I recently learned that the author of "The Help," Kathryn Stockett, received about 60 rejections during the five years she tried to get a literary agent to represent her manuscript. Reading into that story, I found out it was on the New York Times Best Sellers list for most of 2009, all of 2010, and I just looked to see that, sure enough, it's still there at the start of 2012. Number 3 on the big list, and first on the paperback trade fiction list as well. The novel was adapted to a screenplay, too, and in 2011 it was a hit in theaters, scoring 4 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
Nice story, but what does it have To Do with job-seeking?
When I read about Kathryn Stockett, I thought about all her rejections, and all the other famous books and authors who received a notorious number of rejections before finally being picked up by just the right person, at just the right time. And the rest is history.
Stephen King's first novel Carrie, was rejected dozens of times.
16 rejections for The Diary of Anne Frank. One noting the girl had no special feeling.
Dune, 20 times. Gone with the Wind, 38.
George Orwell was told, with an Animal Farm rejection, that animal stories don't sell.
Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul received over 130 rejections!
As difficult as it is to write an amazing story, it is even more difficult to be published for most people. There are many factors at work, not the least of which is perfect timing. In fact, the world might not have ever known a young wizard named Harry Potter if it was not for the eight year old child of a CEO at a small London press, who got the book after a dozen other big publishers had already rejected it. He going to do the same, but that kid begged her dad to print it instead... thanks, kid!
The hugely successful and influential children's author Judy Blume says she was rejected for "two years straight" before finally getting published. She cites "hard work and determination" as what made the difference for her. Is it really that simple?
For us job seekers, perhaps it is. After all, more people get employed than get published. That alone should tell us to take heart--and take a cue from Judy Blume. We have our talents, our experience, our skills. Plus, we even have our special ways of verb-loading our resumes and key-wording our cover letters and job applications. But still, it's our hard work and determination that will the stack the odds in our favor. The more we try, the more we improve the chance for our story to be in the right person's hands at the right time.
Oh, and there's one more thing we need to make sure we have.
Patience.
Showing posts with label resume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resume. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
P.S. Don't Do This!
I've been writing more cover letters than usual lately. Maybe you have been, too.
In my case, all of them have gone out digitally, none printed and mailed. These letters are not always letters, actually, some of them have been only notes. But all of them have been one of the following:
Today's topic, cover letters, will address the types of cover letters as listed above--the kind that most often accompany our resume submissions, position inquiries and job applications. We'll talk about the way you're sending them, how they are presented, plus how they present you.
The ideal cover letter will do three things:
1. Make the desired impression
2. Serve the desired purpose
3. Prompt the desired action
In some ways, your cover letter can be considered a small piece of sales literature. First, it should make the desired impression. In all cases, even for the most creative positions, it should be professionally presented. Everyone says it, everyone agrees, but so often we mess this up, despite all the warnings. So it bears repeating: No typos. No grammar errors. Get the person's name right.
Another thing about making a professional impression: know your audience. Do your homework. Don't phrase a cover letter to a recruiter as if she's the company founder. And don't gush over your passion for a certain product line when in fact the company sold that line off two years earlier. Check your facts before making statements that you intend to make an impression with.
Now, about the purpose of your letter. You do want it to inform (about you, what you're sending, and why the reader should care). But it won't have time to educate. How long can your letter be? Well, that depends. If it's a typed document, formatted like a traditional business letter that you attach to your email or job application, great. You have more leeway there to sell yourself and provide evidence that matches you to this position beyond what your resume can do. By more leeway, I mean one page at most, comprised of two to three short paragraphs surrounded by address, date, salutation, closing and all the proper spacing. But if you only have a small text box, you'll have to pare down to a couple of really important sentences. A cover note, if you will.
The purpose of a shorter cover note is to highlight the most important reasons the reader should examine your application, and/or what you believe they will find exciting about your resume as it matches this position. Basically, tell them what you want to tell them more about, in a personal interview.
By the way, the type of position you're applying for also makes a big difference in how long your letter should be, and affects the purpose of it, too. If you're applying for a copy editor job, you probably want a pretty short, succinct letter. If appropriate, you might write it in close to the same tone of the type of publication or materials you'd be editing. If you're applying for IT management position but previously only held highly technical programming jobs, you might use your cover letter to communicate your soft skills in the human language HR folks can read.
Finally, there is the call to action. Even if you are only writing an informal letter inside the body of an email, to, say, a friend of a friend that you don't expect much from and don't want to come off too stuffy with, you still need one of these. You MUST tell the receiver of your letter what you want them to do, now that they have gotten it.
They might not do it, of course, but call upon them to do so, or risk making the impression that you really don't care, that there was no real purpose to your inquiry. Imagine,
Hello,
I'm pleased to submit my resume in response to the job posting for the Fantastic Leader position at The Best Company in The World. I have also attached a separate document listing many of the industry clients I have worked with of interest to The Best Company, including key competitors Second Best and A Little Better. I believe you will find this experience relevant to your needs for a Fantastic Leader. I look forward to continuing to develop new market opportunities in the industry, like the Giant Profitable Product Launch I did for Second Best in 2009.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Someone Who Assumes You Will Call Me (I mean obviously, if I didn't want an interview, I wouldn't have sent in my resume and this letter. Do I really have to ask you to please call me to discuss further? Do I really have to tell you I'd like to talk with you in person about this opportunity?)
YES. As with many things in business, in writing, in etiquette, in life.... it might seem unnecessary, but it's more of a crime of omission if you don't. So do.
But one thing not to do, is include a P.S.. There was an old school direct marketing/sales letter "technique" that used to go around a lot, and it probably still does, in fact I know it does because I still get a little junk mail from the people that want to lure me back into their write books for children and win the poetry medal of honor schemes. This old technique called for putting a P.S. with the most compelling call to action at the bottom of your letter. Because people might not read the rest of your letter, but their eyes will naturally be drawn straight to the P.S. --and you know what that means. They will do whatever it says.
I suppose it works as well as anything, depending on how many free Shirley Temple commemorative statues the P.S. has to offer. But not for our purposes here. It's just cheesy so don't do it.
P.S. Don't use a P.S. in any serious business letter, especially a cover letter for your resume! Also don't use exclamation points! You can see how awful they look now in this context. Triple check your spelling and facts. Have someone else proofread if you're not a grammar guru. But don't panic. The letter needs to be well done, that's all. Not a limited edition work of art--that's you.
In my case, all of them have gone out digitally, none printed and mailed. These letters are not always letters, actually, some of them have been only notes. But all of them have been one of the following:
- attached to an email
- attached to a job application
- inside the body of an email
- inside a text box as part of a response on a website
Today's topic, cover letters, will address the types of cover letters as listed above--the kind that most often accompany our resume submissions, position inquiries and job applications. We'll talk about the way you're sending them, how they are presented, plus how they present you.
The ideal cover letter will do three things:
1. Make the desired impression
2. Serve the desired purpose
3. Prompt the desired action
In some ways, your cover letter can be considered a small piece of sales literature. First, it should make the desired impression. In all cases, even for the most creative positions, it should be professionally presented. Everyone says it, everyone agrees, but so often we mess this up, despite all the warnings. So it bears repeating: No typos. No grammar errors. Get the person's name right.
Another thing about making a professional impression: know your audience. Do your homework. Don't phrase a cover letter to a recruiter as if she's the company founder. And don't gush over your passion for a certain product line when in fact the company sold that line off two years earlier. Check your facts before making statements that you intend to make an impression with.
Now, about the purpose of your letter. You do want it to inform (about you, what you're sending, and why the reader should care). But it won't have time to educate. How long can your letter be? Well, that depends. If it's a typed document, formatted like a traditional business letter that you attach to your email or job application, great. You have more leeway there to sell yourself and provide evidence that matches you to this position beyond what your resume can do. By more leeway, I mean one page at most, comprised of two to three short paragraphs surrounded by address, date, salutation, closing and all the proper spacing. But if you only have a small text box, you'll have to pare down to a couple of really important sentences. A cover note, if you will.
The purpose of a shorter cover note is to highlight the most important reasons the reader should examine your application, and/or what you believe they will find exciting about your resume as it matches this position. Basically, tell them what you want to tell them more about, in a personal interview.
By the way, the type of position you're applying for also makes a big difference in how long your letter should be, and affects the purpose of it, too. If you're applying for a copy editor job, you probably want a pretty short, succinct letter. If appropriate, you might write it in close to the same tone of the type of publication or materials you'd be editing. If you're applying for IT management position but previously only held highly technical programming jobs, you might use your cover letter to communicate your soft skills in the human language HR folks can read.
Finally, there is the call to action. Even if you are only writing an informal letter inside the body of an email, to, say, a friend of a friend that you don't expect much from and don't want to come off too stuffy with, you still need one of these. You MUST tell the receiver of your letter what you want them to do, now that they have gotten it.
They might not do it, of course, but call upon them to do so, or risk making the impression that you really don't care, that there was no real purpose to your inquiry. Imagine,
Hello,
I'm pleased to submit my resume in response to the job posting for the Fantastic Leader position at The Best Company in The World. I have also attached a separate document listing many of the industry clients I have worked with of interest to The Best Company, including key competitors Second Best and A Little Better. I believe you will find this experience relevant to your needs for a Fantastic Leader. I look forward to continuing to develop new market opportunities in the industry, like the Giant Profitable Product Launch I did for Second Best in 2009.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Someone Who Assumes You Will Call Me (I mean obviously, if I didn't want an interview, I wouldn't have sent in my resume and this letter. Do I really have to ask you to please call me to discuss further? Do I really have to tell you I'd like to talk with you in person about this opportunity?)
YES. As with many things in business, in writing, in etiquette, in life.... it might seem unnecessary, but it's more of a crime of omission if you don't. So do.
But one thing not to do, is include a P.S.. There was an old school direct marketing/sales letter "technique" that used to go around a lot, and it probably still does, in fact I know it does because I still get a little junk mail from the people that want to lure me back into their write books for children and win the poetry medal of honor schemes. This old technique called for putting a P.S. with the most compelling call to action at the bottom of your letter. Because people might not read the rest of your letter, but their eyes will naturally be drawn straight to the P.S. --and you know what that means. They will do whatever it says.
I suppose it works as well as anything, depending on how many free Shirley Temple commemorative statues the P.S. has to offer. But not for our purposes here. It's just cheesy so don't do it.
P.S. Don't use a P.S. in any serious business letter, especially a cover letter for your resume! Also don't use exclamation points! You can see how awful they look now in this context. Triple check your spelling and facts. Have someone else proofread if you're not a grammar guru. But don't panic. The letter needs to be well done, that's all. Not a limited edition work of art--that's you.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Sharp Edge, Soft Center
I decided to do some research on what employers want these days, just to make sure I have what it takes to increase my chances of getting hired, faster. If I do posess highly-valued qualities and skills, I want to make sure I'm saying so in my cover letters and on my resume. If I don't, then that gives me some ideas for what to work on while I'm unemployed.
The first thing I surmised via my research was no surprise: technical skills are very much in demand. This can mean anything from basic computer skills, to IT savvy, to literally having abilities in software programming, hardware configuration or other stuff. By other stuff I mean things I don't have the technical skills to describe off the top of my head. By top of my head I mean right above the inside of my brain where a cartoon bear playing cymbals is dancing with a monkey in a conductor suit right now because of the possibility of more technical talk.
So we see where things shake out for me in the area of technical skills. Really quite good with the computer skills, given my trade. I speak the language of typing things and presenting them on paper and on screen, and even in design, I recognize the programs. I'm usually a PC but I've been a mac and can be one again, would welcome it. Totally down with the internet. Get the engines and all that. I blog, I tweet, I fb. After that enters the dancing bear.
Watch this space to learn how I add to my edge with technical skills while I am unemployed.
The best news I found via my research was that soft skills are still very much in demand by employers, and will be highly sought after for those hiring in 2012. In a recent report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), findings from a job outlook survey of 244 employers showed that they will be looking for evidence of these top five skills on a resume:
The first thing I surmised via my research was no surprise: technical skills are very much in demand. This can mean anything from basic computer skills, to IT savvy, to literally having abilities in software programming, hardware configuration or other stuff. By other stuff I mean things I don't have the technical skills to describe off the top of my head. By top of my head I mean right above the inside of my brain where a cartoon bear playing cymbals is dancing with a monkey in a conductor suit right now because of the possibility of more technical talk.
So we see where things shake out for me in the area of technical skills. Really quite good with the computer skills, given my trade. I speak the language of typing things and presenting them on paper and on screen, and even in design, I recognize the programs. I'm usually a PC but I've been a mac and can be one again, would welcome it. Totally down with the internet. Get the engines and all that. I blog, I tweet, I fb. After that enters the dancing bear.
Watch this space to learn how I add to my edge with technical skills while I am unemployed.
The best news I found via my research was that soft skills are still very much in demand by employers, and will be highly sought after for those hiring in 2012. In a recent report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), findings from a job outlook survey of 244 employers showed that they will be looking for evidence of these top five skills on a resume:
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Written Communication (hooray!)
- Problem-Solving
- Work Ethic
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tru Dat Tom Petty
It's been two weeks since my position was eliminated and I began this busy shuffle to escape the potential horrors of a life lost in jobless zombieland. So far, so good, I guess. I mean, to be honest, reports from the front aren't the rosiest you ever did want to hear about, but I'm not here to dwell on that. Not yet anyway. Believe me, if this blog is still going on a couple months from now, there might be a shift in tone when it comes to the business of getting me a job. For now, though, all is well. There are opportunities, and I'm locating them, and people are helping me with referrals, and I feel fine. Things are cookin', as they say.
Like the soup I made yesterday. Split pea. It always takes a while before it comes together in all its glory. During the early hours, when those peas are still hard and the flavors haven't been fully summonsed from the ham bone, the bay leaf, the mirepoix, etc., it's a lot harder to get excited about that soup. Will it ever be done? Not looking too good... But then, once those carrots are soft, and the peas transform into the creamy, sweet broth you were waiting for, and you ladle it steaming into your bowl on a frigid Chicago evening, on your favorite TV night--the night of Bravo's Top Chef--then you remember. Then, you make a note of that feeling... of comfort.
See, the soup was always going to be okay, even when it was a dried up leaf floating on yellow stock with a lumpy hock in the middle and the peas wouldn't budge.
Tom Petty had it right: The waiting is the hardest part.
Carly Simon had it right: We may never know about the things to come, but we think about them anyway.
Henry Ford had it right: You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
What? What's that last one doing in there? Well, I'm a fan of Henry Ford, especially his quotes. I collect quotes, and that guy had a lot of useful things to say. Pretty impressed with how he came up with the car and everything, but it's his quotes that really wow me. Anyway, I included this one, because of the soup. And the anticipation of how good it's going to be. And the waiting, while it goes through its necessary stages to get to its best outcome. And the business of getting me a job.
Follow me: when we eat the soup, we all know I'm good at cooking it, because of how well it turns out. Then I should know, I don't have to worry anymore in the process, about if it will ever be done or if it's not looking too good. So, you see, both my soup and my work reputation are built on what I have already done. And both depend on what I'm doing right now. You can't get to eating up the results of the future until you're there.
Yes, I'll enjoy that feeling of comfort when I do get hired, but Henry Ford's quote reminds me that when this happens, I'll know then that my employment was always going to be okay. Even when I saw some lousy unemployment figures, even when I was submitting my unique qualifications to be scanned by computer programs, even when my resume was being forever versioned so it wouldn't be ignored.
Right now was always going to be the way we have found it to be, too. The best thing we can do is keep it on simmer, check and stir it often, and add more seasoning or liquid as needed. Till done.
PS: Want my split pea soup recipe? Comment below. If I get a couple requests, I'll be happy to share my method, which is pretty yummy, if I do say so myself!
Like the soup I made yesterday. Split pea. It always takes a while before it comes together in all its glory. During the early hours, when those peas are still hard and the flavors haven't been fully summonsed from the ham bone, the bay leaf, the mirepoix, etc., it's a lot harder to get excited about that soup. Will it ever be done? Not looking too good... But then, once those carrots are soft, and the peas transform into the creamy, sweet broth you were waiting for, and you ladle it steaming into your bowl on a frigid Chicago evening, on your favorite TV night--the night of Bravo's Top Chef--then you remember. Then, you make a note of that feeling... of comfort.
See, the soup was always going to be okay, even when it was a dried up leaf floating on yellow stock with a lumpy hock in the middle and the peas wouldn't budge.
Tom Petty had it right: The waiting is the hardest part.
Carly Simon had it right: We may never know about the things to come, but we think about them anyway.
Henry Ford had it right: You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
What? What's that last one doing in there? Well, I'm a fan of Henry Ford, especially his quotes. I collect quotes, and that guy had a lot of useful things to say. Pretty impressed with how he came up with the car and everything, but it's his quotes that really wow me. Anyway, I included this one, because of the soup. And the anticipation of how good it's going to be. And the waiting, while it goes through its necessary stages to get to its best outcome. And the business of getting me a job.
Follow me: when we eat the soup, we all know I'm good at cooking it, because of how well it turns out. Then I should know, I don't have to worry anymore in the process, about if it will ever be done or if it's not looking too good. So, you see, both my soup and my work reputation are built on what I have already done. And both depend on what I'm doing right now. You can't get to eating up the results of the future until you're there.
Yes, I'll enjoy that feeling of comfort when I do get hired, but Henry Ford's quote reminds me that when this happens, I'll know then that my employment was always going to be okay. Even when I saw some lousy unemployment figures, even when I was submitting my unique qualifications to be scanned by computer programs, even when my resume was being forever versioned so it wouldn't be ignored.
Right now was always going to be the way we have found it to be, too. The best thing we can do is keep it on simmer, check and stir it often, and add more seasoning or liquid as needed. Till done.
PS: Want my split pea soup recipe? Comment below. If I get a couple requests, I'll be happy to share my method, which is pretty yummy, if I do say so myself!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
How He Bot the Job, Part I
Case Study
Our man is Johnson, middle senior level manager of something not too technical. Let's say he's was a Senior Project Manager, Channel Partners Development.
He perused job listings in his category online at sites like LinkedIn, Career Builder and Indeed.com. Perhaps he should have expanded his searching, for more opportunities. Or not. Was he casting too large of a net and missing all the tasty local fish? Then again, what about government work? What about work-at-home or freelance jobs? Johnson felt the more he looked, in some ways, the less he found. He started not to know, exactly, what he was looking for anymore.
Johnson probably wasted a little too much time when he could have honed in his search approach right from the start. Here is a nice article on the topic with just enough actionable advice, so you don't end up like Johnson. I recommend you bookmark two or three of your favorite job search links, and save a couple of search terms on the sites that give you the best results. That way, you can search again the next time with a couple quick keystrokes. Also, follow a few companies you really like that list openings close to what you're interested in, but not quite. In Johnson's case, Sr. VP Marketing, Business Channels and Partners. That would be his boss, eventually. Check back on those companies for new postings each week.
Whenever Johnson found a position he wanted to apply for, he would inevitably run into the direction to click on a button that said either, "Apply Here" or "Apply on Website." Applying Here usually meant Johnson was on a site that allowed resumes to be posted, reviewed and submitted via that site. On LinkedIn, he had his entire profile, business connections, work history and more. On Career Builder and Indeed.com, his resume was posted and could be viewed by potential employers.
When Johnson would Apply on Website, he'd be transported to an employment application, which was sometimes housed on that company's website, and sometimes run by a robot program designed specifically for the purpose of reviewing and sorting applications and ranking the potential interest in the job candidates attached to them. Here are a couple reads you might find useful as you approach the task of Applying on Website.
Don't Get Lost in a Database ... fpcnational.com
Resume, Meet Technology ...The Ladders.com
Make Your Resume Stand Out ... techrepublic.com
More on Johnson and how he changed his resume to make the bots that scanned it happy, tomorrow!
Our man is Johnson, middle senior level manager of something not too technical. Let's say he's was a Senior Project Manager, Channel Partners Development.
He perused job listings in his category online at sites like LinkedIn, Career Builder and Indeed.com. Perhaps he should have expanded his searching, for more opportunities. Or not. Was he casting too large of a net and missing all the tasty local fish? Then again, what about government work? What about work-at-home or freelance jobs? Johnson felt the more he looked, in some ways, the less he found. He started not to know, exactly, what he was looking for anymore.
Johnson probably wasted a little too much time when he could have honed in his search approach right from the start. Here is a nice article on the topic with just enough actionable advice, so you don't end up like Johnson. I recommend you bookmark two or three of your favorite job search links, and save a couple of search terms on the sites that give you the best results. That way, you can search again the next time with a couple quick keystrokes. Also, follow a few companies you really like that list openings close to what you're interested in, but not quite. In Johnson's case, Sr. VP Marketing, Business Channels and Partners. That would be his boss, eventually. Check back on those companies for new postings each week.
Whenever Johnson found a position he wanted to apply for, he would inevitably run into the direction to click on a button that said either, "Apply Here" or "Apply on Website." Applying Here usually meant Johnson was on a site that allowed resumes to be posted, reviewed and submitted via that site. On LinkedIn, he had his entire profile, business connections, work history and more. On Career Builder and Indeed.com, his resume was posted and could be viewed by potential employers.
When Johnson would Apply on Website, he'd be transported to an employment application, which was sometimes housed on that company's website, and sometimes run by a robot program designed specifically for the purpose of reviewing and sorting applications and ranking the potential interest in the job candidates attached to them. Here are a couple reads you might find useful as you approach the task of Applying on Website.
Don't Get Lost in a Database ... fpcnational.com
Resume, Meet Technology ...The Ladders.com
Make Your Resume Stand Out ... techrepublic.com
Your to do for today might be to assemble good reading material on a useful topic. See above. And/or to give some serious focus on learning about something that will help move your purpose forward. Also see above. You have time for this now. Still, I'll whet your appetite for information with a brief overview of some things you should know about submitting an online resume, per the experts:
- Don't provide a complex document for uploading purposes. Even if you're a creative genius.
- Do use bullet points and put the most important results-oriented information up front.
- Do research the company you are applying to work for. Send a resume that has been tweaked to include keywords for them, and the position you are seeking.
More on Johnson and how he changed his resume to make the bots that scanned it happy, tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Shouting Down the Cyberhole
It's like Wishing Down the Wishing Well. Except not that cute.
With the prevailing mode of re-employment these days being the online seek and apply, I must say, I thought I would be, but I am not, a fan.
It's convenient, easy-to-track, and as a bonus, a perfect method for a writer and marketer like me. If you have a good resume and know how to tailor it for the positions you're applying for, you're one step ahead. If you have a great cover letter and know how to tailor it for the audience you're appealing to, you're two steps ahead. If you have a specific set of job search terms and yet some flexibility in your salary range, job title and position requirements, well, you should be a half a mile out by now.
These are the things I felt I had going for me as I approached the wishing well with my pouch full of shiny coins. Not just pennies. Bigger than that. I've invested a great deal in my job applications so far. Some of these journeys, once you click on "Apply Here," really take you on a trip which you might start to regret once you get all in there. You begin by uploading your resume, simple enough, and next thing you know it seems like they're asking you if you want the red pill or the blue pill. Two hours later you emerge with an automated form email saying they received your 5-page essay application, resume, cover letter, list of past clients and psychological test answers, but it will take them several weeks to review your qualifications along with those of the several hundred other candidates who applied from across the globe, online, faster than you, and all the internal company candidates as well, including the guy everybody loves over at the Boston office, you know him, the one with the touching stories about when he was recovering from his injuries in Iraq...
Okay, it must the water at this well because I'm being far too cynical, too soon. But I will say this. There is a LOT to learn about the online job application process, and it's best we learn it asap. There is resume parsing going on, and application keyword searching, and all sorts of other efficiencies that take much of the legwork out of the initial review process for recruiters at companies and employment agencies. It's how you get sorted, ordered, and possibly not even considered.
The worst part to me, though, is how often I'm left without a direct contact for follow-up purposes. Almost always. This, I think, stinks. I really miss submitting my resume and cover letter DIRECTLY to a PERSON who I can call to follow up with in a week or so. That person might be too busy to have even looked at my application yet, or that person might still be reviewing resumes and not ready to answer me yet, or that person might be glad to hear from an eager candidate who is saving them the trouble of calling themselves and thus reward them with an interview on the spot. This part of the job application process is something I'm having a hard time dealing without. Case in point:
A few weeks ago, over the holidays, I applied for a job I would, literally, be soooooo perfect for. I applied via LinkedIn. I heard nothing, not even an acknowledgment of receipt of my resume. I sent a great cover letter. Fraught with anxiety over the timing, and not wanting to be overlooked in the holiday hustle, I found the right contact email on the company website and followed up a couple days later with an even better (what have I got to lose?) letter saying, I really want to talk with you about this job, so please don't let my resume go unanswered. I got Nothing. Now, over two weeks later, I am wondering, do I want to work for that company, if this is how they handle their business and/or treat people who are so enthusiastic about applying for professional positions they advertise?
Except, I really do. I still am enamored with this job possibility. I can't get through to a contact, though. There are no phone numbers for corporate offices listed anywhere; everything is attached with individually owned retail outlets. I've already somewhat stalked, a little, via postings on twitter and a question on facebook. It looks like they are automated, so no response there. Perhaps I have to let go. But it's a darn shame. I felt so sure... whatever pill I took, it feels like I got smaller, and from a distance I can see myself shouting down the cyberhole where I sent my sincere and very on-point inquiries. I feel like I wasted my my biggest, shiniest penny. Hellloooooo, is anybody down theeeeerrrrrreee?
What do you think I should do? (comment!) I've looked up other people in the company on LinkedIn, and again, can find no clear way to directly contact anyone, without busting through and trying to connect, though I don't know them. I could call nearby outlets and just ask if these people ever stop in or have office numbers (it's a franchising operation). Should I give it up? My gut was telling me for days and days, they totally should hire you, Faith, you are going to help this company grow and grow with it. My intention was to nail down a clearly mutually beneficial arrangement. The position is still posted. There are two other positions in other areas of the company along with it. Could it be they are this slow and this remiss when it comes to contacting people?
Out of 10 applications since December 2, I have received 8 "We got your application" notes with no further news. I've only received 1 rejection. I see that those 8, 6 of the jobs have been closed. That means, out of 10, I heard absolutely nothing from just this 1. My next ToDo4Today: get a new stack of coins. Meaning, reapply myself! My goal: don't take either pill. Make a sammich. Stay normal.
I'll share tips about about resume parsing and application keyword searching tomorrow.
With the prevailing mode of re-employment these days being the online seek and apply, I must say, I thought I would be, but I am not, a fan.
It's convenient, easy-to-track, and as a bonus, a perfect method for a writer and marketer like me. If you have a good resume and know how to tailor it for the positions you're applying for, you're one step ahead. If you have a great cover letter and know how to tailor it for the audience you're appealing to, you're two steps ahead. If you have a specific set of job search terms and yet some flexibility in your salary range, job title and position requirements, well, you should be a half a mile out by now.
These are the things I felt I had going for me as I approached the wishing well with my pouch full of shiny coins. Not just pennies. Bigger than that. I've invested a great deal in my job applications so far. Some of these journeys, once you click on "Apply Here," really take you on a trip which you might start to regret once you get all in there. You begin by uploading your resume, simple enough, and next thing you know it seems like they're asking you if you want the red pill or the blue pill. Two hours later you emerge with an automated form email saying they received your 5-page essay application, resume, cover letter, list of past clients and psychological test answers, but it will take them several weeks to review your qualifications along with those of the several hundred other candidates who applied from across the globe, online, faster than you, and all the internal company candidates as well, including the guy everybody loves over at the Boston office, you know him, the one with the touching stories about when he was recovering from his injuries in Iraq...
Okay, it must the water at this well because I'm being far too cynical, too soon. But I will say this. There is a LOT to learn about the online job application process, and it's best we learn it asap. There is resume parsing going on, and application keyword searching, and all sorts of other efficiencies that take much of the legwork out of the initial review process for recruiters at companies and employment agencies. It's how you get sorted, ordered, and possibly not even considered.
The worst part to me, though, is how often I'm left without a direct contact for follow-up purposes. Almost always. This, I think, stinks. I really miss submitting my resume and cover letter DIRECTLY to a PERSON who I can call to follow up with in a week or so. That person might be too busy to have even looked at my application yet, or that person might still be reviewing resumes and not ready to answer me yet, or that person might be glad to hear from an eager candidate who is saving them the trouble of calling themselves and thus reward them with an interview on the spot. This part of the job application process is something I'm having a hard time dealing without. Case in point:
A few weeks ago, over the holidays, I applied for a job I would, literally, be soooooo perfect for. I applied via LinkedIn. I heard nothing, not even an acknowledgment of receipt of my resume. I sent a great cover letter. Fraught with anxiety over the timing, and not wanting to be overlooked in the holiday hustle, I found the right contact email on the company website and followed up a couple days later with an even better (what have I got to lose?) letter saying, I really want to talk with you about this job, so please don't let my resume go unanswered. I got Nothing. Now, over two weeks later, I am wondering, do I want to work for that company, if this is how they handle their business and/or treat people who are so enthusiastic about applying for professional positions they advertise?
Except, I really do. I still am enamored with this job possibility. I can't get through to a contact, though. There are no phone numbers for corporate offices listed anywhere; everything is attached with individually owned retail outlets. I've already somewhat stalked, a little, via postings on twitter and a question on facebook. It looks like they are automated, so no response there. Perhaps I have to let go. But it's a darn shame. I felt so sure... whatever pill I took, it feels like I got smaller, and from a distance I can see myself shouting down the cyberhole where I sent my sincere and very on-point inquiries. I feel like I wasted my my biggest, shiniest penny. Hellloooooo, is anybody down theeeeerrrrrreee?
What do you think I should do? (comment!) I've looked up other people in the company on LinkedIn, and again, can find no clear way to directly contact anyone, without busting through and trying to connect, though I don't know them. I could call nearby outlets and just ask if these people ever stop in or have office numbers (it's a franchising operation). Should I give it up? My gut was telling me for days and days, they totally should hire you, Faith, you are going to help this company grow and grow with it. My intention was to nail down a clearly mutually beneficial arrangement. The position is still posted. There are two other positions in other areas of the company along with it. Could it be they are this slow and this remiss when it comes to contacting people?
Out of 10 applications since December 2, I have received 8 "We got your application" notes with no further news. I've only received 1 rejection. I see that those 8, 6 of the jobs have been closed. That means, out of 10, I heard absolutely nothing from just this 1. My next ToDo4Today: get a new stack of coins. Meaning, reapply myself! My goal: don't take either pill. Make a sammich. Stay normal.
I'll share tips about about resume parsing and application keyword searching tomorrow.
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