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Well, I have applied to a total of 252 jobs and went on 29 interviews in 15 months of job searching. I am still unemployed. At the beginning of my job search my goal was to apply to 300 jobs and go on 30 interviews before I landed a real job offer. That sounded reasonable for my education, experience, area of the country and my age (50 years old).
I need to apply to only 48 more jobs and go on 1 more interview to hit my original goal. I have decided for my last 48 job applications I am going to go old school. I am going to mail my resume and cover letter via snail mail and/or apply in person and fill out paper applications at the business. Today, I mailed my cover letter and resume to a local company for an office job and I walked into a hotel and filled out an application for a breakfast attendant position that was advertised.
Will it work going old school?
Hell if I know. I am just doing whatever I can to get a job even if it is a minimum wage part-time position. In fact, I dumbed down my resume and took off my college degrees and most of my computer/database/technical experience so I can apply to mostly minimum wage jobs for my last 48 job applications.
Maybe the universe will shine its light down on me and see I am working hard to get a job and I am no longer picky and will take any job, as long as it is a real job with real pay.
Or maybe the universe will snicker and continue throwing brick walls up in front of me.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,642 posts, read 81,386,567 times
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I don't know how you can do justice to your applications/resume with that many, averaging about 17 a day. At age 57 when I needed a job, I applied to jobs for which I was well suited, were within a reasonable commute distance, and paid enough to survive. Over about 4 months I applied to 5, was interviewed for 4. My applications/resumes were tailored specifically to the position being offered. While the job history and education were the same, the duties and skills listed were different, depending on the requirements of the position I was applying for. As a hiring manager for many years (now at the 3rd company) I would expect mass mailing/emailing of the same resume to large numbers of employers to be less successful. What we look for is someone who demonstrates in their application that they want to work here, not just looking for "a job." That requires some research on the company, what they do, some history, and whatever facts you can get from such sources as their annual reports. In fact, I have hired several people that were less qualified on paper but more convincingly enthusiastic about working here, and they have worked out great. If you have been doing that and in such large numbers, I compliment you on your patience and ability to do so much in a day.
I don't know how you can do justice to your applications/resume with that many, averaging about 17 a day. At age 57 when I needed a job, I applied to jobs for which I was well suited, were within a reasonable commute distance, and paid enough to survive. Over about 4 months I applied to 5, was interviewed for 4. My applications/resumes were tailored specifically to the position being offered. While the job history and education were the same, the duties and skills listed were different, depending on the requirements of the position I was applying for. As a hiring manager for many years (now at the 3rd company) I would expect mass mailing/emailing of the same resume to large numbers of employers to be less successful. What we look for is someone who demonstrates in their application that they want to work here, not just looking for "a job." That requires some research on the company, what they do, some history, and whatever facts you can get from such sources as their annual reports. In fact, I have hired several people that were less qualified on paper but more convincingly enthusiastic about working here, and they have worked out great. If you have been doing that and in such large numbers, I compliment you on your patience and ability to do so much in a day.
I am sure I am doing it all wrong in my job search. I can't win regardless what I do. BTW, I do not average applying to 17 a day, it comes out to an average of 1.8 jobs applied to per day. I am assuming you mean I am averaging 17 jobs applied to per month which I do not think is very high for the area of the country I live in and the crappy job market around here.
In the 15 months of job searching I have went 1 month without applying for a job at all (needed a break) and another month where I only applied to around 3 jobs. If I only applied to 5 jobs in four months and wasn't lucky enough to get a job (regardless how much research I did), everyone here on C-D and in my real life would say I am not looking hard enough and I am not applying to enough jobs. If I apply to 254 jobs in 15 months of job searching, I am now told I am applying to too many jobs and I am not targeting my job search to specific jobs that will hire me based upon my qualifications and work experience.
Of course one has to throw into the mix the many interviews I have been on where it seems the company didn't hire anyone at all. For example, I just received another rejection email from an interview I went on a month ago and the email stated the company decided to get rid of the job, here is the text of the email:
"Thank you for expressing interest in the position of HRIS ASSISTANT . Athough we are impressed with your background and experience, I have learned that the department is going to be closing this position at this time."
[Notice the typo "Although" and the extra space in front of the period, not that anyone cares]
Anyway, I have no control over companies I interviewed with that can't make decisions, or companies that interview for jobs that don't exist. Out of the 29 interviews I have been on I have seen probably at least half of the jobs come back up on the job boards within 3-6 months.
So yeah, maybe I need to research the companies better, however I have been contacted by some companies that were shady and I have made a decision NOT to go on the interview. So I am particular on what jobs I interview for. I believe I was well suited for ALL of the 29 jobs I interviewed for, but they didn't work out. Such is life.
I understand you are trying to help. Thank you. But sometimes in life people are meant to go on different paths. What worked for you in your job search may not work for someone else. I just need a little bit of luck, if that is what the Universe wants...if not well...I guess I stay unemployed.
Are you sure you're tailoring your resume properly?
Peebola's problem is not her resume. She's getting the interviews. So tell me, how do you tailor the interview? No one talks about that, because everyone assumes it's all the job applicant's fault from the resume only.
How do you tailor an interview? Seriously, I need to know for my next interview.
Are you sure you're tailoring your resume properly?
I don't think that's the problem. 29 interviews on 252 applications (11.5%) is not bad, probably above average considering she is applying to a variety of different jobs (I think).
She must not be making a good impression in interviews. I know it's more difficult to interview well if you've been unemployed for a long time. All your answers sound like reaches or old stories rather than germane responses that show you get their businesses, needs, problems.
She pointed out an extra space and a misspelling in a rejection notice. No biggie, but that may be a sign that she is a contrarian, anal or judgmental, things you don't want to be on a job interview. She doesn't talk about the level of the jobs she's applying for (or location she lives in), these key omissions make me wonder if she is clueless on interviews too. Especially if she is trying for lower level jobs, she may just need to try to be likeable. These are human beings she is interviewing with, most of them want to fill the slot and sometimes, in the absence of highly qualified "stars" they will hire someone they liked talking to and feel would be good to have around.
She must not be making a good impression in interviews. I know it's more difficult to interview well if you've been unemployed for a long time. All your answers sound like reaches or old stories rather than germane responses that show you get their businesses, needs, problems.
Exactly. I DO NOT make a good impression in interviews. I have stated many times here on C-D that I suck at interviewing, as I am not a people person and I am not good at chit chatting. I understand that jobs are all about "fit" and not function, that shouldn't be the ways things are, but alas that is the narcissistic/Like Me On Facebook world we live in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Back to NE
She pointed out an extra space and a misspelling in a rejection notice. No biggie, but that may be a sign that she is a contrarian, anal or judgmental, things you don't want to be on a job interview.
I used to be a proofreader way back in the 90's when I worked for a printing company for 7 years. Back then people cared about typos (cost big money to reprint), so yeah I do point out typos in emails from HR/Hiring Managers who expect no typos in your cover letter or resume. The job seeker must be perfect whereas HR/Hiring Managers are given a pass. That is what it seems to me anyway. Kind of ironic that the job applicant cannot be judgmental on an interview but the interviewer sure can be judgmental about the job applicant's manner, looks, nervousness, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Back to NE
She doesn't talk about the level of the jobs she's applying for (or location she lives in), these key omissions make me wonder if she is clueless on interviews too. Especially if she is trying for lower level jobs, she may just need to try to be likeable. These are human beings she is interviewing with, most of them want to fill the slot and sometimes, in the absence of highly qualified "stars" they will hire someone they liked talking to and feel would be good to have around.
I have stated many times I live in Upstate NY. I guess you don't read many of my posts. I have also stated many times I am looking for office/administrative/customer service/database jobs. Right now I am looking for only minimum wage part-time work (hence the topic of this thread) at either retail stores, hotels or restaurants. I have dumbed down my resume and I am going in person to apply for the minimum wage jobs. I am trying something new in my job search.
As to being clueless on interviews, I am sure the HR/Hiring Managers will say I am, whereas I beg to differ. I am intelligent and funny. OK, maybe my sense of humor isn't for everyone, but I like it well enough. Interviewing is tough and sometimes downright demeaning. After being on 29 interviews, with 28 rejections, I think I have the right to be a bit blase and not perky and energetic at future interviews. It seems the "higher paying" jobs I interviewed for only cared about "fit" and likability, at least that is what I have been told in the few rejection notices that have been sent to me. That is why I am concentrating on minimum wage jobs where hopefully they won't require such high standards for "likability" in the hiring process.
It doesn't matter anyway, whatever I say, whatever I do, I guess I am the problem. Oh well. Such is life. I can still post about my job search experiences even if they are not positive.
Peebola's problem is not her resume. She's getting the interviews. So tell me, how do you tailor the interview? No one talks about that, because everyone assumes it's all the job applicant's fault from the resume only.
How do you tailor an interview? Seriously, I need to know for my next interview.
What a slippery slope you are walking on...
No one answers how to tailor an interview because all interviewers and interviews are different. You have no idea of the HR Person or Hiring Manager's personality. So you have no clue of how to act or what to say especially since all interviews these days seem to be about "fit" instead of function. You are basically walking in blind to an interview.
Maybe the interviewer is looking for someone who is tall with blond hair and you are short with grey hair.
Maybe the interviewer likes to talk and chit chat, and you are more reserved and don't know how to chit chat.
Maybe the interviewer only wants to hire people in the 20's and 30's and you are in your 40's and 50's.
Maybe the interviewer has absolutely NO sense of humor and if you even say one thing that seems to be a joke (to lighten the mood because you are nervous), the interviewer is offended, and then it is NO job for you.
Maybe the interviewer is having a bad day and is not in the mood to interview people, and regardless of what you say, you are NOT getting the job, because everything that comes out of your mouth is pissing of the interviewer even more.
Maybe the interviewer does not like that you pointed out that you have a 4 year degree in the interview, because more than likely the interviewer does not have a 4 year degree and considers college educated people to be annoying eggheads.
Maybe the interviewer does not like your smile because you have a slight snaggle tooth and your teeth are not perfectly white.
Maybe the interviewer already has an internal candidate picked out and you are just a number.
Maybe the interviewer is looking for a purple unicorn.
I could go on and on. So how does one do the perfect interview, when personalities get in the way of education and experience? As I have said, my resume is not the problem, I have the skills and education. I get called for interviews. I just can't gauge the personality of the interviewer until I get to the interview, and all my smiling in the world isn't going to overcome the examples I listed above.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,642 posts, read 81,386,567 times
Reputation: 57895
Smiling and having the right color hair or other non- job-related factors may in fact affect one's ability to be hired. There is nothing anyone can do about that, but you probably don't want to work for that person anyway.
I still maintain that it's important to tailor the resume and the interview to the company and the position. Experienced hiring managers really can tell whether someone wants to work there, or is just looking for whatever they can get. There are no guarantees that a new employee will stay and make a career, but the enthusiasm for the position goes a long way. When someone uses some real facts about our company in their answers, and asks questions related to the future of the company, goals and objectives rather than PTO days or dress code, it can make a big difference between two or more equally qualified people. You can ask about those other details when HR makes an offer, the interview is to sell yourself as the best fit for the position.
I fail interviews most of the time (when I can get them) because people assume I'm on drugs. I have a TBI from my abusive ex bashing my head into a wall repeatedly. My eyes even changed colors for a while. When I talk I often slur words and I fall down a lot too. I get dizzy spells and fall. The only times I've passed an interview is on a good day when I don't slur and stuff noticeably. And then I get fired not long after because of my health problems. Although, the last interview I was on was mostly a good day but the interviewer saw how long I'd been without a job, wrote some nasty comments on the forms, and wished me a good day. I was sent on my way. That was for a cashier position at Meijer.
Hope you get something.
In Lexington KY they are starting a program where a van picks up panhandlers and takes them to a job to work 6 hours a day $9/hour. I bet a lot of long time unemployed will be tempted to pretend to be a panhandler to get a job. Don't know when they're officially starting it. It was just announced within past few days.
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