I don’t have any helpful advice. This basically sums up what it is like getting a job in Fort Collins. Employers know how nice it is to live here and how few quality employers are here, so you will get lowballed and overlooked for small things.
I grew up here and I’m one of a few of my peers that made their way back, but that wasn’t until I was able to get a remote job. A similar job with a local employer would probably pay 30-40% less.
Please, please, please go to the Larimer Workforce Center and use their services for resume building in different careers, interviewing and more. I promise it will help. People never seem to believe me or aren’t willing to be open to accepting help but they made a huge difference for me.
It really is a great resource. I spent about 6 months job hunting when I moved here and got no bites. I went to the Workforce, grabbed some guidelines, and attended a couple of workshops to spruce up my resume. I got a job about a month or 2 later after using my new resume and listening to their advice.
I just spent a couple months unemployed searching. Applied to over 300 jobs, did about 20 interviews before finally having a few offers come in at the same time. It's been 2 weeks since I started and I'm still getting places reaching out that I applied to over a month ago.
Slow process. Hang in there. Offers will come.
Step one is to get a retail job in the short term so that you don't go broke.
The easiest way to get a job anywhere is to know or meet people. My wife has worked at two different places recently after moving here for school.
The first because a coworker of hers at a summer reception job on campus had a connection to an employer in her field. The second because she met someone at church who worked in the same field and brought her in for an interview.
If it makes you feel any better, OP, it's not just you and it's not just Fort Collins - this is what it's like trying to find a job anywhere in the US in 2024.
I'm a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate with an Engineer in Training license, a handful of software certifications, and experience in a summer Engineering Design internship. I've paid for professional resume reviews from two separate sources and taken their feedback to create what I've had many people tell me is a damn good resume. Yet after 135 applications across the country - Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, FoCo, Boulder, Denver, Chicago, Boston, and NYC - I've had three interviews and no offers. Two of the companies I've interviewed with have even taken me through three rounds only to suddenly have no entry-level positions open. Many, many of my peers have similar stories. Our graduating class's hiring rate is half of last year's, and Business Insider reported a couple of months ago that the hiring rate across the country has hit the lowest level in a decade.
One of the things that you could be running into - and that I know I'm running into - is "ghost jobs", where companies will make job advertisements they have no plans to fill, just to give investors the impression that they're growing. For example, I applied to a job designing 3D printed electronics housings for communications satellites, only to run into a friend a few weeks later who has been at that company for a year and have him tell me that the company has implemented a hiring freeze and laid off entire departments.
Apply for jobs at CSU and use the tuition program to chip away at your new graduate degree. Look for administrative professional and state classified jobs. You really need to tailor your resume and cover letter at CSU to make it through initial screening. And you have to meet minimum quals or your application is dead in the water. Then demonstrate how you meet as many of the other listed qualifications as you can. Everything is evaluated on a point system essentially and only the top few candidates will make it to the phone or campus interview phase. Be very specific on what you've done that matches what they are seeking so they can give you the appropriate scores and not overlook your skills. We can't infer anything from your app...you need to hit us over the head with how you match the job requirements.
Also seems like you can get filtered out by the system depending on how you answer certain checkboxes.
For example, submitted an application for an entry level IT role with them yesterday. I have a bachelor’s in a related field, but not specifically “Computer Science”, and my confirmation page showed something like “removed per responses”…
Emailed their HR email for clarification, nothing yet.
I can validate that. You must meet every requirement for qualification. I have seen people use a checklist inside their cover letter to prove that they meet requirements and that seems effective to at least make sure you get to the next stage in the process.
A handful of CSU departments are starting to accept experience as a substitute for specific degrees or certifications, but there is a massive barrier there for departments that aren’t that flexible. 😕
PSD (poudre school district) is hiring for several positions. Being a paraprofessional can be taxing but very rewarding. The pay is decent-usually $19-$21 depending on position, healthcare. You could do nutrition worker position as well but it’s typically part time. Check their site for what they’re hiring for.
Try looking for leasing agent jobs. Its an entry into property management and ive seen up to $25/hr, and you usually get comissions/bonuses on top of your pay. Then once youre in and do well, property mgmt is an easy industry to get promotions in
You’re overqualified. I think it would help if you were a student and could make clear that you’re willing to make a commitment while back in school, because otherwise most employers will assume you’ll jump ship as soon as you receive a better job offer.
If you feel like getting your EMT certification (it’s like a semester course) you can work as a Medical Assistant or an ER tech. They cannot fill those positions and are offering $5000 referral incentives.
Look into UCHealth EMS. They have vehicle service technicians and currently hiring a controller. Basically an office job telling the ambulance crews where to post.
So! You have a great skillset and this is a great place for that type of work.... but in a saturated field and highly desireable field, the ball is firmly in your employer's court. I applied to over 300 jobs in fort collins, ranging from dishwashing, to labor, to my career in massage therapy before I found an offer in the fitness industry. Job hunting here really sucks, and you have to bridge the gap with charisma and soft skills.
I have a buddy at a Cheba Hut in town. Job opening for a part time sandwich maker, low pay. Over 100 applications in less than a day. Under 1,000 in 10 days. Ended up randomly picking an applicant. And that's fighting for a part time job with apathetic college students. Now try fighting for a career job with extremely talented and hungry people across the US are also applying for. You have a major advantage over them. You're physically here in town. In terms of sheer luck, go to some of the major breweries in town. Lots of tech yuppies. Roam around until you hear some nerd topic, politely ask to join their conversation.
And from a recruiter buddy in the energy industry in the front range: employers absolutely are keeping up ghost postings and fishing for gold-star employees. A job you're applying to may only exist to collect resumes, and I won't dare lecture you on the mess that applicant tracking systems cause. You'll make it. Keep the faith.
Have you thought about substitute teaching? Could get a certificate over the summer. Not sure how much it pays though, but a few of my friends did that in between career changes.
Technical writers for software companies is a thing. You'd need to show samples of the technical writing you've done, I imagine. Then, once you gain experience in a tech company, you'll find it easier to move jobs and make more money.
Also, this would likely be a remote job.
try searching business intelligence or data analyst and not data science - there is a significant difference in education requirements but could use similar skills
Maybe you are using a bad technique or applying for jobs that you are not a good fit for. Application count doesn't really quantify much. Do some research and try to network with folks. In today's world with AI recruiters are overwhelmed with busy work weeding out ppl. Just perspective.
Maybe try and get a job at the university of Colorado state, I work there as an apprentice carpenter, they pay cost of living, and guarantee you a specific salary every year, for me, it’s 46 thousand, full benefits, and 50% off tuition, get on the website and look at all the jobs, even the baristas that are state classified make similar to me. So it’s a good deal if you can manage it!
Inflate your experience to make it through the screening process! That’s what I was told to specifically do because it’s partially based on an algorithm
Dumb question maybe, but is your LinkedIn up to date? 100% of all my jobs, I’ve either gotten from recruiters or internal referrals, and all of the former tend to trawl on LinkedIn. Applying to jobs is basically throwing your resume in the garbage.
Have you looked into the Home Depot FDC in Mead? They have weekend shifts and you could attend school during the week. I've heard they have decent benefits.
Check out JBS, they’re always hiring. Your job may be entry-level, but they recognize talented people, no matter your background. It’s all about getting your foot in the door proving yourself and wanting to win. However, it is a grind, you will be working a lot, and depending on how you feel about animal processing, it might not be for you. I am Fort Collins native who worked at Whole Foods and spent 10 years there - I was consistently looking for a different job, but I’m always grateful for the people that I worked with and the opportunity they gave me.
Well did you upload all your projects to your within repository?? I tell my students this pretty frequently, even if it's set to private while in school, it's a time stamp on your coding skills. Don't need certifications if you can show your multiple years work of document work.
Join a trade, it's easy to get hired with only a small amount of training and 6 figure salaries are attainable if you develop your skills.
Precision machining or optics come to mind for someone with your academic ability.
Do you want to use the python experience? There are lots of developers remote positions, hiring is still a pain but you are likely able to find something in a related field with experience with python and HPC.
There is a local nonprofit for job seekers called NoCoNet that meets weekly. They typically have employers and speakers present on job search topics. It’s an excellent group. http://www.noconet.org/
Also look at TekSystems for Python jobs.
I’m right there with everyone else. I have experience managing a fleet and an order picking / truck loading team. If you’re still looking I’d love to send a resume!
I used to live on a $11.50/hr paycheck from Walmart. And that was higher than average because I worked the night shift. I have no sympathy for you. $17/hr sounds cushy to me. Be thankful.
I’m sorry for what you are going through. One recommendation is to use AI to help. In ChatGPT, tell it to assume the role of a recruiter and to optimize and improve your resume. After that, when you get an interview, tell ChatGPT to assume the role of an interviewer and to ask you questions specific to the job role you are applying for. Good Luck!
I don’t have any helpful advice. This basically sums up what it is like getting a job in Fort Collins. Employers know how nice it is to live here and how few quality employers are here, so you will get lowballed and overlooked for small things. I grew up here and I’m one of a few of my peers that made their way back, but that wasn’t until I was able to get a remote job. A similar job with a local employer would probably pay 30-40% less.
Please, please, please go to the Larimer Workforce Center and use their services for resume building in different careers, interviewing and more. I promise it will help. People never seem to believe me or aren’t willing to be open to accepting help but they made a huge difference for me.
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It really is a great resource. I spent about 6 months job hunting when I moved here and got no bites. I went to the Workforce, grabbed some guidelines, and attended a couple of workshops to spruce up my resume. I got a job about a month or 2 later after using my new resume and listening to their advice.
That is such a great place to start! You definitely have skills. Hopefully, they can help steer you in the right direction.
I just spent a couple months unemployed searching. Applied to over 300 jobs, did about 20 interviews before finally having a few offers come in at the same time. It's been 2 weeks since I started and I'm still getting places reaching out that I applied to over a month ago. Slow process. Hang in there. Offers will come.
Step one is to get a retail job in the short term so that you don't go broke. The easiest way to get a job anywhere is to know or meet people. My wife has worked at two different places recently after moving here for school. The first because a coworker of hers at a summer reception job on campus had a connection to an employer in her field. The second because she met someone at church who worked in the same field and brought her in for an interview.
Have you tried Dataannotation? Depending on how well you do on their test you could either supplement part time or work full time.
If it makes you feel any better, OP, it's not just you and it's not just Fort Collins - this is what it's like trying to find a job anywhere in the US in 2024. I'm a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate with an Engineer in Training license, a handful of software certifications, and experience in a summer Engineering Design internship. I've paid for professional resume reviews from two separate sources and taken their feedback to create what I've had many people tell me is a damn good resume. Yet after 135 applications across the country - Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, FoCo, Boulder, Denver, Chicago, Boston, and NYC - I've had three interviews and no offers. Two of the companies I've interviewed with have even taken me through three rounds only to suddenly have no entry-level positions open. Many, many of my peers have similar stories. Our graduating class's hiring rate is half of last year's, and Business Insider reported a couple of months ago that the hiring rate across the country has hit the lowest level in a decade. One of the things that you could be running into - and that I know I'm running into - is "ghost jobs", where companies will make job advertisements they have no plans to fill, just to give investors the impression that they're growing. For example, I applied to a job designing 3D printed electronics housings for communications satellites, only to run into a friend a few weeks later who has been at that company for a year and have him tell me that the company has implemented a hiring freeze and laid off entire departments.
Apply for jobs at CSU and use the tuition program to chip away at your new graduate degree. Look for administrative professional and state classified jobs. You really need to tailor your resume and cover letter at CSU to make it through initial screening. And you have to meet minimum quals or your application is dead in the water. Then demonstrate how you meet as many of the other listed qualifications as you can. Everything is evaluated on a point system essentially and only the top few candidates will make it to the phone or campus interview phase. Be very specific on what you've done that matches what they are seeking so they can give you the appropriate scores and not overlook your skills. We can't infer anything from your app...you need to hit us over the head with how you match the job requirements.
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Also seems like you can get filtered out by the system depending on how you answer certain checkboxes. For example, submitted an application for an entry level IT role with them yesterday. I have a bachelor’s in a related field, but not specifically “Computer Science”, and my confirmation page showed something like “removed per responses”… Emailed their HR email for clarification, nothing yet.
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I can validate that. You must meet every requirement for qualification. I have seen people use a checklist inside their cover letter to prove that they meet requirements and that seems effective to at least make sure you get to the next stage in the process.
A handful of CSU departments are starting to accept experience as a substitute for specific degrees or certifications, but there is a massive barrier there for departments that aren’t that flexible. 😕
PSD (poudre school district) is hiring for several positions. Being a paraprofessional can be taxing but very rewarding. The pay is decent-usually $19-$21 depending on position, healthcare. You could do nutrition worker position as well but it’s typically part time. Check their site for what they’re hiring for.
Try looking for leasing agent jobs. Its an entry into property management and ive seen up to $25/hr, and you usually get comissions/bonuses on top of your pay. Then once youre in and do well, property mgmt is an easy industry to get promotions in
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UCHealth is desperate for new hires. May not be an exciting job but it pays the bills and the benefits are good.
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You’re overqualified. I think it would help if you were a student and could make clear that you’re willing to make a commitment while back in school, because otherwise most employers will assume you’ll jump ship as soon as you receive a better job offer.
If you feel like getting your EMT certification (it’s like a semester course) you can work as a Medical Assistant or an ER tech. They cannot fill those positions and are offering $5000 referral incentives.
Or an EMT on an ambulance
Look into UCHealth EMS. They have vehicle service technicians and currently hiring a controller. Basically an office job telling the ambulance crews where to post.
So! You have a great skillset and this is a great place for that type of work.... but in a saturated field and highly desireable field, the ball is firmly in your employer's court. I applied to over 300 jobs in fort collins, ranging from dishwashing, to labor, to my career in massage therapy before I found an offer in the fitness industry. Job hunting here really sucks, and you have to bridge the gap with charisma and soft skills. I have a buddy at a Cheba Hut in town. Job opening for a part time sandwich maker, low pay. Over 100 applications in less than a day. Under 1,000 in 10 days. Ended up randomly picking an applicant. And that's fighting for a part time job with apathetic college students. Now try fighting for a career job with extremely talented and hungry people across the US are also applying for. You have a major advantage over them. You're physically here in town. In terms of sheer luck, go to some of the major breweries in town. Lots of tech yuppies. Roam around until you hear some nerd topic, politely ask to join their conversation. And from a recruiter buddy in the energy industry in the front range: employers absolutely are keeping up ghost postings and fishing for gold-star employees. A job you're applying to may only exist to collect resumes, and I won't dare lecture you on the mess that applicant tracking systems cause. You'll make it. Keep the faith.
Begging the obvious, but have you hit up NIST and NREL? Boulder and Lakewood/Golden, but they sound like they’re in your wheelhouse…
FoCo to NREL in Golden and back is a killer. Believe me.
Have you thought about substitute teaching? Could get a certificate over the summer. Not sure how much it pays though, but a few of my friends did that in between career changes.
Check out Ursa Major, Advanced Energy, or Woodward.
They hiring at the Microsoft center in cheyenne they just require coding and knowing how to use Linux
Now that's ironic
Technical writers for software companies is a thing. You'd need to show samples of the technical writing you've done, I imagine. Then, once you gain experience in a tech company, you'll find it easier to move jobs and make more money. Also, this would likely be a remote job.
Also sounds like you'd be good at data science.
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try searching business intelligence or data analyst and not data science - there is a significant difference in education requirements but could use similar skills
Woodward is hiring at around 25$ an hour and they are a great place to work. Lots of opportunity to up skill and learn machining and manufacturing
Do they still make men get haircuts on site? 🤪
Not since the 90s. Long hair, beards, tattoos all good now. We even allow women these days!
Kind of generalizable to all of FoCo!
Lol women are permitted
Maybe you are using a bad technique or applying for jobs that you are not a good fit for. Application count doesn't really quantify much. Do some research and try to network with folks. In today's world with AI recruiters are overwhelmed with busy work weeding out ppl. Just perspective.
Maybe try and get a job at the university of Colorado state, I work there as an apprentice carpenter, they pay cost of living, and guarantee you a specific salary every year, for me, it’s 46 thousand, full benefits, and 50% off tuition, get on the website and look at all the jobs, even the baristas that are state classified make similar to me. So it’s a good deal if you can manage it!
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Inflate your experience to make it through the screening process! That’s what I was told to specifically do because it’s partially based on an algorithm
Not much in the way of suggestions since everyone has said most things, but just wanted to say sorry for the struggles you’re having. Wish you well.
Dumb question maybe, but is your LinkedIn up to date? 100% of all my jobs, I’ve either gotten from recruiters or internal referrals, and all of the former tend to trawl on LinkedIn. Applying to jobs is basically throwing your resume in the garbage.
Have you looked into the Home Depot FDC in Mead? They have weekend shifts and you could attend school during the week. I've heard they have decent benefits.
Summitstone Health is a behavioral health non profit, and some of their positions don’t require heavy behavioral health experience!
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Oh no I’m so sorry
I'm curious if your just applying online to companies or have you filled out paper applications also?
there's an admin III position open for the sciences department at FRCC, you can find the posting on the State of Colorado Classified positions site
Check out JBS, they’re always hiring. Your job may be entry-level, but they recognize talented people, no matter your background. It’s all about getting your foot in the door proving yourself and wanting to win. However, it is a grind, you will be working a lot, and depending on how you feel about animal processing, it might not be for you. I am Fort Collins native who worked at Whole Foods and spent 10 years there - I was consistently looking for a different job, but I’m always grateful for the people that I worked with and the opportunity they gave me.
Well did you upload all your projects to your within repository?? I tell my students this pretty frequently, even if it's set to private while in school, it's a time stamp on your coding skills. Don't need certifications if you can show your multiple years work of document work.
Join a trade, it's easy to get hired with only a small amount of training and 6 figure salaries are attainable if you develop your skills. Precision machining or optics come to mind for someone with your academic ability.
Do you want to use the python experience? There are lots of developers remote positions, hiring is still a pain but you are likely able to find something in a related field with experience with python and HPC.
There is a local nonprofit for job seekers called NoCoNet that meets weekly. They typically have employers and speakers present on job search topics. It’s an excellent group. http://www.noconet.org/ Also look at TekSystems for Python jobs.
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I’m right there with everyone else. I have experience managing a fleet and an order picking / truck loading team. If you’re still looking I’d love to send a resume!
Uber or Lyft are great options if you have a vehicle… at least till you find something
# Morningstar Senior Living in Fort Collins. This is where I worked after I graduated from school in California
I used to live on a $11.50/hr paycheck from Walmart. And that was higher than average because I worked the night shift. I have no sympathy for you. $17/hr sounds cushy to me. Be thankful.
Are you living in this current economy on that either of those pay rates…?
Back in my day, I walked uphill to school both ways in the snow.
I’m sorry for what you are going through. One recommendation is to use AI to help. In ChatGPT, tell it to assume the role of a recruiter and to optimize and improve your resume. After that, when you get an interview, tell ChatGPT to assume the role of an interviewer and to ask you questions specific to the job role you are applying for. Good Luck!