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[Layell]

advice

Thanks for all of this but it's about 1.5 hours after the scheduled interview and no call. Not sure why this happens to me all the time.

I left a message saying who I spoke to originally and when I expected a call, in addition to my availability but I'm not expecting much now.

 

[gwailo]

TBH I'd probably rather go back to retail than ever work in a call center again. If you're looking for a white collar job that doesn't require a lot of experience, look into data entry or something similar. Call centers are horrible and will make you hate people just as much as retail.

 

[Syphon Filter]

TBH I'd probably rather go back to retail than ever work in a call center again. If you're looking for a white collar job that doesn't require a lot of experience, look into data entry or something similar. Call centers are horrible and will make you hate people just as much as retail.

What makes it worse than retail our of curiosity.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

As an update, I have yet to hear from the guy who recruited me for this job (who apologized and is supposedly trying to fix my situation and finding out when I start) for the past 3 days. Nothing Wednesday, nothing yesterday and nothing today. What the fuck...

I technically have this job and was hired and everything but come the fuck on...

 

[Layell]

That may be but part-time status just kills me, plus the wage increase would make me handle it. I'll keep an eye out for data entry positions as well, thanks for the help.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Just got notice that the company I'm working for through a temp agency is closing 5th shift. On my end, I have two weeks before they can all of the temps.

I've basically had nothing but temp jobs for the last 5 years in between summer internships, and I cannot believe that I actually got a heads up. Normally they'd be like "fuck you bye".

So I need to find work fast (temp job likely)...I can't until after I graduate when I get a job with benefits.

I

 

[Powwa]

TBH I'd probably rather go back to retail than ever work in a call center again. If you're looking for a white collar job that doesn't require a lot of experience, look into data entry or something similar. Call centers are horrible and will make you hate people just as much as retail.

Totally agree with this. People call you "things" that they would never do face to face in a conversation. Constant stress and jerk team leaders on top of it, really don't do it unless you are desperate.

 

[Optimusdouche]

I got a new job at an App and mobile game development company. I had to agree that I will do a couple training courses in some technical skills they want me to become better at.

The office's are in a sweet area, London Bridge. Close to the thames. And I'll get to spend some days just testing games which is very welcome. And I get to work from home quite a bit too, which is just perfect for me.

Seems like it will be quite a lot of work in to begin with, and I do like my free time, but all around I'm pretty thrilled.

It's actually less money than my old job, but that job was just oh so boring. I don't think I could do it anymore. But if I had stayed in that line, and worked hard, I could've reached to a point where I would be a freelancer and make a lot of money while working like half the year, but alas, I am out of that particular line, probably for good. Fuck it, good riddance. It's a new day and the sun is finally out.

 

[gwailo]

What makes it worse than retail our of curiosity.

People act like assholes. They say things they would never say to your face. It was common to hear people crying in their cubes after dealing with difficult calls. It get's really demoralizing having people yell/complain at you for 8+ hours a day. I got migranes and was developing an ulcer.

Having to hold dummy's hands through the simplest of tasks. In retail you might have a bad customer that you sell a TV that you are delaing with for 10 minutes. Now imagine having to spend an hour with that customer and set that TV up for them and make sure it works _perfectly_ or it's all -your- fault, all the while they are constantly yelling at you. And if doesn't end up working, they will call you back over and over again.

You are put into "management systems" that monitor what you do down to the second, to the point you have to justify bathroom breaks. You are stuck in your cube for your entire shift - bad for your mental/physical health.

Poor training, you are expected to learn things on the fly, but it's hard when people are yelling at you.

No downtime. One call after another after another.

High turnaround because people quit all the time, so you are always understaffed.

Getting monitored on calls and marked down because you didn't do thing like calling the person Mr. three times. Basically having to act like a robot.

Inept management that is just looking to cover their ass and offers no real help.

Outdated computer/work systems that crash often or don't work properly, but you get dinged because calls take too long.

I got headaches from having to wear a headset in my ear all day.

 

[entremet]

As an update, I have yet to hear from the guy who recruited me for this job (who apologized and is supposedly trying to fix my situation and finding out when I start) for the past 3 days. Nothing Wednesday, nothing yesterday and nothing today. What the fuck...

I technically have this job and was hired and everything but come the fuck on...

Wow. What a fuck up. I've never heard of a recruiter give the wrong start date like that. That's all sorts of awkward. Hopefully, it's resolved.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Wow. What a fuck up.

I'm going to wait till Monday to try to get answers out of the guy. I'm not fucking happy.

 

[Pimplitosaurio]

It seems I will join this thread full time...again

They have been promising a permanent contract since february, then march, then they tell me that the contract has just arrived

yay!


But it turns out that is one-month contract...that ends may 2 ¬¬
The lady that had a pregnancy leave returns in ten days, and my contract ends like 2 weeks after she returns. Now that explains why my boss didn't want to give me the days off he owes me

I'm not happy, but at least the job is not great, so there is that
;(

 

[Ogodei]

Odd day at work. Got chewed out about some stuff (forgot what we were and weren't allowed to throw away), but i was getting deeper into my own responsibilities more and had more stuff to do all day. Just hoping they're still getting an overall positive impression of me.

Didn't get the call today (might get it Monday). Fortunately it's cosplay con weekend so i won't have a lot of time to sit and agonize about it until Sunday.

I did get another second interview finally scheduled, though.

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

Finally got an interview somewhere (it's almost been a year) for next Tuesday - and the HR person said she'd send a follow-up email detailing the location and who's on my interview panel.

She never did.

Nor does she answer her phone or return voicemails.

This is comical, but par for the course with a government agency, I guess.

Two interviews with Biglaw firms at the end of this month. I may just cross over to the dark side.

 

[GreenMonkey]

I cannot seem to squeeze into the InfoSec job market here in SoCal. Lots of senior level positions but nothing entry/2years. Sadly I don't know many people in the industry to get a referral :/

Any tips?



Not so sure about this one. Usually gets outsourced alot and a good chunk of companies are going towards SaaS platforms like Salesforce.

I work in InfoSec (CIRT) these days.

I can tell you, at least for IR-related roles, having interviewed lower level folks for SOC/low and mid-level CIRT teams, that we look for a solid knowledge of basic IT skills.

Experience cleaning malware from machines, deep Windows experience, sysadmin experience (stuff like replacing disk drives, troubleshooting hardware and network problems, etc all useful). I've seen folks that just get degrees and certs but that doesn't help if you don't know at least the basics about a broad swathe of IT stuff.

I'd recommend hunting down some other IT work for now if you can't get InfoSec right now. Having done some hands on with networks/systems and getting some background working with DNS, DHCP, Windows system registry, etc are all helpful.

I can help out with any other questions about getting into this field. I don't have any certs, just a large handful of I.T. Experience (many years adoing helpdesk/operations level work, several years as an OpenVMS sysadmin with a little Unix/Linux and a year of helping out doing Office 365 support). Now I'm pushing up on 4 years in Infosec but I didn't have that when I hopped over into the role.

In my experience, companies also like having people that have knowledge of the company already. Easier to move subfields when you're already doing something in the company and have a good track record.

Also we look for folks with an *interest* in tech and in security. I regularly read about security stuff even before working in security (like on Ars Technica) just because it was interesting. I hacked consoles, rooted phones, etc. It helps if you're a techie that dabbles in stuff. It comes through in interviews versus the folks just taking classes and trying to get into it because it's the *hot* field.

 

[Armadilo]

I hate my job, makes me depressed and feel unappreciated. Time to get this done, something that I should of done a while ago. It's in a Restaurant, my previous job was at Burger king.

I ....want to be happy.. guys 😮

Let's Go! 😆

 

[Fatal Futanari]

I work in InfoSec (CIRT) these days.

I can tell you, at least for IR-related roles, having interviewed lower level folks for SOC/low and mid-level CIRT teams, that we look for a solid knowledge of basic IT skills.

Experience cleaning malware from machines, deep Windows experience, sysadmin experience (stuff like replacing disk drives, troubleshooting hardware and network problems, etc all useful). I've seen folks that just get degrees and certs but that doesn't help if you don't know at least the basics about a broad swathe of IT stuff.

I'd recommend hunting down some other IT work for now if you can't get InfoSec right now. Having done some hands on with networks/systems and getting some background working with DNS, DHCP, Windows system registry, etc are all helpful.

I can help out with any other questions about getting into this field. I don't have any certs, just a large handful of I.T. Experience (many years adoing helpdesk/operations level work, several years as an OpenVMS sysadmin with a little Unix/Linux and a year of helping out doing Office 365 support). Now I'm pushing up on 4 years in Infosec but I didn't have that when I hopped over into the role.

In my experience, companies also like having people that have knowledge of the company already. Easier to move subfields when you're already doing something in the company and have a good track record.

Also we look for folks with an *interest* in tech and in security. I regularly read about security stuff even before working in security (like on Ars Technica) just because it was interesting. I hacked consoles, rooted phones, etc. It helps if you're a techie that dabbles in stuff. It comes through in interviews versus the folks just taking classes and trying to get into it because it's the *hot* field.

I got 4 years of IT, 2 years of tech consulting, a CISS degree, and some pen testing experience. I would have thought that would be ok for an entry job in InfoSec but all the listings I am finding want 5 years experience even for junior level jobs.

 

[lord]

The startup I was working for just crashed. Our CEO made a bad call and passed on funding in hopes of getting a larger inverstor on board, that failed and the company ran out of money. I left a pretty stable job for that position but on the end it ended up taking me to one of those accelerator programs and learned a lot about stuff I never cared about but ended up liking it a lot (customer aquisition, conversion optimization, bunch of digital marketing, growth hacking stuff). But still, I had to find a new job.

Had an interview with a couple of dudes that own a small digital agency that seems to do pretty cool stuff, the interview was a bit weird. We went out for sushi, talked, it was very nice and they were really cool people, but they never asked techincal questions or nothing specific, they seemed to be giving me the sell pretty hard though. They ended up offering me the job at the salary and perks I asked for. Is it common for programmers to be hired like this, no technical questions just three guys hanging out for an interview?

I wasn't convinced to be honest, something seemed fishy about such a relaxed interview
and couldn't seem to find anything locally so I had to take a job abroad, a bit sad to leave but it was the best I could do on short notice, hoping for the best!

 

[Jzero]

I hate my job, makes me depressed and feel unappreciated. Time to get this done, something that I should of done a while ago. It's in a Restaurant, my previous job was at Burger king.

I ....want to be happy.. guys 😮

Let's Go! 😆

I quit my restaurant job two weeks ago since my ex boss is a massive dickwad. Now i'm broke as fuck and need money. I don't feel the super heavy stress i was on though.

 

[Coolluck]

I wasn't convinced to be honest, something seemed fishy about such a relaxed interview
and couldn't seem to find anything locally so I had to take a job abroad, a bit sad to leave but it was the best I could do on short notice, hoping for the best!

By job abroad, how far is that?

 

[lord]

7 hours in time difference, ~10 hour flight. I'm pretty nervous. I'll have to keep paying rent here for a few months too because of the lease and in case something goes wrong or whatever. I'll have to sell my car, my home appliances, my tv, it's kind of hard to get rid of all these things, it's just stuff but I've also worked pretty hard to get all of it. My girlfriend is here too so I'm leaving her. I'm really uprooting everything, to go do the job, the salary is nice though and the perks seem great. The company does very interesting stuff and they've been nothin but nice. It's exciting but scary.

 

[entremet]

Finally got an interview somewhere (it's almost been a year) for next Tuesday - and the HR person said she'd send a follow-up email detailing the location and who's on my interview panel.

She never did.

Nor does she answer her phone or return voicemails.

This is comical, but par for the course with a government agency, I guess.

Two interviews with Biglaw firms at the end of this month. I may just cross over to the dark side.

Good luck!

At least you tried and I'm sure you want to start paying those loans soon.

 

[Daft Punk]

For an upcoming Comp Sci Associates graduate, what job can I start applying for? In not looking for something crazy, just something possible to get hired for to help pay for school for my Bachelors.

 

[entremet]

For an upcoming Comp Sci Associates graduate, what job can I start applying for? In not looking for something crazy, just something possible to get hired for to help pay for school for my Bachelors.

Part time or full time?

What skills do you have?

 

[Daft Punk]

Part time or full time?

What skills do you have?

Either at this point. I'm a retail worker and armed forces veteran. Maybe work Ina call center or something? I don't know.

 

[entremet]

Either at this point. I'm a retail worker and armed forces veteran. Maybe work Ina call center or something? I don't know.

Customer Support is a good idea. Those jobs have high turnover--read many openings--plus it's much easier than retail.

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

Good luck!

At least you tried and I'm sure you want to start paying those loans soon.

Actually, I thankfully don't have any loans: I spent over 7 years as an Air Force JAG, so Afghanistan covered my loans. But I appreciate the well-wishing! A friend also set up a happy hour for me with a Biglaw associate so I can ask what that environment is like, since I'd be a lateral hire.

I'm just waiting for this process to be over. I want a start date beyond short-term contracts so I can actually enjoy some time off.

 

[yasu151]

I have a phone interview for a bank call centre/customer support centre. I am really hoping I get it because I'd finally be out of retail and a decent pay bump. Any advice from gaffers?

Most call centers hiring managers will ask you what empathy means to you. They'll want to make sure you can realte to the customer while not reversing fees.

 

[SOLDIER]

For IT, I've found this site to be good starting point:
http://www.itcareerfinder.com/it-careers.html

Thanks for all the advice, but thanks especially for this. This is what I was looking for: a list of potential job titles in the IT field.

If anyone knows of a similar list for writing careers, or even videogame careers, I could really use that info as well.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Don't forget people to use craigslist gig section. You can post your services there too. Don't sleep on this tip, it can help!

 

[Jzero]

Don't forget people to use craigslist gig section. You can post your services there too. Don't sleep on this tip, it can help!

They always take down computer repair post for some reason.

 

[SOLDIER]

Don't forget people to use craigslist gig section. You can post your services there too. Don't sleep on this tip, it can help!

Never thought of that. I guess I could try it, but I have a feeling I would just got a bunch of spam/phishing "job offers".

Is there also a good resource that tells you what the most in-demand jobs/hiring companies are based on your location? I know Indeed has that, but it only lists things like local colleges or "iOS".

 

[EverythingShiny]

Job-searching GAF, I'm joining your ranks after two years of unemployment (not counting 6 months in retail) and graduate school. I'm finishing up my degree this fall and, although I could take out more loans, I'd rather start working full-time this summer.

I'm in a bit of a weird situation in that I'm technically changing careers (moving into Bioinformatics from data/crime analysis) but I still have a lot of transferable experience. One the one hand, that's a really positive thing; on the other, I'm worried I'll only be considered for jobs similar to what I used to do rather than what I'm going to school to do.

Anyone here have success stories from changing careers? How did you find that first job after changing careers?

Just applied to my first job in the new field - spent all last night writing the cover letter and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

 

[Sectorseven]

When a job has a closing date, is there any reason to submit the application asap? Like, do they start looking at resumes before it closes, or do they wait and look at them all at once? Is an earlier submitted resume more likely to end up at the top of the virtual pile?

 

[NoblesseOblige]

When a job has a closing date, is there any reason to submit the application asap? Like, do they start looking at resumes before it closes, or do they wait and look at them all at once? Is an earlier submitted resume more likely to end up at the top of the virtual pile?

Depends on the place and importance of the position. 95% the time I don't get calls back until after the closing date. However the remaining 5% I get called before it. Twice I have gotten a call no more than a few hours after submitting an application online. So there's really nothing to lose but possible something to gain by submitting ASAP.

 

[Sectorseven]

So my relatively new neighbor works for a place I might apply to. It's a fairly low position. I've talked to him a few times, but don't know him especially well. Should I put him on the spot for a reference?

 

[MoFoJones99]

Yo! Anyone here that has had success with The Muse? Using their site as reference for a job interview I have coming up this week and I am liking their tips and tricks for preparing yourself for interviews, etc.

 

[RedSparrows]

So my relatively new neighbor works for a place I might apply to. It's a fairly low position. I've talked to him a few times, but don't know him especially well. Should I put him on the spot for a reference?

Only if you think he'll actually give a good one!

Got a new job a few months back, shit's guuuuud.

I hate being unemployed. Hate hate hate it.

 

[blue_phazon]

That feeling when the Human Resources manager at a company sends you an email to schedule an interview and there's a bunch of spelling errors lol.

Then again its a security firm and i'm looking for a security guard job.

Speaking of security jobs, why does nearly every company have so many negative reviews citing bad management. Is there something inherently sketchy about the industry?

 

[SaviorX]

That feeling when the Human Resources manager at a company sends you an email to schedule an interview and there's a bunch of spelling errors lol.

Then again its a security firm and i'm looking for a security guard job.

Speaking of security jobs, why does nearly every company have so many negative reviews citing bad management. Is there something inherently sketchy about the industry?

Anecdotal, but I know 3 people that became security guards.

I never heard any complaints from them, but then again they weren't planning on doing it more than 4+ years so maybe that calmed any reservations they may have actually had about it.

 

[blue_phazon]

Anecdotal, but I know 3 people that became security guards.

I never heard any complaints from them, but then again they weren't planning on doing it more than 4+ years so maybe that calmed any reservations they may have actually had about it.

Yeah I'm just doing it for a year before applying to a post-graduated program at a college (I think Americans call it a 'community college')

 

[Fall Into The GAF]

Please tell me I am not full of shit when I say I am not the biggest fan of LinkedIn's layout? It's not very streamlined to me and the 'suggestions' are nothing but fucking dead posts HR puts up to satisfy some company quota.

 

[entremet]

Please tell me I am not full of shit when I say I am not the biggest fan of LinkedIn's layout? It's not very streamlined to me and the 'suggestions' are nothing but fucking dead posts HR puts up to satisfy some company quota.

I got my last gig on LinkedIn. I found it much better than other job sites.

 

[EverythingShiny]

I got my last gig on LinkedIn. I found it much better than other job sites.

Did you search for jobs on LinkedIn? Or did you reach out to recruiters directly?

Also, is Premium worth it? I'm thinking about upgrading to it so I can reach out to people directly.

 

[entremet]

Did you search for jobs on LinkedIn? Or did you reach out to recruiters directly?

Also, is Premium worth it? I'm thinking about upgrading to it so I can reach out to people directly.

No. I searched for it. But yeah, you need to dig for good postings, but there are good postings.

I never used Premium myself.

 

[jdstorm]

The worst feeling is when you know you're qualified, or slightly over-qualified, and you still hear nothing. Then you start to doubt yourself. Been there.

I can top that. The worst feeling is getting rejected because a company thinks you are overqualified and should be doing something better.

 

[meowmixer]

Bravo to everyone here for at least trying. I work with so many people in retail that are just dead inside. They all have dreams and ambitions but they never make an effort to change anything. If I asked them what they did last week to make their dreams happen they would say nothing. They just keep buying lottery tickets and hoping for a miracle that never comes.

We will make our dreams come true. Through blood, sweat and tears.

 

[Fatal Futanari]

Had a phone interview with an up and coming company as a Software Engineer in Test. It went pretty well. Unfortunately I lacked the knowledge of testing automation tools that they were looking for. They do however think I am a good fit for the company so we are going to talk again in a couple of weeks to see if they can get me in. Mini victory I guess? Going to start grinding away at those tools they mentioned for now.

EDIT: And of course continue to search.

 

[Dany]

Is anyone in urban planning

 

[Shy Fingers]

So, got an offer from a company that wants a 2 month trial period as an hourly contractor.

Both my past gigs were salaried, so this is new to me. I feel like I'm going to accept it because money, but I believe I should keep looking. Do I even put this on my resume?