Job search strategy discussion thread

Just don't call the bleeding heart psychologist a candy-ass to his or her face on the job. Leave that to the after hours meeting in the pub/ bar.

Well the lead shrink is a friend of mine who's still in the military. She crossed over to the dark side and became an officer after she got her masters. She used to be a cop, so she isn't like that.

See! Connections! Now if only I had a few... /sigh

I know if I was the boss there, I would not mind overlooking the bachelors part if the person had the relevant experience. The question is, will the person in charge of hiring consider you experience relevant for "getting services and help for military families who have either currently or recently deployed sponsors?" They might not want a military person because of how a hypothetical/stereotypical solder would act to the people (s)he has to get the services from. Or they might prefer a military person because of the personal experiences and connections (s)he would make with the "sponsors."

Ether way, good luck!

EDIT: Wow. Talk about lucky break there. Leaving the rest of my post, even though it was ninjaed, because it brings up the point that you can't tell how various experiences will effect the boss's decision of whether or not to hire a person.

edited 19th Jun '12 3:37:36 PM by Belian

Best of luck Bark.

I'm a lot less taciturn in real life. I'm actually quite friendly to dependents who aren't busy asking stupid and irrelevant questions all the time.

Seconding the networking thing.

Network, network, network.

Leave good impressions on people. In EVERY avenue of your life. Every bad impression you give to any random stranger is one that can bite you in the ass later.

I was hired at a job a few years ago because I was a waiter for the vice-president of a bank, and we wound up having small conversations every time I came back to her table over the night. At the end of the meal, she complimented my service that night and asked if I'd be interested in applying for an open position in their trust department. I jumped at it and a week later, I was sitting at a desk doing the easiest job in the world rather than running my feet off for a pittance from ungrateful diners.

My best friend got a great job at an ad agency by starting by following their agency on twitter, FB, etc, finding out what events they were going to be doing in town, finding chances to talk to the people who worked there, developed a friendship with them, started bringing coffee in to their agency every week or two and made his face known. About a year and a half later, he was offered an account manager position with them. By putting in over a year's worth of grooming, he doubled his income with his new job there.

And most importantly: If you're not working — find something to do that's constructive! Blog about the industry you're interested in, volunteer with a good organization, join free classes at a library to learn a new language... ANYTHING. An HR rep hates to see blank spaces on a resume. They understand if you can't find work — especially in this environment, but they can't understand or (justly) don't want to hire someone who's not in the business of constantly improving themselves. And it makes sense — if you're out of work and not doing anything to make yourself MORE attractive to employers... Does it really look like you want the job?

I blog about the music industry/marketing and have a food blog. When I go into a job interview, I can show them the work I've done on my blogs and show the repeated, daily effort that I put into a field that I love, regardless of a paycheck or not. This gives them concrete evidence that you're passionate about their business field.

My big break now should be coming in a week or two. Hopefully. I submitted my packet for 4 full time national guard gigs like I used to have as an MP. I have a decent chance of getting them, but there were 7 applicants when I called and asked if they got my packet ok in the mail. 4 jobs, 7 applicants, and as far as I know the host unit doesn't know anything about any of the applicants so it's just sort of picking on a hunch I think. I'm not sure how they plan to do the interview process either, but at least my chief called to vouch for me. He knows the chief at the other base and said he put in a good word.

I'm just nervous, because out of the applicants I don't know how many could possibly be from the host unit. The entire reason they started hiring from the outside was because they couldn't fill these slots with their own guardsmen, as nobody else was interested, but if any of them suddenly decided they were interested, they would obviously get preference because they are a known quantity.

These positions pay really good, and they are doing the only really job I know how to do. I also don't really have any other options, it's sink or swim at this point. I should be getting a call to either do a phone interview or request I drive up to Riverside for a face to face sometime this next week, or at least in the next two weeks overall. I'm edgy and nervous as all hell.

Good luck, Barkey. I'm holding thumbs and crossing every crossable finger for you. I do draw the line at trying to cross my toes, though. That hurts.

edited 24th Jun '12 12:23:23 PM by Euodiachloris

Thanks. I guess another tacked on bonus is that 2 of the positions are in my hometown, and the other two are a half an hour from my parents.

I love living right on the beach, and my hometown is a meth addicted cesspit, but I do sort of miss it. I really miss the desert climate.

Know that feel with the home town. Dumfries is a thoroughly depraved place, that has the disturbing appearance of being the picturesque, adorable little town that it looks like. It's only when you've been there a significant time that you see the myriad problems, and understand why I'd rather walk alone through the middle of the murder capital of Europe (Glasgow, until recently) than that small place of 40,000 people.

Yet however much I hate the place, there's always going to be a place in my heart for it, and I'll be sad if it genuinely does sink into the abyss, as I regularly insist it will.

Anyway, best of luck with the jobs, it's always agonising when you find your dream job and know that it might just be more than a dream.

Sad part is I've had this job before. It's what I was doing before state budget cuts got rid of my position. This is the exact same job for the National Guard, just at two different locations than where I was before.

I'd be ok if my hometown sunk into the sand(so long as I wasn't there at the time). But it's probably one of the least shitty places to live in the high desert, and I love the weather. I grew up on scorching sun, howling wind, and sand in fucking everything. I kind of miss that. Also the quail and coyote hunting, and all the open land I could ever want to go dirt bike riding, camping, or hunting on.

edited 24th Jun '12 4:54:00 PM by Barkey

For me, my problem for job searching is that I'm nearly 29 and have had no actual 'jobs' apart from Mc Donald's and the like. I've been self-employed most of the time. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to fly with a lot of people.

edited 24th Jun '12 6:21:06 PM by TomoeMichieru

Hmm, the Republican Senate Campaign is hiring.. Could always do that, I'm sure they would love for their representatives to be military members.

I could act like a right wing zealot for money, sure.

You're not a right-wing zealot?

No, not in the least. I voted Obama last election, and I will in this one too.

Geez, people think military+assertive = neocon way too quickly.

Yes, despite what the Republicans would like you to think, there's a long history of military Democrats as well.

Location plays into it a lot. So if you are about to graduate school, try and start saving what you can so you can move and accept a better job.

I have 2 BA's, and am finishing a double major Masters. I am either over qualified or have the wrong experience for most of the jobs in my area. Even basic minimum wage jobs won't touch me because of my education and all of the school districts are downsizing to shit.

I will most likely be going back to my undergrad college to get a second Masters simply because being a poor student is much more appealing than being the most educated homeless person in my town.

I think I'm gonna quit my job at Burger King.

I don't work there much anyway, and when I do work there I hate it. I'd rather have a job that actually wants to have me and I don't hate.

I wish I could get a job typing. Its my only real skill at the moment.

Do you know why employers usually don't want over-educated employees? It is vastly easier for an over-educated person to "get away with" things that benefit themselves and hurt the company. Especially in a small-ish company where most of the "checks and balances" are not cost effective.

One of my accounting teachers related the story of how she took a seasonal job as a company's primary accountant. If she had wanted to, there were at least 3-4 different ways she could have taken money from the company that they would have probably never noticed. A less-educated person would probably not have realized all the openings in their system.

that's the negative angle.

Most people don't want over educated people because:

1) We're worth more. So they're afraid we'll start demanding wages or benefits that they don't want to give.

2) We're very skilled. We can always leave for a better job than what they're offering. Why hire someone who is probably still looking for that better job when you have a high school grad who doesn't know anything in comprarison?

3) We are competition. Most people in upper management around here are either without a degree or only a Bachelor's. So if someone with more education comes in, how well are they going to play with the rest of the group and more importantly, are they gunning for my job?

In this economy when people with 30 years quality experience are being laid off or forced out of retirement going against young blood with degrees, they'll favor the experience most of the time.

I don't blame them for any of these concerns. But most managers I have talked with here don't seem to realize the extent to which the job market sucks because their positions have been in place forever. And those who do certainly don't want a wasted investment or competition from a younger and more educated teammate.

A rather high opinion of yourself, don't you think dear?

This is the best advice so far. Even if you fall into a position where you're not, technically speaking, useful, if you keep your chin up (but avoid being a doormat, mind you), people remember.

There may be no job security for semi-skilled schlubs, but if you keep working odd jobs and leaving good impressions, you won't be out of work for too long.

I just wish I could get interviews where I can leave a better impression.

A sheet of paper doesn't do shit.

My way around that, especially with most applications being online is to fill out the app online then take a paper copy of my resume and go to the business itself. I ask for the manager, introduce myself, give them my resume and tell them I just wanted to hand in a paper resume to go with my online application.

You're making your name stick out in a positive way as well as showing positive assertiveness. If nothing else, you're networking in a good way.

Yeah, there's an unwritten rule of avoiding HR at all costs. I have never gotten a job from an online application. Obviously, I still submit them constantly. But calling up people and seeing if they're hiring or interning is better.

edited 31st Jul '12 11:43:28 AM by johnnyfog