Job Seekers thread Mark 2

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

What is everyone's opinion on dress code for a digital video interview? I have to do one in the next 48 hours. It isn't an actual video conference but rather one of those interviews where you record a video of you answering a question. Would it be acceptable to just do business casual such as a button down shirt? Should I throw on a tie? Jacket required? Do I have to put on pants?

Actually its funny, in the case of a live interview, I'd say try to match up to the working from home motif.


But the whole recording of a video thing, I'd probably want to do the jacket and tie approach as these are not so spontaneous and they're going to be judging you on a recorded video where you really can't form an interview bond.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Actually its funny, in the case of a live interview, I'd say try to match up to the working from home motif.


But the whole recording of a video thing, I'd probably want to do the jacket and tie approach as these are not so spontaneous and they're going to be judging you on a recorded video where you really can't form an interview bond.

I honestly hate these types of things. I would be much more comfortable meeting with actual people for a real interview but that isn't possible. If I was going for an interview I would wear a suit but for this I feel like a suit is too much. I feel like business casual is much more appropriate in this environment. But who knows?

[CaptainCrunch]

Its a brave new world. For one application I was asked to make a "Kick a$$" video to introduce myself and why I would be "Awesome" at this job. It was frankly the dumbest thing I'd ever seen.

[Weitz]

Where do you find these companies you apply for??

[CaptainCrunch]

What do you mean?

[Weitz]

That ask for a kick ass video or other videos haha. Maybe i'm just not in tune with a lot of HR practices these days. I had a competitor reach out to me a few weeks ago and we just met at a coffee shop to shoot the #### before they made me an offer. Thats about the extent of my interviewing in the last 10 years.

[CaptainCrunch]

This one was an IT consulting firm that's been around for quiet a while. I've seen two or three where they've asked for video's explaining why you'd be an awesome fit with our young and dynamic team blah blah blah.


The pre screening has gone through the roof on job searches. That tends to happen in a heavily slanted Employer job market where they're receiving like 100's of resumes or 1000's of resume's in some case.


I've had to


Do the video
Answer a pre screening essay form questionaire with 5 scenarios.
After talking to one submit a detailed 90 day start up business strategy with hard goals
One that I told to F off, wanted a list of clients that I could bring across. I had interviewed with him and I liked him, but I sent back a simple response of you have to be kidding me. I'll do it pre hire for a huge consulting rate.

[CaptainCrunch]

oh and one other piece of advice. There are a lot of employers out there that are warehousing. They have no idea how they're going to hire or what the onboarding is, or what the training model is. So they're stacking perspective interesting candidates with no idea when they're going to get clearance to actually hire, so make sure you ask those questions in terms of start, what onboarding looks like etc.


Also when a company says it offers relocation be very clear to ask what that entails.



Ok, for some reason I have no energy today, I was determined to continue my usual steps of search and follow up, I'm meeting my perspective Client on Monday, and I'm like 90% - 100% Lets do this. But I sat down and started doing my search and list of follow up and went literally bleah.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Weitz

That ask for a kick ass video or other videos haha. Maybe i'm just not in tune with a lot of HR practices these days. I had a competitor reach out to me a few weeks ago and we just met at a coffee shop to shoot the #### before they made me an offer. Thats about the extent of my interviewing in the last 10 years.

I don't think much has changed over the years, TBH. Early on in my career in the 2000s, I had an interview with Microsoft and they asked me to solve riddles on the phone.

[CaptainCrunch]

It was weird this morning, as I sat here and signed my contract. Then went to Indeed and Zip and Neuvoo and shut down all of my notifications.



My plan is to start next week, to take this week off and just depressurize and get everything set up on the business side of things.



I feel like a 10,000 pound boulder has rolled off of my back and rolled out the door.


It took about 3 months and 10 days of what I deem as pain with moments of utter anger. The job hunting field has really changed, we're in a heavily favored Employers market and it has to be navigated differently.



If anyone needs help, has questions, wants a second set of eyes to look at resume's or cover letters or whatever, I want to pass on some of the great that you guys have done for me in keeping me motivated and pushing through this things.

[CrazyCaper]

Do any of you have experience on going back to school after 40? I'm highly considering a drastic career change at 43 and would like to hear about some first hand experiences on what it was like. I've been doing sales for the last 18yrs and am ready to try something completely different, ie. Medical field.

[CaptainCrunch]

Kind of, going back to school at 40 can be tough. I went the other way and started taking on line certification courses.


Project Management

Data Scientist


It helps in terms of maybe deciding on a new path of what interests you and then you can go full bore into a full time school thing.


When I went to college, we had an older gentlemen in his 40's who was going back to school. To give him credit he pounded through it and got his degree, but found it hard getting into entry level starter roles and ended up going back to what he had been doing.

[Derek Sutton]

Got offered a new role, by an old boss at a different brand, would be switching from GM to Ford. Accepted it given that right now I’m on CERB, start on Monday. I’m also in the early interview stages for a CFP position with the company I’m currently a customer with. Both the job offer I’ve accepted and the second interview at other position happens today. Not entirely sure how it will all play out but I’m going to run with both for now as the CFP role is still a long shot at this point and would take some time to land as I would need mutual fund and insurance licensing. Also still a bit unsure of entering the financial planning world since we’re smack dab in the middle of Ozark season 2....

[CaptainCrunch]

I'm happy to hear that you got something Derek. Its really tough out there in terms of searches and competitive searches. It was getting so tough that I was counting getting interviews as major victories.



I know, I know.


In the before the dark times, you could afford to be a bit picky in terms of accumulating offers, but this is really an employers market so now on offers a lot are giving a hard deadline on offers, and sometimes right now, a hand in the bush is better then wait . . that's not it, A bird in the hand is better then, I can't remember.


Yeah, keep pursuing the other one if its of interest, but its great news that you have something now.

[Ashasx]

After being on the job hunt since before COVID started, I finally landed a position this week.

It's almost hard to believe since it was truly a role that was at the top of my list. Interviewed before quarantine, and shortly after was told hiring for the position would be on hold.

I feel like my luck just turned in an instant, from several sleepless nights to instant optimism.

[GirlySports]

I'm glad a lot of you are finding work again. Hope that means things are picking up and close to normal.

My workplace is currently planning a full return in September.

[CaptainReboot]

What are people using now to look at job postings, specifically in IT? I got laid off in the middle of June and starting the search now. I’ve been at my last company for over 12 years, and 5 years before that somewhere else so the last time I was looking for work it was through Monster and Workopolis.

I’ve started to look through Indeed and Glassdoor, as well as LinkedIn.

[CaptainCrunch]

Indeed is probably the best one, Neuvo I think it is is very good as well. I found Monster to be not good.


Also if you're in IT Angel List.


Linkedin is definitely good but murderously competitive.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by CrazyCaper

Do any of you have experience on going back to school after 40? I'm highly considering a drastic career change at 43 and would like to hear about some first hand experiences on what it was like. I've been doing sales for the last 18yrs and am ready to try something completely different, ie. Medical field.

You will find it much easier. I returned to school in my 30s for career change, and couldn't believe how easy it was to focus, get assignments done, attend classes and actually understand the topics.

A little life experience honestly changes every aspect of the education system.

[Mass_nerder]

I need to vent

I graduated near the top of my class with a Master of Architecture in April, but worked for 5 years as an Architectural Technologist before that.
Now that I've got the Masters, a Bachelors, and a Diploma, there's literally no jobs available; the way Calgary is trending, it feels like there won't be any opportunities for me for years to come. I've been looking all around Alberta and BC, but the opportunities are almost non-existent.
I've been sending out unsolicited resume & portfolio packages to every firm I can think of, but in the last 3 months, I've only had 3 firms even respond with a "we're not hiring, but we'll keep your resume" in last 3 months.
I had a (what I thought was an amazing) interview a few weeks ago but the company responded to me this week saying that they really liked me, and loved my credentials, but they decided not to hire anyone after re-evaluating their needs.

I've got job alerts set up on indeed and linkedin for anything architecture related, but I'm getting pretty frustrated, as 90% of the jobs that pop up are for software architects (which drives me absolutely crazy).

I gambled on myself to go from a technologist to an (intern) architect, and now that oil has crashed, and covid has hit, there are no intern architect positions, so I'm applying for technologist jobs again and even getting turned down there.

I feel like a complete failure.