RIP School Survival Forums
August 2001 - June 2017

The School Survival Forums are permanently retired. If you need help with quitting school, unsupportive parents or anything else, there is a list of resources on the Help Page.

If you want to write about your experiences in school, you can write on our blog.

To everyone who joined these forums at some point, and got discouraged by the negativity and left after a while (or even got literally scared off): I'm sorry.

I wasn't good enough at encouraging people to be kinder, and removing people who refuse to be kind. Encouraging people is hard, and removing people creates conflict, and I hate conflict... so that's why I wasn't better at it.

I was a very, very sensitive teen. The atmosphere of this forum as it is now, if it had existed in 1996, would probably have upset me far more than it would have helped.

I can handle quite a lot of negativity and even abuse now, but that isn't the point. I want to help people. I want to help the people who need it the most, and I want to help people like the 1996 version of me.

I'm still figuring out the best way to do that, but as it is now, these forums are doing more harm than good, and I can't keep running them.

Thank you to the few people who have tried to understand my point of view so far. I really, really appreciate you guys. You are beautiful people.

Everyone else: If after everything I've said so far, you still don't understand my motivations, I think it's unlikely that you will. We're just too different. Maybe someday in the future it might make sense, but until then, there's no point in arguing about it. I don't have the time or the energy for arguing anymore. I will focus my time and energy on people who support me, and those who need help.

-SoulRiser

The forums are mostly read-only and are in a maintenance/testing phase, before being permanently archived. Please use this time to get the contact details of people you'd like to keep in touch with. My contact details are here.

Please do not make a mirror copy of the forums in their current state - things will still change, and some people have requested to be able to edit or delete some of their personal info.


Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 3 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
How to get a job without a high-school diploma
Author Message
Eidolon Away
Fanatic

Posts: 1,243
Joined: Jun 2006
Thanks: 1
Given 37 thank(s) in 25 post(s)
Post: #1
How to get a job without a high-school diploma

Hidden stuff:
Not sure how much this applies outside the US.
It's important to have mobility. Nobody will hire you if they think you don't have a way to get to work. Ride the bus, take a bicycle, walk if you have to.

It's important to be able to talk to people without feeling uncomfortable. A good handshake and some confident eye-contact goes a long way.
There's no better way to learn this skill than to just do it. Talk to people.

The best places to apply are small, local businesses. Blue-collar positions are the easiest. That means carpenters, drivers, electricians, plumbers, machinists, etc. These jobs aren't filthy or demeaning. They are definitely not beneath you. They pay well, there's almost always a HUGE potential for advancement, and often you'll be brought into the union, so you'll have good benefits like health insurance and holiday pay and such.
Blue-collar industries are chronically short on workers. More often than not, they will be happy to train you.
Even if you want to stick with white-collar, office type jobs, the small local business is still the best option. Their pool of potential hires is much smaller than a corporations; that means better odds for you. They generally understand the value of hard-working youth.

INTERVIEW FIRST. APPLICATION SECOND.
This is very important. Since you don't have a diploma and likely don't have any experience, an application alone is pretty much a waste of time. They'll see "no experience" and "no diploma" and toss it in the trash. ALWAYS talk to a real person before you fill out an application. Email or telephone are fine, in person is by far the best. Ask to talk to the person in charge of hiring. Ask them if they have time to talk to you about a job. If they don't, ask them when would be a good time. Ask to make an appointment. These sorts of questions will often lead them to asking you some questions. That's a good thing. Now they know a little bit more about you; they'll remember who you are when you do get the interview. It's perfectly acceptable to leave with an application so that you have it ready for them at the formal interview.
I can't stress this enough:
INTERVIEW FIRST. APPLICATION SECOND.

During the interview, answer their questions and ask some of your own. Ask about wage, work hours, overtime pay, time off, holiday pay, which holidays you have off, health and dental benefits, and of course the details of the job. If it's a production workshop or your position stays at the office, ask them to show you around a little bit. The more time they spend on you here, the better.
A lot of times, if you're looking at construction jobs, the only qualifications you need are the ability to read a tape measure and the ability to swing a hammer. Residential framing is a fantastic first job.

Do this for multiple positions at the same time. Play the numbers game. Decide on what's most promising and go from there.

Some interesting stuff to look at:
http://www.manpowergroup.us/campaigns/ta...tage-2014/
Hidden stuff:
[Image: 00f7e5118d.png]
Hidden stuff:
[Image: ts_chart6.jpg]
As I like to say,
Work hard and do your best. Never give up!
02-04-2015 03:40 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
 Thanks given by: xcriteria
brainiac3397 Offline
Machiavellian Amoeba

Posts: 9,823
Joined: Feb 2013
Thanks: 20
Given 1983 thank(s) in 1428 post(s)
Post: #2
RE: How to get a job without a high-school diploma

Dont forget apprentinceships. I believe they may require hs diploma or ged, but I saw some that just made you take a test to determine eligibility. Within 5 years, where you not only learn the job but get paid while learning as well as get assisstance finding jobs, you also receive some sort of education.

FYI you can check for apprentinceships at local unions.

Personality DNA Report
(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

Hidden stuff:
[Image: watch-out-we-got-a-badass-over-here-meme-240x180.png]
Brainiac3397's Mental Health Status Log Wrote:[Image: l0Iy5HKskJO5XD3Wg.gif]
02-04-2015 04:43 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Eidolon Away
Fanatic

Posts: 1,243
Joined: Jun 2006
Thanks: 1
Given 37 thank(s) in 25 post(s)
Post: #3
RE: How to get a job without a high-school diploma

(02-04-2015 04:43 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  Dont forget apprentinceships. I believe they may require hs diploma or ged, but I saw some that just made you take a test to determine eligibility. Within 5 years, where you not only learn the job but get paid while learning as well as get assisstance finding jobs, you also receive some sort of education.

FYI you can check for apprentinceships at local unions.

Aye, a lot of places will even tell you that you need to be an apprentice with the union before they'll hire you.
Conversely, a lot of unions will only accept you if you're "sponsored" by an existing union member, which is where the OP comes in.

With some unions, though, it ends up being a lot of jumping through hoops for only a small chance of getting in.
02-05-2015 07:17 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
brainiac3397 Offline
Machiavellian Amoeba

Posts: 9,823
Joined: Feb 2013
Thanks: 20
Given 1983 thank(s) in 1428 post(s)
Post: #4
RE: How to get a job without a high-school diploma

The local electricians union just administers a test. If you pass satisfactorily they will take you on. Im guessing its probably because almost nobody has heard of apprentinceship(in modern times) or were not interested (despite the fact once you finish 5 years, your practically guaranteed a job and making more than a recent college grad as well as no debt like a recent grad)

I could see places like NYC being harder because of the greater population that would obviously mean more people are aware of this opportunity. I could also understand why some places might want you referred by a union member since theyd be ivesting a good deal in you.

Personality DNA Report
(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

Hidden stuff:
[Image: watch-out-we-got-a-badass-over-here-meme-240x180.png]
Brainiac3397's Mental Health Status Log Wrote:[Image: l0Iy5HKskJO5XD3Wg.gif]
02-05-2015 11:06 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  Going to high school in one year! Help! awesomedoers 11 3,018 03-04-2013 11:50 PM
Last Post: Heil_Kaiba8921
  [split] SoulRiser's diploma and stuff LiptomaticMate 15 5,591 12-13-2012 11:07 AM
Last Post: Heil_Kaiba8921
  Teacher Leaves Wife, Kids for High School Student UnschoolShqiponjë 20 12,532 03-03-2012 04:30 AM
Last Post: Levio_Sah
  What should I expect on high school? Luizao876 14 5,370 11-29-2011 08:03 PM
Last Post: Efs
  I want to go to high school Faby 10 2,837 09-24-2011 06:41 AM
Last Post: Phrozen_Soul
  College and high school ErisQuodSum 50 6,928 07-18-2011 12:19 AM
Last Post: SH☮TGUNHEⒶRT
  Florida High School Principal Lied About Hypnotizing Student thewake 5 2,823 07-01-2011 01:51 PM
Last Post: Absnt
  I'm going to miss high school Faby 21 11,849 05-24-2011 05:05 AM
Last Post: SaintVicious
  Last week of high school. KittyKatBlack 17 3,928 05-12-2010 06:26 PM
Last Post: AWOL
  I need to move on going ahead of people at high school Reptorian 2 1,345 02-05-2010 01:41 PM
Last Post: psychopath

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Contact Us | School Survival | Return to Top | Return to Content | Mobile Version | RSS Syndication