Anyone have general job hunting tips?

[A.Nonymous]

I'm feeling that the time is come for me to move on in my career. Lately I've showed up for work and they've had absolutely nothing for me to do so I get to sit around posting way too many threads on forums.

The other catalyst to this was a conversation I had with my boss a few weeks ago. I mentioned that I've been here 2.5 years and have been asked to take on extra job responsibilities in that time. I haven't had any raises in that time and asked for a raise. Didn't specify a particular ammount, just raised the general idea.

I was told that my raise was the fact that I'm still employed and that there are hundreds of people out there who could do my job. Needless to say, this pissed me off and I very nearly walked out right then and there, but then I realized that I had no where else to go.

So, I'm back on the job market. I'm an IT guy so I updated my resume and carpet bombed Dice, Careerbuilder and a few local sites as well. I looked at the county and city web sites and poked around at the sites for the local hospital and a few local companies.

A friend of mine told me I needed to apply with her company so I did, but she claims she doesn't know any hiring managers or anyone in the IT department I can talk to about a job. I'm not good about sitting on my hands and just hoping people call me. I like to be proactive about things. Anyone have some good general or non-general job hunting tips?

 

[Member138406]

Knowing people is always good. I am sure your friend could met a hiring manager and try to get you a sit down with them. Not like they are going to fire her for trying.. But I have noticed that knowing people is always the best, fortunately for the people with connections and unfortunately for the people that dont.

If your just looking for anything website "Carpet bombing" is fine... but generally if you really want something and it is a good job, you should keep pushing to get a sit down with someone so there is a face and personality to the resume thats just sitting in a pile somewhere with a bunch of other people who are also sitting by the phone just waiting.

 

[lunatic59]

All the usual stuff applies. Keep plugging away, but don't rely on the online sites. They are flooded with me-too resum

 

[A.Nonymous]

All the usual stuff applies. Keep plugging away, but don't rely on the online sites. They are flooded with me-too resum

 

[lunatic59]

I know enough about SQL to know that I'm better off not screwing with it if it's not broke. If it's broke I poke it with a stick until it moves again and consider myself fortunate. Now, if you're Active Directory is jacked I can fix that.

I've beaten many a query to death with a stick. Good plan.

One of the other things to consider is geography. How far are you willing to go for employment? Would you be willing to commute for an hour? Two? or relocate if necessary? All depends on the return. And don't forget to interview them while they are interviewing you. You don't want to jump from one leaky ship into another.

 

[A.Nonymous]

I like where I live now and my family is all here. I've looked at some of the surrounding towns, but unfortunately I'm surrounded by small towns with populations less than 10k for the most part. There aren't a whole lot of tech jobs there.

My general process for troubleshooting SQL is the following : Pray, poke with stick, poke with bigger stick, check for backup of working DB, curse, pray some more, call someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I was told that my raise was the fact that I'm still employed and that there are hundreds of people out there who could do my job. Needless to say, this pissed me off and I very nearly walked out right then and there, but then I realized that I had no where else to go.

No offence, but when a boss tells you that "there are hundreds of people out there who could do my job," clearly, you are not valued. I would never work too long for a company that sees me as just another replacement employee.

Ideally, you should be one of the last people your company wants to loose. If not, you might have problems down the road. Never make yourself replaceable.

What kind of work do you do?

Do you go the extra mile or are you simply one of those hundreds of others that could do your job? I saw lots of people on our production lines that were replaceable and simply unwilling to go the extra mile. Not saying that is you, so no offence.

Some line workers were satisfied to simply plug component A into slot B and call it a day after eight hours. They were clock watchers and balked at staying a few minutes past five; they would stand by the time clock and not clock in until exactly 9 AM. These were the people I wanted to see go because they were valueless.

Those are people that can be replaced and when times are tough, they get replaced.

I suggest that you take an honest look in the mirror and determine what you bring to the table. Ask yourself

 

[barely_legal_lover]

No offence, but when a boss tells you that "there are hundreds of people out there who could do my job," clearly, you are not valued. I would never work too long for a company that sees me as just another replacement employee.

Ideally, you should be one of the last people your company wants to loose. If not, you might have problems down the road. Never make yourself replaceable.

What kind of work do you do?

Do you go the extra mile or are you simply one of those hundreds of others that could do your job? I saw lots of people on our production lines that were replaceable and simply unwilling to go the extra mile. Not saying that is you, so no offence.

Some line workers were satisfied to simply plug component A into slot B and call it a day after eight hours. They were clock watchers and balked at staying a few minutes past five; they would stand by the time clock and not clock in until exactly 9 AM. These were the people I wanted to see go because they were valueless.

Those are people that can be replaced and when times are tough, they get replaced.

I suggest that you take an honest look in the mirror and determine what you bring to the table. Ask yourself “why anyone would want to hire me is beyond me” and then find a way to clear up your shortcomings. Turn every ‘why would they want to hire me’ to ‘why are they crazy not to put my resume at the top of the pile? If you cant say why you would be a good employee, perhaps you have a problem.

So, shave your face, press your pants, pop a breath mint, and start calling around. Polish that resume and make sure it is truthful. One interview per day and you will find a job.

Bob Maxey – Maker of Jobs since 1978

While I agree, if you make yourself valueable, they won't replace you, but reality is, not all jobs can you do that.

Think of something like a mailman.... while it pays nice, it makes it a highly sought after job. How do you make yourself more valuable in that job? I mean, sure, deliver mail on time, and don't break packages.... ok, beyond that? what do you do? See what I mean.

I don't know where A. nonymous works exactly, but it's not always as cut and dry as "work harder"

My situation, I believe I was a hard worker, before current bossman came, I worked all the OT I could, I volunteered my time as well. If someone needed help, I did it. I went above and beyond. But new boss brought old buddies and I was in the way. Again, I understand that's his peragotive, but I just want to transfer to another branch, and he's not letting me. I swear, it's almost like he's banging my ex-wife or something the way I'm targetted. (I don't really believe he is, but you get my point) POint is, sometimes, grudges can be formed and made over reasons well beyond work ethic. The only 100% way to avoid it is to be your own boss. Not always an option.

 

[A.Nonymous]

I'm a computer tech. My boss tends to focus on the negative not the positive. It's apparently his style of management. For example, we have several big accounts where people will call in and specifically ask for me because they think I do an amazing job. These are accounts we do work on on a weekly basis. Today an account that we hear from once or twice a year calls to request work and specifically asked that I not work on it. When the boss asked specifically why, they told him something that happened over a year and a half ago that they couldn't even remember all the details of.

Now, you'd think the boss would simply dismiss this since it's a small account and it's a BS complaint. Instead I was taken aside and griped about it. When I asked what I could've done differently, he had no ideas. This is very frustrating to me as he never has any ideas for what I could do differently when he gripes at me about something.

For example, this isn't the first time I've asked for a raise. The first time I asked I was told I needed to improve my technical skills. I asked for what specific areas I needed to improve in. He told me didn't know. He once told me I needed to improve my people skills. I asked specifically what I needed to improve on. He didn't know. He told me today that when I'm setting up workstations I'm not setting up all the programs users needed. I asked what programs are missing so I can be sure to set them up next time. He told me he didn't know.

I'm always open to specific suggestions on how I can improve myself. I'm frustrated when I'm just given broad generalities and told to fix them.

 

[barely_legal_lover]

I have had that too.... I won't go into specifics, but very similar.

"someone complained about not getting back in touch with them by email"

"who" (since I keep logs of emails and can prove or disprove)

"well, I can't tell you"


complete garbage. Failing on my own merits is fixable, failing on made up merits is different. Set up to fail.

my boss is a political backstabber though. He is making his career rise based on firing people. His boss is impressed by it.

FWIW - I'm #8 on the list in 18 months. He's been successful with 4 of them and that scares me.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I'm a computer tech. My boss tends to focus on the negative not the positive. It's apparently his style of management. For example, we have several big accounts where people will call in and specifically ask for me because they think I do an amazing job. These are accounts we do work on on a weekly basis. Today an account that we hear from once or twice a year calls to request work and specifically asked that I not work on it. When the boss asked specifically why, they told him something that happened over a year and a half ago that they couldn't even remember all the details of.

Now, you'd think the boss would simply dismiss this since it's a small account and it's a BS complaint. Instead I was taken aside and griped about it. When I asked what I could've done differently, he had no ideas. This is very frustrating to me as he never has any ideas for what I could do differently when he gripes at me about something.

For example, this isn't the first time I've asked for a raise. The first time I asked I was told I needed to improve my technical skills. I asked for what specific areas I needed to improve in. He told me didn't know. He once told me I needed to improve my people skills. I asked specifically what I needed to improve on. He didn't know. He told me today that when I'm setting up workstations I'm not setting up all the programs users needed. I asked what programs are missing so I can be sure to set them up next time. He told me he didn't know.

I'm always open to specific suggestions on how I can improve myself. I'm frustrated when I'm just given broad generalities and told to fix them.

Here is what I would do if I were you. By the way, I was you, so I know what can happen. In my case, my boss was not doing his job and that came out in a meeting with the Boss that Boss of Bosses answers to.

Set a meeting with your boss. Ask him specific questions and if there is a complaint, ask him for details of each incident. Take notes.

Then, after you ask and if he cannot provide answers, tell him you are going up the chain of command. Keep notes. Then setup a meeting with his boss and tell your story. Tell your boss you are going up the chain so there are no surprises. Ask your boss

 

[A.Nonymous]

I work in a small company. There's my boss and there's the owner of the company above him. You don't go to the owner of the company to complain. Isn't done. It's almost a fireable offense. He has underlings to deal with that BS for him is how he runs things. It's just frustrating. I could name half a dozen of our clients who think I walk on water. This doesn't matter because that's supposed to be normal. Anything less than that is an epic fail apparently.

I remember a year or so ago the boss told me I need to spend my spare time hanging out with strangers as this would improve my people skills. I told him I was an introvert and asked what specific areas of my people skills I needed to improve in. Now, by introvert I mean I'm the classical definition of an introvert. I can schmooze with the best of them, but I find it draining and afterwards I need to spend time alone to recharge. He told me that unless I can spend tons of time around people and find it energizing I'll never succeed. It's frustrating work with him sometimes.

 

[Thefoodman52]

Remember, it always requires additional pylons.

 

[A.Nonymous]

I've carpet bombed several sites and have had no nibbles after 3 days. I have a few numbers and cards from the last time I went job hunting so I plan on calling them on Tuesday of next week.

 

[Potvin63]

One thing you may want to consider is something I tried and found very successful about 4 months ago. I am a newly admitted attorney and like every other occupation, the economy hit attorneys, specifically new attorneys very hard. Offers dried up, firms downsized, and new attorneys were left at a disadvantage as they had to compete with experienced out of work attorneys for jobs normally only new attorneys would apply and interview for.

I gradually came around to "signing up" with several legal staffing firms who place attorneys in companies as contract employees. I get pretty good pay, 40 hours a week, but no benefits that I wouldn't have to pay more for than if I was a regular employee. I work at a 60,000 employee worldwide well known company and in my Legal department and two co-workers who started off in my position recently got full-time offers and are now full fledged employees. I am hoping to be in the same position in January 2011.

I would look into staffing firms in your field and signing up with them to find a job in a better work environment, boost your resume, and see if a full-time offer isn't possible.