I'm Starting to get frustrated with my job search

Hey everyone, I'm new to this site but i read through a lot of post last night and wanted to register asap.

I've been without IT work since last June.I was close to being fired from that job so rather the get fired i quit. At the time I had a job lined up at redbox but I ended up quitting because I kinda had a nervous breakdown. I'm not sure if it's my resume, experience(1.5 years), or something about my interviews but I'll get an interview and the company's end up hiring someone else. It seems like where I live there are so many people with more experience then me and jobs are few and far between that they just hire people with more experience.

I realize that I need to stick with a company for as long as possible right now because my longest IT job was a month short of being there a year, but it seems like nobody's giving me a chance.

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earweed

knwminus wrote: »

The job market sucks hard.

It does here, too. I've applied and interviewed and no luck. I'm going to WGU now and trying to just get an entry level job is nearly impossible here so far. I've had a couple of interviews but no offers so far.
Some of the helpdesk jobs are requiring 4-5 years experience, that's ridiculous.

apena7

knwminus wrote: »

I find myself feeling the exact same way. Recruiters don't call/email back and when you call them, they act aloof or that you are wasting their time. Calling companies to followup on postings and they say no one knows anything, ever. Unclear posting tell you to email people who never contact you back. HR people being all chummy with you, saying that they like you and the interview went great only so say that they think your goals are to aggressive and say you are over qualified for the position and they think you would be bored. Dead end leads. Bad Leads. People wanting you to write code and support servers/desktops, and be a Jr Project manager for 16 dollars an hour. Contract with no benefits and no possibility. Unrealistic expectations and desires. 4 years of exp plus a BS plus certs, for entry level positions. The list goes on.

Yup, recruiters can be a pain, but remember that they don't work for you. Keep low expectations for them since they are just another tool for the job hunt. But I agree, the IT "job hunt" is about the equivalent of hunting a rabbit with your bare hands (difficult, but not impossible).

The job market sucks hard.

It does indeed. I've almost given up trying to find an IT job and have gone into 'survival mode' by applying for any job that comes my way (sales, retail, etc.). Do whatever you can to gain experience and hang in there, the market should pick up again in a few years.

Bl8ckr0uter

I have been working part time and doing some short term project stuff via RHT but I am tired of this. I have several years of experience and people still want more. I hold several industry certs and I want to do the MCSA but I just cannot get into it. I really don't want to at all. So its like I don't have enough exp for most networking jobs, I don't have the right experience for sysadmin jobs, and I have to much exp for helpdesk jobs. I am like WTF.

impelse

knwminus wrote: »

I have been working part time and doing some short term project stuff via RHT but I am tired of this. I have several years of experience and people still want more. I hold several industry certs and I want to do the MCSA but I just cannot get into it. I really don't want to at all. So its like I don't have enough exp for most networking jobs, I don't have the right experience for sysadmin jobs, and I have to much exp for helpdesk jobs. I am like WTF.

This happen to me so often. I have good certifications, good exp but not exactly the ammount they want. Some companies said that I have a good background and I wnet to two interviews but after the second one they never call back or answer the emails.

Anyway, just keep doing.

Bl8ckr0uter

impelse wrote: »

This happen to me so often. I have good certifications, good exp but not exactly the ammount they want. Some companies said that I have a good background and I wnet to two interviews but after the second one they never call back or answer the emails.

Anyway, just keep doing.

Yea I hear you. Despite my hate for windows I guess I am going to have to go balls to the walls for 3 test and get my MCSA. I want to improve my marketability and I think that will help some. I am still waiting on a few things to line up but it seems to be taking forever. I am not b1tch and I am not a quitter but I am just tired of this.

RouteThisWay

knwminus wrote: »

Yea I hear you. Despite my hate for windows I guess I am going to have to go balls to the walls for 3 test and get my MCSA. I want to improve my marketability and I think that will help some. I am still waiting on a few things to line up but it seems to be taking forever. I am not b1tch and I am not a quitter but I am just tired of this.

How is getting an MCSA going to help? It will only push you further into the "over qualified" and "under experienced". You have the cert but not the experience to go along with it.

Sounds like you guys are getting interviews. That shows your resume is what they are looking for, you meet they level of experience or certifications they want. Sounds to me like you are not successfully conducting the interview, which is leading to don't-want-to-hurt-your-feelings response such as "you would be bored here" or "you are over qualified". That is not the reason why they aren't going to extend you an offer, they are trying to tell you they are not interested in you without making you feel bad. We (our team does the hiring for new members of our team in a group) have used those excuses many times for people who met the qualifications, but didn't feel would fit into our environment for a multitude of reasons.

Just my opinion. It's hard to judge since none of us are sitting there in the room with you. But if you keep getting interviews but no offers/ call backs... I would focus on that in itself. Not your technical pedigree.

Sorry if I was harsh.

impelse

Let me tell you this, I work most of the times with windows servers (I been working from NT servers), but they said that they are looking for people more Cisco or Linux, and by the other side I know some people they are more linux and Cisco and they hear that they need windows admins, jajajajaajajajajajaj, who knows.........

Anyway, just keep sending emails and contacting companies, I read an article that said: "We need to change the way that we look for jobs", how? It did not mention it.

impelse

RouteThisWay wrote: »

How is getting an MCSA going to help? It will only push you further into the "over qualified" and "under experienced". You have the cert but not the experience to go along with it.

Sounds like you guys are getting interviews. That shows your resume is what they are looking for, you meet they level of experience or certifications they want. Sounds to me like you are not successfully conducting the interview, which is leading to don't-want-to-hurt-your-feelings response such as "you would be bored here" or "you are over qualified". That is not the reason why they aren't going to extend you an offer, they are trying to tell you they are not interested in you without making you feel bad. We (our team does the hiring for new members of our team in a group) have used those excuses many times for people who met the qualifications, but didn't feel would fit into our environment for a multitude of reasons.

Just my opinion. It's hard to judge since none of us are sitting there in the room with you. But if you keep getting interviews but no offers/ call backs... I would focus on that in itself. Not your technical pedigree.

Sorry if I was harsh.

This is true, but we are mention some situations that a lot of people are getting, that makes a little difficult to understand how to go in.

RouteThisWay

impelse wrote: »

Let me tell you this, I work most of the times with windows servers (I been working from NT servers), but they said that they are looking for people more Cisco or Linux, and by the other side I know some people they are more linux and Cisco and they hear that they need windows admins, jajajajaajajajajajaj, who knows.........

Anyway, just keep sending emails and contacting companies, I read an article that said: "We need to change the way that we look for jobs", how? It did not mention it.

Companies are trying to cut costs by finding people with a broad base of skills. This is nothing new.

But once again, it is very easy to tell someone you just don't want to hire "we are looking for someone with _____ skill". And they fill in the blank with something you don't have. It happens every day. If you are getting interviews, you meet the qualifications they are looking for. It is your job to win or lose.

Bl8ckr0uter

RouteThisWay wrote: »

How is getting an MCSA going to help? It will only push you further into the "over qualified" and "under experienced". You have the cert but not the experience to go along with it.

Sounds like you guys are getting interviews. That shows your resume is what they are looking for, you meet they level of experience or certifications they want. Sounds to me like you are not successfully conducting the interview, which is leading to don't-want-to-hurt-your-feelings response such as "you would be bored here" or "you are over qualified". That is not the reason why they aren't going to extend you an offer, they are trying to tell you they are not interested in you without making you feel bad.

Just my opinion. It's hard to judge since none of us are sitting there in the room with you. But if you keep getting interviews but no offers/ call backs... I would focus on that in itself. Not your technical pedigree.

I am not a complete noob to Server2003/AD. I did support it at all but 1 of my previous jobs. We did creations/moves/gpos and stuff but I just never really got into it. I am currently doing PC/Server support on the side so it isn't like I am totally removed from that world.

The interview I mentioned that they think I would be bored did tell me that they have an opening in May/June for a Network Tech and they think I would be a very good match. They also have kept in contact with me. When I interviewed for the job they said "Where do you see yourself in five years" and I told them as a CCIE. They eventually told me that the position (even though it was a "network analysis") was more PC support oriented. I think that is what killed me.

I think I am a great interviewer and at this point, I am not getting either calls or interviews. The last one I had was the one I previously mentioned. There is no way I can make up 3-4 years of cisco experience so the best thing I can do right now is try to widen my net and see if that works. I think that entry level systems support is easier to get into than entry level network engineering, at least in my area.

RouteThisWay wrote: »

Companies are trying to cut costs by finding people with a broad base of skills. This is nothing new.

But once again, it is very easy to tell someone you just don't want to hire "we are looking for someone with _____ skill". And they fill in the blank with something you don't have. It happens every day. If you are getting interviews, you meet the qualifications they are looking for. It is your job to win or lose.

I don't agree with this. The interview I had before the last one I interview with the company, it went well, they called me back for the tech interview, it went well. They told me it came down to 3 people (1 position) and I was the number 2 pick. Why? Even though I score perfectly on their tech interview and they liked attitude, the other person scored similarly and had a BS and a couple more years of exp. So my ability and my attitude were not enough. There is always the possibility that someone else is just going to be better than you are or have something that they want that you don't have.

Who knows though, you may have a point about the MCSA and if the job I want comes around, I will abandon it and go for the CCNA:V and CCNP but until then I have to go with what I see and in the Midwest everybody wants everything. I saw a Network Engineer position that wanted a CCNP MCSE CCSE CISSP and PMP

RouteThisWay

knwminus wrote: »

at least in my area.

That's a huge variable too. As they say in real estate.... location, location, location.

Good luck man, hope you can get to where you want. You do seem knowledgeable and dedicated. Someone will recognize that.

Bl8ckr0uter

phoeneous wrote: »

Why? This may be part of the problem.

You know honestly I don't even know anymore.

It is probably just the way I have had to deal with windows (virus, broken stuff caused by users, users not knowing how to us the basic functions of windows/office, etc) not actually windows itself.

Turgon

RouteThisWay wrote: »

Companies are trying to cut costs by finding people with a broad base of skills. This is nothing new.

But once again, it is very easy to tell someone you just don't want to hire "we are looking for someone with _____ skill". And they fill in the blank with something you don't have. It happens every day. If you are getting interviews, you meet the qualifications they are looking for. It is your job to win or lose.

While you have made some valid points, recruiting even on a general level can be far more complicated than this. Sometimes the job spec advertised is a long way off what they are actually looking for and you only get to discover that if the interviewers have the skills to get across what they really want during the interview. Some people are also dreadful at interviewing people going off on tangents and not helping candidates at all, in the worst case not even reading your CV properly prior to interview. Then there are the hidden agendas. In some cases if you sell your ambitions too hard it can hurt you if the person interviewing wants to manage out the menial tasks so they can further their own career. In this case it's not ambition they are looking for, but a hard miles stayer. Then there are the companies that bring people in just to see what is out there for a certain salary, but there is no actual budget for the hire at that time.

Lots of smoke and mirrors. So its not always a case of a job to win or lose. Sometimes its not a job you want to win actually, and other times the hirer is quite right to say you would be bored here. The key is to suss out what the job really involves and *why* it exists, then decide if it's something you really want to go for. If so, try to clinch the deal!

chmorin

knwminus wrote: »

You know honestly I don't even know anymore.

It is probably just the way I have had to deal with windows (virus, broken stuff caused by users, users not knowing how to us the basic functions of windows/office, etc) not actually windows itself.

Those reasons are why people have jobs.

impelse

knwminus wrote: »

You know honestly I don't even know anymore.

It is probably just the way I have had to deal with windows (virus, broken stuff caused by users, users not knowing how to us the basic functions of windows/office, etc) not actually windows itself.

I loved hackers, because they mess ups with virus and I have to many computers (on the side) to fix.

earweed

phoeneous wrote: »

What's rediculous is that the job posting that says that was probably written by someone in HR and has no clue what it takes to do a helpdesk job. Apply anyway, what have you got to lose but time?

I already have

Bl8ckr0uter

phoeneous wrote: »

I think thats called job security.

I mean but it gets old ya know. I get tired of doing av work. I want to see more, professionally. I am not knocking anyones hustle or anything but I have been working on machines for like 5 years and I am tired of viruses.

impelse

phoeneous wrote: »

I think thats called job security.

I like the job security!!!!!

JamesRF

Well yesterday I went on two interviews that turned out to be located about a mile away. Anyways, the first place was for the cable company my last post was incorrect and when i went in last it was for "testing" but the recruiter said both interviewers liked me. The second job said i was the best interview so far so I believe i did well on both so now i just wait and prepare for my interview with the third company friday.

impelse

Keep trying, you will get something.

rogue2shadow

Indeed. Keep pushing! I was in a similar position myself about a year ago and was laid off (due to the company shrinking). My resolve now is that I will build my skill set and certifications regiment as solid as possible so that when push comes to shove it will be less likely that I am the first one picked for the cut.

In essence, create a resolve for yourself. Do not give up on the job search; more interviews = more interview experience no matter how redundant or frustrating the outcome is.

My advice would be to center this resolve around where you'll be in the future and work towards that via re-enrolling in school, online training, workshops etc. As long as you have something you're fighting for you will always keep your eyes on the prize.