Since I posted the thread about the +1's job hunt, and several of you have posted about your experiences, I thought it might be good for those of you who have successfully found jobs/careers to pass on your good advice. I know peeps can find all sorts of advice online and elsewhere, but your particular experiences might be more beneficial. Advise away!

 

Here's a bit from me. I've been in my career for a long time, but have helped out others in their job searches, resume writing, etc.

Contacts are crucial in seeking employment. And you never know what some seemingly inconsequential contact might result in. So make those calls to anyone and everyone and let them know you are looking!

Also, tailoring your resume to fit the job is very important. You don't want to use a canned resume for every application. Focus on your accomplishments, not just your responsibilities. And make *absolutely certain* you have no typos and grammatical mistakes in your resume. Get someone who is good at editing to read and critique it. You can pretty well bet there are hundreds of people applying for the same job(s), especially if you live in a large area. So you need to make your resume stand out. If it's not polished and well thought out, it won't get you past the first cut. But keep it short - no more than one-and-a-half pages. Remember, the idea is to impress and get you an interview, not give them your life story.

 

Here's a question. Who do you list as references? If you left your last job on good terms, I'd guess former employers/supervisors would be good, as would people you may have done business with over the years who may know how you handled various situations for them.

Who else? If you want to keep your job search quiet for a while, and don't want your present employer contacted, I think it can be a difficult choice.

 

Re: References: At least in my field, peer references seem to be acceptable. Employers understand that listing a current manager is sometimes not an option, and if you've been at that position a long time, the next manager back could be years ago. Another alternative may be a manager in a different area that you've worked with, who can be trusted to be discreet (that worked for me in one case).

In my case, I list peers as 'technical references' who can speak to my technical ability in whatever area.

A caveat to tailoring your resume to fit the position: if you're looking for a long-term position like I was, present yourself as accurately as possible. Don't necessarily focus on stuff that meets the specific requirements of the job , but on what you want to be doing long-term. When looking for more advanced positions, it may be more important for the employer to find YOU and convince you to work there than for you to just find a position that matches your skills. Better for you to not get the job than end up someplace where you fit skills-wise, but nothing else. (IMHO).

Also, in the programming field, 8 page resumes are OK, as long as you have a summary page on the front. Potential employers like to see all the areas you've worked in (and as a consultant, I've worked in a fairly large variety of places). Different fields have different expectations.


JonasM

 

1. Keep the resume to one page
2. List jobs going back only the last 10 years, keep the rest on another page that you can give if requested.
3. References should be "references on request"
keep a good list of references on a seperate sheet and try to have at least 2 of each
a. Peers
b. Supervisors
c. Personal

Always, always dress for success, wear your best suit or dress, avoid excessive jewelry, and makeup, dont dress sexy if possible. A recent haircut or doo. NO Piercings!!!! Tatoos should be well hidden.
Also keep a positive attitude and remember to never say anything bad about your last company or any of them for that matter.

 

^^^ All very good advice. The only thing I might add is to write follow-up letters to everyone you interviewed with. This leaves a good impression that you truly are interested and are seriously considering the job.

 

The follow up letter is an excellent addition.

Also when ending the interview, shake their hand, look them in the eyes, and say "Thank you for your time and I am very interested in this position."
It confirms your stance and may make you stand out because many folks just say thank you.

 

Ok here we go. After 3 months of looking for work (I was RIF'ed in mid June) I now have several interviews under my belt and waiting on three different employers for final decisions.

Here is my $.02:

Most important rule: A job search is a job. If you cannot or will not dedicate 4 to 6 hours a day trying to find employment you are not trying.

Get your resume posted all over the internet. Have had responses from places that I forgot about. I have my resume posted on at least 40 different job boards. As my dad was fond of saying "Throw enough $hit on the wall and some is bound to stick!"

Get out and get on Linkedin. Great place to try to find and set up contacts. It

 

Resume. For companies listed please use achievements that are quantified. A list of responsibilities will not open any doors.

Tailor resumes to what the job is.

I also keep one page resume, a two page resume and then a work project portfolio.

Also Network, Network, Network. Best way to get in the door of a place is to have a known contact there.

 

I have experience on both sides of the interview table, seeking employment and hiring people, and all of the above is good advice. This, though, is important:

I'm glad to see this mentioned, as it brings out an important point about using material specific to the job you're applying for. In some cases, short and punchy is better; in others (particularly my culture of academe), long and complete is essential.

In this Internet age, one approach to combine the best of both worlds, particularly when using an electronic application process, is to go with short and punchy for the initial contact and embed in that active hyperlinks to the long and complete version (as with typo-checking, these need to be checked to make sure they work).

In general, application material that looks generic is always a turn-off, especially a form-type cover letter. And, for heaven's sakes, don't start the r