A question that everyone can answer!! 1

[LTOP]

Hello All!

I just want to hear input form other engineers about job searching strategies and amount of time spent looking.

I started by focusing on the automotive industries and mining/oil industries because that is where my internship experience has been but recently have been "spamming" resumes because I am beginning to feel a bit desperate.

1) I have been looking for about 6 months. It that a long time? It feels like I have been looking forever.
2) What can I do/learn to stay ahead or competitive in the job market?

Any advice would be great!

Thanks,

-LTOP

 

[GregLocock]

Spamming resumes does not seem like a sensible move. Six months is a fair amount of time to have been looking, particularly since you have a couple of internships under your belt (well done).

However, you do seem rather unfocussed, maybe that comes across in your covering letter or resume?

Have you had your resume checked? Can you talk to someone where you did one of your internships? Are you sure you are looking in the right place for jobs?



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[sms]

What country are you in, what geographical area have you focused on, what is your degree, and what was your GPA? If you're a recent grad, have you gone to your on campus recruitment center for advice on resumes, interviews, contacts, etc?

Oh, not to be rude, but have you taken a really good look at yourself and the way you present yourself? Do you need to shave? Loose the piercings? Get a hair cut? Buy a suit and tie?

Interviewing is a matter of advertising you, your ability to fit in, and your skills, what are you advertising?

 

[LTOP]

Hello Greg,

I know I may come across as bit unfocused now, but in the beginning I was only targeting industries where I had experience.

This resume that I have posted on about 15 different job boards was checked by someone and accepted as a good resume.
I have recently made a functional resume that just outlines my work experience and skills but I can't say that I have had much success with that one.

As far as where I am looking - everywhere...I have built a little bit of a network base (even in Germany) but my timing doesn't seem to be on.

I have considered starting to do an "information interview" approach to widen my network - any input?

Thanks,

-LTOP

 

[IRstuff]

But how are you focusing on the specific jobs? A general cover letter into HR will generally get you ZIP.

Are you looking at specific openings and focusing your cover letter and CV at that particular opening?

TTFN

 

[IRstuff]

And what about those that you interned with?

Part of the benefits of interning is the contacts that you make.

My first job out of college was with the company that I worked part-time with. I got other offers, but I accepted the offer from the company I worked at.

TTFN

 

[SmithsJohn2]

Are you in US? Are you an american or international students. I heard from my friends, some companies are not willing to employ international students, because they need to sponsor the H-1B visa. Also, I think networking is important in searching the jobs. Some positions are hidden. Hope it helps.

 

[bandraoi]

Have you found the right recruitment agency?

Often an industry will have one or two recruitment agencies that will handle alot of the job hunting/candidate finding problems of that area.
This is particularly true of areas where there aren't that many people with the skills and qualifications.

Find the right recruitment agency, talk to them and you may just find yourself a job.

 

[corus]

Recruitment agancies are the leeches of the 21st century, employing people who were rejected as double glazing salesmen. Avoid them at all cost, unless you enjoy wasting your time going for interviews for jobs you'd never dream of applying for.

Don't waste your time spamming HR departments of companies. Those Hitler youth have better things to do than reading resumes (CVs).

Check the internet to find out the company structure and any relevant department that you might think suitable. Phone the company and ask the person on the switchboard for the manager's name, if it's not on the internet, and write (not email), giving a brief description (no CV) and saying you'd like to meet and will phone next week.

Alternatively, look in the newspapers for companies that have a large recruitment drive on and apply even if there's no job suitable for you. As the company is generally in a listening mood, your resume might be forwarded on to a depertment that hadn't advertised but are maybe interested in taking someone on.

It's all a matter of luck, and increasing your chances.

corus

 

[bandraoi]

Most recruitment agencies are leeches who'll promise the earth and deliver nothing but if you can find the right one then it's well worth it.

Don't forget that HR are leeches too and love to pass the buck along the chain.

There's often one person/agency that really specialises in a field and knows the companies and the people working there and how to match a job to a person. If you can find that one it's worth your while.

The other place to look is the trade press. If you hear someone has just got a big contract you're working on then send them a CV with a cover letter saying you're interested in that project. If a company is looking for a few senior people to start a new team, send your CV because the next step is probably to hire the people for the team, and there will be adds for grads and the specific recruitment agencies I'm talking about there too.

 

[BobPE]

There are a handful of recruitment agencies that are out there that do work for you. I am the product of 2 jobs via the same agency and they assisted me in gaining substantial upward moves both times I used them. I would say that when using a recruitment agency, it only benefits you when you have 10 to 20 years of experience. Less experience, they are leaches, more experience, you are a reject who cant find a job for some reason. So know your limits when using a recruiter.

Bob

 

[astructurale]

One thing that no one has mentioned yet...

Consider having your resume professionally done. I paid $150 through career builder and got a TERRIFIC resume. They'll do cover letters for an extra $50. It's worth the $ and you can write it off on your taxes (if you are in US). Make sure the cover letter is specifically tailored to each company you send your resume to.

You can also jump feet first into your trade associations and orgainizations. Start attending some of their meetings. You might be able to make some good job contact that way.

Recruiters can be good too, but are better used once you have experience in your field. I found my current job though a recruiter. He was great, and it only took him one week to get an interview and then an offer in.

Good luck!!

 

[svanels]

Pay $150 to have a resume, $50 for a cover letter? IMO if you are coming from a senior education center and you don't know how to write..
I thought that being an engineer also imply that you are able to formulate your ideas and put them on paper. And that doesn't apply to autocad only.

 

[kchayfie]

If you are entry-level and don't know what field you want to enter, recruitment agencies could be the way to go. Sure, they'll send you to all manner of unsuitable interviews in order to fulfil their own quotas, but they might also send you to an interview for something you would never have considered but turns out to be your ideal job.

I've always found that careers don't have to be meticulously planned; sometimes throwing in the element of chance can open up all sorts of interesting doors.

 

[astructurale]

I feel the need to go off on a tanget after svanels last comment. Here is my response to his remarks,

I am very capable of writing a resume, and have written them in the past, however, someone who does it for a living is faster and more experienced at it that someone who has to write one every 5-10years when changing jobs. To me it was well worth the money, and saved me a lot of time. Not to mention resumes have changed a lot since I got out of school, especially since most need to be e-mail and internet friendly.

Say what you like, but I make enough money and have worked hard enough in my career not to have to spend my valuable hours at home researching the latest resume etiquette, writing it one, and then proof reading it for grammer errors. I compare it to having a housecleaning service. Sure, I could do it myself, but if I can afford not to why would I want to.

 

[svanels]

Your free to source out (buy) everything you like. But if I had to make a choice among engineers, looking at resumes I would look a guy who can handle situations, reports well, is able to tell what he has done or achieved for his previous companies, working experience etc. I would pick the one that stands out in the crowd.
If I would see something like copyright careerbuilder.com then

My thoughts: If he would have to handle a serious problem, how he would put his words on paper? Would he call careerbuilder to make the problem statement?

If the applicant have some publications, maybe a column in a newspaper, technical magazine etc. I would analyze his writing style, does he knows his stuff, did he write it in an understandable way, did he reached his targeted audience, etc..

The C.V. is your first introduction, the second one is the interview.

But maybe I am too greedy to pay 50 bucks for a cover letter.

 

[whyun]

For cover letter, I've googled for some samples, edited to suit my situation and it's done in 10 minutes. Cover letters are pretty standardized anyways.

As for resume, although I haven't done it myself, $100 or so isn't a bad investment. These professionals can create some impressive layout and fonts. You provide them with the content and they make it look good. Everything being equal, the one with a better resume wins.

 

[astructurale]

svanels,

Nice thing about outsourcing your resume is that the recipient does not know that you did not write it. It does not have copyright careerbuilder on it.

Anyway, it's the interview that seals the deal. If you have a great resume, and you cannot back that up in person then you won't get the job anyway. Anyone can be made to look good (or at least better) on paper if the right words are used, which is what draws the company's interest towards you in the first place. But when you look good on paper and you really are that good in person then you've got the job.

Good luck to LTOP. I hope that your job search has improved since starting this thread.

 

[corus]

Resumes (CVs) can make an impression but don't waste your money if you're sending them to a recruiting agency. They will rewrite your CV into their own format and all your fancy fonts and efforts making nice paragraphs etc will be wasted.

corus

 

[whyun]

I have some questions for both interviewers and interviewees.

For interviewers: It may be a sensitive question but... here it goes - Does a foreign name on a resume have any effect on whether he/she will be contacted for an interview?

For interviewees (ones with foreign last and first names and ones with "anglicised" first name and foreign last names): Have you ever experienced any discrimination due to having a foreign name?