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What was the hiring process like before the internet? Or did humans for the most part work at the local machine making place?
How did humans who graduate from universities across the country apply to highly sought after salaried positions in big cities, particularly when they have never been there? How did humans find jobs that were just as well compensated and just as good for personal development and lifestyle but were in a different location?
I remember as recent as circa 2004 still buying the Sunday paper for the huge help wanted ads, but now my job search is solely online or word of mouth.
What was the hiring process like before the internet? Or did humans for the most part work at the local machine making place?
How did humans who graduate from universities across the country apply to highly sought after salaried positions in big cities, particularly when they have never been there? How did humans find jobs that were just as well compensated and just as good for personal development and lifestyle but were in a different location?
I actually had a down computer and sent in a resume by mail.
It was such a shock to the office that I got the call last year.
Anything works.
Actually, I applied for my very first job with my mom in tow.
I got the job. Teamsters' money, too. I think the manager
thought I must have had balls to show up with mom, but it
was just because we were shopping in the same area!!
My first job was through my network due to being a boy scout for a day camp, my second job was an internship through the Walt Disney Company and that was paper in 2006 but by the time I was working as a campus representative two years later, it was fully online.
Old school methods can still work, Esp if combined with the online thing. I got my present job from answering a newspaper ad back in 2005. Two other employees got theirs in the last 3 years by walking up in person. I get handed resumes by people looking-I send it to the office in an interoffice envelope, No computer required.
I went to a secretarial school that employers called to recruit secretaries because it had a good reputation. The school had a placement office. They sent me on interviews. I took the job that paid best and had the most vacation time. 35 years later, I'm still there, but I haven't been a secretary for 30 years.
Like many mentioned they would walk and find jobs in the newspapers.
I'm torn to which is better, then or now? On one hand applying to several positions and uploading resume over the internet is physically easier. But then at least people saw you in person and got a good idea of what you were like, instead of having computers to check our application.
As someone who has been hiring people since the dark ages of the late 70's, I'll take this one on. We put ads in the paper, we went to our chamber of commerce meetings and networking meetings and made announcements, we asked friends to refer good people, and we stole people from other jobs who showed potential. We actually met with each one, read their resumes, engaged with them, gave them tests, had them interview with a multitude of people within the company, and hired them, or not. Since I was in Hawaii at the time, we would also get a lot of walk-ins. Many were military families or dependents, some just dreamers who wanted to live there. I always operated by the maxim that today's job seeker may be tomorrow's customer or bank lender, so I was nice to all comers and interviewed everyone at least for 15 minutes.
Personally, I think the old way may have been better. I looked at you and talked with you before I looked at the paper you. I could look you in the eyes and see who you really were. I got real good at ferreting out the ones who weren't quite telling the truth, got good at talking to references, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting all those people.
BTW - in Hawaii during the 80's there could be as many as 100-200 people for one position, so it wasn't like there was no competition. Some were also telephone interviews, but those were rarer because anyone who wanted to work there liked the idea of flying there for the interview.
Networking is networking. We managed just fine without that there interwebby thing. And we got more work done!
But then at least people saw you in person and got a good idea of what you were like, instead of having computers to check our application.
I got my current job 28 years ago by walking in, asking to speak to HR, handing them my resume and saying I'd be willing to apply for any job they feel fits my qualifications. She had me go after several jobs and eventually got me in because she liked the way I presented myself and felt I'd be a good candidate for "someone".
I SO wish we could still do that. My company is moving and I may be looking again. I have a company I'd like to work for and would do the exact same thing if I could. Sadly, I'm now only a piece of paper. Don't know anyone who works there so "networking" is out of the question.
You'd research firms you wanted to work for in the library and send a resume or do informational interviews.
You'd get an internship in the field you wanted to work in, and build a network of contacts that would help you find work in that field if you didn't simply move into a permanent job at the internship firm.
You'd work in the family business.
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Interview letter by mail got me the chance
