Bah! This job hunt sucks.

So I got a call from the recruiter today about the position that I had interviewed twice for. Turns out that I didn't get the position. The recruiter said that it was real close between me and another guy and the company said they wished they could hire us both. He also said that if it doesn't work out with the other guy he will call.

So I have been job hunting since spring and while I have been getting numerous short term small contracts it seems I can't get anything full time. I also found out that if I re-upload my resume every week it will spark a few calls from recruiters and that is what has kept the small contracts flowing.

So I am curious as to what you guys would do. I have started thinking of just sitting back and getting more certs hoping that I can broaden my horizons, but I do not know if that will hurt in anyway. Most of the companies I have talked to for lower level jobs feel I am over qualified for the lower level jobs, but the higher level ones say I don't have enough production experience... So what would you guys do? Move?

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Comments

jbaello

Keep trying to aim for what you want.

I just got called back yesterday myself turned down for a job, making it 2nd place, after the last 3 candidates, they said the same thing that they wish they had a mid lvl net admin position, so they can hire me. It does hurt me everytime I get turned down for a job, but it's alright my plan is to really become an expert with what I do, so I will study more than I did before.

I'm crossing my finger for Dell MVFS.

networker050184

How have you gone about looking for a job?

I know a lot of people try to just spray their resume out and hope for a call. I think this type of reactive job hunting is a bad idea if it is the only approach you take.

I like to take a proactive approach and call the companies I would like to work for.

The last time I was looking for a job I pulled up the partner search on Cisco's website and tried to call or email every company in my area. It worked out and pretty good as I got an email or call back on almost every one I sent.

If you are searching proactively then you might want to think about a professional resume, or at least having it proofread by someone in the industry (like the folks here at TE).

scheistermeister

networker050184 wrote:

How have you gone about looking for a job?

I know a lot of people try to just spray their resume out and hope for a call. I think this type of reactive job hunting is a bad idea if it is the only approach you take.

I like to take a proactive approach and call the companies I would like to work for.

Call, go there, spam my resume to everyone I can.

networker050184 wrote:

The last time I was looking for a job I pulled up the partner search on Cisco's website and tried to call or email every company in my area. It worked out and pretty good as I got an email or call back on almost every one I sent.

I did that first... A whopping 0 are in my area or anywhere near here...

networker050184 wrote:

If you are searching proactively then you might want to think about a professional resume, or at least having it proofread by someone in the industry (like the folks here at TE).

I've had it reviewed here... twice.

networker050184

scheistermeister wrote:

I did that first... A whopping 0 are in my area or anywhere near here...

A quick search brought up 133 in the Cincy area if you are still there.

Search here.

LarryDaMan

scheistermeister wrote:

So I am curious as to what you guys would do. I have started thinking of just sitting back and getting more certs hoping that I can broaden my horizons

Reminds me of the movie Grandma's Boy. Do you still live with your roommates (parents)? Do you have a car bed?

Seriously though, if you can afford to lay back and just take small contracts... go for it! I am just jealous. My kids need to eat, so I must work.

LarryDaMan

You might still be able to get girls...

scheistermeister

networker050184 wrote:

scheistermeister wrote:

I did that first... A whopping 0 are in my area or anywhere near here...

A quick search brought up 133 in the Cincy area if you are still there.

Search here.

Ah! Didn't see that, I went through here:

http://ciscopartnertalentnetwork.com/learn/jobseekers

Looking through those I have done contracts for a lot of them and others I have applied to, but it gives me a few to start calling.

scheistermeister

LarryDaMan wrote:

scheistermeister wrote:

Seriously though, if you can afford to lay back and just take small contracts... go for it! I am just jealous. My kids need to eat, so I must work.

Well, being single and young with no kids helps. Not to mention that I am a tight wad. I have always had a "rainy day" fund stashed away that I can live off of even though if anyone asks I am broke. I usually don't spend all that much when I make money.

BradleyHU

yeah i feel your pain. I've been lookin for a new job for about 3 months now. I've gotten a few calls from companies(direct employers) i've applied to, and i might have 2 interviews coming up, but for the most part, job hunting sucks. And i'm tired of these Staffing firms calling me, usually they always trying to get me a help desk or technical support position, and since i already do tech support, i dont want another one. i want to get a desktop support position, and i think i'm close to that, with these 2 possible interviews.

banderas1978

What's the difference between technical support and desktpo support position?

BradleyHU

banderas1978 wrote:

What's the difference between technical support and desktpo support position?

for the most part, technical support focuses on proprietary software or products. desktop support deals with printers, AD, laptops, workstations, blackberrys, etc.

banderas1978

BradleyHU wrote:

banderas1978 wrote:

What's the difference between technical support and desktpo support position?

for the most part, technical support focuses on proprietary software or products. desktop support deals with printers, AD, laptops, workstations, blackberrys, etc.

Got it, cheers!

nel

if your struggling for work in your area would you not consider long term contracting? usually means you have to work away from home but you could possibly pick up some lengthy contracts? and seen as though your single and young you wont have to much stopping you?

Slowhand

I feel for you, I've been on the hunt for work since mid-July. Got a whole bunch of phone interviews, face-to-face interviews with recruiters, and a whole lot of bupkis. The only real promising lead I've got is a phone interview I had today with a company offering me part-time work that will allow me to go to school at the same time. I'm waiting to hear back when (and if) I can go down to their office for an actual face-to-face interview.

Keep at it. Times are tough, the economy sucks, but there's work out there somewhere.

Aldur

I say broaden your horizons and pick up a few Juniper certs

networker050184

If you are single go do a year contract in Iraq, very good money.

I get calls to go all the time, but my wife would kill me if I went back again.....

It will also give you plenty down time to study and some time for the whole economic crisis to settle down as well.

Slowhand

Aldur wrote:

I say broaden your horizons and pick up a few Juniper certs

Something tells me we've got the anti-Mike on our hands, here. Exactly alike in every way, save for minor differences in taste and major ones in values, (or in this case, certs). Tell me, Aldur, do you sport a goatee and scowl a lot?

Daniel333

Willing to move?

And yes, certainly get your certs in order. Looks like you don't have your Microsoft client/server certs, that would certainly round off your Cisco and Linux.

Aldur

Slowhand wrote:

Tell me, Aldur, do you sport a goatee and scowl a lot?

HOW DID YOU KNOW! Yes I have a goatee and tend to scowl, especially at some of my customer's questions...

undomiel

Consider relocating? If your area is coming up dry then perhaps you should broaden your horizons and look at some other places like Seattle and Houston.

stlsmoore

networker050184 wrote:

If you are single go do a year contract in Iraq, very good money.

I get calls to go all the time, but my wife would kill me if I went back again.....

It will also give you plenty down time to study and some time for the whole economic crisis to settle down as well.

Do you have a link to the company that offers these contracts, I've been in the same boat as everyone else here. I get tons of calls from recruiters but not direct employers any more it sucks. Because now you have to drive and meet the recruiter before you can even get your resumes sent to the real company now a days. I've wasted so much time and money doing that.

networker050184

Most of the large defense contractors will have slots to go over there. Especially if you have prior military service.

The usual like General Dynamics or L3 are the big ones but there are smaller ones like Apptis as well.

Slowhand

Aldur wrote:

Slowhand wrote:

Tell me, Aldur, do you sport a goatee and scowl a lot?

HOW DID YOU KNOW! Yes I have a goatee and tend to scowl, especially at some of my customer's questions...

If you run into Kirk, don't let him talk you out of your evil Juniper ways. We like you just the way you are, man.

scheistermeister

stlsmoore wrote:

networker050184 wrote:

If you are single go do a year contract in Iraq, very good money.

I get calls to go all the time, but my wife would kill me if I went back again.....

It will also give you plenty down time to study and some time for the whole economic crisis to settle down as well.

Do you have a link to the company that offers these contracts, I've been in the same boat as everyone else here. I get tons of calls from recruiters but not direct employers any more it sucks. Because now you have to drive and meet the recruiter before you can even get your resumes sent to the real company now a days. I've wasted so much time and money doing that.

Actually all the recruiters I have talked to have called me just to get permission to send my resume in and I have only met with one recruiter. All the other just do a phone interview before they ask for my permission to send my resume in.

As for relocating I have considered it. I even got a call today asking if I would be interested in a job 4 hours north of me. The job sounded awesome (they pay for certs YAY!) and was well within a salary range I would gladly work for doing stuff I love. It was through a recruiter though so she said she would submit my resume. She also said I have an accent that she couldn't figure out where it was from...

undomiel

So far what has worked for me is applying for jobs on craigslist (which got me the psycho employer I'm about to quit 1 year later) and other than that I've actually been the one that has been scouted. The new job I'm starting next week found my resume on dice and they contacted me to bring me in for an interview. The job doing Dell tech support and the contract companies I got contracts from all found my resume online as well. I know that's a very passive way of job searching but it does show that it is a good idea to keep your online resume up to date. You'll get a lot of recruiters that are just interested in your salary history to enter in their database but every now and then you'll get someone that is actually looking for workers. In the meanwhile keep looking for places to start banging on the door and find the hiring manager and find out what they are needing. It'll get you some contacts out there though you'll get a number of slammed doors as well. Nurture those contacts and they may pay off farther down the road. Networking as mentioned earlier can be a life saver.

dynamik

undomiel wrote:

So far what has worked for me is applying for jobs on craigslist....

Was it this one?

empc4000xl

dynamik wrote:

undomiel wrote:

So far what has worked for me is applying for jobs on craigslist....

Was it this one?

LMAO

bjaxx

empc4000xl wrote:

dynamik wrote:

undomiel wrote:

So far what has worked for me is applying for jobs on craigslist....

Was it this one?

LMAO

Nice, i'm about 2 hours from there.

Pretty smart though