Unemployed: How many job contacts (applications, etc.) are you making each week? (extension, apply)
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Recently reading through these forums, I'm blown away by applicants who claim to be submitting 100+ job applications per week. I've even read one poster who stated that that they had attended more than 100 interviews in their one year of unemployment.
During my initial 7 month job search, I spent an average of 35 hours per week and could reasonably submit no more than 6 or 7 quality, well-revised applications. These applications were selectively targeted, many of which were for federal positions which required me to produce often multiple lengthy essays as part of the application package. Within that period, I had a total of 3 interviews, landing an offer on the third.
Was I not being aggressive enough or perhaps too selective in my job search criteria? Perhaps my seemingly low volume of applications is also the result of the specificity of skills and education required to work in the field I'm in. Moreover, having the financial support of a spouse to fall back along with the lack of financial obligations likely lessened the immediacy of securing gainful employment.
How many hours per are you spending on the job search, and what is the volume of resumes you are submitting each week?
I'd be interested in hearing your personal stories.
Recently reading through these forums, I'm blown away by applicants who claim to be submitting 100+ job applications per week. I've even read one poster who stated that that they had attended more than 100 interviews in their one year of unemployment.
During my initial 7 month job search, I spent an average of 35 hours per week and could reasonably submit no more than 6 or 7 quality, well-revised applications. These applications were selectively targeted, many of which were for federal positions which required me to produce often multiple lengthy essays as part of the application package. Within that period, I had a total of 3 interviews, landing an offer on the third.
Was I not being aggressive enough or perhaps too selective in my job search criteria? Perhaps my seemingly low volume of applications is also the result of the specificity of skills and education required to work in the field I'm in. Moreover, having the financial support of a spouse to fall back along with the lack of financial obligations likely lessened the immediacy of securing gainful employment.
How many hours per are you spending on the job search, and what is the volume of resumes you are submitting each week?
I'd be interested in hearing your personal stories.
Don't believe everything you read. Anybody that claims to send out over 100 applications a week would have to be applying for every job that is advertised whether they are qualified or not. Of course there is always the possibility they are blindly e-mailing generic resumes to every employer around town for jobs that aren't even available. Either way, it is a waste of time. Also, I don't believe anybody that has enough experience and a resume good enough to get 100 interviews would not be able to get a job.
As for me, I spend more time looking than applying. I probably spend about 10 hours a week looking and I might find 4 or 5 worth applying. I don't waste my time applying for jobs I'm not qualified for or really don't want.
Don't believe everything you read. Anybody that claims to send out over 100 applications a week would have to be applying for every job that is advertised whether they are qualified or not. Of course there is always the possibility they are blindly e-mailing generic resumes to every employer around town for jobs that aren't even available. Either way, it is a waste of time. Also, I don't believe anybody that has enough experience and a resume good enough to get 100 interviews would not be able to get a job.
As for me, I spend more time looking than applying. I probably spend about 10 hours a week looking and I might find 4 or 5 worth applying. I don't waste my time applying for jobs I'm not qualified for or really don't want.
That's what I'm doing, and for a long while I was wondering what was wrong with me for applying to so few jobs (relatively). I feel better now
I am lucky to find 3 or 4 jobs that match me a week. I dont send out hundreds of resumes to jobs that dont even match me. That's half the problem now. They have to go through 400 resumes that are piled up of which probably 350 dont match the position thus yours gets lost in the mess.
Recently reading through these forums, I'm blown away by applicants who claim to be submitting 100+ job applications per week. I've even read one poster who stated that that they had attended more than 100 interviews in their one year of unemployment.
During my initial 7 month job search, I spent an average of 35 hours per week and could reasonably submit no more than 6 or 7 quality, well-revised applications. These applications were selectively targeted, many of which were for federal positions which required me to produce often multiple lengthy essays as part of the application package. Within that period, I had a total of 3 interviews, landing an offer on the third.
Was I not being aggressive enough or perhaps too selective in my job search criteria? Perhaps my seemingly low volume of applications is also the result of the specificity of skills and education required to work in the field I'm in. Moreover, having the financial support of a spouse to fall back along with the lack of financial obligations likely lessened the immediacy of securing gainful employment.
How many hours per are you spending on the job search, and what is the volume of resumes you are submitting each week?
I'd be interested in hearing your personal stories.
I haven't been unemployed much since I've been out of school but I would say on average I was submitting about 15-20 applications a week when I was unemployed and about 5-7 when I was employed but looking. 100+ is very high. I would say you are a little on the low end but I didn't write many essays for my job search. My search was reasonably selective but not much so. When I was unemployed I had the option of moving home but I was very far from keen so my search was urgent. When I was unemployed I was spending 40-50 hours a week job searching/interviewing etc.
As for me, I spend more time looking than applying. I probably spend about 10 hours a week looking and I might find 4 or 5 worth applying. I don't waste my time applying for jobs I'm not qualified for or really don't want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OHGreat
I am lucky to find 3 or 4 jobs that match me a week. I dont send out hundreds of resumes to jobs that dont even match me. That's half the problem now. They have to go through 400 resumes that are piled up of which probably 350 dont match the position thus yours gets lost in the mess.
Both posts are VERY true........I go through EVERY ad I find with a fine tooth comb looking for things that would get my application thrown out without a second thought...........
Those I DO apply to are positions where I KNOW I can fulfill every requirement asked for.
Usually around half a dozen or so a week that I am a "perfect fit" for - about a dozen or so if you count the ones where I'm pretty sure I never hear back because I'd be considered "over qualified".
I probably spent 5-6 hours a day doing job related stuff; looking for jobs, applying for jobs, redoing cover letters, researching companies that fit my criteria, finding companies I never heard of in my geographical area and trying to find the jobs they post only on their websites. I would call and pretend pleasant ignorance & make nice to HR people about their application process - actually got an interview out of that as one HR lady's husband had been out of work for over a year. I had set a personal goal to find 2 really "good" jobs every day, ie ones I would actually take if I got them. [also went to school & volunteered]. Didn't always meet that, but it usually averaged out.
I really thought about where I would like to work and dogged them to find areas available for volunteers. I set my sights and targeted them. It helped, didn't get a job there - but close to my goals.
Considering how freakin' long I was unemployed ,& when, I probably hit over 1000 resumes, 4 or 5 civil service tests, hundreds of volunteer hours, and maybe 6 interviews!
At points I applied to some I was over-qualified for, but it seemed pretty useless. Never got called for them. At times it was hard enthusiastically applying for something crappy, but I convinced myself that I wanted every job I applied for and tried to get it across in cover letters.
In all honesty- In the beginning I started applying for maybe 4-8 jobs per week . Of course that was over a year ago. I was much pickier initially. Now? I am applying for every crappy job out there. Just anything that looks remotely like more than nothing.
Let's be real. The UI is going to run out. For me, it's 6 weeks and I will have to hope for an extension and then if that, hope the EB is still being offered or I will be out on the street.
Today I am applying for about 60 jobs per week. Reception, admin, bookkeeper, whatever. Quality smality. It's better than nothing at all which is what I have now. I'm bout ready to take a swing shift at the Poodle if things don't change (The Pink Poodle is the local strip joint). I'll just throw on my granny pantys and hit the pole.
I'm not good at starving. It's doesn't go with my outfit!
I was unemployed for four months (technically still am until Monday) and at first I applied for just anything regardless of whether I'd be suited, probably dozens of applications a week. Since then I've mostly concentrated on what I'd be suited to or what's in my part of the city, so 3-8 resumes and cover letters a week.
I am lucky to find 3 or 4 jobs that match me a week. I dont send out hundreds of resumes to jobs that dont even match me. That's half the problem now. They have to go through 400 resumes that are piled up of which probably 350 dont match the position thus yours gets lost in the mess.
Ditto with me. I've mailed them, hand delivered them, and e-mailed them. In the past month? Zero response. I've even made a few "cold call" visits to some firms around town. Same thing, no openings.
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I'm bout ready to take a swing shift at the Poodle if things don't change (The Pink Poodle is the local strip joint). I'll just throw on my granny pantys and hit the pole. 
