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Honestly I feel like a job seeker doesn't know what to do anymore. There's so many mixed messages. Shorten your resume. Leave nothing out on your resume. Apply online. Online applications are a waste of time. Don't forget to include special skills. Nobody cares about your special skills. Employment gaps are the kiss of death, but God forbid you fudge your work history to cover the three months you were unemployed. You just can't win no matter what the hell you do. Unless you're Jesus Christ himself, you can't get hired.
It often does feel like that at times. However I don't see it as mixed messages, rather I see it as there is no longer a tired and true method of finding a job that works 90%+ of the time. Thus you are going to get the: "you should never lie on your resume but you should somehow cover an unemployment gap", "applying online is a waste of time, but I don't know anyone who works there directly to email" etc... you are going to get the contradictions because there is no "one size fits all" anymore when it comes to job hunting.
As a hiring manager, thank you letters don't sway me in the least. I interviewed three people last week. The worst candidate was the only one to send a thank-you note and she was still the worst candidate after sending it.
I'm not even sure I would use a thank-you note as a tie breaker to make a hiring decision.
Job posting: Thank you for navigating our highly dysfunctional application system, please fill out this 60 minute personality test.
Third interview and my current employer is figuring out by now that Im interviewing....Thank you for applying but we went with another candidate, do not reply to this email.
It often does feel like that at times. However I don't see it as mixed messages, rather I see it as there is no longer a tired and true method of finding a job that works 90%+ of the time. Thus you are going to get the: "you should never lie on your resume but you should somehow cover an unemployment gap", "applying online is a waste of time, but I don't know anyone who works there directly to email" etc... you are going to get the contradictions because there is no "one size fits all" anymore when it comes to job hunting.
So how do you keep trying when you don't get the right answer? You try being consistent (because it may be different for certain employers) you could be doing it the wrong way.
Terrific dam. Great idea to get people back to work. Lot of unemployed people pulled up stakes and traveled to get a job working on that dam.
If I was unemployed and needing a job, I'd be packing up and heading to the Dakotas. Lot of jobs there right now. Truck drives are pulling down $100K/year hauling crude. Opportunity is there for those willing to go for it.
But I think you are missing the point. Not saying unemployed people are not employable, that they shouldn't be given a chance. Of course, they should be given a chance.
I'm saying the reality is that they are often passed over because they are not employed.
As others have posted, if they've been unemployed for awhile it assumed that their skills are rusty, their knowledge outdated.
You can go "Woe is me," and "Ain't it awful," and "Employers ought to hire the unemployed because they are the ones that need and want to work," but in the real world, employers hire folks they think can do the job and the surest way to determine if someone can do a job is if they are already doing it.
Perhaps the government should sponsor some infrastructure construction projects to hire the unemployed. Get that past the GOP.
Terrific dam. Great idea to get people back to work. Lot of unemployed people pulled up stakes and traveled to get a job working on that dam.
If I was unemployed and needing a job, I'd be packing up and heading to the Dakotas. Lot of jobs there right now. Truck drives are pulling down $100K/year hauling crude. Opportunity is there for those willing to go for it.
But I think you are missing the point. Not saying unemployed people are not employable, that they shouldn't be given a chance. Of course, they should be given a chance.
I'm saying the reality is that they are often passed over because they are not employed.
As others have posted, if they've been unemployed for awhile it assumed that their skills are rusty, their knowledge outdated.
You can go "Woe is me," and "Ain't it awful," and "Employers ought to hire the unemployed because they are the ones that need and want to work," but in the real world, employers hire folks they think can do the job and the surest way to determine if someone can do a job is if they are already doing it.
Perhaps the government should sponsor some infrastructure construction projects to hire the unemployed. Get that past the GOP.
But thats the thing; people arent saying "woe is me" theyre saying "im sick of this crap!" and employers are saying "i dont care".
Job posting: Thank you for navigating our highly dysfunctional application system, please fill out this 60 minute personality test.
Several years ago I applied for a receptionist position at a doctor's office and they made me take a 50 question personality test. The office manager also asked me "If you could choose to be any animal, which one would you be and why?" I think the look on my face eliminated any chance I had of getting the job. Seriously? A personality test for some crappy $10 an hour office job?
So how do you keep trying when you don't get the right answer? You try being consistent (because it may be different for certain employers) you could be doing it the wrong way.
Good question, I guess the best way I can answer that is if one particular method does not work then I will switch to another method and give that a try. Or I will take a (once) tired and true method and alter it as need be. I don't think that there is any universal "if you do a,b,c it will lead to a job 100% of the time", so I am open to tweaking the resume, job hunting as need be.
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