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[Fall Into The GAF]

Uh, I educated myself about the dreaded ATS for applying online. The consensus seems to be this: Use .doc format and don't use tables on the resume. Is there anything else I can do to "beat the filter" so to speak? Besides, tailoring with company specific buzzwords and all that jazz.

 

[ReyBrujo]

How can you explain a large gap in a resume?

I graduated last year in May, but spent the summer traveling and helping out with my brother's wedding in August, and I mainly got into gear for applying to random office jobs and such in September with no luck. It was in January that I decided to switch gears and work towards getting a Security Guard license and I finally got it all together now (it was a long process with the training and setting up dates to write the test because they were changing something with how it was administered).

But now I realized it's almost a year and the only experience I have is from when I was in school.

It's getting quite common to have a sabbatical year. You got the license, though, so it helps filling the gap. I wouldn't worry about it, just be clear and don't stop too much in the fact that you spent a year without working. Did you know your brother was marrying in August? If not, you can use that to your advantage (like, you planned on taking a sabbatical year but the wedding of your brother interrupted it, so after all was done you decided to just take 6 months til now). Mention that you thought you would enjoy that sabbatical year but by January you became restless and decided to work on the license. That way, you shrink the time you have spent doing nothing by filling with facts.

Uh, I educated myself about the dreaded ATS for applying online. The consensus seems to be this: Use .doc format and don't use tables on the resume. Is there anything else I can do to "beat the filter" so to speak? Besides, tailoring with company specific buzzwords and all that jazz.

In my personal experience, if you can use pdf, use it, because you ensure it will be readable and will look exactly the way you want it to look. Don't use anything fancy. Tables are problematic for automatic reviewing, having paragraphs and indentation should be enough. Don't abuse color, each sends a message, greys are safe, or you can risk some light pastel colors. Use a professional font, you never know which fonts are installed in the target machine so don't go with anything fancy. And should you remark something, try either bold or italics but not both, which gives the impressions that you are being inconsistent.

Keep it short, usually 2, at most 3 pages. Don't bloat it too much, get sure you don't have revisions saved in the file, files should be never too heavy, and of course check with the corrector before finishing.

 

[Jzero]

Are there any IT specific job search sites? I just got my A+ certificate and want something entry-level.

 

[obijkenobi]

What are people's experiences with temp agencies like? My year of service ends in a little less than a month and I haven't even had a job interview lined up yet. I live in a large city (San Antonio) and want to make sure that I have income coming in at all times. When would be the best time to go to a temp agency? Is that time now? 2 weeks from now?

 

[radjago]

Are there any IT specific job search sites? I just got my A+ certificate and want something entry-level.

Dice.com is the big one.

With an A+ you'll mostly find desktop, help desk, and generic technical support / IT specialist jobs.

You should also check with local staffing firms that work in IT. I started by working temp and contract jobs and built up experience until I could land a full time position.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Will be starting sometime this week with a new job. Applied for jobs for about 4 months and one finally came through. Not a bad one either .

 

[Terra]

The wait for a new job to call is eating away my energy.
Negotiations are stalling because of organizational changes. Still, boss at the new place said that the position is mine with a possibility of 90 percent...

Just waiting for the call I guess...

 

[obijkenobi]

The wait for a new job to call is eating away my energy.
Negotiations are stalling because of organizational changes. Still, boss at the new place said that the position is mine with a possibility of 90 percent...

Just waiting for the call I guess...

Man, I'd keep putting in apps until paper is signed somewhere. Like your avatar, gotta put fate into your own hands.

 

[Terra]

Man, I'd keep putting in apps until paper is signed somewhere. Like your avatar, gotta put fate into your own hands.

You are right. I am committed to make a good run at my current job, even though my work-load is heavy as hell. The thoughts of being so close to that other job is so intriguing...

There is however, a 10 percent chance that the negotiations will break down totally, and then I won't be offered the other job.

Gotta keep on!
Thanks for your input man.

 

[gwailo]

What are people's experiences with temp agencies like? My year of service ends in a little less than a month and I haven't even had a job interview lined up yet. I live in a large city (San Antonio) and want to make sure that I have income coming in at all times. When would be the best time to go to a temp agency? Is that time now? 2 weeks from now?

Not sure what you mean by "year of service" but in general, treat a temp job as just that, a TEMP job. Most places will promise "temp to hire" - that rarely pans out in my experience. Continue to look for permanent work and don't be afraid to take off time from your temp job to go to interviews.

Be VERY clear about what you will and won't do, otherwise you will have crap stuff like call center work thrown at you. Also be clear about how much money you are looking to make and how long you are open to work, again, otherwise you will get useless 1-2 day $8/hour assignments thrown at you.

Make sure to go to you agency if the job is asking you to do things that are not in the job description or that you are not comfortable with and/or physically unable to do. A lot of companies think "temp" means "put them anywhere".

Get used to basically not having any benefits, including basic stuff like sick days. And basically you can be let go at anytime. It's common even on long-term assignments to hear on a Friday afternoon to not come in on Monday because the assignment is ended.

I would sign up now. You will have to go in and fill out a lot of paperwork and do testing, and usually agencies won't have jobs for you right away. You will also probably need to check in weekly via email or phone to let them know you are available.

 

[Jzero]

Dice.com is the big one.

With an A+ you'll mostly find desktop, help desk, and generic technical support / IT specialist jobs.

You should also check with local staffing firms that work in IT. I started by working temp and contract jobs and built up experience until I could land a full time position.

Sweet thanks.

 

[entremet]

Man, I'd keep putting in apps until paper is signed somewhere. Like your avatar, gotta put fate into your own hands.

Yep.

It keeps your momentum going and gives you options. It's also more practice if you get called to interview.

I was horrible at interviews after losing my first long term job. It took a lot of them before I improved significally. It's like learning to play an instrument.

It's also why all long term employees should always job hunt, not only to see your value, but to keep your interviewing skills sharp.

 

[spuckthew]

Oh man I'm buzzing...I heard back from both companies today and they both offered me jobs. I already knew which one I'd go for in such a situation, though, since the other felt more stuffy and I didn't think they'd offer as high a salary (they didn't). It's still a great feeling though.

Now to figure out how to go about handing in my resignation, especially as my relationship with my boss hasn't been too chirpy in recent months...

 

[Etzer]

After aggressively applying for the past month, it turns out my new phone's Caller ID app was mistaking some numbers for spam and the phone hasn't been notifying me of new voicemails. I missed out on some interviews.

Will be starting sometime this week with a new job. Applied for jobs for about 4 months and one finally came through. Not a bad one either .

Congrats!

 

[entremet]

After aggressively applying for the past month, it turns out my new phone's Caller ID app was mistaking some numbers for spam and the phone hasn't been notifying me of new voicemails. I missed out on some interviews.





Congrats!

Wow. That's messed up. Put a message that has your email address too.

 

[Ogodei]

I start temp-to-hire at a local opera company (non-profit individual giving work) tomorrow. Have an interview for donor databasing stuffs today, too, managed to cram it in before i have to ask the new job awkward questions (because while it's temp, you don't want to relax).

 

[Jzero]

What's the average time that it takes for companies to review applications and call you for an interview (if ever). I've been working at the same place for so long that i forgot.

 

[Ogodei]

What's the average time that it takes for companies to review applications and call you for an interview (if ever). I've been working at the same place for so long that i forgot.

There is none. I've gotten replies within days or within months. Average is in the "few weeks" range, but that varies by position and industry and what time of year you're applying.

 

[entremet]

What's the average time that it takes for companies to review applications and call you for an interview (if ever). I've been working at the same place for so long that i forgot.

There's no consensus here. Every place is different.

However, you should follow up if you have contact. You can also sent a blind email, but doesn't aren't that effective and can be seen as spam, but at least you tried.

I was once contacted a good month and half after I applied. And another 4 minutes via phone after I send my app in lol.

 

[Relix]

Gonna chime in on LinkedIn.... It's a must. I've gotten job offers just from my profile.

 

[Shy Fingers]

Applied to a job this morning. Within 5 minutes I got an email asking if we could do a phone interview today. After talking on the phone she said I should hear back within the next few days.

Not two hours go by and I get an invite for a skype interview with her that I just wrapped up.

Apparently someone gave only 2 weeks notice, and they need someone to start this Monday so the new person can have a week to attempt to get up to speed by interacting with the person leaving.

Am I just in the right place at the right time, or does this seem sketchy? They are a consultant group, so client presence is quite important. This just seems super quick.

 

[entremet]

Applied to a job this morning. Within 5 minutes I got an email asking if we could do a phone interview today. After talking on the phone she said I should hear back within the next few days.

Not two hours go by and I get an invite for a skype interview with her that I just wrapped up.

Apparently someone gave only 2 weeks notice, and they need someone to start this Monday so the new person can have a week to attempt to get up to speed by interacting with the person leaving.

Am I just in the right place at the right time, or does this seem sketchy? They are a consultant group, so client presence is quite important. This just seems super quick.

Research the company.

Glassdoor.com is good for this, but just be aware it may have a negativity bias as disgruntled employees may be more willing to post as a way to get back at their former employer.

On your next interview have a list of questions ready. Remember, interviews are a two way street. You're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. If you find the opportunity sketchy, you could always decline.

 

[Kickz]

Gonna chime in on LinkedIn.... It's a must. I've gotten job offers just from my profile.

How so?

What are people's experiences with temp agencies like? My year of service ends in a little less than a month and I haven't even had a job interview lined up yet. I live in a large city (San Antonio) and want to make sure that I have income coming in at all times. When would be the best time to go to a temp agency? Is that time now? 2 weeks from now?

Not good, atleast up in my neck of the woods. I suggest looking for a courier gig if you have a car.

 

[Gray Matter]

Just "applied" for a position a friend said is open where he works. I put applied in quotation marks because I'm not sure I actually did, just submitted a resume. He's gonna put in a word for me with the higher ups.

Related: many places say "x amount of years experience required". 1- is that actually true? I know experience is always good, but what if I have less than their preferred amount?

2- I have a experience of the field through a trade school, but no actual job experience. How bad does that hurt me?

my work experience isn't directly tied to the field, but it's within the spectrum, hopefully that helps.

 

[suberzat]

Just "applied" for a position a friend said is open where he works. I put applied in quotation marks because I'm not sure I actually did, just submitted a resume. He's gonna put in a word for me with the higher ups.

Related: many places say "x amount of years experience required". 1- is that actually true? I know experience is always good, but what if I have less than their preferred amount?

2- I have a experience of the field through a trade school, but no actual job experience. How bad does that hurt me?

my work experience isn't directly tied to the field, but it's within the spectrum, hopefully that helps.

1. It's more of a want thing for a company not really a need.

 

[Jezan]

man these niggas have been giving me the run-around for a month now.

Got a job interview, 3 applicants at the same time with two dudes interviewing. They said, "OK, we need somebody on Monday(its Friday), so after this interview we'll give you a call if you made it". Aced that, got a call saying, "yeaaaaaaaaah, we can't make a final decision. Can you come in for another interview on Thursday?"

Did that interview, said, "We'll call you next monday if you got the job or not". So another weekend of waiting impatentily....Monday goes by. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday, 7:31, I get a call, "oh yea, the director hasn't been in this week, he makes the final decisions. Next week tho, he'll be in, you'll know early next week"

So another week of impatient waiting. Monday rolls by, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday...Friday again, "Hey, can you come in and meet with the director next Wednesday?"

like bruh if I don't get the job after this shit das it mane

OMG I hate that feeling, when I applied for my first job I applied in May when i recently graduated from college, to make the story short: the boss was never around, the process was taking so long, the guys who were to interview me where out of the country and stuff like than, in the end I was hired in September. It's horrible.

And congrats on the new job

Right now I'm waiting for a call, but I think I failed the interview, I'm not sure when I tell my friends they tell me I did fine, but can't never be too sure when it's about a job. :S

 

[obijkenobi]

Not sure what you mean by "year of service" but in general, treat a temp job as just that, a TEMP job. Most places will promise "temp to hire" - that rarely pans out in my experience. Continue to look for permanent work and don't be afraid to take off time from your temp job to go to interviews.

Be VERY clear about what you will and won't do, otherwise you will have crap stuff like call center work thrown at you. Also be clear about how much money you are looking to make and how long you are open to work, again, otherwise you will get useless 1-2 day $8/hour assignments thrown at you.

Make sure to go to you agency if the job is asking you to do things that are not in the job description or that you are not comfortable with and/or physically unable to do. A lot of companies think "temp" means "put them anywhere".

Get used to basically not having any benefits, including basic stuff like sick days. And basically you can be let go at anytime. It's common even on long-term assignments to hear on a Friday afternoon to not come in on Monday because the assignment is ended.

I would sign up now. You will have to go in and fill out a lot of paperwork and do testing, and usually agencies won't have jobs for you right away. You will also probably need to check in weekly via email or phone to let them know you are available.

I'm an AmeriCorps VISTA so its literally a year of service that ends for me in mid April

 

[jwk94]

GAF, what's the proper way to write a Cover Letter?

 

[entremet]

GAF, what's the proper way to write a Cover Letter?

Create an outline

• Quick introduction expressing interest in the position.
  
• Show how your experience matches the job description.
  
• Describe some successes and what you can offer to the company.

Err on less not more. Cover letters are scanned, not read verbatim. Don't write an essay.

 

[Sora_N]

GAF, what's the proper way to write a Cover Letter?

After a while I shot resumes at Craigslist postings with a simple email message instead.

Cover letters can be exhausting and I would only use them for jobs I might really want.

If you do use it you should try to tailor it a little to the job posting itself though.

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

GAF, what's the proper way to write a Cover Letter?

First sentence: "Jane Smith suggested that I might be a good fit for this position."

The rest doesn't matter too much.

 

[Fezan]

My CV

Hey Gaf here is My CV for IT admin/engineer. One of my friend mentioned that my CV is not correct that why i am not receiving any job calls. Can any of you proof read and give me any suggestions, tips or edit it

 

[PantherLotus]

remember friends, cover letters are just a test to see if you can pass basic communication skills while conveying information quickly and clearly. you cannot agonize over them.

 

[jwk94]

My CV

Hey Gaf here is My CV for IT engineer. One of my friend mentioned that my CV is not correct that why i am not receiving any job calls. Can any of you proof read and give me any suggestions, tips or edit it

Assuming CVs and resumes are the same thing, that is 4 pages too long.

 

[Pimplitosaurio]

Sometimes I think that I always choose the worst jobs, or at least the ones that have zero growth. It seems like I won't be getting a perm position here, they have been promising me the permanent position for like two months. Well, doesn't matter, because I'm hurting for cash and need a job that pays better.


It really sucks to be job hunting again, specially when it seems that I never have the skills that they are looking for

 

[Skellig Gra]

Assuming CVs and resumes are the same thing, that is 4 pages too long.

They aren't, CV is more a summary of skills.

 

[MC Safety]

GAF, what's the proper way to write a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a good chance to sell yourself.

Don't go overboard, but be funny, or clever, or interesting. Tailor the note to the company and the position.

 

[Kisaya]

So I had that interview I mentioned before... and I think I did pretty good! Definitely didn't choke, and answered all the questions the best that I could. My interviewer who was the manager of the department's position was really nice. We actually had a lot in common (both having moved to Chicago from New York for significant others), so I think she liked me.

She talked to me about salary and if I was okay with the amount, and I expressed that it sounded good to me. At the end she gave me her card and said that it would be around three weeks until I get a response from HR about the next steps. I'm wondering because I have her card if I should send her thank you email, or just wait for HR to send me anything.

 

[Commander Jameson]

My CV

Hey Gaf here is My CV for IT admin/engineer. One of my friend mentioned that my CV is not correct that why i am not receiving any job calls. Can any of you proof read and give me any suggestions, tips or edit it

Feedback (from a UK perspective)
1. Remove the photo (not required for the role you are looking for)
2. Choose one email and cell number to use
3. Reduce to two pages
4. The "Career Objective" section isn't really saying much, apart from "I'd like to be a System/IT Engineer". Can you include specifics where you feel would benefit a company, for example, working in a particular company, maybe one that is well-known for having good engineers?
5. In the "Technical Skills", which specific databases have you used? They are only mentioned buried in the project descriptions
6. I would move the "Experience" and "Projects" before the "Education"
7. The job descriptions in the "Experience" and "Projects" sections are a big block of text that is quite hard to read. Might be better splitting into bullet points with achievements, rather than just a list of "I did this..." and "I did that...". For example, when working at KAUST, did you reduce the number of outages or reduce the time that the servers were down?
8. I would do a spell check and check for double spaces. Need to be consistent with commas, full stops and spaces. For example, one space only after every comma and full stop.
9. Use the full width for the "Experience" bullet points. The dates and companies can be in one line above each section.
10. The projects seem to be in a random order, rather than sorted by date (most recent first)
11. Not sure about the last three achievements. The SQL certification is fine, but the rest don't seem relevant. Could remove that section and include the certification in the "Technical Skills" section
12. Can remove the "Activities" and "References" sections

Again, this is just from a UK perspective. Local customs may be different where you are.

 

[gwailo]

Research the company.

Glassdoor.com is good for this, but just be aware it may have a negativity bias as disgruntled employees may be more willing to post as a way to get back at their former employer.

On your next interview have a list of questions ready. Remember, interviews are a two way street. You're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. If you find the opportunity sketchy, you could always decline.

To piggyback on this, a good question to ask in interviews is why is this position open? The fact that they are scrambling to get someone in because the person leaving "only" gave them 2 weeks (a standard amount of time) indicates to me that they don't really have their shit together and I doubt the guy leaving is gonna be all that into training you in his last week and you're gonna be left with a ton of work that you really don't know what to do with. I would definitely try to check out the company more before accepting the offer.

How so?

HR/recruiters can contact you through the site. I got my last 2 jobs through LinkedIn.

 

[entremet]

So I had that interview I mentioned before... and I think I did pretty good! Definitely didn't choke, and answered all the questions the best that I could. My interviewer who was the manager of the department's position was really nice. We actually had a lot in common (both having moved to Chicago from New York for significant others), so I think she liked me.

She talked to me about salary and if I was okay with the amount, and I expressed that it sounded good to me. At the end she gave me her card and said that it would be around three weeks until I get a response from HR about the next steps. I'm wondering because I have her card if I should send her thank you email, or just wait for HR to send me anything.

Congrats on the interview.

Send her a thank you note. Email is fine. It will set you apart and shows that you're interested after having spending time learning more about each other and the position. Getting a business card or contact info is covert permission to do so.

I remember I was at the final stage of the interview process for a consulting gig. I finally got to talk to the head guy of the department, the final decision maker. He gave me his card and totally forgot to send him a thank you note lol.

I didn't get the offer lol. Not that that was the only decision, but I could imagine not sending the note made the case easier for them to go with another person who may have done so.

 

[Fezan]

Feedback (from a UK perspective)
1. Remove the photo (not required for the role you are looking for)
2. Choose one email and cell number to use
3. Reduce to two pages
4. The "Career Objective" section isn't really saying much, apart from "I'd like to be a System/IT Engineer". Can you include specifics where you feel would benefit a company, for example, working in a particular company, maybe one that is well-known for having good engineers?
5. In the "Technical Skills", which specific databases have you used? They are only mentioned buried in the project descriptions
6. I would move the "Experience" and "Projects" before the "Education"
7. The job descriptions in the "Experience" and "Projects" sections are a big block of text that is quite hard to read. Might be better splitting into bullet points with achievements, rather than just a list of "I did this..." and "I did that...". For example, when working at KAUST, did you reduce the number of outages or reduce the time that the servers were down?
8. I would do a spell check and check for double spaces. Need to be consistent with commas, full stops and spaces. For example, one space only after every comma and full stop.
9. Use the full width for the "Experience" bullet points. The dates and companies can be in one line above each section.
10. The projects seem to be in a random order, rather than sorted by date (most recent first)
11. Not sure about the last three achievements. The SQL certification is fine, but the rest don't seem relevant. Could remove that section and include the certification in the "Technical Skills" section
12. Can remove the "Activities" and "References" sections

Again, this is just from a UK perspective. Local customs may be different where you are.

Thanks a lot Will try to edit my CV keeping in mind the mentioned points.

 

[Heartfyre]

Do you know those situations where you find the perfect job, with a listing that seems as though they had you as an individual in mind? Like they were spying on you, analysing your skillset and interests, and then putting together a listing so they could reel you in. The kind of job that you were guaranteed to get an interview for. Sure, you may not get the job, but with your resumé, you were bound to be taken seriously along the process. I had an application like that going on. I was putting out all the stops, asking questions of the recruiter on LinkedIn, proving myself able and eager in any way I could, while not being too pushy or unprofessional. Sure, it was annoying to be strung along for three weeks, but the recruiter-lady said she was busy, being the only recruiter on-staff in the company, and had multiple positions to work towards filling. Lots of national holidays as well, slowing them down further.

Well, I got a form e-mail rejection today. Complete with the poor spacing evident of a careless cut-and-paste job. I put a lot of hopes behind getting this role, and I'm in a bad head-space now because of it. Sure, I've only been unemployed for a little over a month now, and I had two in-person interviews (one going for two rounds) and two phone interviews, but they weren't particularly great jobs and I didn't get them anyway. The kind of callbacks I get are just for the jobs I apply to out of pragmatism rather than desire. The jobs I want, and have skills and experience in, only leave me treated like dirt.

Not a good day for me.

 

[Dreamwriter]

Do you know those situations where you find the perfect job, with a listing that seems as though they had you as an individual in mind? Like they were spying on you, analysing your skillset and interests, and then putting together a listing so they could reel you in. The kind of job that you were guaranteed to get an interview for. Sure, you may not get the job, but with your resumé, you were bound to be taken seriously along the process. I had an application like that going on. I was putting out all the stops, asking questions of the recruiter on LinkedIn, proving myself able and eager in any way I could, while not being too pushy or unprofessional. Sure, it was annoying to be strung along for three weeks, but the recruiter-lady said she was busy, being the only recruiter on-staff in the company, and had multiple positions to work towards filling. Lots of national holidays as well, slowing them down further.

Well, I got a form e-mail rejection today. Complete with the poor spacing evident of a careless cut-and-paste job. I put a lot of hopes behind getting this role, and I'm in a bad head-space now because of it. Sure, I've only been unemployed for a little over a month now, and I had two in-person interviews (one going for two rounds) and two phone interviews, but they weren't particularly great jobs and I didn't get them anyway. The kind of callbacks I get are just for the jobs I apply to out of pragmatism rather than desire. The jobs I want, and have skills and experience in, only leave me treated like dirt.

Not a good day for me.

I had a similar thing, a job listing like they had written it specifically with me in mind, it was so perfect. I sent in my resume, and eventually got the response:

"We have reviewed your background and qualifications and have found that we do not have an appropriate match for this role at this time."

I mean, really? No appropriate match, except for a job that fit exactly what I've been doing for the last 5 years, that was asking for the exact skills on my resume?

 

[StoneFox]

I got a call today for a job offer (only part time, doesn't pay as well as I would like) and I asked them if I could call back tomorrow since I have an interview set up tomorrow and want to explore my options. Was this an okay thing to do? The interview is for a full time job that pays over twice more an hour, but it's still an unknown if I'll even be hired. I just hope that when I call back--if I have to--that I'll still have the job offer.

Is it rude to ask if I have the job at the end of an interview due to already being offered one at another place?

 

[Muerte_X]

I had a similar thing, a job listing like they had written it specifically with me in mind, it was so perfect. I sent in my resume, and eventually got the response:

"We have reviewed your background and qualifications and have found that we do not have an appropriate match for this role at this time."

I mean, really? No appropriate match, except for a job that fit exactly what I've been doing for the last 5 years, that was asking for the exact skills on my resume?

I just heard back from one position I interviewed with and it was the exact same deal. Very specialized skills, but they had a another candidate that was a strong match. I asked the HR person for more feedback, and they said that I had a great skillset, but they had another closer match. I did eventually receive an offer from another company, which was my first choice anyways, but sometimes it's more subjective than you think it would be and in the end it is up to the person that did the interview. I'm not saying this is what happened in your case, but when my previous company was hiring, even the other co workers would interview the person and sometimes it's more about how they fit in with the team vs someone who might be a bit more qualified. But it could be any number of reasons.

I got a call today for a job offer (only part time, doesn't pay as well as I would like) and I asked them if I could call back tomorrow since I have an interview set up tomorrow and want to explore my options. Was this an okay thing to do? The interview is for a full time job that pays over twice more an hour, but it's still an unknown if I'll even be hired. I just hope that when I call back--if I have to--that I'll still have the job offer.

Is it rude to ask if I have the job at the end of an interview due to already being offered one at another place?

It really depends on the company, but if they were serious about the offer, then needing some time to consider is a pretty normal response to an offer. It's possible they might go down to the next person on the list, but I would make sure you keep in contact so they know you are actually interested.

I've been interviews where they outright asked if I was in the final stages at any other companies, so if it doesn't come up in the interview, I think it's ok to bring up, that way they can be aware of your situation. I would phrase it a bit different and say that you are in the final stages for some other positions and would appreciate a decision as soon as possible. But at my last interview I was pretty much told I had the job, but did have to wait for the recruiter to extend the official offer, and that took a while.

 

[GreenTornadoX]

Keep up your hope. I had a 10 year gap in my work history and I just got a job at my local Kroger's Starbucks!

 

[entremet]

Keep up your hope. I had a 10 year gap in my work history and I just got a job at my local Kroger's Starbucks!

How did that happen? Health issues?

 

[Roland_Gunner]

She talked to me about salary and if I was okay with the amount, and I expressed that it sounded good to me. At the end she gave me her card and said that it would be around three weeks until I get a response from HR about the next steps. I'm wondering because I have her card if I should send her thank you email, or just wait for HR to send me anything.

Send a nice, brief email thanking her. It may not help but it certainly won't hurt. Also, if they have a better candidate stuff like that increases the likelihood the recruiter remembers you for future positions.

 

[Ogodei]

Thank-yous can put you ahead if nobody else thinks to do so. Definitely can't hurt.

I'm trying to narrow down two second interviews while starting this new temp-to-hire thing. Maybe i'll have some leverage soon.