On applying for full-time jobs in the tech industry

[Alphathree33]

The way I see it, there are several options:

1) Networking (i.e. talking to a friend who already works where you want to work)
2) Sending a resume via the company's online career system
3) Sending a resume via some 3rd party (e.g. Monster)

I've never really done this before. I have several Option 1s to explore, but if those don't work out, then I need to pursue Option 2s and 3s.

Have any of you simply sent your resume in via a website (the company's or a 3rd party) and received an interview as a result?

I have a very solid resume, but I'm afraid it would get lost in the pile.

 

[xanis]

It's all about connections. My dad's a manager who does a lot of hiring and he always says it's the old, "It's know what you know, it's WHO know". I would go for #1 first. If that doesn't work I would just submit the resume directly through the company's online system. Might as well skip Monster and cut out the middle man.

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: Xanis
It's all about connections. My dad's a manager who does a lot of hiring and he always says it's the old, "It's know what you know, it's WHO know". I would go for #1 first. If that doesn't work I would just submit the resume directly through the company's online system. Might as well skip Monster and cut out the middle man.

That's the standard advice meme, but it doesn't answer the question of whether or not people have had success with #2 and #3.

 

[jlazzaro]

+1 on it's who you know.

if #1 doesnt pan out and you have to go 2/3, just remember those KEY WORDS. they will get you onto the next round as opposed to being automatically dropped by the software.

my very first IT job was from someone I knew...everything since has been application style. your resume has to out shine most everything else, breeze past a phone interview, and wow them in person.

 

[bigrash]

Who says you can't look into all 3 options. No harm in doing that.

I got my last job through Monster and the one before that through Hotjobs. Yes, there's a lot of candidates who apply through them, but I had the experience to win over the countless interviews.

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro
+1 on it's who you know.

if #1 doesnt pan out and you have to go 2/3, just remember those KEY WORDS. they will get you onto the next round as opposed to being automatically dropped by the software.

my very first IT job was from someone I knew...everything since has been application style.

I hope that the recruiters for the sorts of jobs I'm looking for aren't searching for key words.

I focus on Product Management, so the keywords aren't easy-to-notice things like "C++".

 

[jlazzaro]

Originally posted by: Alphathree33

Originally posted by: jlazzaro
+1 on it's who you know.

if #1 doesnt pan out and you have to go 2/3, just remember those KEY WORDS. they will get you onto the next round as opposed to being automatically dropped by the software.

my very first IT job was from someone I knew...everything since has been application style.

I hope that the recruiters for the sorts of jobs I'm looking for aren't searching for key words.

I focus on Product Management, so the keywords aren't easy-to-notice things like "C++".

most all of them do. just look at the posting itself and try to sneak in some of the key words they use in the description, duties, and prerequisites...

example, if they require some certification and you dont have it yet, instead of listing nothing put "working towards xxx certification". the point here is for human eyes to make contact with your resume, even if you may not be 100% qualified.