Post: #1

Hi dear RVF members,

I need some help regarding jobs and how to find them.

I recently graduated with a master degree from an Italian university in International Relations and Businesses and I’m now looking for a corporate job in finance/management.
In a little less than 2 weeks I sent already almost 100 online applications directed towards banks and multinational companies for both national and international positions.
It’s probably a bit early to know if I’ll get an offer but I’m quite sure that given the current economic situation (especially in my country), and the huge number of people that can do the same, prospects of getting even an interview look slim.

What should I do? What would you do in my place?
Should I continue sending online applications trying to “win the lottery” and get an interview?
What other methods would you suggest me?

Here’s some other relevant infos:
-I have a nice final mark but not on the top of the class
-I have done an extended experience abroad (Erasmus LLP program)
-I’m 24 years old, I can dress well and I’m cultured and redefined.
-I’m a smart and hard working person but I lack specific skills and experience due to not having had a real corporate job.
-I speak English fluently and German to a certain degree
-I could try to move to another country but I need real prospect since I’m on a tight budget.

Thanks for any advice and suggestion, especially if it’s related with the European environment.
(America is totally another world in laws, possibilities, etc.)

Ps: Please don’t troll the discussion with rants about how working for other is beta and about how I should try online marketing or become an entrepreneur, I simply can’t.

Post: #2

You're an Italian citizen I take it?

Post: #3

Yes, I am, forgot to say it, sry

Post: #4

I'd try and get my CV to recruitment agencies/consultants. Lots of firms can't be bothered recruiting directly and prefer an outside firm to 'vet' possible candidates on their behalf. It is very frustrating, but there is nothing you can do about it.

Post: #5

I've found networking is the key to landing corporate gigs. You're right in saying that sending in a resume online and getting an interview is basically winning the lottery. Network hard in person and online. Send well-crafted messages to people on linkedin at the companies you're interested in. Also, go hang around popular happy hour spots for professionals. Wear a suit. Small talk and find out what they do and when they ask what you do, sell your story and get their contact info for resume follow up.

Also, find a reputable job placement/headhunter type agency, maybe that specializes in your areas of interest. They'll have a financial incentive to getting you a job and can help you pipeline interviews.

Post: #6

http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/home/

Have a dig around this site and Ramit Sethi in general.

Post: #7

Where do you want to live and work in Europe?

Post: #8

Talk to youngmobileglobal, vacancier permanent, WestCoast. Hopefully they'll chime in here.

Post: #9

Right now there's more happening in Northern Europe than in the South. I would look at The Netherlands, Germany (since you speak German), Denmark and the other 3 Scandinavian countries as well. A lot of American multinationals have set up their EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa) headquarters in Amsterdam due to favourable tax treatment by the Netherlands. In these kind of places English is essential. Dutch not really necessary in most of these offices, unless it's something like reception.

London is also a huge magnet. Haven't been there for a while so I'm not 100% sure what the current conditions are, but there is so much going on there most enterprising people find at least something to earn some bucks. Maybe consider looking for UK subsidiaries of Italian companies with a regional office in London. A company like Parmalat, say. Only downside is rent is very expensive. You will almost certainly have to share a house or flat to survive.

Post: #10

Why don't you look for an internship to get your feet wet?

With your languages you can get a job easily in the UK, although being your first job the pay won't be that great.

I hear it is tough to get a job in Germany, but check out Frankfurt since it is a Financial center.

Like Bad Hussar stated, Holland might be your best bet. I have a few friends who ended up moving there.

Post: #11

I am Colombian and instantly found a very good paying job in Hungary. Connections are everything. People whine in Europe that there isn't any jobs but the jobs are there. I even had an offer from Spain last week but I don't like it there.

Now the hardest part is the paper wall the EU puts up for people like me...

Post: #12

Go see a couple of recruitment agents. See if they have any entry level positions for professionals. A short term contract would be perfect.

Make use of all friends and acquaintances in your graduating class. Where are they interviewing, where are they getting offers from, what salary they're offered etc. You may want to use online sites to facilitate chat (FB groups, LinkedIn).

Post: #13

Not Europe, but I hear Nigeria is a good bet. The banking sector is booming and white people tend to be respected. The country is also growing amazingly fast and it'd be a good bet for doing business on the side as well.

Post: #14

(04-03-2013 10:43 AM)Mike_Doe Wrote:  http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/home/

Have a dig around this site and Ramit Sethi in general.

This.

Everyone should be subscribed to his newsletters and spend some time once in a while reading the free advice he gives. Most career advice suck major ass, but his is, without exaggeration, pure gold. He has some paid programs that cost quite a bit of dough, but if you're looking for information on advancing your career, most of them are worth the price tag. Or you might be able to find them somewhere else, but I'm not endorsing questionable activities.

I also like that his emails aren't always constantly pestering you with affiliate offers or call to action offers on his products (though admittedly, he has sent quite a few recently) that Internet Marketers often do.

In any case, there's nothing to lose going through his free stuff. The worse that could happen is that he puts you into an entrepreneurial mind set and your life goes from rags to riches.

Post: #15

(04-03-2013 10:43 AM)Mike_Doe Wrote:  http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/home/

Have a dig around this site and Ramit Sethi in general.

I'm actually surprised that more people on RVF don't talk about Ramit. Dude is a case study on self improvement and entreprenurialsm.

Post: #16

Thanks you all for the advice , I really appreciate it.
I also feel that this thread will be useful, mutatis mutandis for a lot of guys around here.
This forum is very good becuase it can give you a different perspective on things you already now and everyone can learn.


Some news:
-The will be a huge exposition, that is some kind of global benchmark for the Home Furnishing Sector, and I'll try to network there.
I'm start to follow the advice that PresidentCarter and also my dad gave me: "Network, suit up, offer value"
-I revised my CVs (ITA and EN) and improved them, I realized I wrote a bit too much and now both are much leaner and easily readable.
-I called a number of temp agencies to try to find something quick to gain some experience, maybe I could get a internship while I will still be searching for something more interesting.
Here most of temp agencies provides short term and usually low paid jobs.
-I took, just for fun, the math test on the JP Morgan website and I got 5 out of 6 correct answers




tl : dr = I started some new strategies and I will report if I will succeed.

Post: #17

(04-05-2013 02:04 PM)Menace Wrote:  

(04-03-2013 10:43 AM)Mike_Doe Wrote:  http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/home/

Have a dig around this site and Ramit Sethi in general.

I'm actually surprised that more people on RVF don't talk about Ramit. Dude is a case study on self improvement and entreprenurialsm.

I personally find him to be full of hot air, and his advice seems based on thumbsucks rather than experience. But each to his own.

Post: #18

(04-04-2013 04:16 PM)MrPink Wrote:  Not Europe, but I hear Nigeria is a good bet. The banking sector is booming and white people tend to be respected. The country is also growing amazingly fast and it'd be a good bet for doing business on the side as well.

Wot? It's one of the most corrupt, violent countries in the world. I've worked on several deals there and the violence in Lagos. There is not only islamic terrorism there (last year's Christmas bombings were awful) but also lots of ethnic violence as well. Labor strikes shut the country down for a few weeks right in the middle of a transaction I was working on in early 2012. The rebels will take western hostages so you need to be under constant protection out in the field. An executive recruited I know once said he doesn't really take most Nigerian candidates seriously anymore as almost every one he placed in London totally ignored the job they took and instead spent all their time working on their side business/embezzling money, etc.

I would be seriously careful about working in Nigeria unless you're really plugged in and/or a very senior person with protection and local political/military connections.

Post: #19

(04-04-2013 02:35 PM)Volk Wrote:  I am Colombian and instantly found a very good paying job in Hungary. Connections are everything. People whine in Europe that there isn't any jobs but the jobs are there. I even had an offer from Spain last week but I don't like it there.

Now the hardest part is the paper wall the EU puts up for people like me...

What field do you work in? How easy was it to get hired as a non EU citizen?

Post: #20

(04-04-2013 02:35 PM)Volk Wrote:  I am Colombian and instantly found a very good paying job in Hungary. Connections are everything. People whine in Europe that there isn't any jobs but the jobs are there. I even had an offer from Spain last week but I don't like it there.

Now the hardest part is the paper wall the EU puts up for people like me...

Care to expand on your approach?

Post: #21

Time for another update:

-I spent some days going to a number of temp agencies and I had some informative interviews but after that they told me that at the present moment they don't have any job in the marketing or managment field.
One agency told me that they want workers to have at least 2 or 3 years of expertise.
This agencies work mostly for blue collar jobs.
Anyhow I think I acted quite well in the interviews.
I'll try now to find some more temp / headhunting agencies but if nothing works out I will probably change approach.

-Online applications on sites like monster.com had no success yet.

This leads me to some considerations.
Should I try to search for work only abroad?
I have a good family, some cool friends and I really like my girlfriend.
The problem if you have connections and are also really lucky you can get a job for 1100/1200euro per month, but that is becoming really rare.
Right now companies keep young people working on short term (3 to 6 months usually) and the contracts are really bad.
Most of the times your contract says that you are doing a "stage" or some kind of apprentiship.
The thing is that, even if I get a job here, they will offer something like 600 to 800 per month. It is almost nothing given that I live near in the most expensive italian city.
Keep in mind that I have a master degree.
I'm asking you, is this shit normal also in other european countries?

Concluding comments:
I hate whinings, I'm exposing here the cold facts.
In Italy, when someone gets really lucky and gets nice things in life, we say that he "found the America".
Well, this is not America.

Post: #22

I think you pretty much answered your own question. Jobs are tough all around and alot of companies are hiring people for contract work. Having a master's is good but companies are looking for experience, which you don't have.
Living in Italy also does not help your situation, however I think you should be able to get a decent job in Holland which seems to have alot of jobs right now. A friend of mine moved there for work and he does not even have a Euro passport.

I would also forget recruiters for now and look at a company's websites and see what they are offering.

Post: #23

True words Rudebwoy, true words.

It's kind of a catch-22 situation I don't have the necessary experience yet but I need it.
Contract works are good since I'm not searching for a long time job.
I just hate that given the current situation (and cultural aspects too) most young people live with their parents untill they are arond 30 years old. Not for me.
Can you imagine it?

I'll try in the next weeks to see other foreign company's websites and try to "win the lottery" and get some attention from them.

Post: #24

Look into Switzerland. There's lots of money there, and even if you can't find something in your field right away, you can pick up a job and make a very comfortable living while you are looking. If you're Italian it shouldn't be hard to work in Switzerland.

Post: #25

Well sadly I find myself in that position of being back home and I am over 30 lol.
I also live in Toronto and going through a transition myself.
Being in your situation I guess you don't want to be too far from home, would you consider a country like Hungary?
I have seen a few jobs that might fit your criteria with multi-national companies.
Send me a PM if you are interested?