Job hunting...any tips?

[gtmtnbiker]

Nearly every job I've had was gotten by just showing up, asking to talk to someone in charge (the higher their position the better, you want someone with some pull in the company) and offering to work for a few days without pay starting immediately.

This is an interesting idea but it may or may not work. Companies usually have a budget where they have X dollars allocated to personnel. They can't really create another position unless they have an identified need for additional staffing and the budget to go with it.

Sometimes they have the need for additional staffing but no budget for it. The current staff just needs to work harder in the interim.

When hiring someone new, there's quite a bit of initial training/setup that needs to happen. This is wasted effort if the person doesn't pan out.

I remember we had one intern that I started training. I quickly realized that a) he was on the dumb side b) he really didn't know much about computers. Whoa! I asked the hiring manager to see his resume and saw that he was in school to be a "telecommunications engineer". In other words, he had no skills for computers/software. He really couldn't do simple tasks and it was taking too much of my time (and others) to help him. So we just left him alone and he got paid to surf the web for two months. In reality, he should have been fired but management didn't want to admit their mistake. Also, it would have hurt the company's chances for future interns at Northeastern.

[the7k]

However, on top of that, it helps to pester the fucking crap out of the place. For both my current job and my previous job, I would go there about every other day prior to being hired.

"That position filled yet?"
"That spot still open?"
"Look at resumes lately?"
"Just checking to see how the hiring is going."

I'd keep doing this until, eventually, they cracked and gave me a uniform.

If it were me, I consider this to be annoying and would count it as a strike against you.

Well, it worked for me twice. It shows that you are interested in the job - most people just hand in a resume and never even call back.

[Luke]

Well, it worked for me twice. It shows that you are interested in the job - most people just hand in a resume and never even call back.

There is a thin line of being aggressive and being annoying. Straddle that line carefully. Know your limits, judge the people you deal with carefully. Some don't mind small talk, to some small talk is a waste of time, which is a waste of money. I always use the "I'll let you get back to work" line after around three minutes of talking. They'll let you know if they have time to talk or not.

Do NOT ask to speak with a manager or someone higher up with government or state jobs. There is a hierarchy that you do not cross.

[onemanfilmcrew]

Honestly the job market right now is so bad that you'll be lucky to find a job waiting tables (I know I was). I got laid off just before Thanksgiving 2008 (just as the bottom fell out) and was unemployed until August where I found a job waiting tables. By the end of it I had expanded my job search nationwide, and despite spending 6 hours searching city after city, I found a total of 1 job to apply for (my field was photography/video). I did a similar job search recently and found no jobs to apply for.

And I hate to be a downer, but things are only going to get worse. Between the looming commercial real estate market collapse and another round of home foreclosures, things are going to get worse before they get better.

Knowing all this I decided to throw myself into a project I've wanted to do for years but never had the time to do (write a book), which is my advice to you. Find some sort of menial job (like waiting tables) that makes the ends meet and focus on some project you've always wanted to do, even if it isn't profitable. I stressed out for nearly a year trying to find work, but even though I have a job I loathe at the moment, I couldn't be happier because I get to pay my bills and come home every day and work on something I enjoy.

[the7k]

Well, it worked for me twice. It shows that you are interested in the job - most people just hand in a resume and never even call back.

There is a thin line of being aggressive and being annoying. Straddle that line carefully. Know your limits, judge the people you deal with carefully. Some don't mind small talk, to some small talk is a waste of time, which is a waste of money. I always use the "I'll let you get back to work" line after around three minutes of talking. They'll let you know if they have time to talk or not.

Do NOT ask to speak with a manager or someone higher up with government or state jobs. There is a hierarchy that you do not cross.

Oh, well, my conversations were never more than one line. I guess I should have specified:
Day One: "That position filled yet?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Three: "That spot still open?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Five: "Look at resumes lately?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Seven: "Just checking to see how the hiring is going." *get an answer and leave*

That's what worked for me. I sure as hell wouldn't waste time with people - even I've got other stuff to do.

[Luke]

That wasn't a jab at you 7k. You should be aggressive on the job hunt. The day after an interview, you should always hand deliver, if possible, a thank you letter that includes the question, "What is the next step in the hiring process?". If not, always call back or email.

You just want to be careful and not become annoying. People won't want to work with you.

[gtmtnbiker]

Oh, well, my conversations were never more than one line. I guess I should have specified:
Day One: "That position filled yet?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Three: "That spot still open?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Five: "Look at resumes lately?" *get an answer and leave*
Day Seven: "Just checking to see how the hiring is going." *get an answer and leave*

That's what worked for me. I sure as hell wouldn't waste time with people - even I've got other stuff to do.

What kind of job were you applying for? I could see that might work for a position in a restaurant or Gamestop but not for a professional job. People generally don't want to be badgered about a job.

[AznKhmerBoi]

key to finding good job or a job in general
1- Superb Resume
2- Superb Coverletter
3- Get yourself out there by putting your resume online
4- Networking
5- Hope and Pray

Best of luck to you my friend

[chupon]

I would say that right now in America the most important thing is having personalized and perfect cover letters when applying for any job. No spelling mistakes, calling and addressing the cover letter to a person, or name you got from calling. This is only the first step, but without a perfect cover letter you won't even be considered. I just read in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago a blerb about cover letters. I'll see if I can scan it in for you later.

[Jrecee]

[quote="Luke"}And it is paramount that your business card isn't CRAP![/quote]

lmao. That guys business card would end up in the trash so quickly. Does it fit in my wallet? No. Does it fit in a rolodex? No. Does it fit in a rubberbanded stack of other business cards, no. So where am I supposed to keep it? He seems to think it's so impressive (well it was $4) that I'm gonna frame the damn thing and dream about it.