Recently, I applied for, and got, a position with my current company in my hometown - it’s a promotion and an excellent pay raise. My husband and I currently live 8 hours away from there, and he is trying to find a new job out there. I will be moving in 2 1/2 weeks, and taking our son out the week after - we’ll be staying with my parents temporarily until we find a new place to live.
He’s applying, and we’re using every available contact, but after about three weeks, no luck (he did have one call from someone who needed him to start this past Monday - unfortunately, not an option, but the guy did give him his name and number and told him to call him when he moves to the area). We’ll be putting our house on the market shortly, and if the house happens to sell quickly(doubtful, but we’re optimistic), he can quit his job to come out and search since we’ll be able to live on my income for a little while.
However, if the house doesn’t sell, he really can’t come out until he has a job.
The problem is, my husband is not the most dynamic person when it comes to going after jobs. He’s held two positions in his adult life (current and former), and is and was well-liked in both offices, receives excellent reviews, is a hard worker and a nice guy, etc. But he’s not the type to push. He’s also in customer service (management and supervisory), but not high enough up that he’d be one that companies would recruit.
Any tips I can give him? He’s really trying hard - he’s sending out resumes to anything humanly possible, and he’s even considering working at Borders for a short time while he job hunts out there (which would be fine with me - we’d be fine with that). But he really needs to step it up, and I think he just doesn’t know how to do that.
Every resume he sends he should follow-up with a phone call or email a week later. When I am hiring for a position I certainy notice when people call back or email with interest. Means they really want the job. That’s a tough predicament, because customer service is a cut throat business behind the scenes. I’ve been involved in some mergers and acquisitions and have seen the otherside of the coin. The management side of hiring and it’s complex. Many pools are saturated, why do you think the federal gov’t sent out the unemployment stats last week…It’s the highest in 10 years. I’ll dig up a site.
You mention he is *‘not one to be pushed’ * what do you mean by that? Can he work for someone younger than he is?
If he isn’t already using a local address and phone number as his contact information, he should start to do that ASAP. Even if it means imposing on friends and family to take a few messages and hold some mail. Unless it’s a position where the company is recruiting nationally/regionally for the position, they will very frequently ignore non-local applicants if there are any qualified local applicants.
Also, he should plan a few visits to go around and meet local employers. Hopefully for real interviews, but informational interviews if that’s what he can get. I assume when you mean he can’t come out to the new town until he gets a job or the house sells, you mean he can’t quit his job and come out permanently. He should definitely plan a few visits with you/ job search trips.
Network like crazy on his behalf since it’s your former hometown.
He should also contact any branches of his current company, their customers, competitors, and their vendors in the new town. His experience will be especially valuable to those companies.
No, he can be pushed (in a positive way :D) - I meant he’s not one to be pushy in terms of putting himself forward. And he really knows he needs to work on that. But he’s kind of timid, which is why it took him so damn long to get his current job. But he’s definitely gotten better - I’ve noticed a huge difference in this job hunt and the last one - he’s more ambitious this time.
Harriet, I’ll have him change his contact info ASAP. We’ll just use my parents’ info for now - that should work fine. And we’re networking like mad - I’ve been in touch with a bunch of old high school friends, and my dad has been calling a ton of his contacts as well. And yes, he’s definitely coming out for visits and long weekends. He’s been saving up his PTO to use it for interviews, too.
Chimera, he’s definitely doing that. He’s on every site out there for jobs that either of us has been able to think of.
Of course, the easiest thing would just be for the house to sell, and he could come straight out, but we’re not even considering that option right now.
Cheers to your house selling quickly!
If it’s any consolation, there are houses that are selling right now, coming up on summer it’s a great season…depends on where you price it in the end. My wife and I are about to do the same thing, however, we are only moving 50 miles away, but we are moving into another state. I’m hoping to be enjoying a new home by Laber Day. So I know what you are going through…it’s a little anxiety producing.
