Job hunting and using your contacts...

mikester · 05-28-2009, 04:12 PM

So - yeah - much like a bunch of you I am hunting for a job. I'm lucky in that I still have one and it looks like I will until at least October (see my outsourcing thread).

I got a lead on a job recently that is quite a catch, one of my previous directors had applied for it however and not gotten it. They were looking for someone 'hands on'. Well - I think that's me.

I put my resume in through a recruiter I know and I called one of my contacts who works for a sales organization that may have some knowledge of the environment. He's a good friend and we have been associated through work for about 5 years. We have similar interests outside of work and I really couldn't say enough nice things about him. I call him up and he actually owns that account and is there all the time - WHAT LUCK! He thinks I'd be great for it (he always says that) and says he'll pass my resume on (which he did).

Moving on, the job req gets stalled by the hiring of a new manager. He gets around to looking at resumes and tells my recruiter that I am not going to be considered due to my job hopping - frustrating to say the least. I hadn't intended to be a job hopper but it just happened that way. I stayed 10 years in one spot, then 2, then a little over 1 and then 9 months and now I've been 2 years where I am at. I wouldn't even consider leaving if I wasn't going to get outsourced.

Still - that's what it looks like on the resume.

I contact my contact about it and he says he will talk to him. Today he did just that and the hiring manager pushed back on him showing him a few resumes of master's degree holders and basically resumes that shine a little brighter than my bachelor's degree. With that I can see his point - my friend however talked him into giving me at least a phone interview. That's great, I'm just worried he went to far.

If I had been told that they had better qualified candidates, I would have asked what I was missing of course but a masters beats a bachelors if you're just tallying resumes that way. I believe my experience is quite strong in the area (as does my friend) so I hope I don't disappoint.

I hope he didn't over extend his credibility...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I just walked in the door from a job interview. I found it on Monster last week, submitted for it and they called me later that same day. Interview went very well and I think I'm getting an offer for pretty decent money, more than I've ever made, and the office is a very short commute from my house.

Interviewer asked me why I'm looking for a job. I couldn't be honest and say I hate my current job. So I told him I think my boss will soon order me to move to LA, which I think is true, and my refusal will not be tolerated. He bought it.

Honestly, I don't think my resume looks that great, but I also think some of the ones I've seen written by pros for big fees looked pretty terrible too. Interviewer told me I was the only person out of 10 he's interviewed so far for this job who has any federal contract experience. And this job is for fed. construction contracts. Then he told me only one other person he interviewed was not unemployed. Yikes! It's rougher than I thought out there. Still, I've never ever been asked about my college degree or any previous job, since I've been at my current one (mostly) since 2001. I really think resumes are just for getting interviews. Once you're in front of someone, the resume doesn't matter at all anymore.

VaSteve · 05-28-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I really think resumes are just for getting interviews. Once you're in front of someone, the resume doesn't matter at all anymore.

Only if they have to bid you out for work to a client.

mikester · 05-28-2009, 06:09 PM

I've reviewed resumes before and it all comes down to how the reviewer feels even if they say they are trying to be 'impartial'.

Nobody is totally impartial, everyone has a weakness. My weakness is those who have military service. I tend to give them more credit than I would give your average 4 year degree holder (like myself).

They certainly get more of my respect.

I haven't been in the military myself unfortunately but I come from a military family and was devastated that I couldn't follow that tradition.

So - men and women in uniform get more consideration from me even though I can't say historically they have been better employees than someone like myself (I mean that with the utmost respect).

We'll see if the hiring manager follows through - right now I'm having misgivings about it altogether since my friend had to come out so far. Apparently the guy asked him "is this guy just some coworker?" Of course I've never actually been my friend's 'coworker' - he is a sales rep for a company I deal with quite a bit. We've worked together extensively however and his response was "No, we've worked together on many projects over 5 years but we're also very good friends with similar interests and hobbies."

That got me a phone interview (we'll see if it actually happens).

Evans, Marv · 05-28-2009, 07:59 PM

I would think the fact that your friend is not a coworker and is impressed with you through working out projects together would be a plus. Even if the job you're interviewing for isn't exactly similar to what you & your friend worked on, if the opportunity arises, I'd describe one or two projects that were successful and demonstrate what you can bring to the position as a problem solver/facilitator.
Best of luck, by the way.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I should add that I was told by my first real job boss that she hired me because she "liked the honesty" in my resume. I was right out of college and had been dialing for dollars in the RNC's phone bank. The "real" job I wanted was just across the hall, so this lady knew what I did. Another phone bank co-worker who applied for the same job had fluffed up his resume so much, even though the hiring lady knew we worked together and did the exact same thing. I got the job over him because I didn't make the phone bank job out to sound like it was something of great accomplishment and importance.

Now that I'm older and really have no excuse for not having a good resume, I just keep recent commission statements and stack rankings on my home computer to show anyone who asks how good I am at my job. Of course, I'd have to get the interview first. But I think a verifiable track record speaks louder than anything you can fluff up in a resume.

mikester · 06-04-2009, 01:00 PM

Phone screening yesterday went well. Now they want me to come in for a FULL DAY of Interviews.

ugh...

vash · vash's Garage

best of luck to you! i dont think your friend overextended his creds, however you may.

i posted awhile back about some guy hoping to work with us for free. he didnt get the gig, because he was not as great as the friend talked him up to be.

again, mikester. best of luck. go get em.

aigel · aigel's Garage

I don't think your buddy overdid it. You just need to make sure you live up to it.

Good Luck,

George

VaSteve · 06-04-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikester

Phone screening yesterday went well. Now they want me to come in for a FULL DAY of Interviews.

ugh...

Nothing to worry about there, unless they cut it short while you're there. Had that happen to me....sucked.

Good luck!

mikester · 06-04-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Nothing to worry about there, unless they cut it short while you're there. Had that happen to me....sucked.

Good luck!

Yeah, that'd suck.

LWJ · 06-04-2009, 07:51 PM

Ok. Here is the deal. Master's degree is only a door opener - not an indication of the level of your performance. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. (I have an MBA, mostly a waste of my time.)

Bottom line? Here are your priorities: 1) Does your personality fit the culture? 2) Will you make the hiring person look like a fool? 3) Will you perform? f

If you can address the above three, your chances are seriously improved.

Good luck and have fun with it! If you make the process enjoyable, you win no matter what.
Larry

mikester · 06-10-2009, 04:47 PM

Looks like it will be half a day on Friday morning. We'll see how it goes...

emcon5 · emcon5's Garage

Best of luck, to both of you.

mikester · 06-12-2009, 06:45 PM

Had the first round today.

When I went in with the hiring manager the first thing he said more or less was "I didn't want to interview you, I don't think you're qualified and I'm doing this as a favor."

I didn't really respond to it but part of me wanted to leave. I didn't appreciate the attitude and didn't feel that it could get productive after that. Still, I was there - foot in the door (even if at that point I wasn't sure I should have put it there).

He went on to explain that this was only the first round and that there would be more, he wasn't in a hurry and I should expect it to be a quick process.

I gave him a bit of a pass on the attitude since I know he started in the position at the end of April and had some from a recently failed institution.

From there we had some productive discussions about the various things he cares about and what he was looking for. Ultimately towards the end he was talking to me like I had completely changed his mind and that I was now very close to being the guy. He started a short discussion on salary, benefits and work schedules. As he walked me out he introduced me to one of the CxO's as someone he would be interviewing in the near future.

I'm just not sure about the attitude and arrogance. I'm not sure if I'm colored about this whole thing by how disappointed and saddened that my current position has run its course and that the course was so short.

I met most of who would be my team and they all seemed like good guys but by and large I wasn't 'impressed' with them. Satisfied but not impressed.

aigel · aigel's Garage

Doesn't sound crazy. Not everyone's style of interviewing but I have experienced this before - people start out as real hard asses to see you under pressure. You did the right thing to just go through with the interview without letting him intimidate you. Obviously you came out of it okay. As long as the coworkers are friendly, that's all that matters. If they are not impressive, the better for you when you get hired, as you can probably outperform them.

I would pursue this as hard as you were starting out. The job and the boss may turn out a lot better than anticipated. Plus, it is always easier to find another job while employed.

Good Luck!

George

stomachmonkey · 06-12-2009, 07:40 PM

I would not sweat it so much.

One of my stock opening lines when interviewing a potential direct report is "I'm an *******, tell me now if you can deal with that or not so I don't waste my time"

I have also gone into interviews with the idea that the candidate will be a waste of time and come out surprised.

Got a resume from a kid last year and called to tell him thanks but no thanks. Well it turns out the number on his resume was a typo. I was "in a mood" and decided to mess with him and teach him a lesson about attention to detail. Sent him an email saying I wanted to bring him in for an interview but his phone number was wrong which was really unfortunate for him, missed opportunity.

Long story short I eventually met with him and actually hired him.

mikester · 06-22-2009, 10:28 AM

Got a call today for another position throught same set of contacts. It's unfortunate though because my buddy really wanted to get that call and instead I got it. Without thinking I asked him if he had received anything from 'so and so' because I just got an email from him about that position.

Now he seems down. Suckage.

The other position, I am still waiting. My initial information is that I'll be called back for the next round when they start it. By late last week that hadn't interviewed anyone else for the job.