Job search strategy discussion thread

Got canned almost a month ago now, really came out of the blue as i was having this dispute with a 50-something, entrenched employee with a history of making her co-workers cry due to her belittling them (but she was also doing what was the most valuable job in the division, bar none), so i took my issue to management and assumed she'd be disciplined, ended up they believed *her* accusations that i was stealing from other employees, and blamed me for the verbal altercation that she started, and just like that, i was gone.

I had already begun putting out feelers for grad school before, as i hated that job anyway, but rather needed it. Still, though, i need something to get me from now to then, preferably that will build me up for the future, even if in a small way (retail sales, for instance, or assistant manager at the nearby gas station). Got rejected by Radio Shack, but i fortunately learned that the reason wasn't my lie of omission regarding my last job (which i simply did not mention, as it was only 3 and a half months and their termination reasons make me sound like a criminal), since a company has to pay the Social Security Administration a fee to get an unadulterated view of every job you've ever had. Otherwise, the only lies you can get caught in are lies of commission, wilfully listing wrong experiences.

Trying to swing into Sheetz on a network connection (friend's sister works at another area sheetz, knows the manager), and into another gas station nearby, spoke directly to the manager of a local Staples after I had applied online, gave him my resume, and also have my name on the list at a regional hiring agency for secretarial positions, so something has to stick eventually.

Long-term, it's either go back to school (commute, hopefully keeping the part-time gig that i'll hopefully get in the next few weeks) or teach English abroad in Japan (have an interview up in August)

interview today...

i kinda want somewhere closer to me but whatever...

You have transportation though right?

it isnt that far by bbike...but i want something closer by bike.

As someone else who got fired from a job because of an entrenched asshole, I'm truly sorry Ogodei.

Anyone think about working for themselves? I'm probably gonna do it again when I get better transportation. It's worked for me before but the main problem was it wasn't consistent work.

edited 26th Jun '13 5:40:02 AM by Wildcard

Ugh, I hate bullies like that. I was rather lucky in that in a horrible instance of me being bullied a couple of years ago, I was seat-hopping (as the team's temp, I didn't have the luxury of a permanent workspace). I was working in the middle of another near-by team, and my colleague had had the day from hell and just UNLOADED on me for a minor, insignificant fault. Six of the other team independently went to my manager and complained on my behalf, since I didn't want to rock the boat by sticking up for myself. An apology later (and my manager insisting I report anything further, despite me admitting I wouldn't), she never bothered me again. I say "me" though - she drove at least one, possibly more, colleagues off work with long term stress-sickness, and rumour has it was told she was too good at her job to fire, but too disgusting as a person to ever promote.

Such instances are part of why I'm glad I've left the financial services sector, even though it means having been unemployed for 5 months now.

Better day today. Seems the branch of Gamestop that i worked at over the last holiday season is hiring again. Might not be too many hours, but it would be something (and one of the longer-serving employees intimated to me that she'd be leaving in September, so hours might increase later on).

They really liked me, too, so if they are indeed hiring, it should be a lock... hopefully...

Well well well, good news for me today. In my volunteering role, we've been installing a new computer system, which requires a lot of data entry. I'm good at data entry, and experienced. I can take a large quantity of data, get into a rhythm, and batter through it.

The training lady has noticed this, and is certain that without my being there, the office would be fucked as there getting it all done would be a massive headache. As such, she's trying to get me a job! She's speaking to my manager to see if there's any way they can get even a part time thing, 14 or 15 hours a week, so I can continue to help them out and get a wage for my troubles (I currently get £12 a week in travel expenses, but pay three times that in petrol).

I also got confirmation that I didn't get the job I interviewed for last week - which I'm happy about, because I'd have hated it and I'm no longer presented with the issue of trying to justify turning it down without affecting my benefits.

Best of luck on the interview Caissas.

I didn't get the job I interviewed for

edited 26th Jun '13 2:41:12 PM by CaissasDeathAngel

No man, for the interview the training lady is trying to get you for the job you're at. Duh!

Troubles at the Sears website and a lack of received phone calls made today a bit more depressing. Some good opportunities cropped up, however, a hidden gem local job at a small business, and something fitting a ways north through a hiring agency.

Hmm...

It's my birthday, so naturally today I got a robocall from the temp agency that my assignment is over. Not overly surprised except by the timing—I suspect the client wanted to avoid the effects of paying the temps for the full week. Need to check in with the agency tomorrow to return the security badge and announce my availability for more work, also call the other temp agency and let them know I'm available, and see if I can get back on unemployment.

See, what gets me is a lack of any sense of urgency on the part of employers in responding to my various queries. I just wish that the whole process was more transparent, as i'll apply and then just hear nothing, even from groups that seemed interested in getting me going quickly, potentially.

Hiring Managers should be more tactful on the whole.

I personally don't mind them being tactless, but it'd nice to at least get an automated response.

It's understandable that they can be tactless, especially when there's sometimes literally hundreds of people applying for the position all wanting to know the same information. That still doesn't mean that it isn't frustrating though.

Hello. Since I'm new to this thread (though I've been checking it out) I have a few doubts regarding my CV. It has:

• Personal info
• Education (where I graduated);
• Personal Skills (it has only the languages I know);
• Social Skills (including where I learned, which was in College projects/works and so forth);
• Computer Skills (same as above);
• Artistic Skills(same as above).

However, I doubt if it's attractive enough. Is there anything I'm missing, or anything I should remove? The internships in question are:

• In a music magazine;
• In a company which analyses and compiles news.

If anyone has any suggestions, could you tell me, please? I just want to be sure that, in case I fail to achieve these internships, I won't feel guilty of not having experience.

edited 1st Jul '13 11:46:36 AM by Quag15

The key to resumes in this day and age is buzzword matching. For online-submitted jobs (if the online submission is only a resume and cover letter), the first round of eliminations is always done by automatic software, which searches all submitted documents for key phrases, so that if you got 1,000 responses for one position, you can melt it down to 50 with the push of a button.

This means that the part of your resume that describes your skills and your job history (if you have specific duties enumerated under those internships) should essentially be filled with industry buzzwords and key terms that match the specific job you're looking for.

The key, of course, is to balance computer-friendliness with human friendliness. Something that's guaranteed to make it through the first swipe could do so by being otherwise incoherent, but you should, at least, try to mirror the terms in which the job you're applying describes itself.

The only other resume pitfall is that you should try to keep it limited to a page if you're entry-level. Unless you have a long run of industry experience, it should only be a page.

Ok, I'll do that. Looks like I'll rephrase the skills and trim it down a bit (I have two pages). Thanks!

Seriously — do a lot of trimming: even two pages is a bit much. Create several versions of you CV for various possible jobs you'll be hunting for... it helps trim it down if you leave out the bits that aren't needed for given jobs.

I've got a modular, tabular CV I can chop and change the specifics of for each cover-letter and/or application form quickly... 'cos I put time into it on a regular basis.

Did you do that modular, tabular CV by yourself or did you get that somewhere? In case it's the latter, could you PM me a link or something? I'd be really grateful.

Trimming will be done tomorrow.

edited 1st Jul '13 3:19:16 PM by Quag15

I DIY'd it using Word. <shrugs> I've since played with the doc in other ways and platforms (playing with databases has advantages), but it's not a template. For... uh... obvious reasons (data security), I'm not willing to pass it along, mate. Sorry. <furious blush>

edited 1st Jul '13 3:42:36 PM by Euodiachloris

No problem. I'll do the database thing myself. Thanks anyway!

Doublepost for another doubt: I'm thinking of taking a new photo to put in my CV. Should I put something more formal (shirt or shirt+tie) or something more laidback (but not too much)?