Job Question too

[Revan]

Ok after reading the below Job question thread, I kinda have one of my very own...

Basically if I'm wanting to get into post graduate studies (or post-undergrad, w/e the hell you want to call it) which is going to be looked at more? I ask this because I'm heavily involved in school, but aside from the four years I was a personal support worker (not one with a degree, it was with the Victoria Order of Nurses, I worked with a young man with autism and got paid for it), most of my jobs I've only lasted at most a year and a half.
I mean I worked at a variety store from Feb 2004 to Nov 2005, McDonald's was May 2005-Sept 2006, Boston Pizza July 2008-March 2009, and now, Sears from April 2011 to September of this year... so while none of them aside from the variety store, was I fired from, I find that for me to keep a job without getting physically ill about thinking about even going in for a shift....not easy. What I mean is that the variety store was fine, I only got fired/let go because the shifts they needed me for were being booked by McDicks. But McDicks, from like Jun 2006-when I quit, I had apparently called in 90% of my shifts or got someone to take them, because I physically felt ill at the thought of going in to work -_-. Boston Pizza, same sorta thing, started to really loathe working there. And Sears, when my manager broke his hip, and a whole bunch of changes started happening, I couldn't cope, I started hating work, and so I left claiming I needed to focus on school....And while the last one, the manager from a diff store who came in to help, said they really appreciated me sticking with them during the really difficult period when the broken hip first happened and how I really helped them, so I spose I'll get an okay reference from them.

NONE THE LESS, I feel like when it comes to showing job responsibility...really I don't have much that will look good. But I'm basically asking, will post-grad schools look more at my job record, or will it look heavily upon what I did in school, how involved I got, and how I did with my classes?

Andn what's more, when I actually try to get into my actual career following school, same question. Will they look how I did in my program, or will they look at my job record (part time jobs) and be all "oh well he couldn't ever stick out a job for more than a year...so why should we hire him?"

[Chip]

As far as admission to grad school, I don't think they're going to pay too much attention to your work history, except as it relates to whatever you're in grad school for. (i.e., if you're going for journalism and you have experience working for newspapers or whatever, that will help.) They are less likely to be concerned about your job-hopping as long as your undergrad GPA is strong, your recommendations are glowing, and your essays, publications, or other supporting materials are good.

As far as employment, it's a mixed bag. If I were considering you, I would definitely ding you for the job hopping and would probably ask a lot of detailed questions about your previous jobs, reasons for leaving, etc. And lying or misrepresenting generally isn't a good idea either, as a good HR person can spot it pretty quickly. But if you do well in graduate school, and particularly, if your graduate program has some sort of practicum or internship, and you do well and have a strong reference from that, it will count a lot more toward getting you a job than your earlier, spotty job history.

[Revan]

Hmm I see your point. I want to hear from others too but I do see your point. Fact is in most cases, I've left for school. Sears, HR would see that the letter of resignation was submitted as I required focusing on my studies. I do hope my GPA is enough but even that I don't really know...namely because I really suck when it comes to courses that are my major, multiple choice exams are how they test me and I freeze up with them. Yet courses that interested me like Philosophy of Education, Forms of Oral Discourse, Foundations in Singing, Reading Popular Culture, University Writing, I did amazingly at...because those are the things I love....so yeah I dunno, I'll have to just hope it all works out.

Like I said, would love what other people think. Maybe other job hoppers out there so I know I'm not alone and horrible for doing so.

[Revan]

Well I suppose the silence from the crowd truly is deafening...