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Scopulus Argentarius · 12-04-2003, 06:59 AM

I've not done any job hunting recently, although I will regrettably put myself on the market (even if it only serve's my purpose of having a backup plan when I start pushing things at my current job.)

Here is my experience with job hunting...

Back in the usenet days, I also tried a couple of ads and got offers. I eventually turned them down as they were not targeted to 'me'

I use want-ads, connections, and my college career placement center (use to that is) for leads. and I weed them out, figure out what they're really looking for and craft my correspondence to mirror their stated needs. I only go after leads that I am well qualified for and I sculpt my language in terms of business solutions (clarified with some technical terms as needed). I prefer mail over fax over email. My resume and cover and subtley designed to stand out in stack of other candidates' correspondance. I also purposely send my stuff a week or three late so that I can be assured of standing out in the crowd. The stuff employers get pelted with en masse during the early days of employee hunting is usually approached from a candidate weeding perpective, rather than a qualification perpective. If I can, I route my initial correspondance down the ladder; this usally gets better attention. Usually, the last person to interview gets the offer. If I can help it, I never interview on a Monday or Friday. And I go into an interview knowing a good bit about what the company offers and its social landscape.

And I'm not afraid to be a little bold.

The first engineering job I got after college was the result of a rejection letter. Essentially, I sent the company a 'rejection' of their rejection; I told them I was interested in visiting their operation (despite knowing they were'nt hiring) and that I'd be in their area the end of the month... That visit got me an offer; a second one got me a decent salary.

12-04-2003, 06:59 AM	#10
Scopulus Argentarius Your current user title is: Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: BTR Posts: 301	I've not done any job hunting recently, although I will regrettably put myself on the market (even if it only serve's my purpose of having a backup plan when I start pushing things at my current job.) Here is my experience with job hunting... Back in the usenet days, I also tried a couple of ads and got offers. I eventually turned them down as they were not targeted to 'me' I use want-ads, connections, and my college career placement center (use to that is) for leads. and I weed them out, figure out what they're really looking for and craft my correspondence to mirror their stated needs. I only go after leads that I am well qualified for and I sculpt my language in terms of business solutions (clarified with some technical terms as needed). I prefer mail over fax over email. My resume and cover and subtley designed to stand out in stack of other candidates' correspondance. I also purposely send my stuff a week or three late so that I can be assured of standing out in the crowd. The stuff employers get pelted with en masse during the early days of employee hunting is usually approached from a candidate weeding perpective, rather than a qualification perpective. If I can, I route my initial correspondance down the ladder; this usally gets better attention. Usually, the last person to interview gets the offer. If I can help it, I never interview on a Monday or Friday. And I go into an interview knowing a good bit about what the company offers and its social landscape. And I'm not afraid to be a little bold. The first engineering job I got after college was the result of a rejection letter. Essentially, I sent the company a 'rejection' of their rejection; I told them I was interested in visiting their operation (despite knowing they were'nt hiring) and that I'd be in their area the end of the month... That visit got me an offer; a second one got me a decent salary.