--- Davide Bruzzone [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Khalid,
This is all just common sense really, but it helped
me when I was laid off at the end of June (BTW, I
was working again in five weeks, and as much as I'd
like to think that I'm a rock star, I think I was
monumentally lucky)... However, if it can help you
or someone else on the list...
I live in Colorado and as I said, I was laid off
from a telecom company at the end of June... I found
my new job through a Yahoo job board (specifically
the Rocky Mountain Internet Users' Group Job board -
which you won't care about given that you live in
the UK...). Anyway, here's what I learned:
- There seem to be a lot of job bots out there. My
current employer didn't post the opening on the
board where I found it. They posted it on Dice from
where it was eventually scraped. I personally didn't
have much luck with the big job sites (Monster,
Dice, etc.). There didn't seem to be very many
postings there, and they seemed to be fairly
stale/stagnant. OTOH, smaller, more informal job
boards seemed to have a steady trickle of new
postings.
Hi Davide
Thank you sir! I presume you are talking about
DICE.com
You said that you didn't find it on Dice, but it
was found somewhere else. You didn't
where you found the informal job boards.
- Keywords, keywords, keywords! My employer received
800 resumes (or for those of you across the pond,
CVs) for my position. They eliminated 90% of those
without even looking at them (they used keyword
search software). Companies are having to do this
because of the ratio of available positions to
available candidates.
Bloody hell! That is a huge ratio 800 to 1!
I had a suspicion about search keyword software but
I didn't realize. I will definitely update my CV to
be completely keyword specific. You know this is so
similar to static web design with META tags.
My CV is two pages long, and it is rather concise,
but I have had a request from an agency a couple
of weeks ago to include my technologies and buzz
word keywords that increased to three pages.
Most of the agents said I have good looking CV.
I have had interviews with many agencies, but I got
the feeling that they were just to polite sometimes.
When they had me in for the interview I felt they
were being a little cynical, and maybe that were
trawling the web for talent. I can understand,
because they are so few jobs and lots of agency
trying to change the commission for the candidate
who can exactly fit the required job specification.
pre-screenings with the remaining 80 people, and
eventually met about 10 of those 80 in person.
The second page of my resume contains all my
technical skills, and is very keyword rich. You're
up against a lot of other candidates, so make sure
you can get through the filtering software by
including everything you know on your resume (all
the acronyms, tools, etc.).
I know of one other former colleague who has
had to do a telephone interview with a contact
that she had two months ago. It is very easy
to get depressed, and miserable. However, I
very grateful for advice. You did n't by any chance
have a hand in writing this keyword search
software, did you? ;-)
- Observe protocol. You're right, its an employer's
market right now, and employers can be picky, so
observe all the courtesies, etc. I learned this in
the so you've been shitcanned class that my
previous employer most graciously sent us to after
having us vacate the building in 45 minutes or less
Oh wee! It is so sad. I was called to boardroom
in our law / human resources at exactly 9:10
in the morning. They didn't even give me time
to clear my desk, the f***ing b**ds!
(The politically correct term was Career
transition class... :-) ), and the people who
interviewed me at my new employer told me that they
were impressed by it. If you get an interview, send
personalized thank you letters (good paper, etc.) to
everyone you talk to, etc. It just helps you stand
out.
Yes I am English, I was born in London, my parents
came from abroad. So I should be the one with the
English manners and politeness ;-)
As I said, its all common sense, but if it helps...
Best of luck...
Dave
Where can I find a list of these informal job boards?
And thanks again
rgds
/Khalid/
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