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[Lambtron]

So as I'm (finally) nearing graduation, I've been tentatively sending out resumes to companies in cities I'd like to live in. Most of the time it's like screaming into the void and I never hear anything back, but today I got an email from a recruiter from one of the companies I applied to several months back. Basically the email said they weren't filling that position at this time, but they'd keep my resume in case it was reposted, and encouraged me to apply for other roles.

Now, I've been sending out applications periodically for a couple years and this is the first time I'd ever gotten a mail like this. What I'm curious of is if I should follow up to their mail to thank them (honestly, it's nice to hear SOMETHING!) or if this is just a form letter type thing that only a handful of companies send out.

 

[NEO0MJ]

Now, I've been sending out applications periodically for a couple years and this is the first time I'd ever gotten a mail like this. What I'm curious of is if I should follow up to their mail to thank them (honestly, it's nice to hear SOMETHING!) or if this is just a form letter type thing that only a handful of companies send out.

I don't think it matters to respond as in most cases this is an automated reply that's basically a polite way of saying they don't need you without hurting your feelings.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

So as I'm (finally) nearing graduation, I've been tentatively sending out resumes to companies in cities I'd like to live in. Most of the time it's like screaming into the void and I never hear anything back, but today I got an email from a recruiter from one of the companies I applied to several months back. Basically the email said they weren't filling that position at this time, but they'd keep my resume in case it was reposted, and encouraged me to apply for other roles.

Now, I've been sending out applications periodically for a couple years and this is the first time I'd ever gotten a mail like this. What I'm curious of is if I should follow up to their mail to thank them (honestly, it's nice to hear SOMETHING!) or if this is just a form letter type thing that only a handful of companies send out.

That's the polite way of saying they aren't interested in you. Just keep applying. When I was graduating it was near impossible to find a job but I eventually found one company. You just gotta keep applying. If you have any connections from parents friends or friends working in companies right now then use those connections.

 

[Lambtron]

The more I was thinking about it, I was thinking it might just be a form letter or something. It's not a big deal since I have a job, and I'm just trying to find something better in a better climate. I will probably keep applying anyway.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Went through interview. Everything was fine but they asked me a question I wasn't expecting at the end and I just stumbled like an idiot haha. Also told them that I had mentioned it to the recruiter but that just in case I reminded them that I am currently unemployed due to being laid off. They appreciated the honesty and thanked me. They said next week they'll met me know if they will go with me.

Crossing fingers but I feel that even if the rest of the interview went fine that the stumble at the end might be their lasting impression.

 

[NEO0MJ]

Man, how bad are my prospects if I have yet to find a good job in my field after two years from graduation? Any way to fix it?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Man, how bad are my prospects if I have yet to find a good job in my field after two years from graduation? Any way to fix it?

Have you been unemployed for two years?

And entry level positions tend to be for people with 1-3 years of experience/since college graduation. But at this point if you have no experience in an industry you'll have a harder time entering it because you have 2 years of unrelated experience. It's gonna be harder but not impossible, you might have to start at a very small company willing to give you a shot though.

 

[HarryHengst]

Have had 3 rejections in one week, all for the same reason: not extravert enough. Which is kinda hilarious because all three job interviews required a personality test as one of the first steps, which said exactly that im an introvert. Yet they still invited me for on-site interviews based on the test and my resume??

Had another rejection today after a third interview with the company, and i have never spoken with people that were as terrible as the ones i spoke with today. It wasnt even a real conversation. They asked a question and it was like i was talking to a wall. They gave no response, no emotion, no reaction, nothing. And a lot of focussing on irrelevant things. It was for a job in business intelligence (mostly data visualisation and data cleansing and such, which i've done for the past 5 years at my last job), and one of the questions they asked was if i did any programming. The job description said nothing about programming but whatever, just some general questions to test general computery interests. So i said that i've been messing around with Python these last few months because hey, perhaps programming is fun too and i can make my own data visualisations at home! Then they started digging into why i didnt start programming 5 years ago and a few other questions which were basically them telling me i was an idiot for only starting programming now.

To be honest, im not sad im not getting that job because i would not want to work with those people.

 

[oni_saru]

So idk if i messed up. Some background before i start: i currently work as a research assistant. I've been at this clinic for little over a year. I want out due to no growth, shitty manager, and negative work environment (messy coworkers,etc). So i've been applying to other places.

The issue: i applied with a different clinic at the same Institute i work with. Different research team and different population. Seemed i could learn a lot with this group. Well i got an email from the doctor of this new team. Basically he said that while usually he would invite me to an interview based on my CV, he feels it would be awkward to "steal" me from his colleagues.

Should i plead my case? This new position would be part time but i figured i could work part time elsewhere or at least get my shit together.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What are the chances he'll tell my current boss? Feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[Syphon Filter]

is it a very small company? just actual as you'd do with another interview.

At this point though, read about the company.

Yea it's a startup, I will definitely be reading about the company. Do you know if interview rounds can vary? Some can be two or three depending on the company right? What do you think I should expect since it's a second round interview?

 

[Nekofrog]

I see an alarmingly high number of posts from people that seem to correlate slow return communication with "we aren't interested in hiring you". This isn't the standard, guys. Especially in a business and any type of government agency. While to you, every hour is precious and wasted sitting around waiting to hear from an employer, keep in mind they are an employer and unless it's an absolute dire emergency need-to-hire situation, they're going to take their time and pursue the process through normal business hours. HR isn't there soley to hire you or anyone else, they actually have functions within the organization other than new personnel.

So don't take slow communication as a change of heart regarding your employment. Stay engaged, but don't let their slow approach sour you.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Yea it's a startup, I will definitely be reading about the company. Do you know if interview rounds can vary? Some can be two or three depending on the company right? What do you think I should expect since it's a second round interview?

If you're already interviewing with the head of the company and it's the second round, it seems like this might be where they discuss specifics about the job and day to day to see if it's something you'd be interested in, and gauge your experience on a more relaxed setting than the original interview. But they might get more into your knowledge and background and the position itself if they didn't do that in the first interview.

First interview tends to be more general position talk and behavioral questions though. So I guess it's up to the situation. Always be ready to talk about previous experience, and if they haven't talked about behavioral then be ready for some of the typical questions (conflict resolution, problem solving, leadership question, etc...).

Best advice I can give is to be as open minded and friendly as possible. Small companies in particular really want likable/sociable people since you'll be joining their family of sorts. If you're super introverted it might not work out but at least try to hide it.

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

Had an initial phone interview with USAID yesterday for a foreign service officer position -- the chances of this actually happening are probably slight, but I thought I did well. I'll hear back about the next step in January, apparently. We'll see if my assertion that I've got no problem moving immediately to Afghanistan or South Sudan carries the day...

(I've got nothing else worthwhile going on in my life, and the idea of never returning to this country sounds OK with me.)

 

[NEO0MJ]

Have you been unemployed for two years?

And entry level positions tend to be for people with 1-3 years of experience/since college graduation. But at this point if you have no experience in an industry you'll have a harder time entering it because you have 2 years of unrelated experience. It's gonna be harder but not impossible, you might have to start at a very small company willing to give you a shot though.

I have a year's experience in accounting but my major was finance.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I have a year's experience in accounting but my major was finance.

If you're finding it hard to find a job in finance then try applying to entry level jobs, assuming you aren't already. Another option is getting a masters degree.

 

[Akara]

If you're finding it hard to find a job in finance then try applying to entry level jobs, assuming you aren't already. Another option is getting a masters degree.

Wouldn't be problematic to try getting a master degree with an even longer interval of no work?

And your prospects aren't bad. I know people who didn't get started till much later and are doing fantastic now. I suggest doing entry level jobs like the quoted person said and moving up from there or networking.

 

[ISWThunder]

The ups and downs are crazy. I can only imagine how it is for the long term unemployed.

I applied for a position that sounded perfect and fit my qualifications exactly. I was expecting a quick follow up, but silence for weeks.

Got an email a few days ago and set up an interview quickly. Turns out the "video editing" in the listing is basically pressing one button during live broadcast.

Went from a perfect position with potential at a good sized/innovative company to a near minimum wage job that you could teach anyone to do.

I'll still take the position and turn over some stones to see the if there is room for growth. At minimum, it'll be some extra cash for the holidays. It would be real nice if I could get my little brother the job. Way more fun for him than McDonalds. Just not really the fit for me going forward.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

This no job shit is getting old. I'm tired and I want some money. I was thinking about going back and getting my Master's, but not after what I heard my cousin's husband say at Thanksgiving.

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

This no job shit is getting old. I'm tired and I want some money. I was thinking about going back and getting my Master's, but not after what I heard my cousin's husband say at Thanksgiving.

Agreed. Also, I have 2 B.S. degrees, a J.D., a rather bullshit M.S., a somewhat useful MSc., and I'm nearly done with an LL.M. I also have no gaps in work history: I did the trio of masters degrees part-time. And yet I go six months between interviews. Education is a necessary but not sufficient condition for getting a job...

What did he say at thanksgiving? I'd say to avoid debt as much as possible.

 

[Pancakes]

A masters isn't a silver bullet these days either. Depending on specialization in some fields too it may make you more or less hirable.

The one nice thing is that you will qualify for internships and can get more experience under your belt.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

A masters isn't a silver bullet these days either. Depending on specialization in some fields too it may make you more or less hirable.

The one nice thing is that you will qualify for internships and can get more experience under your belt.

At least in engineering I'm seeing positions that are asking for a Masters. All I know is that I'll be seeking one to start summer/august if by mid spring I haven't found shit.

 

[NEO0MJ]

What really bugs me is that I didn't notice that the job fair our University has came and went without me noticing or them sending a reminder. What adds insult to injury is that after it ended they sent me an SMS inviting people to a conference about volunteering. Maybe I should visit them anyway and ask about which companies were hiring.

 

[Fatal Futanari]

Man doing a career change is not going as smooth as I thought it would. Not even getting responses for Junior level positions x_x

 

[mrklaw]

Had a positive sounding phone interview on Tuesday, but just got a short rejection email this evening. The job description seemed a good fit, and I think the phone call went well. I realise they're just whittling people down at each phase but it is so frustrating when you get a quick rejection like that, especially when you think it went well.

 

[Pancakes]

At least in engineering I'm seeing positions that are asking for a Masters. All I know is that I'll be seeking one to start summer/august if by mid spring I haven't found shit.

Yea I'm looking for EE jobs and right now most just want you to be EIT and have at least some experience in engineering. But I'm only looking for entry level stuff.

 

[Syphon Filter]

If you're already interviewing with the head of the company and it's the second round, it seems like this might be where they discuss specifics about the job and day to day to see if it's something you'd be interested in, and gauge your experience on a more relaxed setting than the original interview. But they might get more into your knowledge and background and the position itself if they didn't do that in the first interview.

First interview tends to be more general position talk and behavioral questions though. So I guess it's up to the situation. Always be ready to talk about previous experience, and if they haven't talked about behavioral then be ready for some of the typical questions (conflict resolution, problem solving, leadership question, etc...).

Best advice I can give is to be as open minded and friendly as possible. Small companies in particular really want likable/sociable people since you'll be joining their family of sorts. If you're super introverted it might not work out but at least try to hide it.

Thanks. I've been researching and practicing all day and it seems like an interview with a CEO [at a startup specifically] is like if I am the interviewer and me finding out if it's worth taking the position. Would you say that you agree with that for the most part?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Thanks. I've been researching and practicing all day and it seems like an interview with a CEO [at a startup specifically] is like if I am the interviewer and me finding out if it's worth taking the position. Would you say that you agree with that for the most part?

Probably. They might ask the salary/compensation question here. For a small company be realistic that they might not be able to pay you as much as a bigger one.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Probably. They might ask the salary/compensation question here. For a small company be realistic that they might not be able to pay you as much as a bigger one.

I usually say that it's negotiable, you think that might be an issue? Also how many questions should I have for the CEO? Is 3 or 5 good enough? Do I wait for the end of the interview before asking them?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I usually say that it's negotiable, you think that might be an issue? Also how many questions should I have for the CEO? Is 3 or 5 good enough? Do I wait for the end of the interview before asking them?

they usually tell you at some point or at the end if you have questions. It helps.

As to the salary question, just emphasize what you feel you should be paid but that you're willing to negotiate.

 

[artsi]

I had an interview that involved an outsourced HR consultant. It was a basic software developer position in a very small (< 10 employees) company, and the CEO (my possible future manager) was present.
I personally always interviewed people myself, like every manager did at my last company (which was much larger), but the he mostly sat there mute.

The consultant didn't even know anything about computers, actually no one in the room could answer when I had some technical questions. I don't get it why he was there.

Maybe it's just me but it felt strange. I need work to bootstrap my own business, but I don't know if I want to work with a person who can't talk with his employees.

 

[Akara]

I had an interview that involved an outsourced HR consultant. It was a basic software developer position in a very small (< 10 employees) company, and the CEO (my possible future manager) was present.
I personally always interviewed people myself, like every manager did at my last company (which was much larger), but the he mostly sat there mute.

The consultant didn't even know anything about computers, actually no one in the room could answer when I had some technical questions. I don't get it why he was there.

Maybe it's just me but it felt strange. I need work to bootstrap my own business, but I don't know if I want to work with a person who can't talk with his employees.

Just an FYI as an employee you have every right to examine a business and determine if it's the healthy environment you want to work in or not. If you're not feeling the business chances are you may not like it, but possibly give it a shot or ask them more questions about their work environment. Yeah I hate when things like that happen

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

A masters isn't a silver bullet these days either. Depending on specialization in some fields too it may make you more or less hirable.

The one nice thing is that you will qualify for internships and can get more experience under your belt.

He said something to that effect. He makes a lot of money working for companies here and in China. He said a master's could put you in more debt and that his employers choose people with a Bachelor's over Master's. They find it better to just do a little bit of training for the people with the Bachelor's. He was talking to my brother who's an engineer, but he already got his due to the company paying for his degree.

 

[artsi]

Just an FYI as an employee you have every right to examine a business and determine if it's the healthy environment you want to work in or not. If you're not feeling the business chances are you may not like it, but possibly give it a shot or ask them more questions about their work environment. Yeah I hate when things like that happen

Yeah for sure. I don't want to sound cocky as it's not easy getting a job, especially in my area.
But I always personally respected my previous managers / directors, and this guy should be the man to lead, but I just didn't see it behind that snake oil salesman (my personal impression of him, not consultants in general) who interviewed me instead.

I feel that if companies want to hire "perfect" candidates (that's not me) they should try to give a good impression too. That company has had the job posting there for a long time, maybe there's a reason why.

For now I just want to find a nice workplace that has decent people who I can work with and won't burn me out, don't care about huge responsibilities or high salary right now.

 

[Pancakes]

He said something to that effect. He makes a lot of money working for companies here and in China. He said a master's could put you in more debt and that his employers choose people with a Bachelor's over Master's. They find it better to just do a little bit of training for the people with the Bachelor's. He was talking to my brother who's an engineer, but he already got his due to the company paying for his degree.

For people who can't get work and end up resort to a masters I would probably tell them to take it as a second chance to network and get internships for experience. Just do one semester and try your hardest to get a 4.0 GPA, list that on resume and apply for internships like crazy.

 

[James93]

I have a year's experience in accounting but my major was finance.

the honest truth about finance is its more about connections than skill or degree. Especially for entry level.

 

[Syphon Filter]

what do you guys think about this answer to "give an example of a problem you overcame."


I was a customer service associate and in a group meeting my boss talked about sales being down.
Some options I suggested was to increase customer interaction or advertise more.
After examining the options, I suggested that customer interaction would be the best solution since
advertising more will disrupt their budget and interacting with customers would be more cost-effective.

 

[NEO0MJ]

the honest truth about finance is its more about connections than skill or degree. Especially for entry level.

Yeah, that hit me later on.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Thanks. I've been researching and practicing all day and it seems like an interview with a CEO [at a startup specifically] is like if I am the interviewer and me finding out if it's worth taking the position. Would you say that you agree with that for the most part?

I go into every interview like this, view it as a conversation where you're trying to find out as much about the company as they are trying to find out about you if that makes sense. Too many people view it as an interrogation and that automatically puts you on the defensive.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

what do you guys think about this answer to "give an example of a problem you overcame."


I was a customer service associate and in a group meeting my boss talked about sales being down.
Some options I suggested was to increase customer interaction or advertise more.
After examining the options, I suggested that customer interaction would be the best solution since
advertising more will disrupt their budget and interacting with customers would be more cost-effective.

Get more specific, state how you would interact with customers that was different than what was being done previously.

 

[JGCD]

Have a friend that was hired as a TSA agent, I just remember hearing likewise that the process was quite long. Not planning on using the A+ cert though?

Kind of in a similar predicament: I have a CompTIA Security+ cert, but with a B.S. in Cellular & Molecular Biology I don't think any companies would give me the time of day over someone with a IT or CS degree, so I've been mostly looking at Research jobs (but to no avail yet).

Im trying to find work with my cert hell I got out of my last job with security and network plus and its pretty crazy to find work quickly (I actually got security clearance so hopefully that can speed up TSA)

 

[gwailo]

what do you guys think about this answer to "give an example of a problem you overcame."


I was a customer service associate and in a group meeting my boss talked about sales being down.
Some options I suggested was to increase customer interaction or advertise more.
After examining the options, I suggested that customer interaction would be the best solution since
advertising more will disrupt their budget and interacting with customers would be more cost-effective.

That really shows nothing about how you overcame a problem. All you are doing is saying you gave a suggestion in a meeting. It should be something more along the lines of "In order to overcome lagging sales figures, I spearheaded an initiative to improve our interactions with customers. This included developing new training modules and working with a third party vendor to address gaps in our sales software. Due to my work, sales figures for Q3 2015 were up 10% from the previous quarter."

 

[Syphon Filter]

Got done with the interview, none of the behavior style questions came up which is fine in my book since I hate them. It was mainly about the company and I got my questions answered. Anyone know if mid size companies are considered the norm?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Got done with the interview, none of the behavior style questions came up which is fine in my book since I hate them. It was mainly about the company and I got my questions answered. Anyone know if mid size companies are considered the norm?

mid to large companies are 'the norm'. Mid companies you might get paid less than at a big/international company but you'll likely gain way more hands on experience.

Big companies you'll get paid more and have many chances of advancing in the company ladder depending on your position, but depending on your role as well you may end up not doing very much in the grand scheme and just be a part of the cog.

I'd be wary of really small start up companies. Unless you personally know the people the company lives and dies based on your individual work. I interviewed with one where it was just terrifying to know that the reason they were able to hire someone is because of the hard work they've been putting and their speed as to use the extra money for company equipment/bonuses.

A fuck up could close the whole company. That's too much pressure for me personally.

 

[Edwardo]

I got another update this evening. The hr recruiter emailed me again and said the manager still needs to meet with a few more candidates before he makes a choice. They also wanted to be sure that I know my status as a finalist. He'll update me again as soon as he has any relevant information.

I feel like I have a good chance still. The interviews all went really well and they've updated me twice in the two weeks it's been since the in-person interview.

Hopefully this works out. I really want to work at this company.

 

[opticalmace]

I got another update this evening. The hr recruiter emailed me again and said the manager still needs to meet with a few more candidates before he makes a choice. They also wanted to be sure that I know my status as a finalist. He'll update me again as soon as he has any relevant information.

I feel like I have a good chance still. The interviews all went really well and they've updated me twice in the two weeks it's been since the in-person interview.

Hopefully this works out. I really want to work at this company.

Good luck. What's the job?

 

[Edwardo]

Good luck. What's the job?

Thanks!! It's a software as a service admin job.

 

[Zunja]

Moved to Raleigh 3 months ago with my BA in CJ and that's it. Had a rough time and really wanted to call it quits. Finally got a call yesterday that I've been hired for a very nice government position! Made it all worth while, but man was it rough. I'm from WV which has no jobs so my only option was to yolo. Just feels good to finally make it, or at least get a start.

 

[Speedy Blue Dude]

Yo guys, just wanted to get some advice from people who probably have a bit more experience than me with applying for jobs.

So I went in yesterday and talked to a manager about hiring, and he told me they're definitely looking for people, gave me the card to fill out the application, and told me they'll definitely hit me up soon.

I filled out and sent the application right after at home, a few hours later. It's been a day and I have not received a call back. Should I be worried? I've only had two jobs before (I'm 19), and my first job I got the job on the spot walking in for an open interview. Second job, I received the call immediately the next day after applying.

Does it usually take more than a day to get a call back? Should I be worried or just be patient? If... let's say 5 days pass... should I go back and follow up on it, or just assume they don't want to hire me?

 

[Syphon Filter]

I got another update this evening. The hr recruiter emailed me again and said the manager still needs to meet with a few more candidates before he makes a choice. They also wanted to be sure that I know my status as a finalist. He'll update me again as soon as he has any relevant information.

I feel like I have a good chance still. The interviews all went really well and they've updated me twice in the two weeks it's been since the in-person interview.

Hopefully this works out. I really want to work at this company.

How many interviews did you go through so far with this company?

 

[Edwardo]

How many interviews did you go through so far with this company?

Two assessment tests, a phone interview, and an in-person interview.