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Applying for jobs is exhausting and soul-crushing

ss_lemonade

Member
Any IT people here with experience with hackerx and their events? For some reason, I just got an invite last week to be part of an upcoming one this Thursday to meet with multiple companies in a speed dating type of setup. Not that I'm complaining since this could be a good opportunity to be part of a good development-focused company (my current work hasn't been too enjoyable for a PHP programmer sadly) but man am I starting to get nervous, especially with the idea of needing to make a good impression for several companies in a row, with just a few minutes to spare for each.
 

hermit7

Member
I recently moved back to Phoenix after being in Boston for a few years.

My educational set is fairly specific so I have been looking for the right fit over a first job. Luckily though I seem to have found a good place. Had a preliminary interview over the phone yesterday and am meeting all the upper management on Friday. I am pretty excited for this so I hope I present well.
 

jwluther

Member
Applied for this job on 9/11. Heard absolutely nothing until today, when I got the following email:

Thank you for your recent application for [this job]. After an initial review of the applicant pool, it has been determined that we will be opening the position again.

We have reviewed your application materials and have determined that your qualifications are not an ideal match for our requirements for the position. We sincerely appreciate the time you took to present your credentials to us and wish you all the best even though you have not been selected for further consideration.

We invite you to visit our website periodically to review new positions as they become available, and update your profile as needed.

I should note: I very clearly met all of the requirements listed in the job description. But the first thing I hear from them is over a month later, saying "Hey, so we couldn't really find anybody the first time, but we took another look at the applications, and you still suck."

I love life.
 
Applied for this job on 9/11. Heard absolutely nothing until today, when I got the following email:



I should note: I very clearly met all of the requirements listed in the job description. But the first thing I hear from them is over a month later, saying "Hey, so we couldn't really find anybody the first time, but we took another look at the applications, and you still suck."

I love life.

It's not that you suck. It could mean a million things, it could just mean that they didn't pick a person the first time around but later on received an applicant they liked, so they decided to close down everyone else.

Usually if you don't hear from a job posting fairly fast, within a week or two I'd say, it's a safe assumption that you didn't interest them as a candidate.

Unfortunately connections and recommendations are a huge push to choosing someone. Unless your resume/GPA is amazing.
 
Does anyone know what skills are required for ad operations? A friend posted about the job opportunity on Facebook and I'm not sure if it's worth it or if it's a scam lol
 

Damerman

Member
I have a question regarding recruiters. I spoke with one recently and got an email from them saying that the client they will speak with is out of town right now and that he will have a meeting with them when they get back early next week. I was wondering what the meeting could be? Is it their job to convince the client that I am the right candidate or what?

it might be. My first temp job was a direct hire... I didn't even meet with the agency's client, the agency hired me right after our first meeting.

But ever since then, all the agencies i speak to set me up with interviews with their clients. So it might also be the case that they just have regular meetings with their clients not related with any particular candidate.
 
How do you tell a company that you are waiting for a formal offer from another company before you can decide?

I've been in this process with company X, and they told me that they want me(this was last week) and that the formal offer will arrive this week. Also, I've had interviews with company Y, and today the boss of that area called me to say that they want me to and that the formal offer will arrive today. Company Y has a better offer, more money and home office, so that sounds better, but how do you tell a company that you are waiting for another company before choosing, without sounding rude?



*I hope this was clear, writing in english is hard sometimes
 
I have a question regarding recruiters. I spoke with one recently and got an email from them saying that the client they will speak with is out of town right now and that he will have a meeting with them when they get back early next week. I was wondering what the meeting could be? Is it their job to convince the client that I am the right candidate or what?

they get paid if they get you a job. that being said, youre still going to have be qualified and do most of the heavy lifting, but theyll make the introduction and bring you two together if you're sufficiently qualified
 
How do you tell a company that you are waiting for a formal offer from another company before you can decide?

I've been in this process with company X, and they told me that they want me(this was last week) and that the formal offer will arrive this week. Also, I've had interviews with company Y, and today the boss of that area called me to say that they want me to and that the formal offer will arrive today. Company Y has a better offer, more money and home office, so that sounds better, but how do you tell a company that you are waiting for another company before choosing, without sounding rude?



*I hope this was clear, writing in english is hard sometimes

You ask company Y when they want a response by.

You then tell company X as professionally/smoothly as possible if it's possible to speed up the offer because you have other offers waiting on the table but that you really want to consider them as they're one of your top choices.

Realistically though, if company Y is already offering you more money and better benefits, do NOT fuck it up with them. If they ask you why you want more time just tell them that you simply want time to think the decision over.

But if at any point you think they're gonna pull the offer or change it for the worst then you accept it as is. And then later tell company X, which you had already told them about another offer waiting on you, that due to time constraints you had to choose it.
 

red731

Member
Just had a telephone conversation for around fourty minutes.
I hope what I feel for this company is mutual and that I will get to another round.

Dudes. Yesterday I was inside another company, me vs three of their employees.
I suck not with sentences and clarity but with freaking words. Dear god my vocabulary is really bad and I can't think about even describing myself there.

Welp. Lesson learned. I am preparing now. Late, but now.
 
I've been looking since July and I still haven't been able to land anything in my field. I tried to go back to my old job but they replaced me already. Im trying to expand my horizons but when you're low on cash shits awful
 

Big Chungus

Member
so i was offered a job in another city...IT position, pays double what i get paid now...and now im being offered a chance for an interview for a programmer analyst position with my cuurent company...what do i do?
 
So I just had a phone interview. I feel like I did well except 1 question.

Anyways - I was invited to in-person interview on Monday at the end of the phone conversation. Does this mean I did good during the phone interview, or do all phone interviews lead up to in-person interviews?
 

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
So I just had a phone interview. I feel like I did well except 1 question.

Anyways - I was invited to in-person interview on Monday at the end of the phone conversation. Does this mean I did good during the phone interview, or do all phone interview lead up to in-person interviews?

It likely means you did good.
 
I have a question regarding recruiters. I spoke with one recently and got an email from them saying that the client they will speak with is out of town right now and that he will have a meeting with them when they get back early next week. I was wondering what the meeting could be? Is it their job to convince the client that I am the right candidate or what?

Well maybe not you, but a candidate yes. The recruiter gets paid if they place a candidate with the company so at the meeting they will review all of the options and decide who to bring in for a formal interview. Its like a pre-screen between the two of them.
 

irriadin

Member
so i was offered a job in another city...IT position, pays double what i get paid now...and now im being offered a chance for an interview for a programmer analyst position with my cuurent company...what do i do?

Do the interview with your current company and compare what you're being offered. Is the job in another city going to provide you with better benefits, greater advancement opportunities, etc?
 
I've got a job!

Some gaffers will tell me that this was a dumb decision, I don't care, I thought about this for some time and I think this is the correct job.

Let me explain: I've had two job offers, one wanted me to sign today and start this friday and the other told me that it was a sure thing but hasn't sent the formal offer or papers yet

The first offer pays less, and it's in a lower position(monitoring AS400) and I'm a total newb at this. The second offer pays more, and promises home office(but only after I spend a month living in other city, and then home office) and it's in something I've been working for the last two years(developer at Business Intelligence stuff)

So why would I choose the first option if it pay less* and doesn't offer home office?

Well, because I'm tired of doing developer work, I was more of a sysadmin before, and I found out that I like that more, also because I'm tired of being in BI. I fought hard to enter that area, took paycuts to enter in that area, then got told that "I don't have enough experience" even when I was better than some seniors I knew, and even when I like a few things of BI, the things I like is like 15% of developing BI stuff. I'm done, I will start from the bottom again and will not look back at the BI side of things again

I've got a job!


*To be fair, they pay less but not like 50-80% less, let's say that one pays like 15% more than the other
 
I've got a job!

Some gaffers will tell me that this was a dumb decision, I don't care, I thought about this for some time and I think this is the correct job.

Let me explain: I've had two job offers, one wanted me to sign today and start this friday and the other told me that it was a sure thing but hasn't sent the formal offer or papers yet

The first offer pays less, and it's in a lower position(monitoring AS400) and I'm a total newb at this. The second offer pays more, and promises home office(but only after I spend a month living in other city, and then home office) and it's in something I've been working for the last two years(developer at Business Intelligence stuff)

So why would I choose the first option if it pay less* and doesn't offer home office?

Well, because I'm tired of doing developer work, I was more of a sysadmin before, and I found out that I like that more, also because I'm tired of being in BI. I fought hard to enter that area, took paycuts to enter in that area, then got told that "I don't have enough experience" even when I was better than some seniors I knew, and even when I like a few things of BI, the things I like is like 15% of developing BI stuff. I'm done, I will start from the bottom again and will not look back at the BI side of things again

I've got a job!


*To be fair, they pay less but not like 50-80% less, let's say that one pays like 15% more than the other

Congratulations!
And the aim of the game is to find something you enjoy, not earn 15% more for something you would hate.
 
I understand the struggle. I went 3 years unemployed. I originally worked in retail when I lost my job because of over hiring. I couldn't get another job to save my life. Even went out and got qualifications to try and give me an edge but it didn't help.

I then started applying for any job I could find, labourer, cleaner, assembly worker. Noone would have a bar of me.

Then I was given an offer to get my security licence, did the course and the day after I received my licence received a call to go to an interview for a job I didn't even apply for. I was then working the next day. I still get calls a few times a month from various companies asking if I want to work for them. It's not a great paying job but damn it feels good compared to the run I'd had before.


I guess what I'm trying to say is, no matter how long it takes or how defeated you may feel, it can always happen so it's worth persevering.
 

Acrylic7

Member
Any thoughts on getting certificates? It seems people here cant even get the job with degrees and diplomas. Worth pursuing?
I don't have the time or cash to fully enroll in school again but certificates only take one semester and they can be earned online.

Just thought I would ask again.
 

Zips

Member
Just thought I would ask again.

Like anything it will depend on the job and job market. Certificates (at least in Canada) are generally either for academic upgrading, or specific career training/additional specialization. The career training ones can be useful to qualify for positions, but you should look into the market for jobs that require it.

I got a certificate once and over time it proved more useful for getting jobs than most of my other credentials. It has been a combination of things and credentials that helped me get where I am now, but the certificate helped get me started in a direction. I still had to work hard to get positions at places that I liked though. Try to check what the jobs are like the certificate will be able to get you into - how the pay is, what places you're likely to work at (Skeezy? Reputable?), the type of work (it took me a long time to get something that wasn't temporary contract), advancement potential, and what's required for that advancement.
 

MC Safety

Member
So I just had a phone interview. I feel like I did well except 1 question.

Anyways - I was invited to in-person interview on Monday at the end of the phone conversation. Does this mean I did good during the phone interview, or do all phone interviews lead up to in-person interviews?

Phone interviews are a good way to weed out candidates. Getting an in-person interview is a positive sign. It doesn't mean you have the job, but you've made it past the first stage.

Unfortunately, most jobs require you to jump through multiple hoops before you're hired.
 
Anyone knows the name of a neck tie that you just need to attach to your shirt? Got a job interview as a commis chef

EDIT: nvm found it. Clip on tie
 
I got a call in the morning about a paralegal position I applied for. Didn't get an interview, but the HR person said if I'd be interested in interviewing for an audit analyst position. I said sure, and so it's next Wednesday. Problem is, I don't have experience in auditing. I was a political science major, but did take a empirical analysis class which I've stated on my resume (SPSS).

Anyone who's an auditor or just anyone in general want to take a look at the job description and see what you guys think?

http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobsee...px?showNewJDP=yes&job_did=JHV22C65SSS1L3SPJ3N

I've read the reviews on indeed.com on the company in general, and it doesn't seem that great to work for. I really don't know what to do. I don't get many opportunities as far as interviews, but I don't want to be miserable working at a company that's stressful and treat their employees fairly.
 

Damerman

Member
I got a job! it's a 6 month contract, but it's likely to get extended and maybe even a perm position if i do well enough. It's a really entry level position with ok pay, but i'm determined to make the most of it.

Keep at it guys, it's all a test of willpower, mental fortitude how long you can kiss ass in clever ways. it's a matter of time before you land something.

I got a call in the morning about a paralegal position I applied for. Didn't get an interview, but the HR person said if I'd be interested in interviewing for an audit analyst position. I said sure, and so it's next Wednesday. Problem is, I don't have experience in auditing. I was a political science major, but did take a empirical analysis class which I've stated on my resume (SPSS).

Anyone who's an auditor or just anyone in general want to take a look at the job description and see what you guys think?

http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobsee...px?showNewJDP=yes&job_did=JHV22C65SSS1L3SPJ3N

I've read the reviews on indeed.com on the company in general, and it doesn't seem that great to work for. I really don't know what to do. I don't get many opportunities as far as interviews, but I don't want to be miserable working at a company that's stressful and treat their employees fairly.
From what I'm reading of the job description, it seems like good excel skills are a must. It seems like you are going to be fact checking a bunch of data and then organizing them and presenting them. it also seems like you are going to need maneuverability within excel... If i were you i would focus on you being detail oriented person with strong excel skills. look up youtube tutorials of vlook up and other basic formulas, relative/fixed/mixed reference, pivot tables, recording macros and you will present yourself nicely. after internalizing all of these excel functions, don't be afraid to say that you are good using these functions and how it helps with efficiency and being organized.

answering questions about strength or weakness, or how you showed leadership is all up to you.
 
I just want to vent a bit.

I became unemployed in september. So far it's been going fine, gotten a part-time job in administration and helpdesk for the healthcare, also gotten a couple of interviews, freelance jobs and a possibility to work in Bulgaria. I'm entitled to 300 days of payment from my union, after that I get paid by the state, but the money's the same as long as I pay my monthly union fees.

However, all unions in Sweden are bound by a law that's called "the 75-days-rule" which they implemented in 2010 to lower the amount of people working part-time while increasing the amount of people working full-time. Sounds great huh? Wrong!

How the law works, is that if I work part time, one day per week, the remaining four days of the week are added together. When that number reaches 75, I'm not entitled to any money for the weeks I work a single hour. Ever since this law was implemented, the amount of people working part-time has stayed the same, but the amount of people being unemployed full time has increased drastically. People are literally declining jobs because they can't afford losing their benefits. I called my boss the other day and told him, unless they can give me a tighter schedule, I'm gonna have to quit.

And therein lies another problem: If I quit, I have to inform my union, and if they think I didn't have a sufficient enough reason for quitting, they freeze my payments for 45 days.

I called my union and the unemployment agency, and both handlers agreed it's a ridiculous law that has no positives to it.

Well hopefully I get either the helpdesk-job I just applied to (the recruiter loves me) or I get the job in Bulgaria.
 
It annoys the hell out of me when the hospital near my house has a job opening that i'm qualified for and i apply for it, don't get a call back, and then they post the exact same position a week or 2 later. This has been happening for almost a year now. I wanted to get into the computer support department since I've got a degree in IT but i just don't get that call back. I've also tried applying for other positions in the hospital as a unit clerk or something just so that i get into the hospital and then could potentially transfer to the computer support department later down the line, but no call backs for any of those other positions. And it's the same with those other positions too, they just post the same position again 2 weeks later. I just don't understand.
 

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
It annoys the hell out of me when the hospital near my house has a job opening that i'm qualified for and i apply for it, don't get a call back, and then they post the exact same position a week or 2 later. This has been happening for almost a year now. I wanted to get into the computer support department since I've got a degree in IT but i just don't get that call back. I've also tried applying for other positions in the hospital as a unit clerk or something just so that i get into the hospital and then could potentially transfer to the computer support department later down the line, but no call backs for any of those other positions. And it's the same with those other positions too, they just post the same position again 2 weeks later. I just don't understand.

Have you been putting the phrasing from the job ad in your cover letter? I found it helps when dealing with larger places that have HR departments.
 

Voror

Member
Have an interview today with the hiring team as well as an overview of benefits with the recruiter. I'm rather nervous though I've received some good advice as well. Hopefully it all goes well today. Wish me luck.
 
Hmmm. Not sure if I should go to the interview. Couple reasons: I'm going through the hiring process for a couple of government jobs right now, and if did get this job, there's no way in hell they'd give me the off days during the week like I'm allowed at my current retail job. Another issue is I've read more about the job, and it seems an audit analyst has to review patient records and files, and some of them can be pretty depressing, like having certain illnesses, etc.. That would make me feel depressed.

I still have that volunteer tax preparer to fall back on. That'll be good experience, and i'll earn certificates.
 
/rant So I've been unemployed for way too long (some small temp work here and there) and am frustrated. I apply to everything that I can do and try to find new leads. Funds have ran out and my phone is likely to get shut off today or tomorrow. Just wishing something would go my way for once, lol. Being in Illinois kind of sucks.

/endrant
 
So, I got invited for an interview as a kitchen assistant and the HR is asking me for payslips which I don't have since I work pretty much under the table as a kitchen porter


Should I ignore this and move on?
 

Yawnier

Banned
Looks like I didn't get a job I interviewed for about a month ago. It wouldn't have been a dream job, but it would have been a pretty good gig (short commute, great pay, good schedule, know a few people that work there already who have good things to say about it, etc.)

I've now been unemployed since late june and this shit sucks man.
 

Machina

Banned
I've been looking for a job for about 4 months now after getting laid off. It's certainly an extremely difficult, soul consuming time.
 

Coda

Member
A really want this Tech Support position at an audio company in my city because it would be a good foot in the door position for me. I applied and even called their offices as a follow up a few days after applying. This was on Friday of last week. The receptionist took down my number and wrote an email to the specific guy handling this job in the HR department. If I don't hear back in a couple days should I call back again and show that I'm persistent and really want the position?
 

Cudder

Member
A really want this Tech Support position at an audio company in my city because it would be a good foot in the door position for me. I applied and even called their offices as a follow up a few days after applying. This was on Friday of last week. The receptionist took down my number and wrote an email to the specific guy handling this job in the HR department. If I don't hear back in a couple days should I call back again and show that I'm persistent and really want the position?

I'd give them a week to get back to you before calling them back.
 
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