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I automated my job application process

blog.daviddodda.com

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Re: I automated my job application process

#71

Post by DavidDodda »

codegeek wrote: post #12

Nice. But as a hiring manager, this is the last thing we want. Flooded with auto submitted Resumes. I posted a job recently and got 100+ resumes in 2 days and 99% were not even remotely close to being a good fit. I struggled to sort through so many Resumes to find someone worth interviewing. The problem is that with so much noise, good candidates may get ignored or rejected by mistake. And the cycle continues. I get…

I am with you on that. applying for jobs indiscriminately is bad. but right now llms have got to a point where they are pretty good at pattern matching job requirements with skills in my resume. it's smart enough to not apply for php heavy projects/jobs when given a MERN stack developer resume.

I saw this as a marketing kind of problem, your conversion is based both on number and quality of your leads.

Re: I automated my job application process

#72

Post by drillsteps5 »

ripped_britches wrote: post #33

As someone who automates everything and normally loves this type of thing, my approach for job hunting has been way different. Instead of spray and pray, I spend a week or so deeply researching where I want to work and figure out how to get there role-wise. Everything 100% manual and focused, no more than 8 total companies. Maybe spray and pray works if you’re more junior, but later in your career you’ll want to be v…

Basically my approach as well. The problem is that your well-thought-through application will get lost in a sea of applicants (many using tools similar to the one shown above). The tools used by the recruiters/HR also suck and can be easily gamed (ie strategically spreading keywords/phrases throughout the resume even if the candidate has no actual experience). The end result is hiring managers cannot find good candidates to interview, and good candidates cannot get interviews.

The core problem is not that the systems suck but that so many people in IT lost their jobs in the last 2-3 years so that they don't have a choice other than to spray-and-pray (in the end of the day you need to put the food on the table).

Things won't improve until hiring recovers (increase in labor demand), and some IT professionals probably will pivot to other industries (decrease in labor supply), as it happened in 2000 and again in 2008.

Re: I automated my job application process

#73

Post by DavidDodda »

drillsteps5 wrote: post #66

In the middle of fruitless multi-month job search, I manually view LinkedIn/indeed job sites daily and look for new positions, going through requirements, making sure I have the skills and experience (also helps with understanding if I need to upskill in certain areas), then look up the company, the industry it's in, etc. By the time I'm ready to apply to the position I know I'm interested in and a good fit for, ther…

well, manual application is also a thing, there are people who literally make it their job to apply to job listings. you can find people offering their services on r/slavelabour. some times they take a flat rate/job application, sometimes they do percentage of your first paycheck on new job.

https://www.reddit.com/r/slavelabour/search/?q=job+applicati...

Re: I automated my job application process

#74

Post by DavidDodda »

xianshou wrote: post #9

One of those cases where the act of building the system serves as sufficient qualification in itself, even when the results of the system are mediocre.

that's how I got my new job offer!, I talked about this system I was building during a technical interview.

Re: I automated my job application process

#75

Post by DavidDodda »

codegeek wrote: post #21
the_arun wrote: post #10

Is cover letter important? Do hiring managers/recruiters read those?

Depends. As a Hiring Manager, I love cover letters but only if it is not a generic copy paste. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind a Cover letter that may have some generic stuff about you but you must add something specific about the role/company that you are applying for and why you will be a good fit. This will get you miles ahead of others in the queue.

how would you rate this?, this email was written by the system from the article.

Dear Hiring Manager,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is David Dodda, and I am writing to express my interest in the Software Engineer position at WIA Software Systems Inc. I am a Senior Software Developer with extensive experience in full-stack development, and I believe my skills align well with the requirements outlined in your job posting.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication and over 5 years of professional experience, I have honed my capabilities in various programming languages and technologies, particularly in React, Node.js, AWS, and SQL. At Black Beard Development Group, I led the development of a privacy-focused AI platform and played a pivotal role in establishing CI/CD pipelines that improved efficiencies across our team.

Your job description emphasizes the importance of developing software solutions by studying systems flow, data usage, and work processes. In my previous roles, I have consistently evaluated user feedback to improve system designs and have successfully executed the full lifecycle of software development. Additionally, my involvement in agile methodologies and my proficiency in AWS aligns perfectly with your requirement for cloud and DevOps experience.

Furthermore, I have experience collaborating with teams to coordinate the development and integration of computer-based systems, ensuring optimal functionality and performance. My recent project involving a fantasy sports DApp required me to coordinate with various stakeholders, manage expectations, and lead technical efforts, making me well-equipped for the responsibilities at WIA Software Systems Inc.

I am particularly excited about the hybrid work arrangement offered for this role, as I believe it allows for both collaborative in-person engagement and the flexibility of remote work, which enhances productivity.

Thank you for considering my application. I have attached my resume for your review and would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasms align with the goals of WIA Software Systems Inc.

Best regards, David Dodda https://daviddodda.com

Re: I automated my job application process

#76

Post by vunderba »

teeray wrote: post #57

It’s astounding that we, as an industry, are so averse to licensing developers. It solves the resume spam problem and the repetitive LeetCode round(s) that every company now wants. We also don’t have to settle for the licensing process other industries have—ours can be more inclusive of alternative development backgrounds, while still providing a meaningful quality filter.

Yep, I've talked about this at length for years. We need to bring back the PE Exam to help guarantee some minimal level of competency in prospective applicants.

https://ncees.org/ncees-discontinuing-pe-software-engineerin...

But this is one of the most entitled industries in the universe. Even the mere notion of suggesting academic degrees, PE Exams and other forms of "gatekeeping" is tantamount to shouting Voldemort's name through a megaphone.

Re: I automated my job application process

#77

Post by vunderba »

codegeek wrote: post #12

Nice. But as a hiring manager, this is the last thing we want. Flooded with auto submitted Resumes. I posted a job recently and got 100+ resumes in 2 days and 99% were not even remotely close to being a good fit. I struggled to sort through so many Resumes to find someone worth interviewing. The problem is that with so much noise, good candidates may get ignored or rejected by mistake. And the cycle continues. I get…

With automated hiring spam and our industry's tenuous grasp of basic integrity with actual HN posts proudly boasting of their apps to help you cheat during interviews using LLMs, several of my friends who assist in hiring at their companies have already returned to "on site" interviews to cut down on the proverbial chaff.

The kicker? These are 100% remote jobs - the interviews are being performed at shared workspaces. That's the world we live in now.

Re: I automated my job application process

#78

Post by codegeek »

DavidDodda wrote: post #75
codegeek wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends. As a Hiring Manager, I love cover letters but only if it is not a generic copy paste. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind a Cover letter that may have some generic stuff about you but you must add something specific about the role/company that you are applying for and why you will be a good fit. This will get you miles ahead of others in the queue.

how would you rate this?, this email was written by the system from the article. Dear Hiring Manager, I hope this message finds you well. My name is David Dodda, and I am writing to express my interest in the Software Engineer position at WIA Software Systems Inc. I am a Senior Software Developer with extensive experience in full-stack development, and I believe my skills align well with the requirements outlined in…

Honestly, this is a typical generic one where may be you just edited the pargraph a bit about "Your job description emphasizes the importance of..". I would rather have you give me concrete examples. Instead of saying "I have consistently evaluated user feedback to..", give me an actual example.

Also, a bit too long. Make it shorter.

Re: I automated my job application process

#79

Post by neofrommatrix »

codegeek wrote: post #12

Nice. But as a hiring manager, this is the last thing we want. Flooded with auto submitted Resumes. I posted a job recently and got 100+ resumes in 2 days and 99% were not even remotely close to being a good fit. I struggled to sort through so many Resumes to find someone worth interviewing. The problem is that with so much noise, good candidates may get ignored or rejected by mistake. And the cycle continues. I get…

What I find most infuriating is that people just don’t care, even when faced with enough evidence that their strategy of mass applying even when they are not a good fit is failing. It just makes it harder for everybody else as you said.

Re: I automated my job application process

#80

Post by lostlogin »

cute_boi wrote: post #53
imnotjames wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've run into the same thing. We don't even have the job posted publicly anywhere and we get >100 submissions per day. Many are duplicates. I've found some that with some minor research turn out to be foreign organized crime. A large number of them had the exact same cover letter with changes in the names and past jobs. Not only is it difficult to find candidates that actually fit the job role, it's hard to go throug…

It seems that many processes, from interviews to real work, are increasingly manipulated. I've noticed a pattern with candidates employed by certain consulting companies, especially in Texas and New Jersey. These companies often recruit low-cost labor from India, craft fake resumes, and submit them to platforms like LinkedIn. During interviews, candidates use tools like HDMI dual-screen setups, ChatGPT, Otter AI, or…

What’s the outsourced work from India like? Anything worth having?
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