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Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

nytimes.com

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Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#61

Post by darpa_escapee »

siculars wrote: post #24
jellin wrote: post #7

I have almost 10 years of experience and I've been looking for a job for the last year. I've sent applications to some companies, carefully selected and for which I'm 100% enthusiast about. I've sent custom cover letters, I've been studied the product and provided feedback and improvements. And still I don't deserve even an email saying that I've been rejected. With some companies I was exchanging email, providing al…

You don't depend on them. They depend on you. Always remember that wherever you work: they are renting your time, you are always working to better yourself. Keep staying positive and know there is an opportunity out there for you. Don't get discouraged!

When there's an applicant pool of 100 people who can do your job just as well as you, they do not depend on solely on you.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#62

Post by ryankennedyio »

TsomArp wrote: post #49
ryanSrich wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

100%. The sooner you build a network and put yourself in a position to not have to apply to jobs the better.

How do you "build a network" at companies you have never worked before, and you have no contacts at? You start adding them to your linkedin and then spamming them with messages saying "please be my friend"? I am asking because I heard this recommendation (build a network) all the time, but it is really really difficult to do, more so if you consider the number of companies where one can apply...

You jest, but that method literally works. I'm trying to break into finance, from a programming, web-development kind of background (with CS degree), which is a pretty tough nut to crack.

I've had a great deal of success just reaching out to people on LinkedIn who've worked on cool stuff in areas I find interesting, message them to see if they're keen to meet for a coffee/beer/etc. Meetups are fun too. A good number of people are happy to just chat for 30min, and you might get a few pointers on where to look for what you want. The worst case outcome is that you meet someone new, and talk about things you find mutually interesting for a little while.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#63

Post by ben_jones »

loteck wrote: post #30
apsec112 wrote: post #3

In my job search, I've been surprised by how often you submit a resume online, and then you don't even get a rejection email. It's a true "black hole" in that you never hear back, not even with a "no thanks". I think it's disrespectful of candidates to ask them to spend time filling out an application, and then leave them hanging because you're (presumably) too lazy to read it.

I sympathize deeply with this sentiment. However, let's switch modes. Please suggest your solution for the problem of receiving 1,874 resumes for a job posting and, 42 days later, finding your likely candidate on the 244th candidate you reviewed.

If the job is important simply task more people and resources to find a candidate. I feel like many companies hire "lazily" where they'll have one person peruse applicants over the course of weeks or months. This is completely disrespectful to candidates, many of whom are not in a position or circumstance to desire being unemployed for that long.

If the job is in fact unimportant, stop pretending like its the bloody presidency and accept candidates who can be trained into it immediately.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#64

Post by jghn »

jansho wrote: post #16
apsec112 wrote: post #3

In my job search, I've been surprised by how often you submit a resume online, and then you don't even get a rejection email. It's a true "black hole" in that you never hear back, not even with a "no thanks". I think it's disrespectful of candidates to ask them to spend time filling out an application, and then leave them hanging because you're (presumably) too lazy to read it.

I had one recruiter asking me for the exact dates of my past contracts, four times . It took a great deal of patience to repeatedly explain that they are already in the CV, just next to the company name and job title. In the end, I had to screenshot and red-circle the areas. That was the aha moment. I'm not sure if this is laziness or what. But it does tell me that they don't care very much.

I'd have to really want a job or really need a job to put up with that sort of behavior. For all other situations I have close to a zero tolerance policy.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#65

Post by [deleted] »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

In my job search, I've been surprised by how often you submit a resume online, and then you don't even get a rejection email. It's a true "black hole" in that you never hear back, not even with a "no thanks". I think it's disrespectful of candidates to ask them to spend time filling out an application, and then leave them hanging because you're (presumably) too lazy to read it.

[deleted]

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#66

Post by [deleted] »

rhizome wrote: post #59
loteck wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I sympathize deeply with this sentiment. However, let's switch modes. Please suggest your solution for the problem of receiving 1,874 resumes for a job posting and, 42 days later, finding your likely candidate on the 244th candidate you reviewed.

Please suggest your solution... This is completely unfair. GP is not an HR professional by any indication. If your accountant says your website looks ugly, do you hire them as your designer?

[deleted]

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#67

Post by thearn4 »

pduszak wrote: post #34
gnarbarian wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing that kept me going on this was excellent communication with both my new manager and HR. They guided me through the process and were very honest about where we stood and how I should answer ambiguous questions in the application. I was certain I would pass the background check but nonetheless it felt unnerving to let those other offers expire for something that was not really a sure thing. Also some of…

What kind of background check costs $30k? Were they looking at past finances?

Top Secret clearance invesigations cost about $60k back around 2005ish when I was in the military. They might be a bit more expensive now.

Finances are, in fact, one of the things that are scrutinized very carefully. Susceptibility to bribes is a major indicator of security risk.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#68

Post by rokhayakebe »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

In my job search, I've been surprised by how often you submit a resume online, and then you don't even get a rejection email. It's a true "black hole" in that you never hear back, not even with a "no thanks". I think it's disrespectful of candidates to ask them to spend time filling out an application, and then leave them hanging because you're (presumably) too lazy to read it.

One deserves a reply if one crafted a personalized cover letter, no matter how short. However the copy/paste guy shouldn't expect anything back.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#69

Post by lacampbell »

jansho wrote: post #55
lacampbell wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After I've sent out an application I don't give it any more thought. I don't wonder if it's been read or if they'll ask for an interview or how long it will take them. I look for the next job to apply to. As far as I am concerned, a rejection wastes both of our time. Unless they want an interview, why bother communicating any further?

Not when I was deeply interested in those jobs, and took my time tailoring the applications to them. I don't usually mass-send my CV, I prefer to shortlist jobs and focus on them. See, I would appreciate at least a note about the outcomes. But it's either no contact or it drags on for ages until they somehow realise that the position is no longer available. It's a bit unbelievable, and I'm starting to doubt myself. T…

I would honestly question why you are spending a long time tailoring an application, or pinning hopes on any one application. I wouldn't say I mass send CVs - but I try not to spend over an hour because I don't see it as a good time investment.

Anyway I'm hardly an expert, but this attitude and process has helped me.

Re: Thanks for Submitting Your Résumé to This Black Hole

#70

Post by TsomArp »

loteck wrote: post #51
Overtonwindow wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Use an automated system to pick out keywords and phrases. Put first 25 in that stack aside. Send a rejection notice to everyone else. The issue is not finding a candidate, the issue is leaving everyone else hanging while you find that candidate.

What if my stack of 25 turn up only unqualifoed people who know to submit keyworded documents? Aren't we now un-rejecting people just like the linked article satirizes? I feel like such an automated approach is roundly criticized by HN on a regular basis. I guess my point is that when you're dealing with this, there are no popular solutions. Un-networked job seekers need thick skin.

Once you find the 1-N candidates you were looking, you "close" the search, and the system sends an automatic reply to all the rest. Not very complicated.u
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