The Job Search Thread

[Very Duke Blue]

Coolchar, things has to get better for you....really soon. Get your knees done so that will be out of your way. Then, get begin looking again for a job. I'm sending vibes to you.

Don't ever under estimate the power of CTN vibes.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

The best to everyone in their Job Search.

It totally sucks to have to ONLINE search, apply, write cover letters, gear resume to job, week after week.

I did buy a Powerball lottery ticket for tonights drawing.

[colchar]

Thanks for the vibes. Hopefully something will fall into place soon. At this point I would take damned near anything and would worry about a career type job while at least earning a paycheque.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Thanks for the vibes. Hopefully something will fall into place soon. At this point I would take damned near anything and would worry about a career type job while at least earning a paycheque.

I understand completely! I would love to go back to school and get another degree, but I cant afford to. I would like to have not only a decent paycheck, but with benefits. Have so many friends, also that have lost their jobs due to downsizing and capsizing. Its very very depressing to be so Underemployed and or Unemployed and get NO response from all the Resumes sent out.

And when you are Under/Umemployed..... your Budget is shot. Which means little to no extras or fun things: Going to Duke Football or Basketball Games, Tailgating, Club membership, Giving to church and organizations, eating out, doing activities with friends, travel, and the list goes on and on. Having Health Insurance would be a luxury.

IF you have a JOB, and Benefits....... be thankful and blessed. Reach out to others that don't have that luxury. You may someday lose your job or ability to work.

[colchar]

Its very very depressing to be so Underemployed and or Unemployed and get NO response from all the Resumes sent out.

Yeah, the frustration is the worst part as it often seems futile to even send our the resume.

And when you are Under/Umemployed..... your Budget is shot. Which means little to no extras or fun things: Going to Duke Football or Basketball Games, Tailgating, Club membership, Giving to church and organizations, eating out, doing activities with friends, travel, and the list goes on and on.

I cannot even remember the last time I ate out at a restaurant except for when visiting my parents and they decided to eat out rather than have dinner at home. Then again, that sometimes backfires too as I was there last night and they decided to have KFC because they had been out, didn't feel like cooking, and hadn't had fast food of any kind in ages so they had a bit of a craving. I appreciated the meal but am still cursing them for it this morning.

[colchar]

Three things about Canada:
1. It's very damn cold up there. For most of the country, and it's pretty damn big, the snow removal program is called July!
2. You'll get to know Colchar!
3. Did I mention that it's very damn cold up there, even in Ontario?

I am coming to this really late but trust me, it isn't cold here. We are much warmer than places like Buffalo, Minnesota, etc. Actually, other than roughly 6-8 weeks in January and February, our winters really aren't that bad at all.

[colchar]

I thought I applied for a job in Foster City, CA, but the company also has a location in Concord, Ontario. The call was from Canada. It will be interesting to see if they want me to work in Canada, considering the fact that I don't have a passport!

I'm most anxious to talk with the HR person and get more details.

As mentioned in my previous post, I am coming to this really really late. How did things go? And if you, or anyone else, is looking at jobs up here just let me know and I will give you whatever info I can.

Concord, by the way, is only fifteen minutes from where I am.

[ArkieDukie]

I thought I applied for a job in Foster City, CA, but the company also has a location in Concord, Ontario. The call was from Canada. It will be interesting to see if they want me to work in Canada, considering the fact that I don't have a passport!

I'm most anxious to talk with the HR person and get more details.

As mentioned in my previous post, I am coming to this really really late. How did things go? And if you, or anyone else, is looking at jobs up here just let me know and I will give you whatever info I can.

Concord, by the way, is only fifteen minutes from where I am.

The job was in California, and it didn't work out, unfortunately.

[ArkieDukie]

Have any of you read the book "What Color is Your Parachute?" I highly recommend it for anyone going through the process of looking for a job. It's an extremely enlightening look at modern job searching.The author suggests using a combination of several strategies for finding a job. According to the chapter I finished last night, one of the most effective ways to find a job is through friends or family. In fact, the author contends that "underground" jobs are the key; most positions are not even advertised, and the successful candidate is a promotion from within (least risky, a known commodity) or someone from outside that is known to people who work in the company. Least effective method: applying for advertised positions. Allegedly most of the materials are never even read. That would be consistent with my luck so far - I've gotten calls for the positions that my friend has recommended me for and have heard nothing from the others.

Colchar, this is a QFE for you. I highly recommend this book. I checked out the ebook from my local library. In any event, it might give you some ideas for how to find the ideal job for your. Sending vibes that this happens soon.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

That sounds like a great book, Arkie!

I need all the assistance I can get! And you always learn new things and get those little NUGGETS of knowledge that tweak you for the better, from reading a great book.

[windsor]

What Color is My Parachute is a great book - I read it AGES ago (hopefully it has been revised since then!) Who Moved My Cheese is also an excellent little book on change.

Before I got this gig, I was unemployed for 8 months. (Previous company went under) I understand completely how frustrating/depressing sending out resume after resume and hearing nothing can be. I created a master resume (which ran 7 pages!!) that incuded bullet points covering most of what I had done over the last dozen or so years. When I saw an opening I would edit the master down to the items most relevant to the job, making sure it included any buzzwords in the position description. I customized the cover letter, to highlight one or two items that most fit the job (never more than 4 paragrahs - incluing the 'i'm applying opening 'graph and the 'thank you' closing one.

I saved the cover letter, resume and job description in a folder with date/position name/company (when available) - that way if I got a call back I could quickly pull up the job/resume and speak directly to it.

It is a cliche, but I treated finding a job as a job. I got every morning...same time as if I was going to work. Breakfast, coffee, got dressed (including shoes...somehow shoes make you feel different) went into my home office and followed a routine...check e-mail, check that days list of websites, send an e-mail or two (I kept in touch with working friends - on a social level just to keep me in the front of their brain if something came open) lunch time I left the office, went to the kitchen ate, played with the dogs...generally took a lunch break. Afternoon..same kind of thing MWF - Tuesday/Thursday I took the afternoon off and did something I liked just to keep me sane.

It sucked It sucked long and hard. I feel for you all. I really do.

I'm going to get on my advice horse (most of y'all are probably already doing this stuff)

1. Tell everyone you're looking. Everyone. I got a lead from the waitress at the local diner. Really.
2. Research - I searched every employer in my area that might have something in my field and check their websites regularly.
3. Make sure everything is professional - proof read the resume (and then have some one else do it too) and since many submssion are electronic save it to text, rich text and html to make sure it still looks good - indents/bullets/nonstandard characters can go wonky
4. I signed up for e-mail updates for jobs openings everywher I could...and the went to my special 'job' e-mail which was first dot last name @ gmail.com. I actually got a resume with an e-mal that was 'beerbabe23' yeah...trash can.
5. Volunteer. It gets you out doing something. It helps your mental well being..and you never know. A burned out frustrated unemployed geek friend of mine volunteered teaching computer skills at the local job bank. That led him down a completely different career path - he's doing advising at a local university - less money than the geek gigs, but he is happier.
6. Look for user/interest groups in or near you field. Attend any event you can that might be in your field. We have a local head hunter that does once a month happy hours - billed as 'Shameless Networking'. I went to those. I went to geek user group meettings. Get out as much as you can..the more people you interact with the more likely someone knows something.

oh yeah...and Post often on CTN - it is good for the soul

[OZZIE4DUKE]

4. I signed up for e-mail updates for jobs openings everywher I could...and the went to my special 'job' e-mail which was first dot last name @ gmail.com. I actually got a resume with an e-mal that was 'beerbabe23' yeah...trash can.

OK, windsor, which dog typed this bullet point for you? It just doesn't match the rest of your post!

[windsor]

4. I signed up for e-mail updates for jobs openings everywher I could...and the went to my special 'job' e-mail which was first dot last name @ gmail.com. I actually got a resume with an e-mal that was 'beerbabe23' yeah...trash can.

OK, windsor, which dog typed this bullet point for you? It just doesn't match the rest of your post!

Holy crap. I must have been feeling my inner 'beerbabe'!!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

4. I signed up for e-mail updates for jobs openings everywher I could...and the went to my special 'job' e-mail which was first dot last name @ gmail.com. I actually got a resume with an e-mal that was 'beerbabe23' yeah...trash can.

OK, windsor, which dog typed this bullet point for you? It just doesn't match the rest of your post!

Holy crap. I must have been feeling my inner 'beerbabe'!!

You mean you don't remember being taken by aliens this morning while your replacement typed that?

[devildeac]

OK, windsor, which dog typed this bullet point for you? It just doesn't match the rest of your post!

Holy crap. I must have been feeling my inner 'beerbabe'!!

You mean you don't remember being taken by aliens this morning while your replacement typed that?

Same thing happened to our football team yesterday.

[windsor]

I could blame it on the keyboard on my new Xoom....

[colchar]

I thought I applied for a job in Foster City, CA, but the company also has a location in Concord, Ontario. The call was from Canada. It will be interesting to see if they want me to work in Canada, considering the fact that I don't have a passport!

I'm most anxious to talk with the HR person and get more details.

As mentioned in my previous post, I am coming to this really really late. How did things go? And if you, or anyone else, is looking at jobs up here just let me know and I will give you whatever info I can.

Concord, by the way, is only fifteen minutes from where I am.

The job was in California, and it didn't work out, unfortunately.

Sorry to hear that.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Apply for jobs! Search for a Job! Same thing, different day.

[windsor]

Vibes for everyone pounding the cyber-pavement today looking for a job!

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Vibes for everyone pounding the cyber-pavement today looking for a job!

Can use vibes and more vibes! The Cyber pavement! Exactly!