Y U NO GIVE ME JOB?!? The Recruiter Thread

[GenMarshall]

DT - What would you recommend for someone, like myself, who is going to turn his or her life around for the better in the job market?

What attitudes should I change to be more, hire-able to a potential employer?

 

[downtown]

Hmm, yeah, I sell it and I don't think I do that too badly either, but maybe not well enough to snag the more coveted positions.

I do have an internship in the pipeline. It's not great, but I guess it's a start.

If you'd like, you can PM me the job description of what you're trying to snag, and how you're selling your previous experience, and I can throw my two cents in.

DT - What would you recommend for someone, like myself, who is going to turn his or her life around for the better in the job market?

What attitudes should I change to be more, hire-able to a potential employer?

Here is my advice to you CivG.

First, look at your daily schedule. Find a 4 hour block when you are not in school, or studying. If possible, make it the same 4 day block every weekday. Let's say thats from 8:00-12:00.

At 7:30, put on a shirt and tie and leave your house. Go to the library, or a coffee shop, or somewhere that is not your room or your typical desk.

You are going to make applying for work your "job". Keep to this schedule as much as you can. Limit your OT or other website browsing while you are at your "job". Scan Craigslist, Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed, and local-specific job boards. Make sure you have an account with those websites, and actually *post* your resume on those boards. Call up those temp-staffing agencies I told you about. Call UPS...they're hiring thousands of seasonal staffers right now, and they pay good money.

At noon, pack up your stuff, make yourself a tasty lunch, and enjoy the rest of your day. If you are taking your "job" seriously, you will develop better focus and self-esteem, and it will make the transition into an actual job easier.

 

[aelf]

If you'd like, you can PM me the job description of what you're trying to snag, and how you're selling your previous experience, and I can throw my two cents in.

Thanks. I'll take you up on your offer later

 

[dIZZyBlIZZy]

@DT - thanks for the info. Learning some things here.

A shift captain and I talked once about licensed security on our applicants. He liked having that experience, but I think it's a double edged sword. Our facility has a history of hiring these guys and them quitting on us if they aren't promoted in the first month or so. So the question...

How do you evaluate someone with certifications in a similar, but not directly related field? Like say, a data entry applicant certified A+?

 

[Eat_Up_Martha]

Why would moving cause long term unemployment?

I moved 4000 km on two weeks notice to start my job.

Long story, but essentially all of our stuff was stuck in transit and we were living out of a hotel for a month. I suppose it doesn't necessarily eliminate the possibility of getting a job, but it really put a damper on the whole thing,

 

[GoodGame]

Hmm, yeah, I sell it and I don't think I do that too badly either, but maybe not well enough to snag the more coveted positions.

I do have an internship in the pipeline. It's not great, but I guess it's a start.

Internships are very important, if only for the networking involved, and the chance to get a workplace reference that is related to your job field.
Also, some companies don't have entry level jobs so much as they offer tons of internships; the internship might be the best way to get into a specific company without being seriously experienced.

My last internship was actually pretty profitable as well.

 

[GenMarshall]

Are there internships for non traditional students (eg. Students above the age of 25)?

 

[downtown]

How do you evaluate someone with certifications in a similar, but not directly related field? Like say, a data entry applicant certified A+?

That's one of the trickiest questions, since not many job postings have such specific job progressions. There are likely to be dozens of jobs that could prepare you for an opening.


That's where the interview process comes into play. If I can, I'm going to call everybody who *may* have the experience needed, and we'll have a conversation about their previous work over the phone. This is where other factors, like interviewing skills, personality, compensation expectations, location, etc will fall into play.

Are there internships for non traditional students (eg. Students above the age of 25)?

Sure, it just depends on your field. I had a few fellow interns in their late 20s when I worked for the Federal Judicial system, since they were going through career changes. It isn't very uncommon in the media or political world either.

 

[aelf]

I'm (or was) a non-traditional student. I'm slightly above 25. There's no issue at all, though it could just be that I don't know that some companies have idiotic policies.

 

[GoodGame]

I'm (or was) a non-traditional student. I'm slightly above 25. There's no issue at all, though it could just be that I don't know that some companies have idiotic policies.

Age shouldn't matter to getting an internship. I just did one, and I'm well past 30. You might want to write a different resume for seeking internships than you would for an experienced position, to emphasize that you are active student with good grades AND prior experience. Mostly internships just require that you be an active student.


***

To wrap up my opinion on internships is: in the past I was a non-traditional student who didn't do an internship. I didn't do one until I went to graduate school. I regret that I didn't do one while doing undergrad, as I'm sure it would have helped me network, give me more professional focus while in school, and give me actual work experience in a field I wanted to work in. My last degree in grad school required me to have an internship which motivated me to keep my GPA up even more (since who will hire someone with mediocre grades), and gave me work experience and training that wasn't even offered in the academic classrooms.

So, my conclusion is internship is full of win.

 

[GenMarshall]

Would there be an option to not gain credits from an internship, but instead gain experience. I've already taken an internship class in my previous college.

Another question to the guys who are in HR. Is it normal that they are so DAMNED slow?! I've even heard from people inside the workplace that they too are complaining about HR being slow. Is there a way for me to, nudge them to notice me without being a pain in the rear or desperate?

 

[GoodGame]

Would there be an option to not gain credits from an internship, but instead gain experience. I've already taken an internship class in my previous college.

I don't know why you wouldn't want credits, as they're likely to be easy points. My internship was split between two registered courses: one was just pass/fail, the other one was mostly graded by a paper related to the internship. I'm sure some employers don't require you to actually be enrolled for credit for the internships, but some might give preference to the internship being accredited.

Pretty much check two sources: corporate websites, and you school's career services/internship board. Cold-calling for internships wasn't profitable for me, so I don't recommend it. There's also "internship" job boards and you can check for government internships at USAJOBS.gov with they keyword "student".

At largish schools with an internship office would be my first point of search. If the office requires you to take the internship accredited, try to get the internship's POC info an try to negotiate directly with them, if you don't want it accredited.

 

[aelf]

To wrap up my opinion on internships is: in the past I was a non-traditional student who didn't do an internship. I didn't do one until I went to graduate school. I regret that I didn't do one while doing undergrad, as I'm sure it would have helped me network, give me more professional focus while in school, and give me actual work experience in a field I wanted to work in. My last degree in grad school required me to have an internship which motivated me to keep my GPA up even more (since who will hire someone with mediocre grades), and gave me work experience and training that wasn't even offered in the academic classrooms.

So, my conclusion is internship is full of win.

I'd say that internships can work for some people. I've done two and they don't do anything except allow me to write them down in my CV and cover letter. I guess that's most of what people are after, but I think there are other better ways in which you can be more appealing to employers. To be fair, the vast majority of people these days have to do them, but that means it becomes more of an expectation that you do them rather them being beneficial to you in any direct way. In short, it all depends on personality, industry and personal aims.

Many companies and organisations, though, are just looking for cheap labour. It shows. You had better be proactive in trying to turn internships into something. There's no free lunch, possibly with the exception of the companies making you work for free.

 

[Zelig]

To be fair, the vast majority of people these days have to do them, but that means it becomes more of an expectation that you do them rather them being beneficial to you in any direct way. In short, it all depends on personality, industry and personal aims.

Eh? Maybe vast majority of people with stuff like journalism and poli-sci, but not in general.

Maybe a third of the people in my field who I know personally did co-op terms during school for $15-25/hr while in school, the rest just got regular jobs after finishing school.

 

[aelf]

You might add marketing, advertising, publishing and most writing professions (except maybe authors). Basically industries doing things that everyone thinks they can do.

 

[downtown]

Another question to the guys who are in HR. Is it normal that they are so DAMNED slow?! I've even heard from people inside the workplace that they too are complaining about HR being slow. Is there a way for me to, nudge them to notice me without being a pain in the rear or desperate?

The slowest part of HR is usually payroll processing, and thats for legal reasons. Industry wide, we haven't been great at digitizing paperwork, so other stuff gets held up too.

Don't expect to hear back from a hiring manager/recruiter if you don't get a job. They're usually too busy. If you don't hear back in 14 days, you likely aren't being considered.

 

[Zelig]

The slowest part of HR is usually payroll processing, and thats for legal reasons. Industry wide, we haven't been great at digitizing paperwork, so other stuff gets held up too.

Don't expect to hear back from a hiring manager/recruiter if you don't get a job. They're usually too busy. If you don't hear back in 14 days, you likely aren't being considered.

I'd expect something pretty prompt from any professional outfit, but I've gotten calls for interviews eight months after my initial application. (Federal government positions)

In any case, if you're applying for jobs, if you're at any place prior to having an offer in hand, you really shouldn't let your search for other jobs be affected by potential leads.

 

[Hygro]

Are there internships for non traditional students (eg. Students above the age of 25)?

I recommend the book (not the movie, although it was entertaining) "The Pursuit of Happyness". The protagonist Chris Gardner got an entry level internship to become a stock broker (aka financial advisor in today's world) at like age 32 or something.

Here is my advice to you CivG.

First, look at your daily schedule. Find a 4 hour block when you are not in school, or studying. If possible, make it the same 4 day block every weekday. Let's say thats from 8:00-12:00.

At 7:30, put on a shirt and tie and leave your house. Go to the library, or a coffee shop, or somewhere that is not your room or your typical desk.

You are going to make applying for work your "job". Keep to this schedule as much as you can. Limit your OT or other website browsing while you are at your "job". Scan Craigslist, Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed, and local-specific job boards. Make sure you have an account with those websites, and actually *post* your resume on those boards. Call up those temp-staffing agencies I told you about. Call UPS...they're hiring thousands of seasonal staffers right now, and they pay good money.

At noon, pack up your stuff, make yourself a tasty lunch, and enjoy the rest of your day. If you are taking your "job" seriously, you will develop better focus and self-esteem, and it will make the transition into an actual job easier.

Dude this is a baller idea. I might do just this myself while working to get this summer's internship.

 

[Integral]

I'd expect something pretty prompt from any professional outfit, but I've gotten calls for interviews eight months after my initial application. (Federal government positions)

In any case, if you're applying for jobs, if you're at any place prior to having an offer in hand, you really shouldn't let your search for other jobs be affected by potential leads.

I haven't had a good experience with USAJobs. Every position I've gotten (for myself or others) in the Federal government has been outside that channel.

 

[Hygro]

I'm currently updating my resume to include recent volunteer experience and internship experience.

In doing so I have to cut some old stuff to make room. There is some obvious consolidation, plus some needed edits anyway, but I do need to make some wholesale cuts.

Would you employers recommend I ditch the "skills and interests" part?
Currently I have listed:

• Accomplished public speaker, addressing crowds in political, social, and business settings
• Writing and editing skills
• Start-ups

The bottom is of course an interest and something I've focused on academically and brought that perspective to my workplaces, but not a skill per se.

It takes up space. It gives real information. You tell me.