so much motivation after pushing myself too much in school to get decent grades, neglecting social life...my boyfriend wants more than anything to start a duo with me but due to my 0% self esteem with piano i find myself avoiding rehearsing with him, even though deep down i'd love to play with him more than anything also. I don't know if any of this makes sense- i find it hard to understand myself. Some days i'm very depressed and others i'm okay. Uni goes back in less than a month so i'm running out of time to advance towards anything.. apologise also for my rambling i just really needed to get it out there and any comments would be appreciated. I read this entire forum and it's been very comforting/interesting :) i wish all of you that are struggling the best of luck and that your futures will be fulfilling and full happiness (which is, the key of importance).

I highly recommend practicing meditation. Zazen. First try it every day for ten minutes if you can. Then gradually up the intensity. Start small with work. Perhaps volunteer, use the net, meet for tea, do whatever you can to recruit people that may lead to a job. i hope this helped.

Thank you, Matt :) You sure sound like you've been through a lot. That was pretty fascinating to read- i'm sad to hear that you still don't feel fulfilled. I think it's all about the balance of essential things that make us happy in life...for me, i'm lacking that working aspect that makes me occupied, kept busy.. if not for my man i'd feel much more at loss..
It's weird though; i spend most of my life on my computer, rather than my instrument- i love computers but i have to be outdoors or i go stir crazy, so i don't think a desk job would suit me. I actually have to go for a bushwalk/walk down the beach every day for a dose of fresh air, sunshine and natural elements to feel better. This makes me want to apply for things like fruit picking, and as a kid i wanted to be a vet/vet assistant because i very much love animals. However, i gave up on science subjects in senior high as i was disinterested and my 'talent' lies elsewhere. Sigh. Art, music, nature, make up my life.
Jim, meditation/yoga would be a great idea, i should probably give that a go with my friend. I can't think of what else to say at the moment but you guys are awesome, thankyou for the support, it means alot. :)

I am taking the challenging road in doing so- and there's a sort of insecurity and unkowing behond it all, like i might end up with no decent income to provide me with the essentials needed to be fully independent. I'm definitely rhe kinf of person thatt nedds a push to get started on things. You're awesome, matt :) oh and im typing via mobile so excuse all the annoying typos. Out of curiosity, how old are you?

frustrated-phd in San Francisco, California said: Become a recruiter!

From what I've experienced, most recruiters have neither people or technical skills.

lol

Hi there,

I also grew up as a really shy, poor, girl from Nepal. When my family moved to Canada, I took up a vow to give myself a second chance and really live my life. Of course that took alot of courage, alot of being made fun of and alot of hard work. Now I'm working as an architect in a top firm in Canada, have travelled and studied extensively abroad. I'm not successful by any means and life isn't perfect now but I remember the girl just 10 years ago and how different she was. But really each and every step I had to coach myself to let go of fear and to listen to my inner voice and what it wants. It works each time. But hardwork is the key to getting the life that you want for yourself. You are important! You have to realize that first before anyone else will. Your silliest or smallest ambitions matter! Look at yourself, forgive yourself for all the time wasted and think about what you want out of your life and go try for it. You can become someone you want if you allow yourself - that's the key. The world is not out there but inside of you.

Good luck. There's alot for you to experience- you just have to open the door.

Thank you everyone for sharing their stories :))

How can you live without any job and besides if you can't get a job what will happen to you. You need to be more aggressive in finding a job, you will find a job not job find you. Don't be shy, it will never help you.

I am in an eerily similar situation! All my life I wanted to be a teacher, and I've always made good grades. During high school I was good friends with my teachers and I felt really confident around other people. In college I started to get nervous though, because I was studying a major I wasn't interested in (I had to because the agency that paid my way wouldn't pay for a teaching degree). I'm 23 too, and I don't have a driver's license. I've never had a job, and I've only ever had one job interview. I almost didn't go inside, and when I finally did I totally froze. I didn't know what to say when I was asked why I've never had a job, and the guy gave me a speech about how I needed to have more confidence. My husband works but he doesn't make much money at Wal-Mart and I still live with my family. I want to do something with my life (write or be a teacher) but all I do is sit at home. I feel like a slacker. I think it may help me though if I just went back to school to study what I really want to do.

Cherie in Cleveland, Tennessee said:

Before you go back to school, you need to build first your self confidence. You should remember that you have a family now, find a part-time job so that you will not rely to your husband and to your family.