Unverified and unemployment

I've recently begun thinking about an SL job. I'd love to hear how you got your first job, and what is working out for you now.

I am about to embark on a SL job search.

How do you feel about unverifieds drawing income from SL?

I think they are stealing all our jobs! I think we should build a big fence at the border, and shoot everyone who manages to get across it! I'd like to see more fairy stories about the police!

No problem. If I had any work for you, I'd offer you a job.

Work....
what's that?

I think any player in SL, regardless of their verification status, should seek to do at least something productive in SL. I think you are to be commended for seeking work.

My first job in SL was making and selling T-shirts. I spent some time learning how to use the available templates to make t-shirt designs, and spent a few Lindens to import those textures. At first, I could only afford to import a couple of textures. After I sold a few shirts, I used that income to import more textures, so I had more things to sell. I got some free space in a newbie area outside a busy store. As I continued to sell shirts, I studied making more complex clothing, like dresses, where I had to match seams more carefully.

Go to the Ivory Tower, and learn how to build things. Make some simple furniture items, using free textures from the Library, and sell your furniture designs. It's a place to start, and costs nothing but time and effort.

As an unverified user, the first hurdle you will face is that you have no starting amount or weekly stipend of Lindens. Therefore, you can't initially pay to import textures.

Hang out at clubs that have "Pay Everyone" tip jars. On occasion you'll get some free money that way. Enter contests at clubs. Maybe you'll win some of them. Ask about doing DJ work at clubs, or working as a 'greeter' at them.

I hesitate to mention the idea, but if you don't mind being 'on display', consider working as a dancer. (Note that a stripper is not usually also required to be an escort.)

In my first couple of weeks in SL, I bought L$ as soon as someone mentioned I could. So, because of that I already had some hair and skin when I got my first job, modeling. A few times I modeled for clothing designers, hair designers and a photography studio. The pay varies, some don't pay at all, but the general practice is that you get to keep the clothes and hair and since those things can get expensive, it was a nice trade.

I know someone who started out similarly to Ceera's description, making shirts. He found this mall that kept a money ball running that would give away a few L$ to random shoppers every few minutes. So he would sit himself down at this mall, do his work in photoshop and every time the money ball would dump enough into his account to equal the 10L, he'd upload his design. I thought that was pretty clever, so it was people like him I was thinking of when I set up the money ball at my mall.

I can't offer work as such... but as a builder, I would certainly be willing to offer an apprenticeship to any new resident who asked. Only one or two at a time though, no more.

I don't have a lot of work on, mainly cos I'm lazy... but I will at least be able to show you the ropes, as it were, and give you what you need to get started in the exciting world of SL Architecture.

I call on other builders, architects & scripters to also offer this service to interested newcommers. It's not as easy for them as it was when we started!

Unverified or not, people get hired based on qualifications. Have a good interview, express your interests, and you'll get a job.

You could just get your other verified account to pay you an allowance every week?

I'll get back to you when I get that first job.

Had a couple of interesting IMs recently that got me thinking of this thread.... so little advice... aproach the process of seeking a job the same way you would in first life. Do not do what a couple of people have done with me in the last couple of days.

Not the exact wording of the IMs I recieved, but close enough you get the point. Oh and neither of them were newbies. Both were at least a few months old.

Job seeker: Hi can I work for you?
Me: What is it you're interested in doing?
Job seeker: Anything
Me: Do you know what my businesses are?
Job seeker: you got this mall right?
Me: Yes thats one business. What skills do you have?
Job seeker: none
Me: I'm sorry, I don't think I can help you.
Job seeker: can I hang out for traffic an you pay me?
Me: No I don't pay for traffic
(about ten minutes later)
Job seeker: Do you need a slave?

Next day

Job seeker2: I need job
Me: What would you like to do for a job?
Job seeker2: work 4 U
Me: What skills do you have?
Job seeker2: wat?
Me: I'm sorry I'm not hiring right now
Job seeker2: K can U give me $?
Me: Bye

But see the thing is, If either of these people had come across as intelligent and perhaps detailed some skills there are some areas where I could have helped them out.

I occasionally hire models for photo shoots of my designs (though right now with hand injury photoshop is difficult so not so much)
I keep a list of trained runway models I hire for fashion shows. (this is not daily work, more like a one day gig every couple of months. You'd have to be on a lot of people's lists to work regularly)
I might hire a skilled photographer to do some display shots for me.
I might hire someone on commission who knows how to make clothes but doesn't want the hassle of selling. (Though I am very particular about style, I am actually interested in helping and would love to meet someone skilled at making men's fashions)
I may hire hosts for the club (though again I would be very particular as content would mean everything to me)
I may hire hosts to hold events in the mall to promote our vendors.

My advice to job seekers would be again, aproach it as you would a real life job, think resumes, skills, attitude, first impressions. In the real world you would not just walk up to a stranger whose business you know nothing about and say "can you give me a job?" and expect to be hired.