Trouble obtaining first full time job 4

[sutherbj]

I was hoping to obtain some advice regarding obtaining my first job. I graduated this last December and took a month off for personal reflection regarding where I want to go with my degree, and so I've been interviewing for about 2 months now. I graduated with a 3.3 from the University of Wisconsin, and have co-op experience, volunteer research experience, etc.

I think my credentials are sufficient, and my communication skills are decent (for an engineer at least), though I'm having trouble both getting interviews and going past the first interview.

I used to use Monster, Careerbuilder, etc. but found that they are pretty useless. Most of my interviews have come from recruiting agencies finding my resume on those websites and contacting me, and also for signing up for interviews on campus from visiting companies.

Can anybody give me some suggestions on other ways of landing interviews? Does it normally take this long of searching to obtain a job?

Also, ANY suggestions about getting an interview for a job outside of my local region would be great, everything so far has been too close for me personally.
Thanks in advance.

 

[csd72]

yellowpages.com

That is how I got my last two jobs.

 

[Gymmeh]

if your going to use the company web page, make sure you call for a follow-up. Some of those web application programs have filters and a person will not see you resume.
If you follow-up with a phone call, they may catch it.

 

[Gymmeh]

A thread about the methods they use to filter

thread1088-209264

 

[Constructioneer]

Keep your head up sutherbj, the jobs are out there...

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111369&org=NSF&from=news

 

[Cachuca]

Sutherbj:

I can provide you with some advice as well. I graduated right after 9/11 and the economy was not great either. I remember seeing people get laid off in the papers in the hundreds and always thought how was I to get a job without experience or any contacts?

First off, do not discourage! You can do this! I spent 8 months looking for a job and I even knew of a college friend that spent over a year after school without his first engineering job.

I tried Monster, Careerbuilder, recruiters, networking (whatever little there was since I moved from FL to Philadelphia) for over 6 months and all that did not work. I got a great piece of advice from a much older acquaintance at the time: "You only need 1 job, so go to every firm around you, introduce yourself and give out your resume". At first I thought this old guy was crazy, who does that?, but I finally got the nerves to do it, after everything seemed to lead nowhere.

I went to the yellow pages and got all the consulting firms in my immediate area. I dressed nicely (tie, dress shirt, slacks, no jacket, but that would help!) and went to the first one in the list. I was on their parking lot by 9am, but could not go in until noon, trying to prepare for whatever questions I may be asked, and still terrified. FInally I went in, I was able to talk to the Office Manager, who first got me a free lunch, and I was given an interview on the spot. That was enough to get my confidence level going and did more places the same day, just driving from firm to firm. That first day I got 2 interviews scheduled. I did the same thing EVERY morning and covering a larger and larger area. In less than 3 weeks I got to where I am now, and a week later I was working.

That to me is infallible. Person to person contact and no phone calls or emails. I have been at this job for 7 years now and I can tell you in those 7 years NO-ONE has come into this office with the same approach. Doing so sets you apart from the rest without a doubt.

Hope that helps, JPR

 

[ischgl99]

Cachuca, a star for you for an excellent suggestion.

 

[csd72]

Dont be discouraged, the first one is the hardest to get. It took me the best part of a year.

Dont be too fussy about your first job, any experience is better than none and you can look for your dream job while working there.