What Invaluable Things Have You Learned While Job Hunting (job offer, employee, applying)

[canuckmom]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22
Jesse,
I suppose something in Education or in Administration. I've got experience in both. Business pays better...

I really have no career path due to being out of work as a parent for 10 years, but I do have experience and education and will find something decent!

Good luck to you.

Howdy,

I am in the same boat - 12 years at home raising a family and supporting my husband in his career (which also involved relocating 7 times). I am in a new state and city where I know virtually no one other than a few neighbors.

Here are a few things I have found to be useful for me (although I have not landed anything yet - I am making progress)

*******RESEARCH THE COMPANIES IN YOUR AREA*********

I compiled a list of twenty companies within 30 minutes of me that I would be interested in working for. I just kept a list of companies I read about, or drove by, or someone mentioned they worked for etc...I researched their websites and checked their job postings. Many encourage submitting your resume and they email you when there is an opening in your speciality - its great!


**** NETWORKING*****

In my research, I read somewhere that less than 3% of people looking for work are hired from applying for jobs on the big boards.

Considering how time consuming and cumbersome applying for jobs on these boards can be, it seems like a lot of effort for a slim chance of landing a position. Its like a lottery - what are the odds?

Not to mention only about 15% of all jobs are posted on line.

In meeting with a few headhunters and HR people, they have confirmed that the vast majority of people are hired through networking.

So, if have neighbors, a church group, brownie troup, soccer team contacts, volunteer friends, PTA Board etc....you need to tap into these people. Even if they can't help you, they might know someone who is hiring.

In that regard, I joined a couple of "networking sites" -

LinkedIn: Relationships Matter
Welcome to Facebook! | Facebook

I also had my husband join Linked In and through him, I am finding contacts I can approach, because they are "linked" to my husband or someone my husband knows.


******USE CONSOLIDATED JOB BOARDS********

Job Search | one search. all jobs. Indeed

Search jobs and build your career network | Jobster

Job Search Made Simple | SimplyHired

There is some overlap on these sites, but they all compile postings from the various big job boards - Monster, Career Builder etc... plus some smaller boards.

If you set up a Linked In account, Simply Hired will direct you to other Linked In connections - its pretty cool way to network.

************RESUME FORMATTING & KEYWORDS***********

And in case, you didn't know this, the HR software programs that many companies use will "kick out" resumes that are not in their required formats.

Often you create a good looking resume, but they want a TEXT document. When you convert your resume, your format can get all messed up so you have to make sure to fix your formatting if that is the case.

Make sure you add a keyword section to your resume - the HR software often looks for specific keywords and if not there, your resume is rejected!!

I have also been told the first 2 paragraphs of your cover letter are "key" to getting your resume read. If those two paragraphs don't grab the readers attention, it does not matter how good your resume is - it often won't even get read.

Sorry this is so wordy, and you might already know all this, but since I found out the hard way about alot of it, I thought I'd pass on what I have discovered.

Please don't be discouraged, try networking if you haven't already, and realize you might be more likely to get struck by lightening than of landing a position off of the job boards

Good Luck.....please post any other info any of you have learned that would be invaluable to others while job searching.

Thx.......

[GypsySoul22]

I'd like to add..

I think agencies are a waste of time except IF they have an actual job for you.
Too many just want to dangle a carrot in front of you hoping to get the one candidate that fits the job they currently open.
(how do these places stay in business if they don't have any jobs??_)

Job hunting never gets any better, the older you get...

[marylee54]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

I'd like to add..

I think agencies are a waste of time except IF they have an actual job for you.
Too many just want to dangle a carrot in front of you hoping to get the one candidate that fits the job they currently open.
(how do these places stay in business if they don't have any jobs??_)

Job hunting never gets any better, the older you get...

I agree, my experience with agencies, headhunters, whatever you call them, has been non-productive, also my husband has had similar experiences. We've felt in a few cases the agency actually was a hinderence, the interview seemed to go so well, then no offer, we felt they went with someone "cheaper" those agencies charge a fortune to market you, they only need to place one person per position, obvviously, and the send tons of people for each opening just to make it look like they're doing their client a great job. Probably they held out for more pay, something we will never know, we were probably sold out for a bigger commission for someone else, you never know, they might have even told the company we declined the offer, everything goes through them, funny when the job's still open, ita all a load of crap!

[killer2021]

Well, you have to understand how a head hunter, recruiting agency works. They are in business to help their clients. Their clients are businesses who are looking to hire people. The agency's main goal is to find the best possible candidate for their clients. All the employees who go to the agency are merely the products. The agency wants to give the best products to their clients. Simple as that. Don't walk into an agency thinking you are the client because you aren't.

When you think of it that way, it becomes a lot more clear as to why most people don't find agencies helpful.

Also they say that only 3% of jobs are filled online. Then where is everyone getting their work from. Seems like online would be the best option for employers because there is tons of candidates there and the cost to find an employee online is relatively cheap especially if you use craigslist. If I was looking for an employee I would just look on craigslist. Post one ad, get 50-100 resumes. Review all the resumes. Give the top 5 resumes an interview and select the best one out of the 5. Then have that person work immediately once I get an all clear from the background check.

[GypsySoul22]

I actually ready networking is all a bunch 'nonsense.'

I do believe the best way is if you are persistent and you have the skills they want and your resume crosses the right desk at the right time.

There is a bit of luck involved.

Think about it. You can bang your head against a wall all day trying to get a job then one day, you get a call.

I'm not saying to sit back and do 'nothing.' However, you can also make yourself sick with worry.

I still think the best thing to do is ignore the economic news and carry on, be frugal, be smart.

[FarNorthDallas]

I continually network and it pays off. Recruiters call me and email me just to chat and stay in touch just in case I want to make a move. Or they call if they have a job they know I would like. Ultimately I think it just depends on the strength of your resume, tenure, and personality and once you get pegged as a good candidate you stay on their radar screen all the time. If you get pegged as a not a good candidate (for whatever reason), then it's impossible to shake that label with a recruiter.

[stan4]

Networking does work. It's amazing how people would much rather hire someone they know.
You can get your foot in the door a lot faster and people are more comfortable with it all around.

Persistence always pays off. I learned that in school and job hunting.
Be honest all the time. Don't play games.

[Jackyfrost01]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

I'd like to add..

I think agencies are a waste of time except IF they have an actual job for you.
Too many just want to dangle a carrot in front of you hoping to get the one candidate that fits the job they currently open.
(how do these places stay in business if they don't have any jobs??_)

Job hunting never gets any better, the older you get...

Agreed. I wasted an hour of my life and had to answer the same questions 3 times only to never hear from them again. erg!

Lesson I learned is keep it short, sweet and job related on your applications. Too much info leads to "overqualified" and your going home unemployed and an hour wasted of your time.

Telling them experiences unrelated to the work is pointless to the interviewer, as well and could also make them feel your over qualified OR may leave as soon as another job offer comes up.

When I applied for retail work for the holiday, I kept anything BUT my retail expereince off the application, as my retail exp is all they really wanted to know about. Military, college, etc wasn't needed in this case and could have sunk me easily.

[gizmobizmo]

please post any other info any of you have learned that would be invaluable to others while job searching.
Thx.......

What I've learned.........

1. Unemployment is a humbling experience, no matter who you are, how nice you are, what degrees you hold or what your work ethic is.
As many intelligent, hard-working and educated people have found out, you CAN be let go. It's a quick way to burst that bubble of arrogance.

2. It makes you more appreciative of what you do have when you finally get back to work.

3. You learn how to make do with less in your personal life. Do we REALLY need a 52" plasma TV when a 35" will do. Do we REALLY need 200 movie channels. We can do without the weekly trips to the nail salon and most will never notice.

4. It is a surefire way to force people to gain a much better understanding of the value of a dollar.