At Jobcase.com, we pride ourselves in being the social platform for every aspect of your working life. The members of our community represent a rich diversity of work and life experiences that we all can learn from. Read on to hear the perspective of our featured Jobcaser – Ashley Nadeau (https://www.jobcase.com/p/ashley.nadeau1).

Ashley is from Lewiston, ME and has a retail and customer service background. She spoke to us about how she uses Jobcase to not only to help her in her job search, but to also be part of a supportive community. She recently landed a retail job, too!

How did you find out about Jobcase? Ashley: When I was job hunting, I was looking for job boards where I could talk to other people, work on my resume and just try to find a job - Jobcase was one of the ones I found. I found it really interesting. I didn’t really use it much at first, and then I noticed that I can actually post comments. So, I decided to just start commenting and talking with people!

What keeps you coming back? Ashley:The conversations - being able to talk to people and see how they are doing. Also, the encouragement that I’ve noticed people give to each other, especially when they are getting frustrated with the job search.

Everyone is really friendly. Even with a question that you might think is a dumb question -No, it’s not a dumb question! Just ask the question and get the responses that you need. Everybody helps each other. That’s what I like about Jobcase.

How did Jobcase help you in your job search? Ashley: There was one discussion I remember reading on the community about when to get in contact [with a potential employer] after an interview]. I also created a post asking a similar question. And after reading those comments, plus the comments that people left on my post, [that information] made me get into gear and contact [the employer] who I interviewed with, and follow up and let them know I was still interested. That definitely helped.

You’ve held customer service and retail related jobs - what is some advice you would give to someone who is looking to get a customer service or retail job today? Ashley: Be patient. Sometimes you’ll go through a lot of interviews and you won’t get the response that you were hoping for. In retail, while they need a lot of people, sometimes they are looking for a specific skill set. Be comfortable working with people face-to-face and being able to handle those difficult customers. Job hunting in retail definitely takes patience - sometimes it takes a while to get a response. Some stores it could take up to a month. One store I know took mr two months to get a response from! Other stores can be really quick - it all depends on the availability, what they need, and how quickly they need it filled.

When it comes to going on a job interview, do not dress casually even if the company is casual. Dress nicely and try to as friendly and professional as possible, at the same time. Try to highlight what you’ve done, and state that you are looking for new experiences and to learn new skills, and anything that you think will make you stand out. Listen to the specific question that the interviewer is asking - sometimes the customer service related questions can be a little tricky, because they are trying to catch you. Be patient with the interview and answer the best you can.

What would your advice be to jobseekers on the community? Ashley: Continue posting questions! Try to get into conversations with others and try to get new ideas on the best way to utilize yourself in trying to get a job. Just trying to get a sense of what other people have gone through and people who are sharing their experiences - that’s a good part of Jobcase. It’s what has kept me interested and I think a lot of people could benefit from it as well.

What’s the biggest takeaway you get from the community? Ashley:The fact that everyone is willing to help each other. No question is a stupid question. If you’re frustrated with a situation, like a job interview, there is always a lot of encouragement, which is needed among people who are looking for a job. There is so much discouragement out there, especially when you are out there and you are constantly being told “no”... people just really want to hear that yes. They need that “yes”.

Anything else you would like to add? Ashley: Don’t give up on job hunting. As hard as it might be, you will land a job. It may not be the job you were originally hoping for, but it will get you into that direction. Don’t expect immediate results, because it doesn’t always happen. And try to find a community where people will help you and encourage you!

Want to connect with Ashley? Follow her on Jobcase!

Interested in being featured on Jobcase.com? Send us a message to schedule a time to speak about your experience with Jobcase!