WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,092
- 11,272
- 136
John Connor
Lifer
- Nov 30, 2012
- 22,757
- 619
- 121
Yeah, 99% sounds about right, because I applied for about 100 jobs before I got one.
WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,092
- 11,272
- 136
My first professional job I got was thru a newspaper ad, old school apply with cover letter and resume on cotton paper.
Later various jobs came after thru:
- temp to perm (get foot in the door, show them your awesome work ability, get offered permanent position)
- networking (2 diff jobs working for same boss)
- temp/consulting via Monster.com (make good bucks with no benes)
- networking with former co-worker, he got a referral bonus
- current job was thru direct applying via the company's website (I drove by it everyday and thought it would be cool to work there - looked them up and 3 months later was offered the position applied for)
- I've also gotten jobs for former co-worker I kept in contact with on LinkedIn, if I see an opening where someone I've worked with would be a good fit
Later various jobs came after thru:
- temp to perm (get foot in the door, show them your awesome work ability, get offered permanent position)
- networking (2 diff jobs working for same boss)
- temp/consulting via Monster.com (make good bucks with no benes)
- networking with former co-worker, he got a referral bonus
- current job was thru direct applying via the company's website (I drove by it everyday and thought it would be cool to work there - looked them up and 3 months later was offered the position applied for)
- I've also gotten jobs for former co-worker I kept in contact with on LinkedIn, if I see an opening where someone I've worked with would be a good fit
SP33Demon
Lifer
- Jun 22, 2001
- 27,928
- 143
- 106
Basically I was an intern, got a good job with that company out of college and that propelled me to where I am now. However, with the economy getting worse this may not be a viable route for most kids in the future since internships will be hyper competitive (if they aren't already).
I will add that I cold called about 50 companies related to my industry in junior year of college. About 20 of them told me to send resumes, and 8 of them offered me an internship. The one I accepted paid me a baller hourly wage + fully paid 3BR apt near their office. Moral of the story: Put a little elbow grease into your search and it will reap dividends. I bet many of you were too lazy/scared/spergy/antisocial to cold call a company and ask to speak to their [insert profession here] Manager about hiring an intern. It's about having more balls than your competition and finding a way to convince a manager that you're willing to sweep the floors if necessary to get that foot in the door. Most managers will be impressed that you were that ambitious to try and reach them directly (getting past the admin assistant was sometimes annoying) whereas 95% of your competition are mass replying to ads off google/monster/indeed etc. Don't be scared to take that extra step. My saying is always: How bad do you want it? If you want it bad enough, you'll go the extra mile. In our culture of continuous mediocrity, this method is still relevant even though I applied it in the mid 90's.
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I will add that I cold called about 50 companies related to my industry in junior year of college. About 20 of them told me to send resumes, and 8 of them offered me an internship. The one I accepted paid me a baller hourly wage + fully paid 3BR apt near their office. Moral of the story: Put a little elbow grease into your search and it will reap dividends. I bet many of you were too lazy/scared/spergy/antisocial to cold call a company and ask to speak to their [insert profession here] Manager about hiring an intern. It's about having more balls than your competition and finding a way to convince a manager that you're willing to sweep the floors if necessary to get that foot in the door. Most managers will be impressed that you were that ambitious to try and reach them directly (getting past the admin assistant was sometimes annoying) whereas 95% of your competition are mass replying to ads off google/monster/indeed etc. Don't be scared to take that extra step. My saying is always: How bad do you want it? If you want it bad enough, you'll go the extra mile. In our culture of continuous mediocrity, this method is still relevant even though I applied it in the mid 90's.
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bigi
Platinum Member
- Aug 8, 2001
- 2,490
- 156
- 106
Midwayman
Diamond Member
- Jan 28, 2000
- 5,723
- 325
- 126
I figure all those online applications go straight into the spam folder. I don't think I've ever heard back from a online app. All the jobs I've gotten have been through people I know or a recruiter. Frustrating being qualified for stuff but being unable to get your resume in front of a real person. Plus it seems like half the listing are already filled, they're just putting them out to satisfy EOE standards.
Online applications are a pain because every company is different. The Government and education online applications seem to be more difficult.
Zorba
Lifer
- Oct 22, 1999
- 15,613
- 11,255
- 136
I currently work at a major aerospace company that literally every aerospace and mechanic engineer applies to out of school.
My site is currently in the process of hiring about 1000 people. I've been involved in several hirings. In general the experienced positions only get a few application, of those there might be 2 or 3 three that are actually qualified. Usually at most 8-10 applications total. HR will filter out unqualified people, but at my company they seem to do a good job. Basically if you are applying for a senior engineering spot and you don't have a degree and no engineering experience, you don't make it through. Most people that are anywhere close to the the education and experience (time) required get through the HR filter. There have been quite a few experienced job postings with zero applicants.
Now the new-hire side of the world is different. We get about 100 applications per job and probably 50 of those are qualified (HR will trash the other 50). Of those 40 will have terrible resumes, 5 will be okay, and 5 will be really good. So, generally, the 5 get interviewed. Of those 5 usually at least 2 will completely bomb the interview and one will standout.
So if you can create a great resume, somewhat tailored to the job, and practice your interviews at a lot, you can be the 1 of a 100 to get the job.
Also, if there aren't great looking resumes in the pile from HR, the manager will generally go back and look at the ones that got filtered to be sure they weren't incorrectly filtered.
Now the last company I worked for, would filter out resumes that were a perfect match, and let ones through of people with no relevant experience and the managers couldn't go look at what was filtered.
My site is currently in the process of hiring about 1000 people. I've been involved in several hirings. In general the experienced positions only get a few application, of those there might be 2 or 3 three that are actually qualified. Usually at most 8-10 applications total. HR will filter out unqualified people, but at my company they seem to do a good job. Basically if you are applying for a senior engineering spot and you don't have a degree and no engineering experience, you don't make it through. Most people that are anywhere close to the the education and experience (time) required get through the HR filter. There have been quite a few experienced job postings with zero applicants.
Now the new-hire side of the world is different. We get about 100 applications per job and probably 50 of those are qualified (HR will trash the other 50). Of those 40 will have terrible resumes, 5 will be okay, and 5 will be really good. So, generally, the 5 get interviewed. Of those 5 usually at least 2 will completely bomb the interview and one will standout.
So if you can create a great resume, somewhat tailored to the job, and practice your interviews at a lot, you can be the 1 of a 100 to get the job.
Also, if there aren't great looking resumes in the pile from HR, the manager will generally go back and look at the ones that got filtered to be sure they weren't incorrectly filtered.
Now the last company I worked for, would filter out resumes that were a perfect match, and let ones through of people with no relevant experience and the managers couldn't go look at what was filtered.
Ns1
No Lifer
- Jun 17, 2001
- 55,420
- 1,600
- 126
the company I work for only accepts applications from our online career website. Even if you got a connection, it's forward your resume AND THEN apply online.
For the competitive and popular jobs at desirable companies, I really think you need some kind of connection to actually get the offer. I mean you might get the interview by applying online but it's super competitive so you'll most likely get rejected through the process and someone with a connection will have the edge towards the offer.
For the not so popular jobs at not so great companies or locations, those are pretty easy to get.
For the not so popular jobs at not so great companies or locations, those are pretty easy to get.
Muse
Lifer
- Jul 11, 2001
- 40,874
- 10,222
- 136
Well, of course, in a situation like that where they've just laid off a large proportion of their staff it's going to be really hard to get hired there. After all, they just canned a whole bunch of their experienced staff, why would they want you? Only two reasons I can think of. You will work for less money or you offer something that the other people don't.
My last few jobs (except for the last) I got when it wasn't an employer's market, unemployment was low. Also, I had skills that were hard to find. I fulfilled a big need in the company with my expertise. They got me through a head hunter. It felt nice to be courted by head hunters instead of having to conjure strategies to get my foot in the door somewhere!
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Midwayman
Diamond Member
- Jan 28, 2000
- 5,723
- 325
- 126
Yah, that pretty much the EOE thing I was talking about. Position is filled and then they have the person go through the formal application process. Its been like that as other jobs I got where I was interviewed through other channels and had to fill in their application as a formality.
Most of my jobs have come from recruiters. And as awful at understand what technology is, they do a decent job of getting your resume in front of someone that can understand it. So many times I've had recruiters who don't understand JavaScript is vastly different than Java and such.
OverVolt
Lifer
- Aug 31, 2002
- 14,278
- 89
- 91
I get this feeling since I have 7 years of experience in the exact job and moved.
Some jobs seem to have custom schedules, like, it was tailored for someone else.
I really wonder though, how employers plan to hire the next generation of workers. If I didn't get my foot in the door (via in-person paper application in 2008, oh those were the days) to make connections, I would be ridiculously shit out of luck. Like majorly so.
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Muse
Lifer
- Jul 11, 2001
- 40,874
- 10,222
- 136
I live near UC Berkeley. I heard that jobs there have great benefit packages so I have made some effort to seek out employment there. I got one job designing their freshman catalogue, at the time I was trying to launch a career in desktop publishing, was taking courses, developed some chops. I did the catalogue, made a few bucks. It wasn't a job, though, it was kind of like a contract to do a project. It was the only desktop publishing job I managed to get before I changed direction and decided to go into database programming.
As far as the university jobs, I checked out their listings. Every job I saw listed had a ridiculous set of qualifications. They looked to be impossible. The level of expertise they presumably required struck me as impossible to satisfy. Noone would know all the things they wanted you to know. In fact, if you just knew one or two of the areas they wanted proficiency in, if you just knew them very very well, you'd be hell of employable. Maybe not with them, but with someone. I have no idea why the job descriptions were so complicated. I think it may have something to do with the fact that there's a substantial layer of bureaucracy between the department you would be working in and the system in the university that is intermediary in the hiring process.
Fayd
Diamond Member
No, no it isn't.
Well, I can't completely say that. For some jobs, and some recruiters left over from the "old" way of doing things (you know, actual work.) that method will still work.
Currently, employers at career fairs (you know, the ones who are presumably there looking for talent) will not take resumes, and will instead direct you to their website to apply.
And recruiters are completely clueless as to who it is their company recruits. (For instance, I had a biomedical device company tell me that they don't employ statisticians! Same for an jet engine designer and manufacturer.)
And yet, those recruiters lament about the "lack" of talent available.
boomhower
Diamond Member
- Sep 13, 2007
- 7,228
- 19
- 81
Knowing someone makes a world of difference. My wife was out of work for a year and a lot of trouble getting a job. She was an LPN but those jobs are rare around here. She ended up getting a position outside of the field due to me knowing the supervisor and department head doing the hiring. She now works in the same general field as I do though with a different agency.
Imp
Lifer
- Feb 8, 2000
- 18,828
- 184
- 106
An old job sent recent hires back to their old universities for career fairs.
The catch?
It was a PR thing. The only way my company recruited was through its website. And there were hundreds of applications from all over the "state" for maybe a dozen positions every year.
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