What's that saying? When it rains, it pours?

How about that.....

I search 13 months for a job, spraying my resume out like insecticide to every IT company in existence, and two days after finally getting a job offer (which I took!) I get another call from an international company, telling me that I'm one of their final candidates for their 52-week training program in Denver. This isn't a classroom - this is with their private tutors; only two people are admitted. I'd get $40k/yr. while they trained me (with full benefits), and when I was done I would be *at least* a CCVP. I would then have to work for the company at least two years where they wanted me in the States. They would pay for my airfare to either Denver or New York for the interview.

Two days after that, I got a call from Cisco, saying that I'm a final candidate for THEIR 7-mo. training program in North Carolina, and could I go up to interview for it? After training I go where they want for a specified period of time.

I turned them both down. True, my first job offer is not a bad first networking job ($42k/yr. with so-so benefits). It's a contract job, consolidating the state's networking sites, with hopes to become permanent. The big plus is I'll be only 85 miles from my family instead of gallavanting around the globe with my wife and children in tow. Do I really want to possibly live in New York? Or Detroit? Or Singapore? Some things money can't buy, like being near home with friends and family. And I can get where I want to be with the job I just took - it just might take a little longer.

All in all, I'm pleased with the outcome. I'm gettin' ready to move in a week!

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Comments

UnixGuy

Good luck, it seems you worked hard and now it's paying off.

I got a similar offer from Cisco when I was job hunting, and that job was in another continent lol, so I turned it down, and just as you, I can be what I want to be but it'll take a little bit longer.

LarryDaMan

13 months looking for a job? Holy cow! Either you should move, apply to different types of jobs, or your resume needs work. That is a LONG time to be actively looking for employment.

Congrats on finally getting a job. Get some experience and ask yourself what it was that made it so hard to land the job in the first place? Grab a pen and some paper and jot down some of your experiences (rejections and reasons for them, types of jobs you didn't get, lessons learned from interviews... etc) In 2-3 years when you are on the market again, you don't want it to take 13 months again! Learn from your past, because 13 months is not a normal or typical amount of time to find a position.

Crunchyhippo

LarryDaMan wrote:

13 months looking for a job? Holy cow! Either you should move, apply to different types of jobs, or your resume needs work. That is a LONG time to be actively looking for employment.

Congrats on finally getting a job. Get some experience and ask yourself what it was that made it so hard to land the job in the first place? Grab a pen and some paper and jot down some of your experiences (rejections and reasons for them, types of jobs you didn't get, lessons learned from interviews... etc) In 2-3 years when you are on the market again, you don't want it to take 13 months again! Learn from your past, because 13 months is not a normal or typical amount of time to find a position.

Thanks for the accolades.

I paid 200 bucks for a professional resume and cover. I've been told by large companies that it's great.

LarryDaMan

Crunchyhippo wrote:

LarryDaMan wrote:

13 months looking for a job? Holy cow! Either you should move, apply to different types of jobs, or your resume needs work. That is a LONG time to be actively looking for employment.

Congrats on finally getting a job. Get some experience and ask yourself what it was that made it so hard to land the job in the first place? Grab a pen and some paper and jot down some of your experiences (rejections and reasons for them, types of jobs you didn't get, lessons learned from interviews... etc) In 2-3 years when you are on the market again, you don't want it to take 13 months again! Learn from your past, because 13 months is not a normal or typical amount of time to find a position.

Thanks for the accolades.

I paid 200 bucks for a professional resume and cover. I've been told by large companies that it's great.

I am not trying to be critical, but I was just saying you should try to get to the root cause of it taking 13 months to land a job. If you chalk it up to a "bad job market or bad luck", then the same problems will repeat themselves.

Resume is great. Maybe you applied for jobs you weren't qualified for? Maybe your personal appearance or demeanor was not up to par? Maybe you need to practice your interview skills?

Whatever. Good luck going forward.

dynamik

He's been looking for an IT job for 13 months. He's just been trying to break into the field.

I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you.

LarryDaMan

dynamik wrote:

He's been looking for an IT job for 13 months. He's just been trying to break into the field.

Crunchyhippo wrote:

How about that.....

I search 13 months for a job

I guess I didn't know the history, just went with what I read.

oo_snoopy

Crunchyhippo wrote:

LarryDaMan wrote:

13 months looking for a job? Holy cow! Either you should move, apply to different types of jobs, or your resume needs work. That is a LONG time to be actively looking for employment.

Congrats on finally getting a job. Get some experience and ask yourself what it was that made it so hard to land the job in the first place? Grab a pen and some paper and jot down some of your experiences (rejections and reasons for them, types of jobs you didn't get, lessons learned from interviews... etc) In 2-3 years when you are on the market again, you don't want it to take 13 months again! Learn from your past, because 13 months is not a normal or typical amount of time to find a position.

Thanks for the accolades.

I paid 200 bucks for a professional resume and cover. I've been told by large companies that it's great.

Who did you go with for your resume and cover?

snadam

dynamik wrote:

He's been looking for an IT job for 13 months. He's just been trying to break into the field.

I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you.

Slowhand

Congratulations on the new gig, sounds like it's just what you were looking for. Best of luck with the work, as well as your voice-studies.

sprkymrk

Congrats hippo!

And while those other opportunities look exciting, I agree you made the right choice sticking with your offer close to home. Your family is, after all, the reason we need a good job.

I am also curious who you had to do your resume. A couple hundred bucks ain't bad if it's well done.

BeaverC32

Congrats man, I really mean that. I have been critical of some of your posts in the past, but I hope your outlook on IT changes with your new job.Way to stick it out, good luck.

undomiel

Congratulations! Hurrah for another September success! I hope you pull some great experience out of this job.

networker050184

Congrats!

Its nice to see you found something promising!

scheistermeister

Congrats on getting into the field!

dynamik wrote:

He's been looking for an IT job for 13 months. He's just been trying to break into the field.

I've been actively looking June and no dice so far here. Closest I have come so far is the second interview with IBM and I am supposed to be hearing back from them sometime this week. Not counting small contracts though.

NetAdmin2436

Congrats on your new job.

Crunchyhippo

sprkymrk wrote:

I am also curious who you had to do your resume. A couple hundred bucks ain't bad if it's well done.

I man named John Donovan created my resume. His website is below. I had at least one international company tell me I was considered because of the resume quality.

It cost me $200 for the cover and resume.

http://www.crsresume.com/

networker050184

That isn't a bad price for a resume and cover letter from what I saw when I was thinking about getting one written by a pro.

mikej412

Congratulations!

Crunchyhippo wrote:

I paid 200 bucks for a professional resume and cover.

Worth it and reasonable. You've got to get your resume plucked from the pile first before you even have a chance at the job -- but then it's all on you during the interview.

Did you practice your interviewing skill so that you'd make the most of the interviews you got?

Did you keep reviewing the CCNA/CCVP technical stuff so that you could dazzle them with your technical knowledge during the interviews?

Did you get your teeth whitened to dazzle them with your smile?

zen master

13 months really isn't that long to spend looking for a job. When I first came out of university with my BSc, I spent about 8 months looking before I finally got a phone call. It's not easy out there.

gojericho0

Congrats! That has to feel pretty sweet when you got the final seal of approval. Did you start yet?

LarryDaMan

Crunchyhippo wrote:

sprkymrk wrote:

I am also curious who you had to do your resume. A couple hundred bucks ain't bad if it's well done.

I man named John Donovan created my resume. His website is below. I had at least one international company tell me I was considered because of the resume quality.

It cost me $200 for the cover and resume.

http://www.crsresume.com/

Not too impressed with the samples, they are all 2-pagers and they are okay but nothing special.

My advice, if you need help, buy a $20 resume book on Amazon. Take the other $180 dollars and take a beautiful girl out to a nice dinner. You could end up with two jobs.

BeaverC32

LarryDaMan wrote:

Crunchyhippo wrote:

sprkymrk wrote:

I am also curious who you had to do your resume. A couple hundred bucks ain't bad if it's well done.

I man named John Donovan created my resume. His website is below. I had at least one international company tell me I was considered because of the resume quality.

It cost me $200 for the cover and resume.

http://www.crsresume.com/

Not too impressed with the samples, they are all 2-pagers and they are okay but nothing special.

My advice, if you need help, buy a $20 resume book on Amazon. Take the other $180 dollars and take a beautiful girl out to a nice dinner. You could end up with two jobs.

LOL

Although the proof is in the pudding -- hiring a professional seemed to help him quite a bit, so I wouldn't consider it a waste of money.