[Cool Story Bro] Chronicles of Unemployed Clutchfans

networking is a term cute women created for how they get jobs...

oh I networked...

no you have t*** and they offer jobs at your feet.

done.

 

For what types of jobs? For anything other than secretarial positions, if you honestly believe that, you've got a lot to learn.

 

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate the rejection notices I get, because it keeps questions from lingering on my mind. So, I can't see the harm in a thank you note.

 

I'm a college student at UT. I was just employed this year as a pharmacy technician at CVS pharmacy. Applying to some pharmacy schools next semester, hoping I get in even though my GPA sucks

 

After my company announced that it was closing it's doors and laying off everybody in a month, I started applying to everything that I qualified for or came close to qualifying for.

First interview was for a job that offered playing $10k more, they seemed to really like me and had no other candidates with my experience. I didn't send a thank you note. I called back and they said that they were moving on and weren't clear why. I had done great on the interview and was referred by a friend who had turned the job down. The job was too far from where he lived and paid the same as another job.

On my 2nd interview, I sent a thank you note to the boss and was hired and a 12.5k raise by the next week. 2 months later, I got a call for another interview from my previous application. I sent a thank you note to the interviewer again. 2 weeks later, they offered me their position and another $12.5k increase to leave the other job.

That's $25k raise in 3 months and I was originally worried about surviving on unemployment for months.

Keep in mind. I have only "some college" and no degree. It's very hard to compete with a degreed applicants. I believe the "thank you" notes helped me stand out.

I pulled one thing from the interview and emphasized how I could help them make more money in the thank you card. It was only a simple 3x5 card from Office Depot, so it didn't cost very much money to do. I had no connections or referrals for either company.

2 jobs out of 2 thank you notes. That's a 100% success rate. I'll keep doing those thank you notes, if I decide to leave.

 

What industry to you work for? I would really like to know?

I have interviewed a few people before and I don't think I even read the thank you emails they sent me cause I kind of knew my boss wasn't hiring them.

 

Mortgage industry.

 

no offense, but it sounds like you are awful and your job and have no business being involved in a companies hiring process.

 

yeah my gpa isnt too hot either....im lookin into nursing, sonography training. stuff like that.

 

*company's

 

I'm officially unemployed on May 27th.


The changing spectrum of education has led to budget cuts, especially here in AZ where I teach. Seniority doesn't matter anymore, which I guess, is a good thing.


I'm considered to be "highly qualified" based on test scores and superintendent observations, so I'm confident that I'll find a job.


If not, I'll be a 24-year-old with a doctorate working at McDonald's.

 

so you think emphasizing all of your negatives, even though it wasn't brought up in the interview is a good thing?

 

I am at the other end of the spectrum... I am 50+, have 12 years of experience in the fairly specialized marketing discipline that I work in (and over 25 years total in the computer industry), and I was RFD'd by a local SW company in December 2008. Since then I have networked (including BJM), scoured the various log web sites, and sent unsolicited covers/resumes to countless companies. I have interviewed at 15 companies, and made the finalist list (including traveled for face-to-face interviews) with three companies. For all phone interviews I sent email thanks you's; for the face-to-face interviews I sent hand written thank you cards (at one I even gave them to the receptionist to distribute before leaving for the airport). I have offered to relocate (including offered to do so on my own dime). I have interviewed for positions in Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, San Jose, and Austin. I have accepted the reality that I will need to take a significant cut in pay (the Seattle position would have been for 25% less).

Seems that companies are really put off by the relocation aspect, even if they don't have to pay for it, since they can find local candidates and thus don't even need to worry if the candidate will relocate. I also get the sense that my age plays a bit of a part, since younger candidates keep getting the jobs (my position tends to get communicated publicly, so you can always find out who ended up with the job soon after). I don't think its overt, but guessing that salary plays a part.

So that this isn't just a "woe is me" post, I agree with many of the earlier posters that say thank you notes are important (though unfortunately, they haven't seemed to made that difference for me yet), networking is important, and staying positive is important. While I am going through my savings at an alarming rate, I am hopeful something will come through soon. I am also hoping for the best for the OP of this thread (and all others that are out of work).

 

^ Cool, I've been going to BJM for the past month or so too.

 

a good thing? not necessarily, but it should have been irrelevant in that particular case. and, grounds for dropping him from leading candidate for the job, to worthless? ridiculous.

the guy probably was having a rough time getting a job because (he felt, at least) his resume was lagging behind all of his competition, and he thought that by trying something new, like telling the prospective employers that he is aware of the deficiencies in his resume and that you'd be getting a better employee than the resume might indicate, it could help him.

it's just senseless to think that he'd be a far less worthy employee than you originally figured he'd be just because he included what you call "emphasizing all his negatives" in his thank you letter.

sounds to me like a clear case of you wanting to play god and say "i'll show you what i do when you come across as desperate in my presence".

 

1. How far back does your resume go in the Experience section?

2. Are you including your address on your resume?

 

You know, even though the company has the right to decide on whoever they wish to hire, I do agree somewhat with this poster in that, if the candidate impressed you in the interview, a handwritten card mentioning some of the negatives shouldn't have been that big a deal. On the other hand, if this person's position would involve frequent written communications, he certainly didn't demonstrate this through the less-than-stellar TY card, thus giving the company a reason to hesitate.

 

Yeah, the job marked sucks man. I don't have any college education cause I ignored all those stupid people, but I've always good jobs that pay $30k and up...always, it never fails. Sometimes it's about who you know...that really helps. About a year and a half ago I lost my job I had at the Kroger Distribution company (manager), and I was jobless for like 3 months...but guess what? I bounced back, and now I'm working at a strip club as a manager... :grin: LOL...it's hilarious. I don't do anything all day, and I make roughly about the same money. Oh and I get to see pretty girls. But anyway...just keep plugging away and try to meet new people...I know it's cliche but networking just might be the way out. I ended up getting this job cause I ran into one of my old friends at some party and he offered me the job at Michael's. So...that's something to think about.

 

1. I have switched to a "functional" design that focuses on accomplishments and less on my job history. That said, I do list my jobs to 1991 as my "length of service" was longer on my earlier jobs and the company names were marquis brands. I do worry that including them makes me seem "old" though so I understand why you ask.

2. No, I do not include my address on my resume (I have my email and my phone number). Usually, the issue of the location comes up during the intial phone interview (and at that point they would be able to figure out my location). I have considered providing my in-laws address (we used to be from the Bay Area; I was relocated here in 2000 by a Houston-area company who paid my full relocation ironically. My, have times changed!).