Having seen the writi g on the wall, i started job searching a few months ago in hopes of being prepared for the presebt VZ cuts. I have been searching for jobs on Indeed.com because it searches all (or at least many) job posting sites. I've applied for 17 jobs between August to present and never hear back. For those who have already found new jobs and are back in your feet, were you checking online job boards? I have what I consider to be a really good resume, and I went to a service one time but was highly disappointed. Should I try another to help make it even more dynamic of resume? I guess I am confused as to how people are finding jobs. Companies post then never reply, despite my full qualification for them. I would never waste my time or a future employers time applying for positions I am not qualified for. There's no sense in that. Ive read that many companies already have their people designated for jobs but legally they have to post them. Sounds like VZ. But if that's the case, how do we get jobs in this market?
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When I was laid off from VzB last March I found the company they hired to help us rewrite resumes helpful. There were a ton of classes with this firm as well, there were useful pieces of advice in the classes, and exercises to prepare you for interviews. The service was for 90 days once you sent them your resume, you should call to verify and we had ask for this information. I should have taken their resume class first, and it would have avoided the 2 weeks of emails and resume rewrites, but that one is on me, and I should have not tried to jam all their classes in the last month of my 90 days. I hope this information helps.
Welcome to the new job market, part-timers and low wage jobs
572 I've read online about contacting hiring managers directly, but my experience is that it's nearly impossible to find out who that person is. I know 2 people who work at a company I applied to and they could not find out who the hiring manager was. I can't imagine how to do this without knowing anyone in the company. Honestly I went to linkedin and considered emailing some HR people to find out but didn't want to appear stalker-ish or crazy :-/
@ Formremplyee, I had heard this also, about the keywords. I have found that some are obvious but can eventually get aggravating trying to figure them all out. Thanks for this resource. It's crazy that we need to do all this sleuthing just to submit a job app, but I guess if they're getting hundreds of applicants per posting they need a way to sift through without hiring another person.
572, thanks for the website also. I will check hlthis out asap.
Hello -- the very worst way to go about a job hunt is the online job boards. Your resume ends up in a black hole.
Better would be to join networking groups, but the best is reaching out to hiring managers directly.
A good site for job searchers is one called Career Confidential. Great advice and lots of job hunting webinars.
I have been laid off several times, so I feel your pain!
I feel your pain. I was laid off from Verizon back in March. I got my current role from a job board but only after 5 months of learning the process. It's all about keywords. Most recruiters use an ATS to filter candidates. In order to be seen you have to tweak every resume to fit the job you're applying for and it needs to capitalize on the keywords. Once your resume is pulled from the pool and a recruiter reviews and contacts you then you have to sell your brand.
I used a realky helpful tool called jobscan.co. it's allows you to paste the job description and your resume then tells you the keywords to include to get above a 80% match to boost your chances. It's a process and takes time to find your groove.
I would suggest you create a linkedin profile - add everyone you ever worked with, went to school with and live in your neighberhood , look at the companies they are engaged with and see if you can get them to do an employee referral for you. I applied for a role that had over 200 applicants - 1 job 200 applicants - so, having someone on the inside gets you past the HR gatekeepers and increases your chances of getting hired
442, thanks for your input. It's easy to start getting discouraged, but you aren't the first person I've heard this from ~ the 100 apps to just a few interviews/acknowledgements. 20 years ago when I was applying for jobs, I got nearly every position I applied for and had the luxury of turning THEM down. Then VZ happened. Rude awakening now, that's for sure.
To add on to my below message, I kept a record of my job submissions and in 5 months I applied for over 100 open positions and I got 3 interviews. So my rate was 1 in 33 resulted in a job interview. Also, of the 100, only 10 ever even responded to let me know I was being considered or turned down. You will not hear much from your submissions, so dont get discouraged. Companies get too many resumes now to respond to all of them. Here's the kicker, all 3 of my interviews came from recruiters that found me, not for jobs I originally applied for.
The LHH job service contracted by VZ was almost no help to me. I did use some of their templates for social media and resumes, but as far as putting me in contact with recruiters or job openings, it was not helpful. I used the job boards, but the most productive site for me was LinkedIn. I got a few interviews and my current job from recruiters finding me on LinkedIn. I applied for jobs thru LinkedIn also. Make sure to try Careerbuilder and Indeed.com, but make sure to utilize LinkedIn a lot.
Try contracting firms. Many of us old timers that survived cuts through the decades have seen jobs cut and contractors brought in. I know it is not legal, however, that is the way they are doing business. The code of conduct is not important to director and up. Contracting is a great way to get work and a foot in the door of other companies.
Companies often halt hiring near the end of the year due to ending their financial quarter, etc. Hiring picks up again in January.
I think the career services you get an actual person to use. Not just a site.
@346...how do we get jobs in this market?................25 million unemployed Americans are in the same boat and would like to know too
Try dice.com if you are in IT
Do these career services really.help? Are they just like text book hints?
Most of the packages include a career service to help with the search.
I agree with OP. The online job posting sites are just to fulfill legal obligation. Most of the time candidates are pre determined. Best hope is consulting companies who can place you as a contractor.
Really sorry to hear of your difficulties. You were smart to start early! I don't see where it states what type of job you are looking for - IT, Finance, or call center. Unfortunately, I can't help you, but would be interested in knowing the area of your expertise so I can better judge the market; I'm in IT. Good luck, and I hope you find something soon!
Thanks for both suggestions. Interestingly, yeard ago, VZ tried to fire me based on my LinkedIn profile, suggesting I was off sick making money elsewhere. I was able to quickly put that to rest, but I deleted all my social media after that, realizing the value of my privacy. I will consider LinkedIn again now, as it is no longer a potential issue.
Try career builder and glassdoor. You will get hits and emails for intereviews. Good luck.
Try LinkedIn. I think that offers a better source and allows hiring companies to see not only your resume, but you and who you know.
This was written on my phone, so please excuse the typos. Rest assured, my resumes are professionally done and typo free ;-)