<p>Food and a couch to crash on are not payment. You keep trying to spin this… I would NOT count on building a decent mobile app as the avenue to get a job. You seem really unrealistic about this.</p>
<p>My opinion is that if you want to get into IT, you should look for jobs that are doing stuff like setting up PCs for businesses, setting up network cabling, etc. Or see about working someplace like the Geek Squad. Since you have essentially no formal training, you are going to have to start in the equivalent of the mailroom in the IT world. Once you have some kind of paid job in the IT world, then go take some night classes to build some skills in programming languages, network, whatever you want to move into. Then you might have a chance to take a step into the programming world.</p>
<p>Do you think that getting a certificate would help as well? I’m thinking about taking a test to get it. Do you need experience to get a job like something on geek squad?</p>
<p>You’re right, there are probably more risks to not putting volunteer on my resume than the alternative. But my opinion on what constitutes employment still stands( after all, salaried work is just another form of the same thing, barter).</p>
<p>I think you should go to an employment agency - show up dressed exactly like you do when you’ve been on interviews and after you meet with a recruiter - ask them what they think you might be coming across like and if they recommend any changes. They should also be able to send you on appropriate job interviews for your abilities.</p>
<p>I think you are either being intentionally dense on the subject of your employment status (so I’ll mark you as low in emotional intelligence- you are fooling yourself and hoping the world goes along with your charade) or you are truly too dumb to know the difference between being on a payroll, filling out paperwork, having your taxes and FICA and health care contribution show up on a pay stub vs. working for free and getting snacks as “barter”.</p>
<p>The Federal government AND your state government have a rash of laws on the books to prevent workers from being exploited. You are either volunteering for a non-profit or for your congressman (hey, that’s great) or showing up with no paycheck for a protracted period of time for a money making organization (you call it volunteering, the government would likely call it breaking the law. Not you- but your employer.)</p>
<p>If you are indeed an intern and getting college credit for the training and mentoring you are getting, then call it an internship on your resume. You are not working there, you are an intern. And the 50 companies who interviewed you know what an internship is. if you are a volunteer at a non-profit or in government then call it a volunteer- everyone knows what that is.</p>
<p>If you are working for free- or in exchange for snacks- at an actual company that likes you enough to feed you but not enough to exchange salary for your work product, then you have a problem. Either you have now learned enough to get a paying job in this field or you haven’t. If you haven’t, the likelihood that continuing to get snacks in lieu of a paycheck is going to help you get hired… well, my guess is that it’s pretty low.</p>
<p>You are of course entitled to your opinion that what you are doing is in fact salaried work except it’s for barter and not for cash. The fact that the government does not agree with you (we have an amendment to the constitution that eliminated slavery as a matter of law, not of your personal preference) is of no consequence here.</p>
<p>But employers may be picking up on some not- so- subtle clues that you have trouble with reality. And that is hurting you more than your volunteer work.</p>
<p>^^Actually that’s a great idea maidenMom. Go sign up with a recruiter - find a recruiter in your area that hires in this field. Make sure you call someone that does more than fill factory jobs…e.g. even Manpower has a recruitment division. Get some feedback your resume, get some feedback on your interviewing skills, on the position you are going after. Remember the basic things that ANYONE is looking for is “Do you have the skills to do this job? Have you done a similar job before? and Will you fit in with the rest of the team?” Everything else is white noise.</p>
<p>Blossom, I know what the legal definition of what being employed is. You don’t need to explain in such high detail. I was just saying that I’m not wrong in the ethical sense for what I did, that is all. Saying that I lied is completely pointless and irrelavent. And I’ve never said I would use my “barter” argument to persuade employers.I’ve also never explained to them that I’m getting paid in the form of barter. I shouldn’t have stated something that is not conducive to this discussion. I was justifying my position. I apologize for that. In fact, none of this even matters. It shouldn’t even be part of this discussion. </p>
<p>What I want to know is: What are the modes of verification? if any.
that has been my question all along but I get mixed replies. </p>
<p>I first thought that letting them know that I’m doing volunteer before the interview or after is the same since, if they’ll reject me for it, they’ll do it in either before or after, and if they don’t have a problem with it then they won’t reject me at all. But, I suppose in employers eyes, it’s an important enough of a distinction to be put on a resume. I didn’t know that. So I’ll be making the changes.</p>
<p>What I am gathering is that you are trying to do some computer work for a buddy, he is letting you sleep on his couch and giving you some food for that work. You are trying to make it into more than that and your potential employers are calling you out on that by not having you back. Having 50 interviews means they are obviously interested in you. Change your resume, list your “job” for what is is for real. Get a REAL job at Target or Starbucks in the mean time. Even that will look good on a resume.</p>
<p>To answer your specific question about verification- if the company has not asked you for your social security number, it cannot do a full background check and verify your dates of employment. It can do an quick check, especially at a small company- which consists of calling the switchboard, asking for the HR department or someone who can verify employment, and saying “Does so and so work here and if so what is his current title”. But an official “Joe Smith works here as an account rep and his date of employment was June 2012” can usually not be done without your social security number.</p>
<p>I think some of the posters here are suggesting that you have other issues which may be getting in the way of you going from interview to landing a job.</p>
<p>But if you are only looking to find out what can a company find out about you in the early stages of the interview process-- the answer is, many companies will check Facebook prior to an interview; most will not verify employment until after an interview.</p>
<p>I will offer a gentle suggestion that if the reactive tone of your emails is at all indicative of how you interview, I think we’ve solved part of the problem with your interview style. Companies look for candidates who can take feedback and adjust/modulate accordingly. For you to tell us all that what you’ve done isn’t unethical is missing the point. I don’t think what you’ve done is unethical. Without more information- I’m willing to guess that your current company is behaving illegally by having someone work for an extended period of time who is not getting college credit, and paying them less than minimum wage. But I leave the ethics of that situation to folks with a higher pay grade than mine.</p>
<p>You might have responded to some of the posts here by saying, “Hey, thanks for the suggestion of contacting a headhunter” or “Wow, I didn’t realize that having my hair in my eyes would be a turn-off, thanks for pointing that out.” If you habitually react with negativity when someone tells you something you may not know- you can turn that around in time for your next job interview. And it may help you.</p>
<p>If you really have had 50 in-person interviews and no offers, then you are doing something wrong in the interview for sure…but we can’t know what that is. You need to find a trusted professional, perhaps a family friend, to do a mock interview with you. Dress, behave, talk, etc. exactly as you did in the real interviews. Then listen and take to heart the critique you get from the mock interviewer.</p>
<p>You can get certified in almost anything–including Word and PowerPoint. The thing is these certifications cost money. Some employment agencies will give you the test and pay for it but sometimes they require you work a certain number of hours through them before the cost is “forgiven.” It can still be well worth it.</p>
<p>You’ll get more out of it than your current position.</p>
<p>Hanna: That’s a good idea. thanks. I’ll probably as a few of my friends that have experience with interviews. But how would I get a professional mock interviewer? I’m already out of college and can no longer use their services. </p>
<p>Blossom:They often ask for my social. I guess I should run a background check to see if things are out of place. But if they used my social, my work would not show up at all. I didn’t even sign anything there. In that case, I have to list my work as volunteer from the get-go. </p>
<p>I know I might have these issues. But it’s hard for me to pinpoint them. I ask people to tell me the honest truth of what they thought of me when the first met me, they said I’m ok. I don’t know what to believe really. I should go to an employment agency.</p>
<p>I don’t react with negativity during the interviews because I force myself to pretend to be happy. Although I notice that maybe my conversations with them are not optimal. Am I a negative person? You bet. These past years have been nothing but really hard on me. I’m trying to change it. There’s nothing else that occupies my mind. I’ve spent countless hours trying to improve myself, and I have slightly, not fast enough. Graduation isn’t a humbling experience for me, it’s a crushing one. I just sucks to see everyone around you succeeding and you’re the only left behind. People expected so much from me too. Oh well. I’m sorry if I came across as rude, I didn’t intend to offend anyone. You’re right, I do very often react negatively to criticism from people, including my friends( just not interviewers, I’m not that dumb haha). And thank you for taking the time to provide your opinion. Really, I appreciate it.</p>
<p>employment agency shouldn’t cost you a dime. They get paid by the hiring company - if you go as a contractor, they will get a % of your rate from the hiring company - if you get hired on by a company they send you to, the hiring company will pay them a flat fee.</p>
<p>A recruiter/employment agency will also “tell your story” before you even go in to an interview situation so absolutely call around. And as said before they can “help” you with your interviewing skills. You can “work” with more than one recruitment agency if you want, or find one that does a good job of placing people in the job and industry you want and stick with them. There will be no cost to you.</p>
<p>If they do find you a contract position, by all means list the company and the job on your resume, just be honest and indicate that you were or are a contract employee…just like you should be honest and say you are currently a volunteer. You are never, ever wrong about being honest.</p>
<p>You background checks are checking your credit history, criminal activity, work history, where you have lived for the past however many years, etc.</p>
<p>As a former HR person(with 10 years of experience), I would tell you to change your resume to “volunteer”. It is obvious you are being less then honest about the resume when you fill out paper work afterwards and list the salary as $0. Be up front that you are volunteering while seeking employment. </p>
<p>I think maidenmom gave you the best advice go see a recruiter. They can give you wonderful advice and it will be free. Just ask them about your interview skills, for tips on interview attire etc.</p>
<p>A thought: Some of your posts have misspellings and awkward phrasing. It’s okay to write hastily here, but please pay attention when composing follow-up emails to employers. It would be a good idea to have someone look over your correspondence before sending. Sloppy writing can be a deal breaker to a potential employer.</p>
<p>I would call the volunteer position an internship - better branding. Since your boss is your friend, you can clear this with him.</p>
<p>Also, employers will notice an ill-fitting suit and a bad haircut. If you are in an urban area, long hair is fine, but should be cut well. I agree that mock interviews are an excellent idea. It’s terrific that you are reaching out to others to figure out what’s going on - Good luck!</p>
<p>Stating that you have a job with an income of $0.00 would be a red flag. You are not employed. It makes you look untrustworthy and dishonest. You are NOT employed; would make me look at an application and wonder what other truths are being stretched.</p>
<p>And your argument of working for barter would get you into big trouble with the IRS, by the way, as they tax the value of what you are receiving in barter (cash value of the room and board and food). Better to write “unpaid position” on the employment line.</p>
<p>My husband has been out of work for a year. He hasn’t cut his hair in that year, and says that society is “ridiculous” for their expectations and definitions of proper attire. He will never find a job as long as he expects the rest of the world to give in to his views on life. Try not to get yourself into that same trouble.</p>
<p>Maybe you should look at other sources of employment in the area that you do have your degree in, while taking classes to help qualify for the type of work you want? As to your question about working for the geek squad: someone I know was just hired at Best Buy’s geek squad - he has an associate’s degree in computer programming.</p>
<p>Being long term unemployed seems to be enough for many employers to not even bother interviewing a candidate (i.e. he will not even get to the point where haircuts and the like matter). The increase in long term unemployment in the recent downturn threatens to increase the “base” unemployment rate in the US because of the larger number of people who are treated as unemployable by most employers.</p>
As someone who had been involved with and responsible for hiring 100+ people I absolutely consider listing a volunteer position as a job in a way that makes it look like a paid position as lying … and as soon as the deception came to light I would advocate tossing your application.</p>