job search: a theory

[slowSSer]

theory:

companies are being way more picky about hiring due to the amount of qualified people looking for jobs?

so, the more people out in the job market, the more companies can sift through the resumes to find the perfect person.

or are companies just not hiring?

or are they afraid to look at the resume piles as the truly qualified people are still employed and others aren't worth looking at?

again, all theories. yes, I'm dwelling on this a lot as of late. it's not making "beer time" fun as it just gets my mind going.

why? I'm looking to get something better due to a growing list of issues and concerns with the existing company (in no particular order- list likely to be added to often):

• lack of work
• amazing amount of micromanaging
• cr@p health care ($400 a month for our family coverage is just plain silly)
• brass jumping ship (lost a well liked VP last week to a client, lost two highly regarded project managers to a competitor- they got Benz-level signing bonuses-not kidding)
• wicked tired of traveling
• no confidence that the CA office won't be shut down entirely (CEO's going to be here this week- uh oh)
• no idea when the next round of layoffs are going to happen or if at all...

I've sent out somewhere in the range of 20 resumes and FooFighter Duan has helped immensely get my resume out to his side of the industry (a HUGE thanks to Foo). *Yes, all sent resume's have been to extremely related/spot on positions for myself, with only a handful "general" job applications.

hell, I haven't even heard a "thanks for submitting your resume" from the majority of them.

yes, I am extremely grateful to be employed- please don't get me wrong here.

thoughts?
opinions?

please- no "thanks" in my direction- I'll just give them to you guys for trying to help me understand.

[skate]

In my opinion it has everything to do with the resume/experience on where someone is applying. if the experience is there then it will show on the resume. If your resume is weak then you have no experience, because if someone can't even write up a proper resume then what does that tell an employer. NEXT...

Oh and chances are you will never hear a Thanks for applying. When I look for jobs I rarely get one of those. Only when it's a really big company.


Yes there are jobs out there lots of them. No I'm not talking about low wage minimum wage jobs or ones where you have to have a degree of some type, but regular type jobs that pay pretty good. It all depends on what you know or the type of jobs your trying to apply at.

[el_d00der1n0]

i have troubles with resumes cuz i'm not a salesperson. i don't know how to sell. i know what i'm doing, and my coworkers are often impressed, but i don't know how to convey that. i'm not sure where to put my str post whoring skeelz either.

[un-kola]

With the economy the way it is.I would say several of your theorys are correct.Companies are consolidating and therefore not hiring or have a hiring freeze in effect, or if they are hiring,have an abundance of people to choose from.You also have a lot of people my age (boomers) who are delaying retirement.These people are already trained and know the ropes.I have been seeing hiring practices lately that I've never seen before.I talked to some new people who told me they did their interviews over the phone!That's something that I never heard of in the 26yrs.I've been here.You're right though,they could at least acknowledge that they've seen your resume/application.Just my .02.Good luck on your search.- Lloyd

[Rob]

Have you done much follow up? All of the jobs I've ever gotten(besides car sales) I had to be persistent with following up on my resume. Almost to the point of bugging them until I got the job.

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

i have troubles with resumes cuz i'm not a salesperson. i don't know how to sell. i know what i'm doing, and my coworkers are often impressed, but i don't know how to convey that. i'm not sure where to put my str post whoring skeelz either.

str and mtbr have helped me with my annual reviews....they are constantly amazed at how I have succedeed to achieve anything given all the hours I log on line...

having said that, i seriously had nightmares about losing my job the other night and woke fearful that it was not a dream. way too real...i still delete all messages from recruiters (at least 4 a week) in hopes that i will not need such help...so needless to say i dont know how hard it is to get a job and hopefully will not have to find out

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by Rob

Have you done much follow up? All of the jobs I've ever gotten(besides car sales) I had to be persistent with following up on my resume. Almost to the point of bugging them until I got the job.

Ditto. I always follow up an application or resume with a phone call. The "best" option is handing it directly to someone involved in the hiring process. If I can get an interview, I'm almost guaranteed to get the position.

The hardest part for me is to get the interview in the first place since making yourself look good on paper is tough to do. Be patient, keep looking and play the odds that the more resumes you send out, the more likley you'll ge a call on it. Good luck.

[slowSSer]

"making yourself look good on paper" isn't the hard part in the environmental planning industry- listing specific projects that show that you know what you're doing is the difficult part.

I have made a fie follow-up phone calls with basically no success.

oh, and dino- you really need to read the entire post.

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

i have troubles with resumes cuz i'm not a salesperson. i don't know how to sell. i know what i'm doing, and my coworkers are often impressed, but i don't know how to convey that.

also, I feel that I'm rather good at selling myself, having actually gotten jobs offered to me that I really wasn't qualified to do, but according to the interviewer, this wasn't the truth.

[foofighter]

hang in there Ethan, the ones i've been working with you on you wont get a "thanks for submitt" but you'll get a call one day and they'll do a little small talk w/ you and then talk money . I dont think i've had an "interview" in many many years. it's all been referrals and what not.

[Kid A]

Originally Posted by slowSSer

"making yourself look good on paper" isn't the hard part in the environmental planning industry- listing specific projects that show that you know what you're doing is the difficult part.

you mean like this

[RacinJason]

I am still looking also it is tough.

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by foofighter

hang in there Ethan, the ones i've been working with you on you wont get a "thanks for submitt" but you'll get a call one day and they'll do a little small talk w/ you and then talk money . I dont think i've had an "interview" in many many years. it's all been referrals and what not.

the last "big" job search i did was when i was fresh out of college- you name it: job fairs, online, in-person (print up 20 resumes, drive around Irvine spectrum area (the business area- not the shopping center- it wasn't built!) seeing if any businesses look interesting) and all of the online postings back then used to give you a "thanks for applying" email.

sheesh- i guess times have changed.

Originally Posted by Kid A

you mean like this

exactly- i'll include that with my resume to the next water district I apply to.

[foofighter]

well you have gotten to a point in your career where you dont have to "APPLY" persay you are just called upon shows that you have arrived my friend

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by foofighter

well you have gotten to a point in your career where you dont have to "APPLY" persay you are just called upon shows that you have arrived my friend

truly a good point. I was hoping that i was close to "there".

apparently not.

[foofighter]

you are bro...patience...the industry is collecting itself right now so it'll happen. you're positioned to be a high value candidate so sit tight

[bighit8]

Originally Posted by slowSSer

theory:

companies are being way more picky about hiring due to the amount of qualified people looking for jobs?

so, the more people out in the job market, the more companies can sift through the resumes to find the perfect person.

or are companies just not hiring?

or are they afraid to look at the resume piles as the truly qualified people are still employed and others aren't worth looking at?

again, all theories. yes, I'm dwelling on this a lot as of late. it's not making "beer time" fun as it just gets my mind going.

why? I'm looking to get something better due to a growing list of issues and concerns with the existing company (in no particular order- list likely to be added to often):

• lack of work
• amazing amount of micromanaging
• cr@p health care ($400 a month for our family coverage is just plain silly)
• brass jumping ship (lost a well liked VP last week to a client, lost two highly regarded project managers to a competitor- they got Benz-level signing bonuses-not kidding)
• wicked tired of traveling
• no confidence that the CA office won't be shut down entirely (CEO's going to be here this week- uh oh)
• no idea when the next round of layoffs are going to happen or if at all...

I've sent out somewhere in the range of 20 resumes and FooFighter Duan has helped immensely get my resume out to his side of the industry (a HUGE thanks to Foo). *Yes, all sent resume's have been to extremely related/spot on positions for myself, with only a handful "general" job applications.

hell, I haven't even heard a "thanks for submitting your resume" from the majority of them.

yes, I am extremely grateful to be employed- please don't get me wrong here.

thoughts?
opinions?

please- no "thanks" in my direction- I'll just give them to you guys for trying to help me understand.

This is why I am self employed.I work for an employer 8 days a month.All of my other work is my own contracts with Manhiem auctions.I can pretty much shine work if I wanted to, but I dont.I guess I have put in my time with cars and have a ton of trainning certs,took 15 years to get to this point.Plus constant networking helps.I had to work a lot of crappy under payed jobs to get my foot in the door.Working for Dealerships as a tech was NO FUN,but it did open doors.

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by foofighter

you are bro...patience...the industry is collecting itself right now so it'll happen. you're positioned to be a high value candidate so sit tight

...only due to your help. again, "thanks" doesn't do justice.

off to the 2nd job.

[FisherFanHye]

All I can Say is. YESS To everything you posted about jobs. I've been looking for a Job for the past 6+ months. Im not talking about just a bag boy position. The Job market SUCKS. No one is hiring. All I hear of is layoffs,