24/04: The hardest part of finding a new job is discovering how it's done.
I have never been a "networker." I think it's silly to believe that people get jobs because they 'know' someone...and what does one do? ...cozy up to someone who might be helpful even though they are otherwise uninteresting? It's distasteful. I've always been big on collecting information though:))
I have had some really really good jobs, jobs that I shouldn't have got if logic ruled. I got them by walking into a place I might want to work, that had I job I thought sounded interesting and lucrative and asking for it. Yep, that simple. No education, special training, previous experience...nothing. Except that I knew from the Ad who the contact person was and how to get them on the phone.
I still don't know why my potential employers even agreed to see me, let alone said 'when can you start'.
Now I'm in trouble. I can't get to the people who can hire me. I can't get information--at least not REAL information--about the job, the company or the employer. All I can do is send a resume to an unknown place and person for a job that barely has a description. I am loath to do it. What could be a more monumental waste of time? For everyone.
I actually know people with considerably more education, experience and 'connection,' than I have, who send out 40 resumes a week and get ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE.
I can't do it, what kind of employee would I be if I were such a time and resource waster. What kind of person would I be? Other people do it because they think they MUST. I think there MUST be some other way.
So I am wondering what will happen if I forget about all the jobs that don't list company names (people who hide their company names usually do it for a reason!) walk right in to the others and ask for a few minutes of time from the person who is hiring. I could even try to close. It is unlikely to be closed just like that, but a gentle attempt to close will certainly be a start and I won't have to do anything that makes me feel like vomiting because it makes so little sense.
At very least I can drop a hard copy resume on that person's desk or well no it could be worse... I could be the person who actually came into the office with a resume and expected to speak with my potential employer on the spot and 'how weird is that?'
That's better that being an unread e-mail:)) :)) In fact whatever anyone thinks or does in response to this is better than being an unread e-mail.
So far I've sent out one half of a resume (I took all the good jobs off so that I wouldn't be over-qualified) and I've gone to one interview.
The interview was for a very low level sales job. The description made it sound like a Public Relations job. The interviewer was a young version of a used car salesman or a door to door salesman. He interviewed two of us at a time. He talked too fast, tried too hard to SELL the job, and every time I caught his eye he seemed frightened. He ignored any effort I made to interject a few words into what was becoming an endless monologue. It seemed like he had already made up his mind so I was wondering why he didn't cut it short. I knew that my forced little smiles that were meant to stop him looking frightened must be getting dangerously close to grimaces. Everything shows on my face.
I could hear all the 'two bit' sales manager instructions going around in his head. Don't lose control of the interview, stay with the pitch, only ask questions the client will say yes to, then wind up and go for the final yes. Apparently there are people in the world that are so oblivious or spineless that they fall for this. This is what passes for sales these days. I watched it all indulgently. I could hardly wait to get out of there.
I am a wisp of a thing with a soft cheery voice. I am as unassuming as one could wish. A lot of people might wonder how I could sell or promote anything. If you were to ask clients why they bought they would say it was because I seemed 'nice' or because the offer worked for them or because I was there when they we ready. They might say the whole process was sort of fun or sort or interesting or that I seemed no nonsense and reliable. What they are really saying is that I did not sell to them at all, I was just thoughtful--but there is some art beneath the surface. The cheeriness is a bit persona, but really it's just me with some spin.
Nigel does it too, he is much better at it than I am and I love him for it.
So at the moment I am working on a long resume and the resume in crib sheet form (skill sets only). They will both go together, hopefully directly into the right hands, so that the no one wastes any time. If the short form isn't working, if nothing is working, it's "I've got to go I'll call." and then I won't:)) and everybody will be happy:)) If an employer 'prevaricates' too much, well he/she will just have to settle for someone inferior because I am not holding my breath :)) :))
Wonder how it will work.
Judging from the job search experiences of other people, how could it work out worse.
24/04: The hardest part of finding a new job is discovering how it's done.
I have never been a "networker." I think it's silly to believe that people get jobs because they 'know' someone...and what does one do? ...cozy up to someone who might be helpful even though they are otherwise uninteresting? It's distasteful. I've always been big on collecting information though:))I have had some really really good jobs, jobs that I shouldn't have got if logic ruled. I got them by walking into a place I might want to work, that had I job I thought sounded interesting and lucrative and asking for it. Yep, that simple. No education, special training, previous experience...nothing. Except that I knew from the Ad who the contact person was and how to get them on the phone.
I still don't know why my potential employers even agreed to see me, let alone said 'when can you start'.
Now I'm in trouble. I can't get to the people who can hire me. I can't get information--at least not REAL information--about the job, the company or the employer. All I can do is send a resume to an unknown place and person for a job that barely has a description. I am loath to do it. What could be a more monumental waste of time? For everyone.
I actually know people with considerably more education, experience and 'connection,' than I have, who send out 40 resumes a week and get ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE.
I can't do it, what kind of employee would I be if I were such a time and resource waster. What kind of person would I be? Other people do it because they think they MUST. I think there MUST be some other way.
So I am wondering what will happen if I forget about all the jobs that don't list company names (people who hide their company names usually do it for a reason!) walk right in to the others and ask for a few minutes of time from the person who is hiring. I could even try to close. It is unlikely to be closed just like that, but a gentle attempt to close will certainly be a start and I won't have to do anything that makes me feel like vomiting because it makes so little sense.
At very least I can drop a hard copy resume on that person's desk or well no it could be worse... I could be the person who actually came into the office with a resume and expected to speak with my potential employer on the spot and 'how weird is that?'
That's better that being an unread e-mail:)) :)) In fact whatever anyone thinks or does in response to this is better than being an unread e-mail.
So far I've sent out one half of a resume (I took all the good jobs off so that I wouldn't be over-qualified) and I've gone to one interview.
The interview was for a very low level sales job. The description made it sound like a Public Relations job. The interviewer was a young version of a used car salesman or a door to door salesman. He interviewed two of us at a time. He talked too fast, tried too hard to SELL the job, and every time I caught his eye he seemed frightened. He ignored any effort I made to interject a few words into what was becoming an endless monologue. It seemed like he had already made up his mind so I was wondering why he didn't cut it short. I knew that my forced little smiles that were meant to stop him looking frightened must be getting dangerously close to grimaces. Everything shows on my face.
I could hear all the 'two bit' sales manager instructions going around in his head. Don't lose control of the interview, stay with the pitch, only ask questions the client will say yes to, then wind up and go for the final yes. Apparently there are people in the world that are so oblivious or spineless that they fall for this. This is what passes for sales these days. I watched it all indulgently. I could hardly wait to get out of there.
I am a wisp of a thing with a soft cheery voice. I am as unassuming as one could wish. A lot of people might wonder how I could sell or promote anything. If you were to ask clients why they bought they would say it was because I seemed 'nice' or because the offer worked for them or because I was there when they we ready. They might say the whole process was sort of fun or sort or interesting or that I seemed no nonsense and reliable. What they are really saying is that I did not sell to them at all, I was just thoughtful--but there is some art beneath the surface. The cheeriness is a bit persona, but really it's just me with some spin.
Nigel does it too, he is much better at it than I am and I love him for it.
So at the moment I am working on a long resume and the resume in crib sheet form (skill sets only). They will both go together, hopefully directly into the right hands, so that the no one wastes any time. If the short form isn't working, if nothing is working, it's "I've got to go I'll call." and then I won't:)) and everybody will be happy:)) If an employer 'prevaricates' too much, well he/she will just have to settle for someone inferior because I am not holding my breath :)) :))
Wonder how it will work.
Judging from the job search experiences of other people, how could it work out worse.