The Job Searchers' Thread

[Nufy]

https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/402...23#post4758423

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

When you set up your interview, and they send you a range of dates and times, absolutely take the latest slot that you can. Conventionally most people try to get in first. But I always like to be last because if you nail a good interview, they'll make you the benchmark for the people that come in earlier.

You can go in whatever order you want. If you go first and nail a good interview, everyone who comes in after you will be measured against you. They may even like you so much that they don't interview some of the last people, or they interview them but don't give them a real shot.


I was interviewing two people for a Controller role. I scheduled my first interview for the one I less preferred as a way to get me warmed up and asking the right questions for the second candidate. The first one was outstanding and I knew I wanted to hire her. The second one was fine, but because the first one was so good, I didn't give her a full interview. If the schedule was reversed the other person would have gotten a better interview. I might have ended up with the same selection, but the other candidate would have had a better shot.


My personal preference is to go first. I want to impress them so much they gloss over the rest. I want my skills and personality to shine so that when the rest of the candidates come through the door the person doing the interview keeps thinking they aren't as good as I was. I want to be able to shape and form the questions the other candidates will receive, because of my history.


Go with whatever works for you, but to put it in absolutes is not a great idea. I prefer going first. You prefer going last. Both can work. You aren’t really a benchmark if you go last.

[Yamer]

As some of you may have read in the PGT from Thursday night, I finally received a job offer. I started yesterday, but it's still kind of surreal to know I am actually employed.

It's not exactly what I was looking for, and it's not really in my field, but it's a brand new government contract position that has serious potential to evolve. And most importantly, it's work. I don't have to be jealous of everyone else now!

Thank you to everyone for the support and advice. I didn't really expect that level of knowledge or that this thread would be such a helpful resource. I hope it continues on, and I hope anyone who is freshly unemployed or has been frustrated with the process for a while can get what they need from here.

[shermanator]

Not sure where to put this, but I figured this may be the best place to share my story.

So, I'm not actively looking for a role, but am always keeping an eye out. A month ago, a recruiter from a company reached out to me about a role. The recruiter works for the company, and not for a recruitment firm. I review the role and am interested. Communication with this recruiter is somewhat difficult as I cannot leave a voicemail with them. We go through a first interview phase 2 weeks in, and I submit a skill assessment based on a sample project a few days later. Standard stuff.

At this point, communication from the recruiter drops off entirely, which implies to me that I did not get the role. I forget about the role. 2 weeks later they send out a canned email saying they want to set up an interview. They ask for my availability during a few day stretch. I provide it, and no acknowledgement. Days later, I ask for an update, they send out a meeting invite outside of my availability. I ask them to move the interview into my window of availability, and no acknowledgement. No mention of waiting on other parties or anything. By this point, since I have to book time off of my actual job to make this interview, I can no longer get the time off. Frustrated, I let the recruiter know I am no longer interested in the role because of the lack of communication.

The experience I had was bad enough that I wrote a review on Glassdoor about the experience. Well, the recruiter just called me to say that because the review on Glassdoor (which is supposed to be anonymous, but I guess given the details in the review the CEO knew the person responsible), they were getting fired from the company.

So, now I'm sitting here and part of me thinks the recruiter deserves what they got and the other part of me thinks I am a piece of ####.

[CaptainCrunch]

Sounds like a slipshod recruiting process. The fact that you couldn't leave a voice mail would make me question the company.



The communication drop off is poor too, yes as a candidate you have to convince the company that your a good hire, but the company has to sell its merits to you.


Unless the review had the names of people, its not your fault, the fact that the Recruiter got fired is not your fault, clearly he wasn't living up to the company standard.

[lazypucker]

Again, I don't understand the logic that the recruiter (and hiring managers) spent at least an hour of their time interviewing someone, and then can't even find 30 seconds of time later on to give you a call to let you know if you are successful or not. It happened to me many times.

Such a gear-grinder for me...

[Matata]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

*Interview Tips*

One thing I'd like to tag on to this is to bring a notepad with questions you have for them on it and a pen in case you want to make any notes. This has two-fold benefits: you can brain dump all your questions onto the pad and don't have to try and hold that in your head while managing all the other aspects of an interview, and it makes you look really keen on the job and organized. Often times I had the interviewer positively comment on it.

[CaptainCrunch]

When I show up for an interview, I usually have a portfolio with copies of my resume, my company research, and a nice (and I emphasize this) nice notepad and a nice pen.


And having written down questions gets a gold star from a lot of interviewers.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Not sure where to put this, but I figured this may be the best place to share my story.

So, I'm not actively looking for a role, but am always keeping an eye out. A month ago, a recruiter from a company reached out to me about a role. The recruiter works for the company, and not for a recruitment firm. I review the role and am interested. Communication with this recruiter is somewhat difficult as I cannot leave a voicemail with them. We go through a first interview phase 2 weeks in, and I submit a skill assessment based on a sample project a few days later. Standard stuff.

At this point, communication from the recruiter drops off entirely, which implies to me that I did not get the role. I forget about the role. 2 weeks later they send out a canned email saying they want to set up an interview. They ask for my availability during a few day stretch. I provide it, and no acknowledgement. Days later, I ask for an update, they send out a meeting invite outside of my availability. I ask them to move the interview into my window of availability, and no acknowledgement. No mention of waiting on other parties or anything. By this point, since I have to book time off of my actual job to make this interview, I can no longer get the time off. Frustrated, I let the recruiter know I am no longer interested in the role because of the lack of communication.

The experience I had was bad enough that I wrote a review on Glassdoor about the experience. Well, the recruiter just called me to say that because the review on Glassdoor (which is supposed to be anonymous, but I guess given the details in the review the CEO knew the person responsible), they were getting fired from the company.

So, now I'm sitting here and part of me thinks the recruiter deserves what they got and the other part of me thinks I am a piece of ####.

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Again, I don't understand the logic that the recruiter (and hiring managers) spent at least an hour of their time interviewing someone, and then can't even find 30 seconds of time later on to give you a call to let you know if you are successful or not. It happened to me many times.

Such a gear-grinder for me...

I would feel the same way, shermanator. That said, as a person that has been repeatedly disrespected during my process I agree with lazypucker. Other job seekers should be aware of your experience, and the company itself should know if someone isn't living up to their recruiting standards.

I know it's difficult, but try not to lay that at your own feet. Person wasn't good at their job, it negatively affected the company, person lost their job.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by shermanator

The experience I had was bad enough that I wrote a review on Glassdoor about the experience. Well, the recruiter just called me to say that because the review on Glassdoor (which is supposed to be anonymous, but I guess given the details in the review the CEO knew the person responsible), they were getting fired from the company.

What. The. Actual. F?

Trust me, if they're doing that, they deserved to be fired. Likely for a lot more than just your review.

[CaptainCrunch]

So I started on the work from home position on Monday.


I think so far its awesome.


First of all a quiet work environment, I'm getting a lot done without the distractions.


Because everything is so concentrated, I find that its just more efficient, including the training stuff. I get my tasks and can mow through them and then if need be, go back to them.


I've maybe driven a quarter of what I was driving before. No more two hours in traffic. I'm loving that.


Healthier living, no fast food for lunch, I can buy healthier food and cook it in my own kitchen while I work.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by shermanator

The experience I had was bad enough that I wrote a review on Glassdoor about the experience. Well, the recruiter just called me to say that because the review on Glassdoor (which is supposed to be anonymous, but I guess given the details in the review the CEO knew the person responsible), they were getting fired from the company.

So, now I'm sitting here and part of me thinks the recruiter deserves what they got and the other part of me thinks I am a piece of ####.

Sounds like a new position opened up for you.

Seriously, though, it sounds like they were fired for good reason. You did a good thing for the company and all their future applicants.

[CaptainCrunch]

I would agree, it probably just wasn't you that had a bad experience. How many good candidates were chased off?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Not sure where to put this, but I figured this may be the best place to share my story.

So, I'm not actively looking for a role, but am always keeping an eye out. A month ago, a recruiter from a company reached out to me about a role. The recruiter works for the company, and not for a recruitment firm. I review the role and am interested. Communication with this recruiter is somewhat difficult as I cannot leave a voicemail with them. We go through a first interview phase 2 weeks in, and I submit a skill assessment based on a sample project a few days later. Standard stuff.

At this point, communication from the recruiter drops off entirely, which implies to me that I did not get the role. I forget about the role. 2 weeks later they send out a canned email saying they want to set up an interview. They ask for my availability during a few day stretch. I provide it, and no acknowledgement. Days later, I ask for an update, they send out a meeting invite outside of my availability. I ask them to move the interview into my window of availability, and no acknowledgement. No mention of waiting on other parties or anything. By this point, since I have to book time off of my actual job to make this interview, I can no longer get the time off. Frustrated, I let the recruiter know I am no longer interested in the role because of the lack of communication.

The experience I had was bad enough that I wrote a review on Glassdoor about the experience. Well, the recruiter just called me to say that because the review on Glassdoor (which is supposed to be anonymous, but I guess given the details in the review the CEO knew the person responsible), they were getting fired from the company.

So, now I'm sitting here and part of me thinks the recruiter deserves what they got and the other part of me thinks I am a piece of ####.

Jesus that sounds a lot like our Talent Acquisition (stupid term) process.

[Inferno]

How ironic is it that I get a rejection email for the 3D job that I did an art test for and really wanted last night on my birthday. lol Good thing I ended up getting the job I have now.

[LChoy]

Hey CP, quick question for you the group
What's your go to font with your resumes and coverletters?
I'm in the public sector so I think they tend to frown on the newer modern ones, but Arial and Times New Roman seem kind of dated too

Thanks!

LChoy

[CaptainCrunch]

I go with Callibri, its clean and simple.

[Ozy_Flame]

I tend to use Calibri because it's one of the standards on Office 2016 documentation. My gut is always try to use standard of the most popular/common Office suite.

[Locke]

Comic Sans lets them know that you're a really fun guy with a sense of humour who likes to go out for beers after work.

[Ozy_Flame]

Steamer lets them know you have a seedy underbelly and are not to be trifled with on petty matters.